There are three different aspects of the rhetoric triangle: ethos, pathos, and logos. Each and everyone of the aspects have their unique usages and purposes in the art of persuasion.
Ethos (Greek for "character") is the credibility or the ethnic appeal of the author. A simpler definition would be that the author uses his character or authority to persuade or convince the audience that his ideas are worth listening to or pay attention to. In other words people are more likely to listen to or pay closer attention to those that they feel are knowledge upon the subject at hand. An effective way to use ethos would be to establish the author's creditably or authority. A way to establish ethos could be use education or labor position to prove that one is creditable.
For example if a person is doing a speech on the best treatment for cancer, they could say "I've been treating cancer patients for over 20 years and know all about how different treatments effect people." This quote shows that the speaker has some knowledge about the current topic, and the audience is more likely to believe or be persuaded by the speaker's words. Another example could be that a student could tell another one of their peers how to solve an algebraic problem, however the student who needs help is more likely to go to their teacher or parents for help because to them their teacher or parents are more reliable due to their age and experience. So even if what the friend and the teacher say is the exact same, the student is more likely to believe the teacher even more.
Pathos (Greek for "suffering" or "experience") is often known as the emotional appeal of the author. Basically the author or speaker invokes the audience's emotions, since many people's emotions can effect their judgement and perception. Another way to effectively use pathos would be to use the author or speaker's personal experience with the topic. If used correctly the personal experience or anecdote can do two things: it can cause the emotions to trust or move towards the speaker and at the same time establish ethos by showing the speaker or author is experienced or knows about the subject at hand.
If a chairman or spokesperson of a charity is giving a presentation about why people should donate to them, he could use pathos to influence their decisions. He could show them a picture of famine children, all scrawny to the bone. This would arouse the emotion of pity in the audience, then the audience would donate money to the charity due to their emotion (pity) getting to them. This could also make them feel more self-confident or proud that they have donated $5 to a charity, which are also emotions.
Logos (Greek for "word") is the logical appeal or persuasion using reasoning or solid data. No matter how creditable the person is or how the audience feels about the topic, persuasion will always be difficult with any actual real data to back it up. That is one of the reasons logos has been considered the most important part of the rhethoric triangle. One can be lacking in the ethos and pathos department, but by having solid statistics, facts, and data, one could counteract that. The statistics do not lie, so even if people do not like the opinion there will not be any chance to deny the speaker since the facts will support their point.
If a spokesperson for a cell phone company like Samsung was presenting their brand new phone model, he could use data they collected on the average battery size of their competitors to show that on average the Samsung phone has better battery life then other phones. Then no one could disprove him because they ran tests and have actual legit evidence that their phone has superior battery life.
Ethos (Greek for "character") is the credibility or the ethnic appeal of the author. A simpler definition would be that the author uses his character or authority to persuade or convince the audience that his ideas are worth listening to or pay attention to. In other words people are more likely to listen to or pay closer attention to those that they feel are knowledge upon the subject at hand. An effective way to use ethos would be to establish the author's creditably or authority. A way to establish ethos could be use education or labor position to prove that one is creditable.
 |
| Trust me, I am Albert Einstein. I know a lot about the subject at hand. |
Pathos (Greek for "suffering" or "experience") is often known as the emotional appeal of the author. Basically the author or speaker invokes the audience's emotions, since many people's emotions can effect their judgement and perception. Another way to effectively use pathos would be to use the author or speaker's personal experience with the topic. If used correctly the personal experience or anecdote can do two things: it can cause the emotions to trust or move towards the speaker and at the same time establish ethos by showing the speaker or author is experienced or knows about the subject at hand.
 |
| Look at all the starving kids in Africa |
Logos (Greek for "word") is the logical appeal or persuasion using reasoning or solid data. No matter how creditable the person is or how the audience feels about the topic, persuasion will always be difficult with any actual real data to back it up. That is one of the reasons logos has been considered the most important part of the rhethoric triangle. One can be lacking in the ethos and pathos department, but by having solid statistics, facts, and data, one could counteract that. The statistics do not lie, so even if people do not like the opinion there will not be any chance to deny the speaker since the facts will support their point.
If a spokesperson for a cell phone company like Samsung was presenting their brand new phone model, he could use data they collected on the average battery size of their competitors to show that on average the Samsung phone has better battery life then other phones. Then no one could disprove him because they ran tests and have actual legit evidence that their phone has superior battery life.
In Freakonomics the authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner use ethos effectively. The first instance of ethos usage is the fact that both of the authors are well known. Steven Levitt had attended Harvard University for his BA, and later received a PhD from Massachusetts Instuite of Technology.
He has also won John Bates Clark Medal in 2003 (for the best economist under 40) and was in Time Magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World"in 2006. He is currently the William B. Ogden Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and the director of the BeckerCenter on Chicago Price Theory at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. And in 2009 co-founded the TGG Group, a business and philanthropy consulting company. As for Stephen Dubner had received a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Columbia University. And since all of this is stated the reader automatically starts to believe what the authors say even more.
He has also won John Bates Clark Medal in 2003 (for the best economist under 40) and was in Time Magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World"in 2006. He is currently the William B. Ogden Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and the director of the BeckerCenter on Chicago Price Theory at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. And in 2009 co-founded the TGG Group, a business and philanthropy consulting company. As for Stephen Dubner had received a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Columbia University. And since all of this is stated the reader automatically starts to believe what the authors say even more.
Another usage of ethos would be when Levitt and Dubner use the word "Right?" at the end of sentences multiple times. The effect this has, is that the reader tries to not disagree with such well known and intelligent writers. This makes the reader less sure of themselves and more believing of the two authors.
Pathos exists in Freakonomics but is rarely used as often as the other rhetorical devices. In the first chapter Levitt and Dubner explain reasons why teachers and sumo wrestlers would cheat on tests and matches. Normally both of these professions are well respected and honored and it would seem as if they wouldn't do something that dirty. But by talking about these when and why cheating in both professions occur, the audience feels disgusted and is persuaded even more.
A secondary usage of pathos could be when the authors are talking about how swimming pools are deadlier than a gun. At first it seems stupid that a regular pool would kill more children that a dangerous gun. But after the authors explain their reasoning a certain fear of how a common seemingly harmless object could be a deadly killer.
The final rhetorical device is logos which is used a lot through this book. The first example would be when they present statistics and facts about the rate of crime and the rate of abortion. The numbers greatly show and prove the theory that legalizing abortion helped lower crime in the 1990s.
The last example of logos is with swimming pools once again. Data is used to persuade and show that pools kill this many children a year when compares to. Guns. And there are this many pools and guns in the United States. This also shows the ratio of children deaths from these two common items, showing actual proof that their viewpoint is correct.
It seems that the rhetorical device of pathos is the least used in Freakonomics. In most of the chapters or topics Levitt and Dubner always try to establish their credibility so that the audience will believe them as credible. And the usage of logos is pretty common as through out most of the book, as both of the authors use lots of graphs and data charts throughout the book to prove that what they say is actually happening.
It seems that the rhetorical device of pathos is the least used in Freakonomics. In most of the chapters or topics Levitt and Dubner always try to establish their credibility so that the audience will believe them as credible. And the usage of logos is pretty common as through out most of the book, as both of the authors use lots of graphs and data charts throughout the book to prove that what they say is actually happening.
No comments:
Post a Comment