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Aristotelian Rhetoric (LEAP) English 9 Aristotle (384 B.C

Aristotelian (LEAP) English 9 (384 B.C. - 322 B.C.) Aristotle was a Greek philosopher. He studied rhetoric, which is the art of speaking or writing effectively.

Aristotle divided the means of into three : , , and . Logos Logos (Logical) means persuading by the use of reasoning. This will be the most important technique we will study, and it was Aristotle's favorite. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation, and cannot be emphasized enough. Logos appeals to the audience’s logical reasoning ability. Examples of logos include facts, statistics and anecdotes. Ethos Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of your main goals is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making yourself into an authority on the subject of the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.

Ethos can be developed by choosing language that is appropriate for the audience and topic (also means choosing proper level of vocabulary), making yourself sound fair or unbiased, introducing your expertise or pedigree, and by using correct grammar and syntax. Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. Language choice affects the audience's emotional response, and pathos appeals to an audience’s heart and emotions. An author or speaker using pathos seeks to persuade someone emotionally using personal connections, stories or testimonials, and maybe spirituality. Pathos can aim to evoke hopes and fears and often employs figurative language.

Pathos

Pathos --> pathetic, sympathy and empathy.

The more people react without full consideration for the WHY, the more effective an argument can be. Although the pathetic appeal can be manipulative, it is the cornerstone of moving people to action. Appeals to pathos touch a nerve and compel people to not only listen, but to also take the next step and act in the world.