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Examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Persuasive Speeches

Ever fumbled for words while convincing someone to sign up for your club or buy something you're promoting on stage?

It happens. For this reason, Aristotle came up with three essential tools you can use in your everyday speech to persuade people for almost anything: ethos, pathos, and logos.

Here are some vivid examples of ethos, pathos, and logos to help you understand what they are and how to use them in your arguments.

The Three Tools That Guide Your Speech

Ethos, pathos, and logos are Greek words that make up the rhetorical triangle. Aristotle was the first to come up with them and wrote these concepts in his book, Rhetoric .

You can use them in any argument if you want to drive your point across or sell something: an idea, a product, or a brand.

Whether it is a sales pitch, a compelling argument, or a speech, these three modes of persuasion can sway your audience's perspective. Their presence since ancient times depicts their strength and significance.

Ethos is Greek for “character,” "credibility," or "authority." It refers to a person's character when they are presenting an argument.

The stronger the character or, the more influential the speaker is, the more they can change someone’s point of view regarding a particular subject.

You wouldn’t be enraptured, hanging on to her every word when J.K Rowling was giving a TED talk if she wasn’t a famous author, right?

Therefore, many brands and companies try to get celebrities to advertise for them. When people become fans, they religiously love what the celebrity loves and hates what the celebrity doesn't like.

This is the power of ethos. Here is how to establish ethos in a speech .

There are tons of examples of ethos in advertisements, movies, speeches, and daily life. Highlighted below are some of them.

Albus Dumbledor used ethos in the movie The Goblet of Fire when he went against the Ministry of Magic to tell his students how Cedric Diggory died. He knew they would believe him because he was Headmaster. He said:

"I think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But I think to do so would be an insult to his memory."

In a commercial, you’d see 4 out of 5 dentists recommending a particular toothpaste. That's how brands convince viewers to buy their products by backing them up with credible people.

As a physics student, you tune in to a TED talk by Brian Greene and believe everything he says because he’s a theoretical physicist and a string theorist.

Pathos is Greek for “emotion,” “suffering,” or “experience.” This rhetorical strategy appeals to people's feelings when used in an argument.

It invokes people’s senses, nostalgia, memory, and experiences. It is used in ads and videos to persuade people to follow a call to action.

When pathos is embedded in a message, it moves people, driving them to take action. Pathos can trigger any intended emotion in people, such as sympathy, pity, and empathy.

Why do you think romance sells so much, be it novels, movies, or stories? It pulls at the reader’s heartstrings, connects them to the characters, and makes them want something similar.

Below are some examples of pathos in everyday life, movies, and ads.

An excellent way to convince people to donate to a puppy shelter is to show them how brutally they'll die if they don't donate.

The Evian commercial in which adults look like toddlers when they look at their reflections depicts the "bandwagon effect." Light-heartedly, it uses feel-good emotion to convince people to buy their water.

In their ad, IKEA convinces people to opt for home delivery for £3.95 by showing a person stuck in traffic after buying from the brand. This appeals to people because we like comfort, right?

Unlike ethos and pathos, logos rely on logic. It is a Greek word that means “logic” or “reason.” It uses logical reasons to convince people about something.

When you use logos in your everyday speech or arguments, you try to mention facts or data to support your idea.

While ethos uses the speaker's credibility to persuade people about something, pathos uses emotion to trigger people. Logos simply relies on logic and cuts to the chase.

You can easily persuade an audience using reason and logic in your argument; however, emotions do get the best of us as humans. For this reason, there are three modes of persuasion.

The following are a few examples of Logos.

Al Gore, a renowned environmentalist, used logos in his speech “The Climate Crisis Is the Battle of Our Time, and We Can Win,” in 2019. He tells people what exactly is happening that is causing climate change and cites scientific research and experts in his speech as well:

"I often echo the point made by the climate scientist James Hansen: The accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases—some of which will envelop the planet for hundreds and possibly thousands of years—is now trapping as much extra energy daily as 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs would release every 24 hours. This is the crisis we face."

In the Versatile Stain Remover ad by OxiClean, you see Billy Mays use the stain remover to clean different products to showcase the product's ability as a stain remover.

An iPhone commercial shows the smartphone's different features that make it stand out from the rest.

Some More Examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Almost everyone uses these three modes of persuasion in one form or the other in their arguments. Let’s see how famous people have used them through time.

"During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife.

Pixar went on to create the world's first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story and is now the most successful animation studio in the world.

In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance."

—Steve Jobs, 2005

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, relies heavily on ethos here. He uses his authority as a founder of successful tech companies to show people why they should listen to him.

"I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.

Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality."

—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for fighting for civil rights. In the above excerpt from his speech “I Have a Dream,” he uses pathos to empathize with his audience.

He informs them that he understands they have suffered a lot and have come out of a painful time. This evokes emotion in the audience, and they can connect with King easily.

"Let it be remembered how powerful the influence of a single introduced tree or mammal has been shown to be.

But in the case of an island, or of a country partly surrounded by barriers, into which new and better-adapted forms could not freely enter, we should then have places in the economy of nature that would assuredly be better filled up if some of the original inhabitants were in some manner modified; for, had the area been open to immigration, these same places would have been seized on by intruders.

In such a case, every slight modification, which in the course of ages chanced to arise, and which in any way favored the individuals of any of the species by better adapting them to their altered conditions, would tend to be preserved; and natural selection would have free scope for the work of improvement."

—Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species, 1859

Charles Darwin appeals to logic or logos in his book Origin of the Species by talking about the rationale of natural selection.

He talks about how species have evolved with time to better adapt to their environment, a.k.a survival of the fittest. You can see how he uses a logical argument to talk about natural selection.

Conclusion: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Ethos, pathos, and logos have survived the test of time and are used almost everywhere today. You can find them embedded in commercials, movies, speeches, TED talks, and day-to-day arguments.

These three tools of persuasion appeal to different aspects of humanity: authority, emotion, and logic. When used together, they form a solid argument that can convince anyone of its gist.

Ethos uses the speaker’s authority or credibility to persuade the audience. Pathos uses emotion to trigger people to take action. On the other hand, logos rely on facts and logic to drive a point across.

All three are very important to use in any argument.

Understand The Difference Between Ethos, Pathos, And Logos To Make Your Point

• What Is Ethos?
• What Is Pathos?
• What Is Logos?
• Examples Of Each
• What Are Mythos And Kairos?

During an argument, people will often say whatever is necessary to win. If that is the case, they would certainly need to understand the three modes of persuasion, also commonly known as the three rhetorical appeals: ethos , pathos , and logos . In short, these three words refer to three main methods that a person can use to speak or write persuasively. As you’re about to find out, the modes of persuasion are important because a speaker who knows how to effectively use them will have a significant advantage over someone who doesn’t.

The terms ethos , pathos , and logos and the theory of their use can be traced back to ancient Greece to the philosophy of Aristotle . Aristotle used these three concepts in his explanations of rhetoric , or the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience. For Aristotle, the three modes of persuasion specifically referred to the three major parts of an argument: the speaker ( ethos ), the argument itself ( logos ), and the audience ( pathos ). In particular, Aristotle focused on the speaker’s character, the logic and reason presented by an argument, and the emotional impact the argument had on an audience.

While they have ancient roots, these modes of persuasion are alive and well today. Put simply, ethos refers to persuasion based on the credibility or authority of the speaker, pathos refers to persuasion based on emotion, and logos refers to persuasion based on logic or reason.

By effectively using the three modes of persuasion with a large supply of rhetorical devices, a speaker or writer can become a master of rhetoric and win nearly any argument or win over any audience. Before they can do that, though, they must know exactly what ethos , pathos , and logos mean. Fortunately, we are going to look closely at each of these three ideas and see if they are really as effective as they are said to be.

⚡️ Quick summary

Ethos , pathos , and logos are the three classical modes of persuasion that a person can use to speak or write persuasively. Specifically:

• ethos (character): known as “the appeal to authority” or “the appeal to credibility.” This is the method in which a person relies on their credibility or character when making an appeal or an argument.
• pathos (emotions): known as “the appeal to emotion.” Pathos refers to the method of trying to persuade an audience by eliciting some kind of emotional reaction.
• logos (logic): known as “the appeal to reason.” This method involves using facts and logical reasoning to support an argument and persuade an audience.

What is ethos ?

The word ethos comes straight from Greek. In Greek, ethos literally translates to “habit,” “custom,” or “character.” Ethos is related to the words ethic and ethical , which are typically used to refer to behavior that is or isn’t acceptable for a particular person.

In rhetoric, the word ethos is used to refer to the character or reputation of the speaker. As a rhetorical appeal, ethos is known as “the appeal to authority” or “the appeal to credibility.” When it comes to ethos , one important consideration is how the speaker carries themself and how they present themselves to the audience: Does it seem like they know what they are talking about? Do they even believe the words they are saying? Are they an expert? Do they have some experience or skills that tell us we should listen to them?

Ethos is important in rhetoric because it often influences the opinion or mood of the audience. If a speaker seems unenthusiastic, unprepared, or inexperienced, the audience is more likely to discount the speaker’s argument regardless of what it even is. On the other hand, a knowledgeable, authoritative, confident speaker is much more likely to win an audience over.

Ethos often depends on more than just the argument itself. For example, a speaker’s word choice, grammar, and diction also contribute to ethos ; an audience may react more favorably toward a professional speaker who has a good grasp of industry jargon and enunciates clearly versus a speaker who lacks the necessary vocabulary and fails to enunciate. Ethos can also be influenced by nonverbal factors as well, such as posture, body language, eye contact, and even the speaker’s choice of clothing. For example, a military officer proudly wearing their uniform bedecked with medals will go a long way to establishing ethos without them saying a single word.

Here as a simple example of ethos :

• “As a former mayor of this city, I believe we can solve this crisis if we band together.”

The speaker uses ethos by alerting the audience of their credentials and experience. By doing so, they rely on their reputation to be more persuasive. This “as a…” method of establishing ethos is common, and you have probably seen it used in many persuasive advertisements and speeches.

What are open-ended questions and how can you use them effectively? Find out here.

What is pathos ?

In Greek, pathos literally translates to “suffering, experience, or sensation.” The word pathos is related to the words pathetic , sympathy , and empathy , which all have to do with emotions or emotional connections. Aristotle used the word pathos to refer to the emotional impact that an argument had on an audience; this usage is still mainly how pathos is used in rhetoric today.

As a rhetorical appeal, pathos is referred to as “the appeal to emotion.” Generally speaking, an author or speaker is using pathos when they are trying to persuade an audience by causing some kind of emotional reaction. When it comes to pathos , any and all emotions are on the table: sadness, fear, hope, joy, anger, lust, pity, etc.

