Pathos, Logos, Ethos, Essay Example

Pathos

Pathos is a means of persuasion that relies on generating an emotional response from the audience. An example of pathos can be understood to be the various pleas for financial help after the Haitian earthquake disaster. Much television footage was shown of wounded people in Haiti, with the appeal for donations to help the cause. Interviews with the injured or those looking for family were also presented. These images were often accompanied with a telephone number requesting a donation to assist in the relief of the Haitian people through contributions to a monetary fund. In this case, pathos was effectively used to mobilize people through the use of images of human suffering. This is not to suggest that the reason for helping was not justified. Rather, it shows how pathos uses the shared emotions of human beings to effectively communicate a message. Anyone could identify with the powerful images that were broadcast on television.

Logos

Logos is a means of persuasion that relies on reasoning and logic to make a point. A current example of logos is the arguments of Republicans against raising taxes against the rich. The typical Republican line of argument is to suggest that raising taxes against the rich is equivalent to punishing the successful people in society. In other words, increased taxes means those achievers in American culture have large portions of their income taken away merely for the fact that they are achievers. Therefore, the Republican argument is that by punishing people who achieve something, this creates a society that is not receptive to achievement. Accordingly, people will be less inclined to come up with new ideas, as ultimately the result of their hard work will only be that a greater portion of their income is taken away. Despite some of the weakness in this argument, such as assuming that rich people become rich only through hard work, it represents an attempt to persuade people through a specific line of reasoning. 

Ethos

Ethos is a means of persuasion that relies on the emphasis of moral character. A clear example of ethos was used in the election campaign for John McCain in 2008. McCain’s record as a war hero in Viet Nam was repeated constantly on the news, with the aim of demonstrating that he had sacrificed for his country. The years McCain spent as a prisoner of war were used by the campaign managers to present him as a man of great moral strength and conviction. His war record was to suggest that in the past he was thoroughly dedicated to the United States. Accordingly, the audience would respect McCain for the services to his country and the suffering he went through for the nation. A man of great moral character is often cited as one of the prerequisites for a successful presidential candidate and this was repeated in the McCain election strategy.