Discussion Question 2 LIZ

The writer with whom I felt rapport was presenting his argument in a clear and consistent way , backing each point with relevant and sufficient evidence . The writer did not attempt to manipulate the reader , and the text contained no apparent bias . On the contrary , a writer who employs every trick to persuade the reader seems far less credible

Writer 's credibility ca be analyzed through the prism of three classical modes of persuasion -- Ethos (appeal to authority , Pathos (appeal to emotion , and Logos (appeal to logic , as suggested by Aritotle (1989

br As concerns Ethos , audience tends to believe speakers that elicit respect and demonstrate their credibility . Personal qualities that render speakers such credibility encompass a sense of wisdom (phronesis , goodwill (eunoia , and strong moral character (arete

Pathos , for its part , implies that a speaker possesses the ability to arouse strong feeling and emotional reactions in his or her listeners While Aristotle acknowledges the importance of the aforementioned modes of persuasion , he strongly deems that Logos is the most important and effective . Logical corollaries and evidences presented in a clear and consistent manner should persuade the reader of the effectiveness of the speaker 's thesis rater than author 's impressive credentials or emotional appeal

No doubt , writer 's qualification and expertise play a role , yet well structured argument is of greater importance to me . I would rather believe a talented university student offering an interesting and well researched thesis than a world famous professor arguing that global warming is a myth . Therefore , the most important aspects of persuasive writing are logic , evidence , and structure

References

Aristotle . Prior Analytics . Indianapolis : Hackett Publishing Company 1989...