As you probably know from your own life, emotions are a powerful motivating factor. For this reason, relying on pathos is often a smart and effective strategy for persuading an audience. Both positive and negative emotions can heavily influence an audience: for example, an audience will want to support a speaker whose position will make them happy, a speaker who wants to end their sadness, or a speaker who is opposed to something that makes them angry.

Here is a simple example of pathos :

• “Every day, the rainforests shrink and innocent animals are killed. We must do something about this calamitous trend before the planet we call our home is damaged beyond repair.”

Here, the author is trying to win over an audience by making them feel sad, concerned, or afraid. The author’s choice of words like “innocent” and “calamitous” enforce the fact that they are trying to rely on pathos .

What is logos ?

In Greek, the word logos literally translates to “word, reason, or discourse.” The word logos is related to many different words that have to do with reason, discourse, or knowledge, such as logic , logical , and any words that end in the suffixes -logy or -logue .

As a mode of persuasion and rhetorical appeal, logos is often referred to as “the appeal to reason.” If a speaker or author is relying on logos , they are typically reciting facts or providing data and statistics that support their argument. In a manner of speaking, logos does away with all of the bells and whistles of ethos and pathos and cuts to the chase by trying to present a rational argument.

Logos can be effective in arguments because, in theory, it is impossible to argue against truth and facts. An audience is more likely to agree with a speaker who can provide strong, factual evidence that shows their position is correct. On the flip side, an audience is less likely to support an argument that is flawed or entirely wrong. Going further, a speaker that presents a lot of supporting evidence and data to the audience is likely to come across as knowledgeable and someone to be listened to, which earns bonus points in ethos as well.

While Aristotle clearly valued an argument based on reason very highly, we know that logos alone doesn’t always effectively persuade an audience. In your own life, you have likely seen a rational, correct speaker lose an argument to a charismatic, authoritative speaker who may not have the facts right.

Here is a simple example of logos :

• “According to market research, sales of computer chips have increased by 300% in the last five years. Analysis of the industry tells us that the market share of computer chips is dominated by Asian manufacturers. It is clear that the Asian technology sector will continue to experience rapid growth for the foreseeable future.”

In this paragraph, the author is using data, statistics, and logical reasoning to make their argument. They clearly hope to use logos to try to convince an audience to agree with them.

Do you need persuading to take this quiz on identifying ethos, pathos, and logos? We think you’ll be a champion at it.

Examples of ethos , pathos , and logos

Ethos , pathos , and logos can all be employed to deliver compelling and persuasive arguments or to win over an audience. Let’s look at a variety of examples to see how different speakers and authors have turned to these modes of persuasion over the years.

“Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me […] You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?” —Marc Antony, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

In this scene, Marc Antony is trying to win over the Roman people, so Shakespeare has Antony rely on ethos . Antony is establishing himself as both a person of authority in Rome (having the power to offer Caesar a crown) and an expert on Caesar’s true character (Antony was Caesar’s close friend and advisor).

“During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer animated feature film, Toy Story , and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance.” —Steve Jobs, 2005

Here, Steve Jobs is providing his background–via humblebrag – of being a major figure in several different highly successful tech companies. Jobs is using ethos to provide substance to his words and make it clear to the audience that he knows what he is talking about and they should listen to him.

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“Moreover, though you hate both him and his gifts with all your heart, yet pity the rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host; they will honour you as a god, and you will earn great glory at their hands. You might even kill Hector; he will come within your reach, for he is infatuated, and declares that not a Danaan whom the ships have brought can hold his own against him.” —Ulysses to Achilles, The Iliad by Homer

In this plea, Ulysses is doing his best to pile on the pathos . In one paragraph, Ulysses is attempting to appeal to several of Achilles’s emotions: his hatred of Hector, his infamous stubborn pride, his sympathy for civilians, and his desire for vengeance.

“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest—quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963

In this excerpt from his “I Have A Dream” speech, King is using pathos to accomplish two goals at once. First, he is connecting with his audience by making it clear is aware of their plight and suffering. Second, he is citing these examples to cause sadness or outrage in the audience. Both of these effects will make an audience interested in what he has to say and more likely to support his position.

Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech is recognizable and noteworthy for many reasons, including the rhetorical device he employs. Learn about it here.

“Let it be remembered how powerful the influence of a single introduced tree or mammal has been shown to be. But in the case of an island, or of a country partly surrounded by barriers, into which new and better adapted forms could not freely enter, we should then have places in the economy of nature which would assuredly be better filled up if some of the original inhabitants were in some manner modified; for, had the area been open to immigration, these same places would have been seized on by intruders. In such case, every slight modification, which in the course of ages chanced to arise, and which in any way favoured the individuals of any of the species, by better adapting them to their altered conditions, would tend to be preserved; and natural selection would have free scope for the work of improvement.” —Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species , 1859

In this passage, Darwin is using logos by presenting a rational argument in support of natural selection. Darwin connects natural selection to established scientific knowledge to argue that it makes logical sense that animals would adapt to better survive in their environment.

“I often echo the point made by the climate scientist James Hansen: The accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases—some of which will envelop the planet for hundreds and possibly thousands of years—is now trapping as much extra energy daily as 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs would release every 24 hours. This is the crisis we face.” —Al Gore, “The Climate Crisis Is the Battle of Our Time, and We Can Win,” 2019

In this call to action, Al Gore uses logos to attempt to convince his audience of the significance of climate change. In order to do this, Gore both cites an expert in the field and provides a scientifically accurate simile to explain the scale of the effect that greenhouse gases have on Earth’s atmosphere.

What are mythos and kairos ?

Some modern scholars may also use terms mythos and kairos when discussing modes of persuasion or rhetoric in general.

Aristotle used the term mythos to refer to the plot or story structure of Greek tragedies, i.e., how a playwright ordered the events of the story to affect the audience. Today, mythos is most often discussed as a literary or poetic term rather than a rhetorical one. However, mythos may rarely be referred to as the “appeal to culture” or the “appeal to myth” if it is treated as an additional mode of persuasion. According to this viewpoint, a speaker/writer is using mythos if they try to persuade an audience using shared cultural customs or societal values.

A commonly cited example of mythos is King’s “I Have a Dream” speech quoted earlier. King says:

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men—yes, black men as well as white men—would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable rights’ of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ ”

Throughout the speech, King repeatedly uses American symbols and American history ( mythos ) to argue that all Americans should be outraged that Black Americans have been denied freedom and civil rights.

Some modern scholars may also consider kairos as an additional mode of persuasion. Kairos is usually defined as referring to the specific time and place that a speaker chooses to deliver their speech. For written rhetoric, the “place” instead refers to the specific medium or publication in which a piece of writing appears.

Unlike the other modes of persuasion, kairos relates to the context of a speech and how the appropriateness (or not) of a setting affects how effective a speaker is. Once again, King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a great example of the use of kairos . This speech was delivered at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation at the end of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Clearly, King intended to use kairos to enhance the importance and timeliness of this landmark speech.

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What Are Logos, Pathos & Ethos?

A straight-forward explainer (with examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | June 2023

If you spend any amount of time exploring the wonderful world of philosophy, you’re bound to run into the dynamic trio of rhetorical appeals: logos , ethos and pathos . But, what exactly do they mean and how can you use them in your writing or speaking? In this post, we’ll unpack the rhetorical love triangle in simple terms, using loads of practical examples along the way.

Overview: The Rhetorical Triangle

• What are logos , pathos and ethos ?
• Logos unpacked (+ examples)
• Pathos unpacked (+ examples)
• Ethos unpacked (+ examples)
• The rhetorical triangle

What are logos, ethos and pathos?

Simply put, logos, ethos and pathos are three powerful tools that you can use to persuade an audience of your argument . At the most basic level, logos appeals to logic and reason, while pathos appeals to emotions and ethos emphasises credibility or authority.

Naturally, a combination of all three rhetorical appeals packs the biggest punch, but it’s important to consider a few different factors to determine the best mix for any given context. Let’s look at each rhetorical appeal in a little more detail to understand how best to use them to your advantage.

Logos appeals to the logical, reason-driven side of our minds. Using logos in an argument typically means presenting a strong body of evidence and   facts to support your position. This evidence should then be accompanied by sound logic and well-articulated reasoning .

Let’s look at some examples of logos in action:

• A friend trying to persuade you to eat healthier might present scientific studies that show the benefits of a balanced diet and explain how certain nutrients contribute to overall health and longevity.
• A scientist giving a presentation on climate change might use data from reputable studies, along with well-presented graphs and statistical analyses to demonstrate the rising global temperatures and their impact on the environment.
• An advertisement for a new smartphone might highlight its technological features, such as a faster processor, longer battery life, and a high-resolution camera. This could also be accompanied by technical specifications and comparisons with competitors’ models.

In short, logos is all about using evidence , logic and reason to build a strong argument that will win over an audience on the basis of its objective merit . This contrasts quite sharply against pathos, which we’ll look at next.

Contrasted to logos, pathos appeals to the softer side of us mushy humans. Specifically, it focuses on evoking feelings and emotions in the audience. When utilising pathos in an argument, the aim is to cultivate some feeling of connection in the audience toward either yourself or the point that you’re trying to make.

In practical terms, pathos often uses storytelling , vivid language and personal anecdotes to tap into the audience’s emotions. Unlike logos, the focus here is not on facts and figures, but rather on psychological affect . Simply put, pathos utilises our shared humanness to foster agreement.

Let’s look at some examples of pathos in action:

• An advertisement for a charity might incorporate images of starving children and highlight their desperate living conditions to evoke sympathy, compassion and, ultimately, donations.
• A politician on the campaign trail might appeal to feelings of hope, unity, and patriotism to rally supporters and motivate them to vote for his or her party.
• A fundraising event may include a heartfelt personal story shared by a cancer survivor, with the aim of evoking empathy and encouraging donations to support cancer research.

As you can see, pathos is all about appealing to the human side of us – playing on our emotions to create buy-in and agreement.

Last but not least, we’ve got ethos. Ethos is all about emphasising the credibility and authority of the person making the argument, or leveraging off of someone else’s credibility to support your own argument.

The ethos card can be played by highlighting expertise, achievements, qualifications and accreditations , or even personal and professional associations and connections. Ultimately, the aim here is to foster some level of trust within the audience by demonstrating your competence, as this will make them more likely to take your word as fact.

Let’s look at some examples of ethos in action:

• A fitness equipment brand might hire a well-known athlete to endorse their product.
• A toothpaste brand might make claims highlighting that a large percentage of dentists recommend their product.
• A financial advisor might present their qualifications, certifications and professional memberships when meeting with a prospective client.

