Character, logic and passion
Aristotle, the grandfather of rhetoric, claimed that we can
persuade in two ways: through the evidence that we can bring to
5
The skills of persuasion
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76 Improve your Communication Skills
support our case, and through what he called ‘artistic’
persuasion.
Evidence is whatever we can display to support our case. We
might use documents or witnesses; these days, we might use the
results of research or focus groups.
‘Artistic’ persuasion consists of three appeals using the skills
of the persuader themselves:
• appealing to their reason;
• appealing to the audience’s sense of your character or
reputation; and
• appealing to their emotions.
Aristotle’s names for these appeals –
ethos
,
logos
and
pathos
– have become well known.
Logic (
logos
)
Logic is the work of rational thought. By using
logos
, we are
appealing to our audience’s ability to reason. We construct an
argument, creating reasons to support the case we are making
and demonstrating that those reasons logically support the case.
Logic comes in two forms: deductive and inductive. (More about
logic later in this chapter.)
Character (
ethos
)
Rhetoricians realised very early on that people were swayed as
much by passions and prejudices as by reason. For example, we
tend to believe people whom we trust or respect.
Ethos
is the
appeal to our audience through personality, reputation or
personal credibility. Why should your listener believe what you
are telling them? What are your qualifications for saying all this?
Where is your experience and expertise? How does your
reputation stand with them? What value can you add to the
argument from your own experience? Your character creates the
trust upon which you can build your argument.
( c) 2011 Kogan Page L imited, All Rights Reserved.
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