CLASSICAL ELEMENTS OF PERSUASION
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Driving Question:
What strategies might we use to convince others towards
action?
Ethos--Defined
A persuasive appeal that establishes
credibility of the speaker, writer, or
source.
“The Greek word ethos is related to the word
ethics or ethical, but a more accurate modern
translation might be ‘image’” (Edlund 2005).
Ethos--In Action
Ethos is most
often presented by
referencing other
experts, but may be
use of statistical
evidence.
For example,
Michael Jordan
recommending a
basketball shoe.
Ethos--In Writing
Four out of five dentists agree you should use
Dentine Gum.
As a current Analy student, I have a vested interest
in the classes offered here.
According to Principal Chris Heller, “[we] have
spent a considerable amount of time addressing
the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS).”
Pathos--Defined
A persuasive appeal drawing on an
emotional response of the
audience.
“Aristotle points out emotions such as fear,
anger, pity, [even humor] powerfully influence
our rational judgments” (Edlund 2005).
Pathos--In Action
Pathos--In Writing
Loaded language
Stories
“President Obama used pathos at memorial
for Arizona shooting victims. Referring to nine
year old Christina Taylor Green, he said, “If
there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is
jumping in them today.”
Logos--Defined
Reasoning or logic.
Arguments build from one idea/premise to
another until only one conclusion may be
made: Yours.
Logos--In Action
Includes an extended syllogism (enthymeme)
a
=
b
Premise #1
All men are mortal
c =
a
Premise #2
Socrates is a man
Therefore,
c = b
Conclusion
Socrates is mortal
Logos--In Writing
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/hillaryclintonbeijingspeech.htm
Women should invest more for retirement than men
•
(a) women usually live longer than men
•
(b) women usually earn less than men.
Identify Ethos, Pathos,Logos
on your notes
Army Strong
Sprint
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkHhch32wZk
QUESTIONS??
Your Turn: Grab Bag Pitch
Grab an object from the bag.
Create a “sales pitch” for your object. (7-10 minutes)
Include ethos, pathos, and/or logos.
Put an E next to your ethos, P next to your pathos, L next to
your Logos.
Give your pitch to your partner. Ask them what appeals you
used? Have them specify. Reverse roles!
Reflection
How did you deepen your understanding of ethos, pathos,
and logos today?
How might you use ethos, pathos, and/or logos in your
revision?
Fallacies?
Common errors in reasoning.
Common fallacy in Ethos– Appeal of False Authority
This fallacy is commtted when the person in question is not
a legitimate authority on the subject.
Common fallacy in Pathos– Appeal of Emotion
This fallacy is committed when someone manipulates
peoples' emotions in order to get them to accept a claim as
being true.
Fallacies
Common fallacy in Logos– Appeal of Slippery Slope
fallacy in which a person asserts that some event must
inevitably follow from another without any argument for the
inevitability of the event in question. This "argument" has
the following form:
Event X has occurred (or will or might occur).
Therefore event Y will inevitably happen.