1. An Introduction to Rhetorical Appeals
Pathos, Ethos, & Logos
An Introduction to Rhetorical Appeals

2. Rhetorically Speaking...
The art of speaking
or writing persuasively

3. Persuasive Techniques
ARISTOTLE’S RHETORICAL APPEALS:
Pathos
Ethos
Logos

4. persuading by appealing to emotions of audience
Pathos
persuading by appealing to emotions of audience
Most powerful appeal?
As a culture, do we trust our mind more than our heart or “gut”?

5. Pathos Appeal to emotion? Often causes physical stirrings
“chill down spine”
“pit of stomach”
Resonates with deepest morals
and values of audience

6. Pathos Words and images evoke emotion
May move audience to sympathize or even act on emotions
Make people hate something, and they will rally against it
Make people feel secure or happy, and they’ll buy products that promise those feelings

7. How “they” use pathos Using Emotions to Build Bridges
Connect with audience
Assures audience that they understand experiences
“Feel their pain”
Very important when discussing sensitive issues
Useful when audience agrees with logical claims
Also useful when audience doesn’t agree
When used correctly, can create a sense of trust

8. Using Pathos Using Emotion to Sustain an Argument
Makes logical claims stronger
Using photos to add power to argument
Terri Schiavo
If too much emotion is used, you may offend
War pictures
Abortion images

9. Using Pathos Using Humor Caution with humor: not always well-received
Puts audience at ease
Thus, more open to a proposal or discussion
Promotes smiles over reflection
Will and Grace– controversial, yet extremely popular
Caution with humor: not always well-received
Ridicule
Humor may be the most difficult example pathos to handle

10. Defining Rhetorical Appeals
Each of the cartoon strips following an appeal uses a different rhetorical appeal. Attempt to define the rhetorical appeal by answering the following questions:
How is this cartoon strip trying to persuade me?
What specific words or strategies do they use to persuade me to buy their product?

11. Pathos

12. Pathos How is this ad trying to make you feel?
Pathos is the appeal to our emotions. A successful appeal to our emotions makes us feel something in hopes of making us want to act on that feeling.

13. Ethos
persuading by appealing to the the trustworthiness or credibility of the presenter
Much depends on not how author presents self, but on how he/she/it is perceived
Before we listen to someone, we must respect them or admire their integrity
Establishing ethos is not a matter of seeming likeable or honest, but also of affirming an identity and sharing values with the intended audience

14. Ethos Importance of choosing audience Barack Obama in 2012 elections
How do these each up his “cred”?

15. Ethos: What is Character?
Depends on:
If a person or group does or does not have the authority to speak to the issue
If a person is or is not trustworthy or credible on the issue
If a person does or does not have good motives for addressing the subject

16. Ethos: Claiming Authority
Must know how to answer:
What does author know about subject?
What experiences make them knowledgeable?
Why should I pay attention?
Ways to claim:
State authority outright
Job titles
Aligning with credible institutions
Story/testimony
Less obvious claims:
Diction
Style of writing
Tone of voice, etc.

17. ETHOS

18. ETHOS Why should you trust this information?
Ethos is the appeal to the credibility of the speaker. Essentially, it answers the question, “Why should I trust or believe YOU?”

19. persuading by appealing to audience through fact, evidence, and reason
Logos
persuading by appealing to audience through fact, evidence, and reason
Related to pathos and ethos
We tend to test the facts against our emotions
Facts often evoke emotion
We won’t trust the facts from a source unless we trust it

20. Hard evidence: facts Make strong arguments
Only if source is trustworthy and honest
May be able to stand on their own
Citations from respected sources, for example
“If NPR makes it, it’s good.”

21. Hard evidence: statistics
Guess what?? facts can lie
Even if numbers are accurate, they can be wrongly swayed or interpreted
The same stats can be cited as a cause for celebration or shame
Every author has a role in giving numbers a voice

22. Hard evidence: surveys/polls
In our culture: very persuasive
If the majority sees it one way, that is how it should be done
Always question validity
Interpretation: Who commissioned it, what was the sample, were they representative of populace, were they randomly chosen?

23. Hard evidence: testimonies
It’s not always just about facts and #s
Human experiences are just as valid
Detailed descriptions (crime reports)
Personal experience (racial profiling)
Source must be credible-- ethos
Personal revelations
Think Oprah, Barbara Walters

24. Hard evidence: testimonies
How does this testimony (used as fact in court) affect Bieber’s ethos?
Bieber Gives Attitude Throughout Deposition
TMZ ·9,014 videos

25. LOGOS

26. LOGOS How does this strip guide our reasoning?
Logos is the appeal to logic. When persuading, this technique appeals to your audience’s ability to reason by using facts and logic to guide your thought process.