An argument is
most effective when emotion is invoked, logic is utilized, and the author is
credible. Pathos, logos, and ethos make
up the three points of Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle. Effective argumentation is a careful balance
of drawing a reader in by inducing an emotional response, presenting a logical
argument, and building the writer’s credibility.
According to Beth Hill, emotions will draw a reader in quicker than any other method an author
can use. Similar to shopping for a
house, pathos is the exterior that makes the first impression. A beautiful home exterior causes a buyer to go
deeper and tour the inside, just as an emotional hook causes a reader to
continue on and learn the argument. The use
of pathos creates a personal connection between the audience and the
content.
ASU shows that the
use of logic provides substance to an argument and shows the truth of the writer’s
words. In a sense, logos is the
foundation for the house that is a rhetorical argument. Without a strong structure, a house will not
continue to stand, just as an argument will not stand against scrutiny if it is
not based in logic.
European Rhetoric claims
that ethos is the most important piece of the rhetorical argument. The goal of ethos is to give the writer a
trustworthy self-portrayal. Ethos is the
neighborhood. A reader is more likely to
consider an argument if it comes from a seemingly credible source. People are more likely to buy a house in a
nice neighborhood, somewhere that they can trust their home will not be
vandalized or burglarized, than in a shady part of town.
Without knowing
it, people use the rhetorical triangle in everyday life. Arguments in writing are similar to arguments
in life: they need emotional ties,
logical foundations, and trustworthy sources.
