Persuasion is the art of talking someone into agreeing with you.
Ethos(理念) is a speaker's way of persuading the audience that he is a dependable person.
For example, a speaker can develop ethos by explaining how much experience or education he has in a certain field. After all, you would be more willing to follow advice about how to educate your child from a teacher than a doctor.
Pathos(感染力) is a speaker's way of connecting with an audience's emotions. For example, a speaker who want people to vote for him might say that he can make the country richer and stronger.
Logos(理性) is the use of facts, statistics, or other evidence to make the argument more persuasive. For example, an ad for soap might say that laboratory tests have shown that their soap kills all 7,000,000 of the bacteria on your hand, which might make it more probable for you to buy their soap. Presenting this evidence is much more persuasive than simply saying “our soap is the best”.
Although the three tools above all have their strengths, they work best when used together.
Next time you listen to a speech, watch a commercial or listen to a friend trying to persuade you to lend him money, just remember these ancient Greek tools of persuasion.
A. These words can bring people great hope, making them want to vote for him.
B. These pictures are intended to fill the viewers with pity.
C. An audience will more probably believe you if you have data to support your opinions.
D. Use of logos can also increase a speaker's ethos.
E. According to Aristotle, there are three basic tools of persuasion: ethos, pathos and logos.
F. In fact, most speakers use a mix of ethos, pathos and logos to persuade their audience.
G. An audience will consider a speaker dependable if he seems trustworthy, reliable and sincere.