As you can see, using ethos in an argument is largely about emphasising the credibility of the person rather than the logical soundness of the argument itself (which would reflect a logos-based approach). This is particularly helpful when there isn’t a large body of evidence to support the argument.

Ethos can also overlap somewhat with pathos in that positive emotions and feelings toward a specific person can oftentimes be extended to someone else’s argument. For example, a brand that has nothing to do with sports could still benefit from the endorsement of a well-loved athlete, just because people feel positive feelings about the athlete – not because of that athlete’s expertise  in the product they’re endorsing.

How to use logos, pathos and ethos

Logos, pathos and ethos combine to form the rhetorical triangle , also known as the Aristotelian triangle. As you’d expect, the three sides (or corners) of the triangle reflect the three appeals, but there’s also another layer of meaning. Specifically, the three sides symbolise the relationship between the speaker , the audience and the message .

Without getting too philosophical, the key takeaway here is that logos, pathos and ethos are all tools that you can use to present a persuasive argument . However, how much you use each tool needs to be informed by careful consideration of who your audience is and what message you’re trying to convey to them.

For example, if you’re writing a research paper for a largely scientific audience, you’ll likely lean more heavily on the logos . Conversely, if you’re presenting a speech in which you argue for greater social justice, you may lean more heavily on the pathos to win over the hearts and minds of your audience.

Simply put, by understanding the relationship between yourself (as the person making the argument), your audience , and your message , you can strategically employ the three rhetorical appeals to persuade, engage, and connect with your audience more effectively in any context. Use these tools wisely and you’ll quickly notice what a difference they can make to your ability to communicate and more importantly, to persuade .

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• Writing Tips

 Ethos, Logos, and Pathos – A Simple Guide

4-minute read

• 12th April 2023

Ethos, logos, and pathos are three essential components of persuasive communication . They’ve been used for centuries by great communicators to influence the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their audiences. In this simple guide, we’ll take a closer look at these three components using examples from famous writing and speeches.

What Is Ethos?

Ethos is a persuasive appeal based on the credibility or character of the speaker or writer. It refers to the trustworthiness, expertise, or authority that they bring to the argument. It’s crucial in establishing the credibility of the speaker or writer and can be built in through a variety of means, such as reputation and sources, or language and tone.

How To Use Ethos

Ethos can be established through the speaker or writer’s reputation: if they are known for being knowledgeable, honest, and trustworthy, this can lend credibility to their argument. For example, in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. established his ethos by highlighting his role as a civil rights leader and his personal experience with racial injustice.

Another way you can achieve ethos in speech or writing is through the use of credible sources. For example, Rachel Carson established ethos in her book Silent Spring by providing extensive scientific evidence to support her argument that pesticides were harming the environment.

Finally, ethos can be accomplished through the use of language and tone . Using a professional and respectful tone can create the impression of credibility and authority. For instance, in his second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln employed ethos by using a solemn, reflective tone to convey the gravity of the situation.

What Is Logos?

Logos is a persuasive appeal based on logic and reasoning. It refers to the use of evidence and logical arguments to support the speaker or writer’s position.

How To Use Logos

One way you can implement logos in your speech or writing is through the use of statistics and data. When writing, or constructing a speech, try to incorporate reliable and credible stats or figures to strengthen your claims or argument and persuade your audience.

You can also employ examples and analogies to achieve logos. These can make your argument more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. For example, in his book The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell uses the example of “the broken windows” theory to illustrate his argument that small changes can have a big impact on social behavior.

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Finally, logos can be established through the use of logical arguments . To ensure you have a logical argument, you should have a clear statement with definitions, examples, and evidence to support it. For instance, in his essay “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau made a logical argument that individuals have a moral obligation to resist unjust laws.

What Is Pathos?

Pathos is a persuasive appeal based on emotion. It refers to the use of language and imagery that elicits an emotional response. Pathos can be used to create a sense of urgency, inspire empathy, or evoke a particular mood.

How To Use Pathos

Vivid imagery is a great way in which a writer or speaker can implement pathos. Using descriptive language to paint a picture in your audience’s mind is a powerful and persuasive skill. For example, in his poem “Dulce et Decorum Est,” Wilfred Owen used vivid imagery to describe the horrors of war and elicit an emotional response in his readers.

Pathos can also be accomplished by using personal anecdotes. The power of storytelling is an invaluable skill for any writer or speaker because it creates rapport and an emotional connection with your audience. For example, in her TED talk “The Power of Vulnerability,” Brene Brown shares personal stories about her struggles with shame and vulnerability to inspire empathy and connection with her audience.

Finally, pathos can be established through the use of rhetorical questions and appeals to shared values. A good example can be heard in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. He poses his biggest question to his audience (and the world): “Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history?” In response to this rhetorical question, he beautifully tries to persuade the audience to work together toward a common goal, stating, “It means that we’ve got to stay together. We’ve got to stay together and maintain unity.”

Ethos, logos, and pathos are powerful tools for persuasive speech and writing. By establishing credibility, using logical arguments, and appealing to emotion, speakers and writers can influence the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of their audiences. When used effectively, these elements can help to create meaningful and lasting change in the world.

Interested in learning how to elevate your writing with more literary devices? Check our other articles .

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Ethos, Logos and Pathos: The Structure of a Great Speech

“A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start it, but to end it requires considerable skill.” — Lord Mancroft

The structure of a great oral argument has been passed down through the ages, starting with Aristotle. Not only is it an incredibly valuable skill to have, it’s important to know  how you’re being persuaded  when you’re a part of the audience. So using Sam Leith’s Words Like Loaded Pistols as our guide, let’s discuss Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

But before we get into the specifics of the three modes, we need to decide on the structure of our argument itself. How? By doing the work required to have an opinion .

This phase is referred to as invention , but it’s not about making something up, it’s more about the information gathering or research phase of your work.

Invention is doing your homework: thinking up in advance exactly what arguments can be made both for and against a given proposition, selecting the best on your own side, and finding counterarguments to those on the other.

This research phase should not be limited to the subject matter, it should also include your audience. If there is one theme that resonates throughout Leith’s book, it’s that you must know your audience; their interests, prejudices and expectations. Without that grounding, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. (In other words, your moving speech on why we all need to take a social media holiday may not resonate at the Twitter shareholder meeting.)

Ethos is about establishing your authority to speak on the subject, logos is your logical argument for your point and pathos is your attempt to sway an audience emotionally. Leith has a great example for summarizing what the three look like.

Ethos: ‘Buy my old car because I’m Tom Magliozzi.’ Logos: ‘Buy my old car because yours is broken and mine is the only one on sale.’ Pathos: ‘Buy my old car or this cute little kitten, afflicted with a rare degenerative disease, will expire in agony, for my car is the last asset I have in the world, and I am selling it to pay for kitty’s medical treatment.’

The first part of ethos is establishing your credentials to be speaking to the audience on the specific subject matter. It’s the verbal equivalent of all those degrees hanging up in your doctor’s office. And once you’ve established why you are an authority on the subject, you need to build rapport. Ethos, when everything is stripped away, is about trust.

Your audience needs to know (or to believe, which in rhetoric adds up to the same thing) that you are trustworthy, that you have a locus standi to talk on the subject, and that you speak in good faith. You need your audience to believe that you are, in the well-known words, ‘A pretty straight kind of guy.’

So if you’re a politician and you’re speaking about reforming the legal system, it’s great to be a lawyer or a judge, but it’s even better to be a lawyer or a judge who comes from the same community as your audience. Between two speakers with identical credentials, the more closely relatable one will win the audience.

You’ll even see a reverse ethos appeal at times, an attack on an opponent which questions their credentials and trustworthiness and serves to alienate them from the audience. To head that off, it’s best to establish your ethos early on, both to give your attackers more of a challenge and to create a hook for your logos to hang on.

Here’s how Leith describes logos , the next link in the chain:

If ethos is the ground on which your argument stands, logos is what drives it forward: it is the stuff of your arguments, the way one point proceeds to another, as if to show that the conclusion to which you are aiming is not only the right one, but so necessary and reasonable as to be more or less the only one.

Think of this as the logic behind your argument. You want your points to seem so straightforward and commanding that your audience can’t conceive of an alternative.

Aristotle had a tip here: He found that the most effective use of logos is to encourage your audience to reach the conclusion to your argument on their own, just moments before your big reveal. They will relish in the fact that they were clever enough to figure it out, and the reveal will be that much more satisfying.

Another logos trick used often is the much abused syllogism.

The syllogism is a way of combining two premises and drawing a fresh conclusion that follows logically from them. The classic instance you always hear quoted is the following: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

While you need to take care with the syllogisms you use — false syllogisms can lead to obvious logical fallacies — they can be a powerful tool for helping your audience draw certain conclusions.

Aristotle also advocated the use ‘commonplaces’, or   accepted premises shared with the audience. The best arguments are soaked in them.

Associated with these general topics are ‘commonplaces’ (topos is Greek for a ‘place’). Any form of reasoning has to start from a set of premises, and in rhetoric those premises are very often commonplaces. A commonplace is a piece of shared wisdom: a tribal assumption. In the use of commonplaces, you can see where logos and ethos intersect. Commonplaces are culturally specific, but they will tend to be so deep-rooted in their appeal that they pass for universal truths. They are, in digested form, the appeal to ‘common sense.’ You get nowhere appealing to commonplaces alien to your audience. The wise persuader starts from one or two commonplaces he knows he has in common with his audience – and, where possible, arrives at one too.

Your use of commonplaces is also a good point to interject pathos , as many of these common beliefs can illicit an emotional response. Let’s dig into pathos .

Your logical argument will be that much more persuasive if it’s wrapped up with a good dose of emotion. Because of the way we use the word pathos in the modern world, you may be thinking of something dramatic and sad. But pathos is more nuanced than that; it can be humor, love, patriotism, or any emotional response.

The key here once again is to know your audience . If you are trying to evoke a sense of anger or sadness regarding mankind’s role in the decline of the honeybee, you might not get the response you want from the bee allergy support group.

You can even invoke pathos by admitting a wrong. ( We all make mistakes …) This can be a clever way to put your opponent off balance.

This is the figure, called paromologia in the Greek, where you concede, or appear to concede, part of your opponent’s point. It turns what is often necessity to advantage, because it makes you look honest and scrupulous, takes the wind out of your opponent’s sails, and allows you to shift the emphasis of the argument in a way finally favorable to you. It’s the equivalent of a tactical retreat, or of the judo fighter using an opponent’s momentum against him.

Another tool you can use with pathos is something the ancients called aposiopesis.

Aposiopesis – a sudden breaking off as if at a loss for words – can be intended to stir pathos. And even where something appears merely decorative – a run of alliteration or a mellifluously turned sentence – it serves to commend the speech more easily to memory, and to give pleasure to the audience. Delight is an end, as well as a means.

