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Rhetorical Appeals
Ethos, Pathos and Logos
Aristotle’s Appeals. . .
 When writing an argumentative piece the
goal is to persuade your audience that
your ideas are valid, or more valid than
someone else’s.
 The Greek Philosopher divided the means
of persuasion into three categories; Ethos,
Pathos and Logos.
 Rhetorical appeal is used to strengthen
an argument.
 Rhetorical appeal (Ethos, Pathos and
Logos) are the tools used to build the
structure or basis of a piece of writing,
a speech, an argument, ect.
Ethos (ethical appeal)
 Ethos speakers appeal to ethos (Greek
for “character”) to demonstrate that they
are credible or trustworthy.
 Aristotle believed that we tend to side
with people that we respect and who are
likable, as well as those who share our
values.
Ethos (ethical appeal)
 Ethos is often conveyed by explaining their
credentials or background or by emphasizing
shared values and beliefs. Even using certain
pronouns like “we” vs. “you” establishes ethos.
 The writers reputation–his or her expertise in
the field, previous record, title or status–can
have just as great an impact as the actual
message.This is called “automatic ethos (i.e.
as a king, the President), yet these speakers
may emphasize shared values to unite
everyone.
Pathos (emotional appeal)
 Pathos means persuading by appealing
to the reader’s emotions, values desires,
and hopes, as well as fears and
prejudices.
 Language choice affects the audience’s
emotional response (i.e. figurative
language, personal anecdotes, vivid
images, and strong connotative diction).
Logos (logical appeal)
 Logos (Greek for “embodied thought”) is
persuading by the use of reasoning, or by
offering clear, rational ideas.
 Appealing to logos means thinking
logically—having a clear main idea and
using specific details, examples, facts,
statistics, or expert testimony to back it
up.
Logos (logical appeal)
 A Logos argument is based on the clarity
of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and
the effectiveness of its supporting
evidence.
 Logos arguments are STRONGLY based
on reason and facts.