Rhetoric

ETHOS: Ethos () is a Greek word originally meaning 'the place of living' that can be translated into English in different ways. Some possibilities are 'starting point', 'to appear', 'disposition' and from there, 'character'. From the same Greek root originates the word ethikos (), meaning 'theory of living', and from there, the modern English word 'ethics' is derived. In rhetoric, ethos is one of the three modes of persuasion (other principles being logos and pathos) discussed by Aristotle in 'Rhetoric' as a component of argument. At first speakers must establish ethos. On the one hand, this can mean merely "moral competence", but Aristotle broadens this word to encompass expertise and knowledge. He expressedly remarks that ethos should be achieved only by what the speaker says, not by what people think of his character before he begins to speak. This position is often disputed and other writers on rhetoric state that ethos is connected to the overall moral character and history of the speaker (cf Isocrates). When determining whether a given argument is valid or not, one must question the ethos the speaker has established. Violations of ethos can entail some of the following: The speaker has a direct interest in the outcome of the debate (e.g. a person pleading innocence of a crime); The speaker has a vested interest or ulterior motive in the outcome of the debate; The speaker has no expertise (e.g. a lawyer giving a speech on space flight carries less gravity than an astronaut giving the same speech). PATHOS: Pathos (from paschein, the Greek word meaning "to suffer" or "emotion") is one of the three modes of persuasion in rhetoric (along with ethos and logos). Pathos appeals to the audience's emotions. It is a part of Aristotle's philosophies in rhetoric. Emotional appeal can be accomplished in a multitude of ways: by metaphor or story telling, common as a hook, by a general passion in the delivery and an overall amount of emotional items in the text of the speech, and as a closing device, where pathos can be particularly powerful. These are qualities of a fictional or nonfictional work that evoke sorrow or pity. Overemotionalism can

be the result of an excess of pathos. See also: Rhetoric In rhetoric, pathos is the use of emotional appeals to alter the audience's judgement. A common use of pathos in argument is creating a sense of rejection if the audience doesn't agree. Creating a fear of rejection is in essence, creating a pathos argument. LOGOS: The Greek word or logos is a word with various meanings. It is often translated into English as "Word" but can also mean thought, speech, reason, principle, standard, or logic, among other things. It has varied use in the fields of philosophy, analytical psychology, rhetoric and religion In rhetoric, logos is one of the three modes of persuasion (the other two are pathos, emotional appeal, and ethos, the qualification of the speaker). Logos refers to logical appeal, and in fact the term logic evolves from it. Logos normally implies numbers, polls, and other mathematical or scientific data. Logos has many advantages: Data is hard to manipulate, meaning that it is harder to argue against a logos argument. For the same reason, it may sway cynical listeners to the speaker's opinion. Logos enhances ethos by making the speaker look prepared and knowledgeable to the audience. Logos also has many disadvantages: Numbers may not be obvious to many listeners, so the argument may pass unheeded. Logos asks the question, "But why should I care?" because they are not as involving as emotional appeal. Logos can be downright confusing in some instances. The best way to present an argument is to combine logos with the other forms of appeal.