And we can’t forget joy and laughter. A well received joke can help you both connect with the audience (ethos) and bring home the pathos appeal.

… the joke can do more than just perk up a drowsing audience. It can be a powerful rhetorical tool. It participates in the pathos appeal inasmuch as it stirs an audience’s emotions to laughter – but more importantly, it participates in the ethos appeal, inasmuch as laughter is based on a set of common assumptions. As Edwin Rabbie argues in ‘Wit and Humour in Roman Rhetoric,’ ‘Jokes usually presuppose (even rest on) a significant amount of shared knowledge.

Ultimately, the three modes of persuasion are interconnected. It’s helpful not to think of them in a linear way but more like three overlapping circles. If you can create something with ethos, logos, and pathos peppered throughout, and tie it all into your audience’s belief system, you will have a very strong argument.

While Aristotle’s three persuasive appeals make appearances throughout the book, there is so much more to Words Like Loaded Pistols . Leith goes into depth regarding the five parts of rhetoric and the three branches of oratory. He also spend considerable time explaining the different figures, also known as the ‘flowers of rhetoric, which can be thought of as the literary weapons you can use in your war of words. If you have an interest in making your own presentations or speeches better, or in understanding the techniques a speaker is using when you are in the audience then this book is definitely worth the read. In the meantime check out our post on Wartime Rhetoric for some inspiration.

• Dec 3, 2020
• 11 min read

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: What Are They and How to Use Them

You may have heard the terms ethos, pathos and logos at some point in your life, but what do they mean, exactly? All three are techniques of rhetoric, meant to persuade others toward a particular point of view. You’ll often see them being used in political speeches, commercials, content marketing perhaps, and even movies and literature.

Each technique uses a different approach to appeal to the audience and solidify the argument, whether you’re establishing: the character of the speaker ( ethos ), the emotional state of the listener ( pathos ), or the argument itself ( logos ).

In this article, we’ll look at these three methods in detail, and how to use each effectively.

The three traditional modes of persuasion

Greek philosopher Aristotle first defined these three methods in Rhetoric , where he writes:

Of the modes of persuasion furnished by the spoken word there are three kinds. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker; the second on putting the audience into a certain frame of mind; the third on the proof, provided by the words of the speech itself.

Ethos is when a speaker or writer appeals to their authority as a means of persuasion. They use words to convince the audience of their reputation, virtue, intelligence, or even their professional qualifications. This way, the audience is more inclined to believe in the argument presented. Of course, in order to be effective, the speaker or writer doesn’t necessarily have to have these virtues, just appear to. This is something that can be deployed verbally or through writing, including content cowriting.

Pathos is the act of evoking emotions in the audience or readers in order to persuade. The speaker or writer uses words to manipulate people into feeling empathy, desire, anger, joy—virtually any emotion. To do so, they need to understand who they’re talking to and the greater societal context quite well.

Logos is the act of appealing to the logic of the audience or readers. Here, the speaker’s or writer’s effort is focused on the rational validity of the argument proposed. Usually, this comes together with the use of facts, data, statistics and other logical demonstrations. As with ethos , logos doesn’t necessarily have to be logically sound to be effective, but it does have to appear to be. This is also what makes it an essential part of any type of marketing .

These three techniques show up in all sorts of circumstances, from political speeches and courtroom debates, to advertisements, essays, marketing strategies and opinion pieces.

A good and memorable speech will utilize all of them together. For instance, a politician may establish rapport by mentioning her up-by-the-bootstraps childhood ( ethos ), speak about the unifying power of the country’s citizens ( pathos ), and then go on to explain how her election will bring about these ideals in practicality ( logos ). It's also not uncommon to see all three used in the same motivational quote , for example.

“Ethos”: Definition and examples

What is “ethos”.

Ethos is sometimes mistakenly defined as the speaker’s appeal to the audience’s ethics, but, in fact, it has more to do with the speaker’s own values or character. Near the beginning of a speech, the orator may use ethos to establish credibility by delivering a brief biography or selected highlights of their personal history. They may also use their voice, tone, gestures or vocabulary to further ground that they’re qualified to talk about the specific topic at stake. Essentially, it’s about trust.

Famous examples of “ethos”

Example 1: Advertising campaigns

Any advertisement that has a celebrity endorsement uses ethos . Michael Jordan and Nike, Matthew McConaughey and Lincoln automobiles, Oprah and Weight Watchers—all these are examples of leveraging the speaker's reputation as a means to prop up a product or service. This works because the celebrity is commonly seen to possess certain virtues that the brand wants to be associated with.

Example 2: Michelle Obama’s remarks on the 2020 Democratic National Convention

During the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama used ethos when she endorsed presidential candidate Joe Biden by reminding the audience of her own integrity:

Now, I understand that my message won't be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic Convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I'm feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children.

Example 3: Jaws by Steven Spielberg

In the 1975 film Jaws , Quint (played by Robert Shaw) delivered his famous soliloquy about the USS Indianapolis. The whole speech oozes with ethos , as Quint tells the story of his experience as a sailor in WWII to explain his vendetta against man-eating sharks:

Y ou know that was the time I was most frightened. Waitin’ for my turn. I’ll never put on a lifejacket again. So, eleven hundred men went into the water. Three hundred and sixteen men come out, the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945.

How to use “ethos”

The next time you’re posting on social media , or give a presentation in the office, try using ethos . Talk about your past experiences and qualifications. Make sure your audience knows who you are, and why they should trust your voice. Actually, though you may not be aware, you use ethos quite often already. Any time you’ve asked a listener to trust in what you are saying, based on your character or expertise, you’re working with your ethos .

To use ethos effectively, you need to remember your audience. What do they need to hear in order to believe in you? What kind of background details can you give them? Keep in mind that ethos is highly relative, since the qualities that are expected in one field aren’t necessarily the ones another audience will value. Remember who you’re talking to and shape your argument accordingly. If you’re a car salesman trying to convince a customer, you can mention you’ve been in the business for 40 years and know what you’re talking about. If you’re applying for a job in a startup, mention your personal attributes that the interviewers might value: flexibility, ambition, and tech savviness.

Focus on what will really build up your character in the eyes of the audience and establish your authority. The more relatable and trustworthy you are, the more effective your speech will be. Equally as important, don’t mention the factors that will destroy your credibility and are unrelated to the topic at hand.

“Pathos”: Definition and examples

What is “pathos”.

Stemming from the Greek word for "suffering," "experience," or "emotion,” pathos appeals to the emotions of the audience. Aristotle believed that the orator could use their words to lead the audience to experience virtually any type of feeling. He thought that, in order to succeed, they should be constantly aware of three main factors: 1) the audience’s frame of mind, 2) how emotions vary from person to person, and 3) the influence the speaker has over the audience.

Famous examples of “pathos”

Example 1: Coca-Cola’s Taste the Feeling campaign

Pathos is common in advertisements today. Just look at the McDonald’s I’m lovin’ it and Coca-Cola’s Taste the Feeling campaigns—the emotion is in the slogan. Talking about Coca-Cola, in each commercial from the brand, the people in it are happy, young, generally loving life under the sun, accompanied by bright colors, buoyant music and an atmosphere of energy and positivity. The messaging implies that if you want to be happy, drink Coca-Cola. Pathos is the perfect choice as the other methods of persuasion fall flat. Not logos —there are not many logical reasons to drink sugar-packed beverages. And as for the company’s ethos —the consumers don’t necessarily care about the brand’s values or reputation. Pathos is the only way to sell the product. You’re probably craving one now.

Example 2: I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr.’s

Pathos often appears in the best and most moving political speeches, as in Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous I have a dream speech:

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights: 'When will you be satisfied?' We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating ‘For Whites Only.' We cannot be satisfied and we will not be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

See how he uses repetition with “We can never be satisfied” to drive his point home. His words are chosen carefully to invoke emotion: “unspeakable horrors,” “heavy with fatigue of travel,” “stripped of their selfhood,” and “robbed of their dignity.”

Example 3: Requiem for a Dream by Darren Aronofsky

One example in cinema appears in Requiem for a Dream , when an elderly housewife, played by Ellen Burstyn, appeals to her son to empathize with her sense of loneliness and emptiness:

I’m somebody now, Harry. Everybody likes me. Soon, millions of people will see me and they’ll all like me. I’ll tell them about you, and your father, how good he was to us. Remember? It’s a reason to get up in the morning. It’s a reason to lose weight, to fit in the red dress. It’s a reason to smile. It makes tomorrow all right. What have I got Harry, hmm? Why should I even make the bed, or wash the dishes? I do them, but why should I? I’m alone. Your father’s gone, you’re gone. I got no one to care for. What have I got, Harry? I’m lonely. I’m old. Ah, it’s not the same. They don’t need me. I like the way I feel. I like thinking about the red dress and the television and you and your father. Now when I get the sun, I smile.

Delivered with a wavering voice, the housewife’s sadness and fragility comes across in simple, modest language: “I’m alone,” “I got no one to care for,” and “They don’t need me.” She also uses rhetorical questions to communicate her sense of hopelessness: “What have I got?”

How to use “pathos”

Pathos is a very effective way to bring the audience over to your own perspective, but you have to be keenly aware of 1) the kind emotion you want to elicit, and 2) what truth you’re going to draw on to trigger that emotion.

You have to work backwards, in a way. Then, build a narrative to encapsulate that truth—you can’t simply plop the truth on a platter. Show, don’t tell. Look at all those skateboards in Coca-Cola commercials. They aren’t simply saying, “Coca-Cola will make you feel good.” They show people who feel good.

Moreover, pathos is most effective if used sparingly—you don’t want to be too sappy or forced. An audience can smell a faker a mile away. Don’t forget to use analogies, humor, surprise, body language, maybe even visuals if the forum is right.

Lastly, to take some tips from Aristotle’s own rulebook, here are a few more tools you can use with pathos to make it more effective:

Aposiopesis is the unexpected breaking off in the middle of a sentence. If you are speaking, then, all of a sudden, find yourself overcome with so much emotion that you can’t even finish your sentence—if used carefully, this will invoke empathy in the audience,

Paromologia is when you concede part of your opponent’s point. It has the double effect of making you appear honest and logical, while mitigating your opponent’s argument which ultimately, also creates a feeling of empathy in the audience,

Jokes are often memorable techniques for pathos . A speaker will seem more relatable, and even more intelligent than an opponent who employs only logos or ethos , even if that person’s argument is more sound. It can also be used to make the audience sit up and pay more attention to your point.

“Logos”: Definition and examples

What is “logos”.

