Overview
This lecture discusses how to persuade an audience using Aristotle's rhetorical triangle: ethos, pathos, and logos. It explains each element, their subcomponents, and how they are used in arguments across different contexts.
Introduction to Rhetoric and Persuasion
- Rhetoric is the art of communication, focusing on persuasion.
- Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle consists of ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic).
Ethos: Credibility
- Ethos is the speaker's credibility or trustworthiness.
- Three elements of ethos:
- Phronesis (perceived intelligence/knowledge)
- Arete (moral virtue)
- Eunoia (goodwill/likability)
- Establishing expertise, sharing personal experience, having endorsements, or aligning with audience values all strengthen ethos.
- Without ethos, audiences may distrust or dismiss arguments.
Pathos: Emotion
- Pathos is the appeal to the audience's emotions.
- Emotional impact can be created through relatable or sympathetic characters, vivid imagery, or analogies.
- Pathos helps the audience connect and care about the argument’s outcome.
- Overreliance on pathos risks being manipulative.
Logos: Logic and Reason
- Logos is the logical structure and factual content of an argument.
- Arguments should be backed by research, statistics, and clear organization.
- Addressing counterarguments and avoiding logical fallacies (e.g., strawman, false dilemma, circular reasoning) enhances logos.
- Good logos makes claims clear and arguments compelling.
Combining Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
- Effective persuasion uses all three elements for maximum impact.
- Commercials and ads often blend ethos (experience), pathos (emotion), and logos (facts) efficiently.
- Example: CDC anti-smoking ad uses personal testimony, emotional imagery, and medical facts.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Rhetoric — the art of effective or persuasive communication.
- Ethos — credibility or ethical appeal of the speaker.
- Pathos — emotional appeal to the audience.
- Logos — logical appeal using reasoning and evidence.
- Phronesis — perceived intelligence or expertise.
- Arete — moral virtue or ethical character.
- Eunoia — goodwill or likeability between speaker and audience.
- Logical Fallacy — error in reasoning that weakens an argument.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review examples of ethos, pathos, and logos in recent media or speeches.
- Practice constructing arguments using the rhetorical triangle.
- Watch additional tutorials or lectures on persuasive techniques as assigned.