Persuasive Techniques

Today, you’ll learn about: Appeal to Ethics/Morals (ethos) Basic principles Today, you’ll learn about: Appeal to Ethics/Morals (ethos) Appeal to Logic (logos) Appeal to Emotion (pathos)

Aristotle [384 b.c. to 322 b.c] Greek philosopher Student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great Wrote about subjects including poetry, government, ethics, biology, physics and more Aristotle identified three techniques one could use when trying to persuade someone: Ethos Logos Pathos

A person is influenced by the writer’s image or character Ethos [ethics/Moral] A person is influenced by the writer’s image or character Aristotle called it the “moral rightness” of an argument. Aristotle said that we are more likely to believe what the person has to say if s/he has “good sense, good moral character and goodwill.”

An argument based on reason Logos [logical] An argument based on reason Aristotle saw it as the basic ability to create logical arguments and to persuade someone that your ideas and solutions are true

Pathos [passion-EMOTIONAL] Use of emotional appeals to get the audience to accept the speaker’s viewpoint A common use of pathos in argument is to make the audience “feel bad” or “rejected” if they fail to agree with the speaker’s argument.

EXAMPLES

Uses emotionally charged language or images For example: Emotional Appeal Uses emotionally charged language or images For example: Humane Society commercials Pictures of devastation caused by natural disasters in order to boost support for relief efforts

Moral Appeal Positions the writer or speaker as a person of good sense, good moral character and good intentions For example:

Facts are given that support the need to buy a certain toothpaste. Logical appeal Provides rational arguments to support one’s claim using facts, figures and statistics For example: Facts are given that support the need to buy a certain toothpaste.

Logical, Emotional or Moral?

Logical, Emotional or Moral?

Logical, Emotional or Moral?

Logical, Emotional or Moral?

Your Turn! Smoking is dangerous because cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. Logical There is clear evidence that cell phones save lives in emergency situations. Do you care about your family? Emotional My dentist says that I should brush and floss twice daily to help take care of my teeth. Logical

Your Turn! – Facebook-themed Lady Gaga was more popular than Justin Bieber in 2011 because she had ten million more Facebook fans than Bieber. Facebook, used by millions of people including celebrities like Oprah and Bill Gates, is a reliable way to network. Facebook is slowly eroding your sense of privacy and eventually, you will not mind being monitored without your knowledge. The ability to express yourself freely on Facebook is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Logical Logical Emotional Moral

Your Turn! – Uniform-themed VMA should do away with our uniform because it limits our development of self-expression. A study by the Department of Education showed that student learning increased when the distraction of fashion was removed. How would you feel if you had to wear the same clothes all the time? Moral Logical Emotional