Logos comes from the Greek term for “word,” and is a direct ancestor of the English term logic . Logos is the reasoned discourse, the logical demonstration—whether it’s inductive reasoning (drawing general conclusions based on factual evidence) or deductive reasoning (starting with an hypothesis and confirming it with logical reasoning). Data, statistics, facts, figures, and common sense are all tools of logos to convince your audience. It relies wholly on the strength of the argument itself, regardless of the emotions felt by the audience or the expertise of the speaker. An argument with logos should be able to stand up by itself.

Famous examples of “logos”

Example 1: Hamlet , Act I, Scene III by Shakespeare

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , Polonius counsels his son Laertes to never give money to friends. His logic is that it’s often risky to combine debt with personal relationships, which can result in the loss of both money and friends. By the same token, borrowing can make you complacent, spend money haphazardly, and lose the habit of “husbandry,” that is, being thrifty and mindful of your own expenses.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be,

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

Example 2: 2012 State of the Union Address by President Barack Obama

In 2012, Barack Obama used logos when discussing the 2008 recession in the State of the Union address:

In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior. It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect. Those are the facts.

He makes a clear case, explaining how irresponsibility was the direct cause of the loss of millions of jobs and increase in debt nationwide. He gathers his statements and drives his point home by stressing that, indeed, those are the facts.

How to use “logos”

Logos is a powerful tool, because it often stands on irrefutable hard data and statistics. It doesn’t need the charisma of the orator or the emotions of the audience to make a well-reasoned argument. That said, how the audience receives it is another topic entirely—dry facts can come across stilted if not cushioned by the speaker’s charisma.

To use logos most effectively, temper it with common speech that everyone can understand. If your topic is complex, use simple words to explain it. Don’t hide your beautiful argument behind complicated words, jargon or generalizations. Be as specific and concrete as possible, with examples, and stress the most important points.

One method you can use with logos is the syllogism, whether you combine two premises and draw the logical conclusion from them. The most famous example, from Aristotle himself, is: “ All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.” In order to use this type of logic effectively, you should be keenly aware of the accepted premises shared with your audience. You can use what is deemed by your audience to be common sense or social truths to solidify a greater, more universal truth that you want them to accept.

Aristotle was also a fan of using logos in such a way as to guide the audience to reach the conclusion to the argument on their own. By suggesting the conclusion with logic, rather than stating it outright, the audience will be more accepting of your point. Simply put, they will feel more confident in the overall reasoning if they do the work themselves.

In a nutshell

To sum it up:

Ethos is the act of appealing to the speaker’s or writer’s authority as a means of persuasion,

Pathos is the act of evoking emotions in the audience or readers to make your point,

Logos is the act of appealing to the logic of the audience or readers.

Aristotle believed that logos should be the most important of the three modes of persuasion, but to really be effective, a speaker or writer needs to use all three. Ask yourself three questions: Does the audience respect you? Are you able to evoke emotions? Does your logic make sense? If you can answer ‘yes’ to all three questions, then you have a powerful argument.

Looking to start a blog ? Wix has got your covered with thousands of design features, built-in SEO and marketing tools, that will allow you to scale your content, your brand and your business with their blog maker.

Wailana Kalama, UX Writer at Wix

From Hawaii and now based in Lithuania, Wailana spends her free time reading creative essays on science, and working on a speculative memoir.

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Understanding Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: The Foundations of Persuasive Speaking

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• January 30, 2024

Table of Contents

Here at The Speaker Lab, we talk a lot about how to launch a speaking business. Usually, we focus on the “business” part. Fundamentals like establishing your pipeline and setting your speaker fee are key to really succeeding as a speaker. But mastering the business side will only take you so far if your talk isn’t persuasive! How do you make sure your message sticks with your audience? That’s what we’re diving into today. Learning how to speak persuasively will help you deliver a compelling talk that listeners remember. And what do we find at the heart of persuasive speaking? Three age old terms coined by an ancient Greek: ethos, pathos, and logos. 

Today we’re breaking down how ethos, pathos, and logos play a role in persuasive speaking in any field, on any topic. If you’re busy crafting your signature talk , it’s easy to get caught up in the weeds and forget to look at the big picture. That’s why we’re getting back to the basics–all the way back to the fourth century B.C.

Aristotle and Persuasive Rhetoric  

Aristotle’s Rhetoric is one of the foundational philosophical works at the basis of what we consider persuasive speaking. In the Rhetoric, he explains that ethos, pathos, and logos are three ways that any speech–no matter what kind of speech–can have a persuasive effect. So what exactly do these words mean? 

Ethos refers to the character of the speaker. Good, bad, old, young, famous, obscure…any attribute that belongs to the speaker as a person . Would you more willingly listen to someone whose character is honest and trustworthy or a well-known con man? The ancient Greeks felt the same way. Listeners are more likely to take advice from a speaker whose character they trust.

Keep in mind that character qualities in a speaker can be positive or negative depending on context. A speaker’s age on either end of the spectrum can give a negative impression of either inexperience or outdatedness. But youthfulness characterized by drive and ambition (or old age characterized by wisdom and self-reflection) comes across extremely favorably, especially to other young people! 

If ethos centers on the speaker, pathos centers on the audience. A speaker leveraging e thos appeals to their own character, one using pathos appeals to emotion. To master pathos, you must influence your audience’s emotional state throughout your talk in a way that contributes to your message. While your credibility goes a long way toward winning their trust, if you fail to evoke the right emotions you will quickly lose their interest. You can be the most rational, data-driven speaker and ruin the impact of your talk by “giving someone the ick,” as the kids say these days! By using vivid words and dynamic nonverbal cues, you can profoundly impact your audience’s feelings as they listen to your talk.

Logos is where the rubber meets the road. This is your argument–how you prove your point with evidence and logic. No good speech can go without logos, though it can play a greater or lesser role depending on the context. Logos is especially important when the desired impact of your talk requires big changes from your audience in thought or action. Industries and events that rely heavily on research and data will also have high expectations for the logos in your talk. 

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Applying ethos, pathos, and logos to your own talk.

Now, we’ll go through a few practical applications of ethos, pathos, and logos to your professional speaking business. As you book speaking gigs, keep in mind how your marketing, content, and delivery can reflect these principles. We don’t intend to burden you with extra steps on the route to your next speaking gig. You don’t have to be a Greek philosopher to figure this out! Often, it just requires a little extra introspection as you compose and rehearse your talk.

Applying Ethos

Your ethos  is the story your personal brand tells on and off the stage. Focus on establishing expertise, authority, and credibility before and during your talk.  Your audience will find you more persuasive if they already trust you. That’s why it’s important to write your speaker bio effectively with references to your experience in the field.

Relating to your audience in your talk will also establish a powerful ethos. If they know that you are someone like them, they are more likely to agree with your argument. Tell stories that connect your experiences to those of your audience.

Citing data and known authorities also contributes to a positive ethos. Without realizing it, your audience will associate the authorities to whom you appeal with you. Appeal to inspiring figures and well-reputed sources already trusted by your audience–they will trust you. Appealing to a screenshot of a random tweet you found on the internet or treating unverified theories as facts will simply discredit you.  

Offstage interactions play a huge role in  ethos  too. Try to take the time to chat with your audience after your talk, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Make friends with mission-driven speakers in your field who are easy to work with and genuinely care about their audience. Event planners and audience members alike will see you as someone accessible rather than aloof. As your reputation precedes you to each speaking engagement, back it up with the version of yourself who goes onstage.

Applying Pathos 

Swaying your audience’s emotions can rarely carry your entire argument. But it can be a huge help. Feeling a variety of emotions will keep your listeners from getting bored and put them in the right headspace to receive the information you want to communicate. 

Think of your talk as an emotional journey on which you embark with your audience. When you write your speech section by section, think about what you want the audience to be feeling at each point. Anticipation, as you introduce a meaningful story that leaves them breathless? Somber gravity, as you present facts and data about a troubling situation to which you present solutions? Enthusiasm, as you offer a transformative business solution that, while difficult, might get them out of a rut? Amusement, as you tell a funny joke to hook their attention? 

You are their guide on this journey, so it’s up to you to tell them (without literally telling them) how to feel. Delivery and nonverbal communication are key here. Voice intonations, hand gestures , pauses, and facial expressions can add emotional weight to even the driest of phrases. Often, the best way to elicit a new emotion is to tell a story ! Stories can support your message, offer humorous diversion, or transition to a new topic…all while guiding emotions along the way. 

Applying Logos 

Neither ethos nor pathos directly concern the content of your talk, but logos does. Logos is the logical argument you make. You can ruin the effects of great pathos and ethos by failing to adequately support your argument. Sure, if your main purpose is to hype up your audience, you will likely rely more on pathos. But if you fail to connect everything you say to the point or (even worse) cite exaggerated facts or falsehoods, any listening ear will immediately discredit what you have to say. On the other hand, if you struggle to emotionally connect with your audience and have little experience in your field, great logos can still carry your point across and convince a skeptical audience. 

Think of Logos as simply speaking the truth with clarity. Back up your claims and cite any important data or statistics. Use compelling examples from client results you were responsible for with or well-established research. Avoid fallacies and over-fluffy modes of speaking that might throw your audience off. Many speakers try to cover up weak links in their argument with jargon or convoluted palaver. Don’t do that! If the data doesn’t back up your argument, it’s time to reevaluate your argument. 

Many speakers unintentionally obscure a good point by going off track. Your stories, jokes, and elaborations should all support one clear message. If you try to communicate too many messages at once, you’ll leave your audience adrift. Some tips? Replace long tangents with more relevant stories. For a talk on a broad topic, only delve into one or two examples in detail. If you’re speaking about something specific or granular, only give the most necessary background information. 

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Exemplary Persuasive Speeches

To wrap up, let’s look at some classic examples of how speakers use ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade their audiences. 

Winston Churchill’s address to Congress in December 1941 utilizes ethos remarkably well to assure the assembly that he is speaking as a friend, not a foreigner. He reminds them that his own mother was American. He emphasizes his understanding of the American system of representation as a “child of the House of Commons.” Then, he further details that the King himself gave him permission to meet with the president! This way, he appeals to two very venerable heads of authority. As he moves on into a grim but stirring vision of the war, its past present and future, his credibility and trustworthiness are well-established. 

Marc Antony’s speech from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a timeless example of powerful pathos . He immediately plays into the emotions of his audience by reminding them that his purpose is not to deliver a panegyric, but to bury a friend. “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept” he reminds the Romans, giving them cause for self-reflection upon whether their empathy matched Caesar’s. As if his appeal “You all did love him once” was not stirring enough? He finishes off “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, / And I must pause till it come back to me.” Absolutely gutting! (Incidentally, Marc Antony also leverages some reverse psychology ethos by referring to Caesar’s murderer Brutus as “an honourable man” throughout.)

