Introduction to Persuasion

Learning Objective:
- To understand the philosophy behind rhetoric
- To identify ways of persuading
- To use rhetoric to persuade
 The Power of Words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz
gzim5m7oU
Aristotle
• Greek philosopher

• Lived 384-322 B. C.

• Expressed (among
many other ideas) a
theory on “rhetoric”
 Aristotle’s Definition of “Rhetoric”

Rhetoric:
The art of discovering all
the available means of
persuasion
 Human Beings Not Driven Solely by
Logic
• Aristotle was a firm believer in logic.

• However, he was enough of a realist to recognise that

humans are emotional beings who make decisions
based, in part, upon emotion.

• Thus, Aristotle acknowledged that a speaker would be

neglecting some of the “available means of
persuasion” if the speaker did not also appeal to the
audience’s emotion.
 Joshua Bell and Aristotle
WATCH THIS CLIP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2dEuMFR
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There are three main ways you can aim to persuade:

• Ethos (Credibility)

• Pathos (Emotional)

• Logos (Logically)
 Ethos
Convince an audience of the author’s credibility or
character.

• Show the audience that you are worth listening

to

• Introduce your experience or training

"Doctors all over the world recommend this type of

treatment."
 Pathos
Persuade an audience by appealing to their
emotions.

• Evoke sympathy from an audience

• Draw pity from an audience
• Inspire anger
• Use emotional tone and provide personal
examples
"You’ll make the right decision because you have
something that not many people do: you have heart."
 Logos
Convince an audience by use of logic or reason.

• Cite facts and statistics

• Refer to authorities on a subject
• Constructing logical arguments.

"History has shown time and again that absolute

power corrupts absolutely."
 Awareness of Audience
 If rhetoric is defined as the art of
discovering all the available means of
persuasion, it would stand to reason
that a speaker would need to have a
keen sense of who their audience is and
?
what “makes them tick.”

 A skilled speaker would recognise that

they should tailor his appeals to fit their
specific audience.

i.e. How do I need to build my credibility

with this particular audience?
Which emotions do I need to stir in this
particular audience?
 Research Task:

Find a powerful speech of our time,

and answer the questions on the
word document.

See next slide for some suggestions.

 Recommendations:
• Martin Luther King – I Have a Dream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vDWWy4CMhE
• Sir Winston Churchill – We Shall Fight on the Beaches:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTw3_PmKtc
• Emma Watson – He For She Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjW9PZBRfk
• Kevin Rudd – Sorry Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3TZOGpG6cM
• Maurice Williamson –Marriage Equality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfSGOK5jC9I
• Suli Breaks – Why I Hate School But Love Education:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI
• Yassmin Abdel-Magied – What does my headscarf mean to you?:
https://www.ted.com/talks/yassmin_abdel_magied_what_does_my_headscarf_mean_to
_you
• Leonardo DiCaprio – Climate Change - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F47RIF_0reA
 City or Country?
• Some people think the country is the best place to live.
• Others think it is better to live in a city.
• What do you think? Where is the best place to live?
• Perhaps you think both places are good for different reasons.

Task - You are going to present a short persuasive argument about

why the city, or the country is better.
Your argument should include ethos, pathos and logos.
 Plan – City or Country? One sided
Introduction: Hook, Topic, Thesis (argument) =
Reason 1 –
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Reason 2 –
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Reason 3 -

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 Plan – City or Country? Rebuttal
Introduction: Hook, Topic, Thesis (argument) =
Reason 1 –
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Reason 2 –
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Reason 3 – Rebuttal – Some people say that…

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 Plan – City or Country? Comparative
Introduction: Hook, Topic, Thesis (argument) =
City –
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Country –
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Evaluation…
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