Rhetoric is an ancient writing skill with very multiple meanings and definition, however the most basic definition can be considered as a formal persuasive speaking or writing technique. As defined in the writing Rhetoric by Greek Scholar and Philosopher Aristotle, rhetoric is the ability to see to see the the different means of persuasion in any scenario or case. He later defines the three types of rhetoric techniques used to persuade, these techniques are also known as the rhetoric triangle.
The rhetoric triangle is the name given to the collection of the three rhetoric techniques which are used to persuade in both written and oral language. These techniques are also known as ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos (Greek for Character) is the trustworthiness or credibility of the speaker or writer. The writer can establish ethos through many ways including his authority or knowledge on the subject, reputation, and many other factors. By establishing ethos a person is easily able to persuade others, due to the fact that people are more likely to listen to someone who seems more trustworthy.
Pathos (Greek for Suffering or Experience) is the emotional appeal established by the writer or speaker. In this way the reader attempts to connect with the audience emotionally and use their emotions to make his ideas seem correct and gain support for it. It is commonly established using personal anecdotes to cause the audience to sympathize with the writer or speaker.
Logos (Greek for Word) it can be considered as the logical appeal of the speaker or writer. With this mode of persuasion facts and statistics are used to gain support for the speaker's claims. The writer or speaker uses reasoning and logic to back up the claim, and is what supports the claim. Without solid facts or statistics, something cannot become very persuasive even if its pathos and ethos are well established.
In Freakonomics Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner use the rhetoric elements of ethos, pathos, logos to look at topics which that no one considers, in their point of view and reconsider the causes and effects in an unorthodox manner. "In a given year, there is one drowning of a child for every 11,000 residential pools in the United States. (In a country with 6 million pools, this mean that roughly 550 children under the age of ten drown each year.) Meanwhile, there is 1 child killed by a gun for every 1 million-plus guns. (In a country with an estimated 200 million guns, this means that roughly 175 children under ten die each year from guns.) The likelihood of death by pool (1 in 11,000) versus death by gun (1 in 1 million-plus) isn't even close: Molly is far more likely to die in a swimming accident at Imani's house than in gunplay at Amy's." By using these statistics, the two authors were able to prove their points of swimming pools are more dangerous than guns and at the same time establish authority. The usage of all these statistics supports their view and simultaneously makes the two seem more knowledgeable and trustworthy about the current subject. By comparing and talking about how pools are more dangerous than guns, certain emotions are invoked by the audience, and all of a sudden a certain fear appears and makes the reader fall for and pay more attention to Levitt and Dubner's words.
In Freakonomics Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner use the rhetoric elements of ethos, pathos, logos to look at topics which that no one considers, in their point of view and reconsider the causes and effects in an unorthodox manner. "In a given year, there is one drowning of a child for every 11,000 residential pools in the United States. (In a country with 6 million pools, this mean that roughly 550 children under the age of ten drown each year.) Meanwhile, there is 1 child killed by a gun for every 1 million-plus guns. (In a country with an estimated 200 million guns, this means that roughly 175 children under ten die each year from guns.) The likelihood of death by pool (1 in 11,000) versus death by gun (1 in 1 million-plus) isn't even close: Molly is far more likely to die in a swimming accident at Imani's house than in gunplay at Amy's." By using these statistics, the two authors were able to prove their points of swimming pools are more dangerous than guns and at the same time establish authority. The usage of all these statistics supports their view and simultaneously makes the two seem more knowledgeable and trustworthy about the current subject. By comparing and talking about how pools are more dangerous than guns, certain emotions are invoked by the audience, and all of a sudden a certain fear appears and makes the reader fall for and pay more attention to Levitt and Dubner's words.
Resources:
http://courses.durhamtech.edu/perkins/aris.html
http://apknows.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/kairos-ethos-pathos-logos/
"Rhetoric" by Aristotle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modes_of_persuasion
http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Encompassing%20Terms/rhetoric.htm
https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/resource_rhet.html