Frederick Douglass ’ moving address “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is a long speech worth reading. Indeed, it could be used as an example for all three pillars of persuasion! He appeals especially to logos by examining the documents of the American Founding and pointing out the hypocrisy with which they have long been interpreted regarding slavery. Then he declares: “Take the constitution according to its plain reading, and I defy the presentation of a single proslavery clause in it. On the other hand it will be found to contain principles and purposes, entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.” He supports his point with facts (the text of the constitution was easy to fact-check) and clear, concise argumentation. The powerful impact of his words even today stands a testament to his mastery of rhetoric.  

You should always use a combination of ethos, pathos, and logos to speak persuasively. Your niche will likely determine which you spend the most time emphasizing. For example, a motivational speaker in an intensely personal field like relationships, grief, or mental health will likely need to leverage a lot of pathos. A speaker who tries to convince professionals of any kind to make big changes will need a great deal of logos to show why their proposed solution is better than “what we’ve always done.” And any speaker in any field offering a potentially controversial solution will need to establish an ethos that is authoritative and trustworthy.

Ethos, pathos, and logos have played an integral role in the art of persuasive speaking for over 2000 years. Even the greatest speakers continue working on this skill well into their careers. While we are no longer Greek orators in marble amphitheaters, Aristotle’s principles can help you craft your speech and finesse your delivery for maximum impact. 

• Last Updated: March 7, 2024

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What Are Ethos, Logos, and Pathos?

Ethos, logos, and pathos are elements of persuasion. We’ll be covering what they mean and how to include them in your writing.

Quick Summary on Using Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in Your Writing

• Ethos , logos , and pathos are elements of writing that make it more effective and persuasive. While ethos establishes the writer’s credibility, logos appeals to the audience’s reason, and pathos appeals to their emotions.
• These three concepts, also known as the rhetorical triangle , three rhetorical appeals , or three modes of persuasion , were coined by Aristotle in his explanation of what makes rhetoric effective.

Ethos vs. Logos vs. Pathos

To understand what ethos, logos, and pathos are, you must first know what rhetoric is.

Rhetoric is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.” Aristotle defined rhetoric as “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.” In simpler terms, rhetoric is the effectiveness of the words (spoken or written) you choose to convey a message or change your audience’s perspective.

According to Aristotle, there are three means by which your rhetoric can be more powerful and that’s through the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Knowing how to apply these three elements of persuasion can make your writing more compelling, so we’re going to teach you exactly what they mean and how to use them.

What Is Ethos, and How Do You Include It in Your Writing?

Ethos establishes the writer’s credibility or authority. Imagine you’re at a climate change conference to learn how you can help planet Earth. Whose speech would you find more trustworthy—that of a CEO of a gas company that has profited millions of dollars by drilling for oil, or a speech by the CEO of a non-profit that helps clean oceans?

Ethos “appeals to the writer’s credibility, authority, or character” to get the audience to trust them.

My non-profit organization started with just one volunteer—me. I’d walk up and down the beaches collecting trash. Then, a friend joined me. The following week, that friend brought a friend. And then another. Until it grew to what it is today—an organization with more than 300 volunteers who have helped remove more than 15,000 pounds (6.8 tons) of trash from the beaches and the oceans. So, I know quite a bit on getting people together for a good cause.

Consider word choice, spelling, and grammar when incorporating ethos to your writing. It’s hard to trust a writer when their text is riddled with errors. Depending on what you’re writing, it may be a good idea to explicitly explain why you’re trustworthy and your expertise in the area you’re writing about.

To ensure your writing is error-free, try using LanguageTool as your writing assistant. This multilingual spelling and grammar checker can detect various types of mistakes in your writing and suggest stylistic improvements.

What Is Logos, and How Do You Include It in Your Writing?

The word logic is derived from the word logos. As you might have imagined, logos is the “appeal to the reader’s logic.” This means that you use facts, data, and statistics to support your reasoning.

Using logos in your writing is effective because it provides evidence that makes it difficult for your audience to disagree with you. Proper use of logos in your writing requires thorough research. The following example includes logos:

According to NASA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “the influence of human activity on the warming of the planet has evolved from theory to established fact.” This can be proven through data collected from ice cores, rocks, and tree rings as well as modern equipment, like satellites.

What Is Pathos, and How Do You Include It in Your Writing?

The last of the three elements of persuasion we’ll be discussing is pathos, which appeals to the audience’s emotions. In other words, writers try to persuade their audience by having them feel a certain way. Consider the following example:

Climate change is already happening all around us. But let’s pretend that we’re at the liberty of not having to worry about it because its effects won’t be evident in our lifetimes. What about your children? Or your children’s children? Imagine the life they will live as they have to endure extreme heat, catastrophic hurricanes, unprecedented rainfalls, and more. Climate change may not affect you personally, but it will affect those you love.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos Makes For Effective Writing

Depending on what you’re writing and how you’re writing it, you may find yourself using more of either ethos, logos, or pathos. Truly effective writing finds a way to incorporate all three, even if one or two are used just a bit. As you read, try to recognize ethos, logos, and pathos. This will help you better incorporate it into your writing.

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Ethos, Pathos, Logos For Trust, Sympathy, And Reason

Ethos, pathos, and logos are three modes of persuasion in public speaking. The concepts are based on Aristotle’s three artistic proofs. They refer to how speakers use credibility, emotion, and reason to elicit trust, sympathy, and reason.

Based on the Greek philosopher Aristotle’s groundbreaking treatise on rhetoric, ethos, pathos, and logos have remained at the core of effective communication. Ethos appeals to the credibility and authority of the speaker, pathos stirs emotions, and logos employs logical reasoning and evidence.

These three modes of persuasion have proven to be potent tools in crafting compelling arguments, mobilizing movements, and captivating audiences . They are at the core of modern-day debates and political speeches.

This article will unravel the intricacies of ethos, pathos, and logos, uncovering their individual strengths and discovering how they work harmoniously to create a persuasive impact.

Table of Contents

What Are The Three Types Of Appeals?

Here are the definitions of the three types of appeals:

Ethos bases its fundamentals on the  credibility, expertise, and moral character of the speaker or source.  It establishes credibility and trust with the audience by showcasing the speaker’s authority, knowledge, and integrity on a particular subject. 

Ethos relies on the audience’s perception of the speaker as someone trustworthy, reliable, and knowledgeable. This gains the audience’s confidence and willingness to listen. By employing ethos, speakers aim to demonstrate their expertise and ethical standing, ensuring that their arguments are perceived as valid and trustworthy.

What Is An Example Of Ethos?

An example of ethos can be seen in a renowned surgeon giving a presentation on the benefits of a specific medical procedure. They begin by sharing their extensive experience and expertise in the field, highlighting their successful track record and years of practice.

They also mention their affiliation with prestigious medical institutions and research publications. By establishing their credibility and expertise, the surgeon appeals to ethos, instilling confidence in the audience and lending credibility to their persuasive argument.

Pathos targets the emotions, values, and beliefs of the audience. It seeks to elicit an emotional response, such as empathy, compassion, anger, or joy, to influence the audience’s decision-making process. 

Speakers create a connection and a sense of shared experience by tapping into the audience’s emotions. Pathos is often used to evoke empathy for a cause, stir enthusiasm for a product, or generate a sense of urgency and motivation. It relies on storytelling, vivid language, imagery, and personal anecdotes to engage the audience’s emotions and foster a persuasive impact.

What Is An Example Of Pathos?

When pathos is used in a speech, the examples often show worst-case and best-case scenarios to manipulate the audience’s emotions so that they take action or pull out their credit cards. Risks and benefits may be real, but appeal to pathos exaggerates them.

Advocates of climate change note that the temperature of the earth is rising as a result of global warming, and, as a result, temperatures and weather patterns are shifting. A speech relying on pathos might quote statistics and give examples that appeal to emotions by discussing severe weather patterns, more wildfires, rising energy costs, and even growth spurts among pests such as mosquitoes and ticks.

Animal rights activists pull the heartstrings with stories of abandoned pets and overcrowded animal shelters. Representatives of charity organizations that fight hunger and homelessness raise visions of starving children and desperate homeless people.

Speeches directed at teens talk about the risk of taking drugs and stress how not watching you drink at a party could result in somebody drugging you.

L ogos is based on logic, reason, and rationality and presents a well-structured and reasoned argument supported by evidence, facts, and logical reasoning. It aims to persuade the audience by appealing to their intellect and sense of logic.

Logos often involves using statistics, data, expert opinions, analogies, and logical frameworks to support the speaker’s claims and convince the audience of the validity of their argument. Logos aims to provide a logical sequence of thoughts, highlighting cause-and-effect relationships and constructing a coherent and compelling case.

What Is An Example Of Logos?

Examples of logos might be present in a scientific research paper presenting evidence-based findings on climate change.

The paper carefully lays out the data collected from various sources, analyzes the trends, and presents logical arguments based on cause-and-effect relationships. It includes statistical analyses, charts, and references to peer-reviewed studies to support its claims.

By relying on factual information, logical reasoning, and scientific evidence, the paper appeals to logos, aiming to persuade readers through a rational and evidence-based approach.

How Does Logos Differ From Ethos?

Logos differs from ethos in its focus and persuasive strategy. While ethos relies on the credibility and character of the speaker or source, logos appeals to the audience’s sense of reason and logic.

Ethos seeks to establish trust and credibility by showcasing the speaker’s authority and expertise. On the other hand, logos rely on presenting a well-structured and reasoned argument supported by evidence, facts, and logical reasoning.

It emphasizes logical coherence, empirical evidence, and rational argumentation to convince the audience of the validity and soundness of the argument. Ethos appeals to the speaker’s character, while logos appeals to the intellect and logical thinking of the audience.

Maintaining The Integrity Of The Message

It is crucial to avoid logical fallacies and overly literal analogies to maintain the integrity of the message. With the advent of social media, the use of ethos, pathos, and logos has become even more influential in engaging subscribers and shaping public opinion.

By harnessing these  rhetorical strategies  effectively, communicators craft powerful messages that resonate and inspire change from their intended point of view.

How Are Ethos, Pathos, Logos Related To Aristotle?

The three appeals,  ethos, pathos, and logos , are closely associated with Aristotle, a renowned Greek philosopher and rhetorician who extensively studied and wrote about the art of persuasion in his work, “Rhetoric.” Aristotle considered rhetoric the art of discovering all available means of persuasion and recognized the significance of these three appeals in effective communication.

Aristotle emphasized the importance of ethos, which he referred to as the speaker’s or writer’s character and credibility. According to Aristotle, a speaker’s ethos plays a vital role in persuading an audience.

