Chapter 3 (b)

3b Aristotle’s three essential qualities of a persuasive ethos… Virtue—the audience believes you share their values. Practical Wisdom—you have ‘street-smarts’ Selflessness/disinterest—the audience seems to be your primary concern.

3b “When you seem to share your audience’s values, they believe you will apply them to whatever choice you help them make.” Ethos (credibility to the audience, fitting in) works in defined groups. Credibility is limited to the topic at hand. Practical Wisdom—The audience believes that you have the ability and authority to solve the problem.

3b Today, many people use the words “disinterested” and “uninterested” interchangeably. What is the difference? Why is it important for ethos for a speaker to appear to be beholden to no special interests? Can you think of examples?

3b Ethos and Special Interests— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iCLhyfC3_8

3b Advice from Cicero… “Seem to deal reluctantly with something you are really eager to prove.” (Act as if you felt compelled to reach your conclusion, despite your own desires. Make it sound as if you reached your conclusion after confronting overwhelming evidence.)

3b Cicero said that you want your audience to be… -attentive -trusting -willing to be persuaded

3b Your audience will be interested when they find you worthy of their attention. Therefore, model ‘virtue’, ‘practical wisdom’ and ‘good will’. Remember…it is important that your audience thinks you have these attributes. They must be made aware of them; for, if you have them but they are unknown…your ethos is poor!

3b “Make it seem as if you have no tricks” “A speaker might choose to feign helplessness by pretending to be uncertain how to begin or proceed with his speech. This makes him appear, not so much as a skilled master of rhetoric, but as an honest man.” The Romans called this **dubitatio** (do not look tricky; seem to be in doubt about what to say)

3b Modern persuasion research confirms Quintilian’s theory— -a knowledgeable audience tends to sympathize with a clumsy speaker and even mentally argue his case for him. George W. Bush and his “Bushisms” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV4lJr6AhJA

3b “Modern persuasion research confirms Quintilian’s dubious theory: a knowledgeable audience tends to sympathize with a clumsy speaker and even mentally argue his case for him. Dubitatio also lowers expectations and causes opponents to ‘misunderestimate’ you, as Bush puts it. Lincoln’s country-bumpkin image disguised a brilliant political analyst who could speak lucidly about the issues. His ‘ethos’ made the audience trust his sincerity while doubting his intellect—until he showed them his intellect.”

3b Remember— The persuader bears not only the burden of proof, but emotion as well. An argument can’t be rhetorically pathetic unless it is sympathetic. (What is the common connotations of ‘pathetic’? Explain.)

3b Aristotle said emotions come from belief—about what we value, what we think we know, and what we expect. He didn’t separate ‘pathos’ from rhetorical logic. It may sound strange to combine the emotional and the rational, but rhetoric does precisely that.

3b Aristotle said that one of the most effective mood changers is a detailed narrative. The more vivid you make the story, the more it seems like a real experience, and the more your audience will think that it could happen again. People love anecdotes (little stories). They illustrate your meaning.

3b “In deliberative argument, you need to convince your audience that the choice you offer is the most advantageous… …to the advantage of the audience, that is, not you. The advantageous is an outcome that gives the audience what it values.

3b “Aristotle maintained that the person most affected by a decision makes the best judge of it.” “The diner is more qualified to judge a dish than the chef.”

3b “Before you begin an argument, first determine what your audience is thinking.” “The common sense of your audience is square one—the beginning point of your argument.”

3b “To shift people’s point of view, start from their position, not yours.” In rhetoric, this is called a commonplace. …a viewpoint your audience holds in common. Use it as your argument’s jumping-off point.

3b “We equate commonplace with cliché, but the term once had a broader connotation.” “The rhetorical commonplace is a short-form expression of common sense or public opinion.” “Commonplaces represent beliefs or rules of thumb, not facts.”

3b A commonplace must be ‘about’ something… “I’m hungry.” X “When I’m hungry, I eat right away.” O

3b “A commonplace takes advantage of the way humans process information.” “It’s an argument shortcut that skips what prevailing wisdom already agrees with.” “The early bird gets the worm” vs. “People who get out of bed…”

3b “Commonplaces are the sorts of things everybody knows.” “When you stop hearing one, you know that the common ground of public opinion is beginning to shift.” “Don’t switch horses midstream” and the second Gulf War.