Aristotle Knowledge comes from experience.

Aristotle: A Brief Biography BCE BCE Born in Stagira, Greece in Thrace, near Macedonia Born in Stagira, Greece in Thrace, near Macedonia Son of Nickomacus, a prominent physician Son of Nickomacus, a prominent physician Died in Euboea in 322 BCE Died in Euboea in 322 BCE

Rhetoric Rhetoric “the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion” The importance of rhetoric: If a judge’s decisions are not what they should be, the loss was caused by the speakers. Sometimes facts and knowledge are not good enough to make a decision. This is when the mode of persuasion comes into play. The ability to persuade provides clarity to facts and can prove a fallacious fact wrong.

Rhetoric It is just as important to fight with words as it is with weapons.

The Power of the Rhetorician The Speaker has: the power of evincing a personal character which will make his speech credible (ethos) the power of evincing a personal character which will make his speech credible (ethos) the power of stirring the emotions of his hearers (pathos ) the power of stirring the emotions of his hearers (pathos ) the power of proving a truth, or an apparent truth, by means of persuasive arguments (logos ) the power of proving a truth, or an apparent truth, by means of persuasive arguments (logos )

The Three Appeals Ethos Ethos Pathos Pathos Logos Logos

Ethos: creating an effective persona Ethos is the persuasive value associated with the persona created in the text. Ethos is the persuasive value associated with the persona created in the text. Whose voice are we reading and what can Whose voice are we reading and what can we infer about that voice from the text? we infer about that voice from the text? Ethos is the credibility of the persona created. Ethos is the credibility of the persona created. Ethos appeals to the audience’s sense of trust and familiarity. Ethos appeals to the audience’s sense of trust and familiarity.

Pathos: appealing to your reader’s values, beliefs, and emotions The pathetic appeal is useful because you engage your audience on a personal level. This is often stronger than the appeal to logic. The pathetic appeal is useful because you engage your audience on a personal level. This is often stronger than the appeal to logic. A pathetic appeal can go wrong, however, when the link to your argument isn’t clear. A pathetic appeal can go wrong, however, when the link to your argument isn’t clear.

Logos: stating the facts A logical appeal relies on factual evidence. A logical appeal relies on factual evidence. Logical appeals are strong because often the facts speak for themselves. Logical appeals are strong because often the facts speak for themselves. Also, logical appeals are seemingly objective: just the facts ma’am. Also, logical appeals are seemingly objective: just the facts ma’am. The weakness of the logical appeal used alone is that the audience gets no sense of the writer’s persona, and the cold hard facts don’t affect the audience’s values directly. The weakness of the logical appeal used alone is that the audience gets no sense of the writer’s persona, and the cold hard facts don’t affect the audience’s values directly.

Our Media What are some examples of ethos, logos, and pathos that you have encountered recently in the media? What are some examples of ethos, logos, and pathos that you have encountered recently in the media? Which rhetorical mode of persuasion is most convincing? Which rhetorical mode of persuasion is most convincing?