Ethos, derived from the Greek word for character, leverages the credibility of a spokesperson or a credible source to establish trust and authority. People are more likely to be convinced by someone they perceive as trustworthy, knowledgeable, and possessing good moral character.

Aristotle believed establishing a strong ethos involved demonstrating expertise, displaying fairness and goodwill, and maintaining personal integrity. Ethos serves as a foundation for building trust and establishing the speaker’s authority, increasing the audience’s receptiveness to the message.

Aristotle recognized the persuasive power of emotions and their role in influencing human behavior. Pathos, for Aristotle, referred to the appeal to the audience’s emotions. He understood that making the audience feel connected could evoke sympathy, empathy, anger, or other strong feelings, enabling the speaker to forge a deeper connection and resonance with the audience.

Aristotle emphasized the importance of understanding the audience’s emotional state and utilizing rhetorical devices such as storytelling, vivid language, and metaphors to evoke specific emotions. By employing pathos effectively, speakers could elicit an emotional response that could motivate the audience to adopt their viewpoint or take the desired action.

Aristotle considered logos as the appeal to reason and logical argumentation. Logos presents a well-structured and reasoned argument supported by evidence, facts, and logical reasoning. Known as the logical appeal, it relies on evidence and rational arguments to construct a strong case.

Aristotle emphasized the need for speakers to provide a coherent and logical progression of thoughts, using examples, analogies, and syllogisms to support their claims. He believed effective persuasion required a careful balance of logical reasoning and supporting evidence.

By employing logos, speakers could appeal to the audience’s intellect and logic, presenting a rational case that could convince the audience of the validity of their argument.

Aristotle’s recognition and exploration of ethos, pathos, and logos laid the groundwork for understanding the power of persuasion and the role these appeals play in effective communication. His work continues to be influential in the fields of rhetoric, communication, and persuasive speaking, serving as a cornerstone for studying and mastering the art of persuasion.

Why Is Each Type Of Persuasion Useful In A Speech?

Each type of persuasion, ethos, pathos, and logos, serves a specific purpose and contributes to the effectiveness of a speech.

• Ethos is useful in a speech because it establishes the speaker’s credibility and trustworthiness. By showcasing expertise, experience, and integrity, the speaker gains the audience’s confidence and enhances their receptiveness to the message.
• Pathos is useful in a speech because it taps into the audience’s emotions, creating a connection and resonance. By evoking empathy, compassion, or other strong feelings, the speaker engages the audience on a deeper level, making the message more memorable and compelling.
• Logos is useful in a speech because it provides a logical and reasoned argument. The speaker appeals to the audience’s intellect and rationality by presenting facts, evidence, and logical reasoning. This helps to build a logical case, persuade through logical coherence, and convince the audience of the message’s validity.

Does The Audience Influence Which Type Of Persuasion To Use?

The audience plays a crucial role in determining which type of persuasion to employ in a speech. Different audiences have varying preferences, beliefs, values, and emotional triggers, and understanding these factors is essential for tailoring the persuasive strategy effectively.

Here’s how the audience influences the choice of persuasion:

The audience’s perception of credibility and authority depends on their background and prior knowledge. If the audience consists of experts or individuals who highly value expertise, emphasizing ethos by showcasing the speaker’s credentials, experience, and expertise will be particularly influential.

However, in certain situations where the audience is skeptical or holds different views, the focus on ethos may need to be adapted or supplemented with other appeals.

The emotional makeup and interests of the audience significantly impact the use of pathos. Some audiences may respond well to emotionally charged stories, personal anecdotes, or passionate appeals that resonate with their values and experiences.

It’s also crucial to consider cultural sensitivities and potential emotional triggers to ensure the emotional appeal resonates positively with the audience without alienating or offending them.

The level of analytical thinking and reliance on logical reasoning within the audience should guide the use of logos. Audiences valuing evidence-based arguments, logical coherence, and rational frameworks will be more receptive to a presentation heavily relying on logos.

Providing solid evidence and logical explanations and appealing to rational thinking helps win over audiences by prioritizing logical analysis and reasoning.

How Are These Concepts Used In Advertising?

In advertising , these three modes of persuasion are used strategically to capture attention, create an emotional connection, and persuade consumers to take action.

• Ethos is employed in advertising by featuring trustworthy spokespersons, experts, or celebrities who endorse a product or service. Their credibility and authority lend credibility to the advertised claims and influence consumer perceptions and purchasing decisions.
• Pathos is utilized in advertising to evoke emotions that resonate with the target audience. Advertisements often tap into feelings of joy, happiness, desire, or even fear to create an emotional response that captures attention and establishes a connection with consumers.
• Logos is present in advertising through logical reasoning and evidence to support claims. Advertisements may highlight product features, comparisons, statistics, or scientific research to persuade consumers based on logical analysis and rational decision-making.

What Is Kairos?

Understanding the rhetorical triangle and employing rhetorical strategies allows speakers to tailor their messages to specific audiences and contexts, such as high school students or activists inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “ I Have a Dream ” speech. Additionally, recognizing the relevance of kairos, the opportune moment, ensures that persuasive appeals are timely and impactful.

Adam Howarth

Adam covers the topic of Public Speaking for Digital Authority. From his first experience of oratory with his school debating society to his more recent experiences of promoting the local business scene in Wrexham, Wales, he has always been involved in public speaking.

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Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking

2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secret to being a persuasive speaker , the secret which forms the basis for nearly every public speaking book written since then.

Do you know the secret?

If you don’t, you might be wondering what a 2300-year-old theory has to do with public speaking in the year 2010.

In a word — everything!

In this article , you’ll learn what ethos, pathos, and logos are (the secret!), and what every speaker needs to understand about these three pillars of public speaking.

What are Ethos, Pathos, and Logos?

So, what are ethos, pathos, and logos?

In simplest terms, they correspond to:

• Ethos : credibility (or character) of the speaker
• Pathos : emotional connection to the audience
• Logos : logical argument

Together, they are the three persuasive appeals . In other words, these are the three essential qualities that your speech or presentation must have before your audience will accept your message.

Origins of Ethos, Pathos, Logos — On Rhetoric by Aristotle

• Ethos, Pathos, Logos - Introduction
• What is Ethos?
• How to Establish Ethos
• What is Pathos?
• How to Develop Pathos
• What is Logos?
• How to Convey Logos

Written in the 4th century B.C.E., the Greek philosopher Aristotle compiled his thoughts on the art of rhetoric into On Rhetoric , including his theory on the three persuasive appeals.

Many teachers of communication, speech, and rhetoric consider Aristotle’s On Rhetoric to be a seminal work in the field. Indeed, the editors of The Rhetoric of Western Thought: From the Mediterranean World to the Global Setting call it “the most important single work on persuasion ever written.” It is hard to argue this claim; most advice from modern books can be traced back to Aristotle’s foundations.

Before you can convince an audience to accept anything you say, they have to accept you as credible .

There are many aspects to building your credibility:

• Does the audience respect you?
• Does the audience believe you are of good character?
• Does the audience believe you are generally trustworthy?
• Does the audience believe you are an authority on this speech topic?

Keep in mind that it isn’t enough for you to know that you are a credible source. (This isn’t about your confidence, experience, or expertise.) Your audience must know this. Ethos is your level of credibility as perceived by your audience.

We will define ethos in greater detail , and we will study examples of how to establish and build ethos .

Pathos is the quality of a persuasive presentation which appeals to the emotions of the audience.

• Do your words evoke feelings of … love? … sympathy? … fear?
• Do your visuals evoke feelings of compassion? … envy?
• Does your characterization of the competition evoke feelings of hate? contempt?

Emotional connection can be created in many ways by a speaker, perhaps most notably by stories . The goal of a story, anecdote, analogy, simile, and metaphor is often to link an aspect of our primary message with a triggered emotional response from the audience.

We will study pathos in greater detail , and look at how to build pathos by tapping into different audience emotions.

Logos is synonymous with a logical argument.

• Does your message make sense?
• Is your message based on facts, statistics, and evidence?
• Will your call-to-action lead to the desired outcome that you promise?

We will see why logos is critical to your success , and examine ways to construct a logical, reasoned argument .

Which is most important? Ethos? Pathos? or Logos?

Suppose two speakers give speeches about a new corporate restructuring strategy.

• The first speaker — a grade nine student — gives a flawless speech pitching strategy A which is both logically sound and stirs emotions.
• The second speaker — a Fortune 500 CEO — gives a boring speech pitching strategy B.

Which speech is more persuasive? Is the CEO’s speech more persuasive, simply because she has much more credibility (ethos)?

Some suggest that pathos is the most critical of the three. In You’ve Got to Be Believed to Be Heard , Bert Decker says that people buy on emotion (pathos) and justify with fact (logos). True? You decide.

Aristotle believed that logos should be the most important of the three persuasive appeals. As a philosopher and a master of logical reasoning, he believed that logos should be the only required persuasive appeal. That is, if you demonstrated logos, you should not need either ethos or pathos.

However, Aristotle stated that logos alone is not sufficient. Not only is it not sufficient on its own, but it is no more important than either of the two other pillars. He argued that all three persuasive appeals are necessary.

Is he right? What do you think?

Next in this Series…

In the next article of this series, we examine ethos in greater detail .

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66 comments.

I once heard these three terms applied to the writings of the apostle Paul and they made good sense then too. You’ve done a tremendous job of introducing these pillars – can’t wait to see what the next few posts hold!

Indeed! Ethos, pathos, and logos apply to all forms of persuasive communication

Great thought-provoking post.

I think the strength of each point relies on your audience, and what you are trying to persuade them of. For example, a sales presentation may use pathos as its main strength, while a financial presentation may use logos.

Ultimately though, I’d agree with Aristotle and say that all three are necessary in order for the speaker to truly get his message across.

Yes, you’re right. It depends on your audience, your message, and the context. In certain situations, one of the three may be more important. The danger, however, is to assume that the other two are of no importance at all, and this is rarely the case.

Excellent article Andrew. Waiting to read more in the following posts.

About the importance of Ethos, Pathos and Logos, I have something to add.

Assume you are going to listen to a talk by a stranger. What comes to mind first (may not be more important)? Ethos. We ask ourselves, who is this person? We try to find more about the person.

You may choose to listen to him or you may choose to ignore.

Once you start listening to him, you are exposed to emotions (in his speech) and the logic in his speech. You can be convinced by either of these. But you will act ONLY if you are emotionally moved. Logic alone is not enough. We all know what is right but how often do we do what is right?

To summarise, I feel Ethos Pathos Logos come in a sequence. Ethos comes first. Hence, we should not compare it to the other two. Between Pathos and Logos I feel humans act on emotions and not on logic. Hence, Pathos scores over Logos (though all of us want to believe that we are more logical and less emotional).

