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This model from Ancient Greece has helped define the art of persuasion for over 2,000 years and continues to serve as a guide for impactf ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quae quo sunt excelsiores, eo dant clariora indicia naturae. Semper enim ex eo, quod maximas partes continet latissimeque funditur, tota res appellatur. Quo studio Aristophanem putamus aetatem in litteris duxisse? Sic enim maiores nostri labores non fugiendos tristissimo tamen verbo aerumnas etiam in deo nominaverunt. Duo Reges: constructio interrete.
An dolor longissimus quisque miserrimus, voluptatem non optabiliorem diuturnitas facit? Nam adhuc, meo fortasse vitio, quid ego quaeram non perspicis. Facit igitur Lucius noster prudenter, qui audire de summo bono potissimum velit; Ergo in utroque exercebantur, eaque disciplina effecit tantam illorum utroque in genere dicendi copiam. Hoc dixerit potius Ennius: Nimium boni est, cui nihil est mali. Quas enim kakaw Graeci appellant, vitia malo quam malitias nominare. Quorum sine causa fieri nihil putandum est. Hic quoque suus est de summoque bono dissentiens dici vere Peripateticus non potest. Quando enim Socrates, qui parens philosophiae iure dici potest, quicquam tale fecit?
Comprehensum, quod cognitum non habet? Qua ex cognitione facilior facta est investigatio rerum occultissimarum. Habes, inquam, Cato, formam eorum, de quibus loquor, philosophorum. Videmusne ut pueri ne verberibus quidem a contemplandis rebus perquirendisque deterreantur? Pollicetur certe. Equidem etiam Epicurum, in physicis quidem, Democriteum puto.
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Deeply understand your audience.
What are their current ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliter enim explicari, quod quaeritur, non potest. Ita est quoddam commune officium sapientis et insipientis, ex quo efficitur versari in iis, quae media dicamus. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Fortasse id optimum, sed ubi illud: Plus semper voluptatis? Vide ne ista sint Manliana vestra aut maiora etiam, si imperes quod facere non possim. Sed quia studebat laudi et dignitati, multum in virtute processerat. Aut, Pylades cum sis, dices te esse Orestem, ut moriare pro amico? Vestri haec verecundius, illi fortasse constantius.
Teneo, inquit, finem illi videri nihil dolere. Estne, quaeso, inquam, sitienti in bibendo voluptas? Ille enim occurrentia nescio quae comminiscebatur; Quis est tam dissimile homini. Praetereo multos, in bis doctum hominem et suavem, Hieronymum, quem iam cur Peripateticum appellem nescio. Sic enim censent, oportunitatis esse beate vivere. Quis enim confidit semper sibi illud stabile et firmum permansurum, quod fragile et caducum sit? Equidem etiam Epicurum, in physicis quidem, Democriteum puto. At ille non pertimuit saneque fidenter: Istis quidem ipsis verbis, inquit;
Ergo adhuc, quantum equidem intellego, causa non videtur fuisse mutandi nominis. Non est enim vitium in oratione solum, sed etiam in moribus. At iam decimum annum in spelunca iacet.
Plato, Aristotle’s teacher, was critical of persuasion techniques, seemingly to rally against the form and emotional element winning arguments over a logical case as an example of manipulation. Aristotle did counter this, suggesting that the art of persuasion was a necessary but neutral tool and that it should be used ethically.
Other criticism of the model tends to be in its application, as it sets a broad framework but potentially lacks more practical application. In other words, while a useful guide, the model still takes considerable skill to apply effectively and consistently.
Legal application.
This 2014 research paper describes how Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle is a crucial tool in the courtroom. The author explains:
“Logos, ethos, and pathos, a persuader’s logical, credibility-related, and emotional appeals, when used in concert, create a whole argument. This argument is one which takes into account the human element as well as the rational and logical needs of the law in its pursuit of justice. Classical Aristotelian rhetoric, thus, must not be dismissed by the advocate hoping to most effectively represent his client. Nor should it be dismissed by the legal community as form over substance.As I have demonstrated, the end result of an attorney utilizing Aristotle’s three modes together is the fairest result possible in a given situation, so substance is not sacrificed, and effective form is still maintained.”
“I have a dream.”
I could have chosen an analysis of any modern speech based on Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle, I went with Martin Luthor King’s classic.
This article breaks it down, including noting the following:
Ethos:
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By way of establishing his intentions, “In his speech, King frequently looks back at moments in American history and refers to the leaders who laid the foundation of free America.”
Pathos:
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Given the moment of anger and frustration he was speaking in, there’s no wonder that Pathos was a main ingredient. “His speech keeps growing more dramatic and engaging. King tries to make the frustration visible that years of neglect have caused.”
Logos:
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King paints the future state, the ‘dream’, and lays out a path to achieve it, heavily referencing American history.
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Aristotle’s Rhetoric was set out in his book On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civil Discourse. I say 'book' because it has been published as such but, like his other works, seems to have been a collection of his student’s notes in response to his lectures. His body of work on persuasion did progress and shift over his life, though these three appeals remained consistent.
Other modern sources to dive into this model include the work of Carmine Gallo, see his HBR article on the topic; and Sam Leith’s Words Like Loaded Pistols. For a more in-depth albeit slightly academic view of this model, you can also visit the entry in Stanford’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
My Notes
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