Rhetoric, persuasion and politics
by
akarmin
05/21/2009, 7:35 PM #
OBAMA = ETHOS: Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making author into an authority on a subject , as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect. This type of argument requires that you establish yourself as trustworthy and respectful of the audience. You do this by demonstrating that you have taken the time to research your topic, which establishes your credibility on the subject.
CHENEY = PATHOS: Pathos (Emotional) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions and basic needs. Language choice affects the audience's emotional response, and emotional appeal can be effectively used to enhance an argument. This is when you appeal to the emotions of your audience by describing in detail the effect of a particular situation. You should try to arouse a sense of pity, anger, fear, or other emotion in your audience. Criticism of rhetoric tends to focus on the overemphasis of pathos, emotion, at the expense of ethos, the message.