This is my honest take on the subject. Thanks for bringing it up.

Great look at a classic resource, Andrew. The Greeks had mastered the art of persuasive speaking long before PowerPoint!

I tend to agree with Jessica. You decide on the mix of ethos, pathos and logos in your speech after you analyse the audience. An academic audience might judge on ethos, a political rally on pathos, and a finance committee on logos. But in the end, a great speech has a mix of all three.

An interesting and important introduction to making persuasive presentations. Thanks. U L Mehta

Free version online: http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/rhetoric.html

Well written, enjoyed very much. Thanks!

I really liked the article.If i have to describe in one word”eyeopener” for an aspiring Speaker.

This is a very interesting article. I really agree with those three points. I use a website called Present.Me to help me with those qualities when public speaking. It allows you to attach a video of yourself presenting to your Powerpoint slides. Not only does it mean you can send a present.me in your place if you cannot attend a presentation, but you can also work on your performance by watching it and hearing yourself. Hope this helps.

I am a CST 100-002 student at Northern Virginia Community College: Annandale Campus.

I think, that all 3 rubrics are very important. Ethos is very improtant, because if you cant trust the speeker or cant find a connection with, you probably will not give enough attention to the whole speech. Next; Pathos. What is a part of Ethos to give your speech more expression. Last but not least; Logos. To deliver a speech that makes sense and everyone can understand.

Student at NVCC public speaking. I personally think a speech that has a logical base with an emotional appeal. An audience can connect better with someones emotions but it must have logic behind it so it can be a good argument or speech. If the audience just hears a speech with ethos it can become boring and hard to connect to.

I am learning about this in My CST 100-02 class from NVCC Annadale campus. I had very little knowledge of ethos, pathos, and logos prior to taking this class. I believe that is it very importan to have all three ethos, pathos, and logos while giving a speech on pursuasion. I also think that pathos is the most important because many people go on an emotional stand. To persude someone, it is necessary to have all three present. It is absolutely amazing that this theroy came in ancient greek from Aristotle. It is the basis to writing a persuasion speech.

As a student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College I should say that as Aristotle said Ethos Pathos and Logos should appeals in one’s speech together. In fact, they complete each other so if a speaker doesn’t have any of these in his speech it looks like a defective speech. Also, about the question that you had that which one is important I can tell that Logos is the answer as Aristotle said. I think Logic can be understood very early by the audience. The best way to prove logic to the audience can be giving some examples to clear everything for them. Although,Pathos is the one that I think should be the second important one after Logos because by the emotion that speaker gives to the audience he can be much effective on them.

I am a CST 100-002 student at Northern Virginia Community College and I have to say this article gives the “secret” to a successful persuasive speech. From my prior knowledge, I know that Aristotle taught the youth to do public speaking which was looked at as a threat to society because persuasive speakers were able to sway people from distancing themselves from their beliefs. With this in mind, I think pathos is the most powerful component of the three pillars because if you connect with the audience, they will engage in what you have to say and it is a lot more memorable with the support of logos.

Hello, my name is Bahaa student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. After reading this article it opened my eyes to the true factors to presenting a great speech. Ethos, is what can define as reputation. Too be credible you need to be known as a person with good character as well as other things listed. Whatever the speech is about the emotion, the look as well as the tone need to represent it so the audience can feel it.

Great Article. All 3 should always be in a speech if you want to make it good. I think that Pathos is first of all because we all have emotions and is a way we all connect to each other and express what we do and what we say. If you have a connection with Pathos then the other 2 are easily going to follow.

Ethos, Pathos, and logos This article clearly explains the pillars of public speaking, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, all three are essential elements in public speaking; however, depending on different situations, they might differently take part. The best way to determine which one of these factors outweighs the others is by analyzing the audience and kind of speech that is being delivered. For example, if the audience is composed of well educated and high ranked people, maybe ethos and logo come before the pathos; however, in other situations, for example talking for younger audience, the pathos outweigh the other two. Thanks, Jhabiz Nourmohammadi Student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community

I am a CTS 100-02 student at NVCC Annandale campus. It could be true that Logos is the most important one. If we deliver message that makes sense and base on facts, automatically people will respect and believe us.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. We’ve been learning about this in class and I really think that all three are essential in speech. If you don’t have ethos, you’ve lost your audience before you’ve even finished your speech. If you don’t have pathos, your audience cannot connect on an emotional level, which is important and effective. Logos is also important on a logical basis, you want your speech to have factual evidence and for it to make sense. All three together are a recipe for a great speech.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. We’ve been learning about this in class and I really think that all three are essential in speech. If you don’t have ethos, you’ve lost your audience before you’ve even finished your speech. If you don’t have pathos, your audience cannot connect on an emotional level, which is important and effective. Logos is also important on a logical basis, you want your speech to have factual evidence and for it to make sense. All three together are a recipe for a great speech..

I am student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. By reading this article, I have understood the importance of these three pillars of public speaking. Now I understood that why our professor focused on to know everyone in the class from day one. He was trying to increase Ethos of each student. I also understood that we can improve Pathos and Logos individually but not Ethos. I believe that these three pillars of public speaking played a huge role in first presidential debate.

I am a student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College

Depending on the speech pathos could be the most important pilliar of speech. Motivational speeches or speeches for entertainment certanly draw more from pathos. I agree that logos should be the most important of the three but its clear that popularity is more important, especially for the masses. Looking at the presidential election that it going on, credibility and facts are sidelined to everything else during their campaigns.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02. I think that a speech should have ethos and pathos to it. Without ethos or pathos there would be a harder time to connect to the speaker. Yes logos is important as well because the speech must make sense but I dont think that it is quite the important

I am from the class Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

I remember in my junior year of high school, we spent the whole year learning about incorporating ethos, logos and pathos into all of my English writing. Now I am in college, and learning about it in public speaking. I believe that a speech without ethos, logos and pathos, is not whatsoever an effective speech.

Hi I am a student in CST 100-02 at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

After reading the article I believe that all are a great way to get your point across and a great way to be heard. But like the scenario above with the 9th grader versus the CEO you do not necessarily have to have all three to be a reliable source.

There is a certain way to hold your self and a certain way of delivery that implies Ethos, If you can come out there with the kind of, lets call it swagger for want of a better term, if you come out there with the kind of swagger that makes you not arrogant but believable and put the force of your confidence behind that act, that is a truly powerful move and that will build your Ethos.

Logos, while important no doubt, I feel is less something to strive for and more of something that should be there before you speak publicly period. If you don’t make sense, how will you be understood? and if you are not understood, your Ethos will go out the window, and if you are not supported by your audience logically by Logos and credibly by Ethos, then you will have Pathos, but it will be negative.

So all three pillars are connected and share the rewards and consequences. Now if you have one you do not necessarily have them all but if you have one in one direction, negative or positive, it is much easier to continue to head in that direction with your audience, and if its negative, its much harder to dig your self out of that hole because we as audience members and listeners do not easily forgive or forget when it comes to rough speech making.

Good article, thought provoking. Makes you think about what you say and why you say it.

William Zach Roberts

Nhat Doan from CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. This is a useful article for our persuasive speech later on in the course. Now I know which part I need to focus on in order to deliver a good persuasive speech. Even though I don’t have that much credibility as a student, I believe my logic will fill right in.

Hi I am a CST 100-036 student at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus. I also think that all are very important. But pathos is more important then the others. By using the element of pathos you connect with your audience, they might even give you credibility. And because they gave you the credit, they believe that you are talking the truth and at the end they even think that your thoughts are logical. That is how religion used as a political power and it is really persuasive for a majority of people.

I am a student at the NOVA Annandale Campus CST 100-02.

It seems to me like these three pillars are like a three legged stool. If you lose one of them it gets incredibly hard not fall down. As a result, a truly great speech will have all three pillars to some degree. However, I notice that in most speeches a speaker will rely on one or two more than the others. Although the others are present in the speech, the take a back seat to one or two of the other pillars.

It is difficult to say which of these pillars is most important. I think it depends on who your audience is to a large degree. However, if I had to pick, I would have to say that pathos seems the most important. Entire countries have been called to war based on emotional appeal. This is a loose argument, though, as all of the pillars are vital to a good speech.

This was a thought provoking article and it will make me think about how I construct my speeches.

I’m a student in CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. I feel that this article is very true. If speeches didn’t have these elements then the speech would be defective. You want people to be entertain and learn something with what you have to say. In my opinion, to have a very good speech, you have to have these three elements. A person should stand out so he or she could be remembered as a person who gave a really good speech. Without one or 2 of the elements then the speech is just a speech. It will be very boring to listen to and I would fall asleep. These points are important and people should put them into there everyday speech.

as a student in CST 100-02: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College i appropriated articles like this it makes me a better speaker. I learned about ethos pathos and logos in history in high school and never thought twice about it but now that i see how it affects a speaker and there audience and the outcome i have a whole new appreciation for them.

I am a cst 100-002 student at nova. Although the 3 persuasive appeals are equally important, i find my self more inclined to use logos but as aristotle said just logos isnt enough, so i think that using a mixture of the three appeals combined with knowledge of the audience, you can create a great speech.

I am a student in this Principles of Public Speaking class at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College. I think Ethos, Pathos, Logos are very important in a persuasive speech because we have more opportunities to persuade the audience.

Good evening. I am a student in CST 100-36 at the Annandale campus of NoVa Community College. When in doubt, side with Aristotle. Logos alone is not enough, but having no ethos seems to be a non-starter. Pathos can be incredibly powerful, but cannot stand alone, unless the audience is not paying attention. Obviously having a balance of all three would be best, but if any of them are dispensable, it would be pathos.

Hi, i am student from Nvcc Annandale in Cst 100-036. This article breaks it down easily for me and gives me insight on what a great speech is. The most important to me is definitely Logos(Logic) because even though credibility is important, i think a well put logical speech can cover up for someone who is not as credible as others. If the speech gives good points and evidence, and they can relate it to the audience then ethos might be out shadowed. All 3 of these appeals will make the speech most efficient.

Hello Im CST 100-36 Student from northern virginia community college in Annandale campus. I really thank you because you posted the article that will really help me with the speech. I also believe that the audience can be connect with the speaker who is emotional more easily. But the speech should be also logical at the same time. I will try to remember this article for my future speeches.

Hi, I am a CST 100-036 student at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus.

The article is very informative. I personally like this topic, which is about the importance of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. In my perspective, Logos is the most important one among the three. It is the determinant of each and every speech that a person gives. Why? Simply, the content of any speech is most crucial. If a speech delivers truthful contents, includes true facts, gives reasonable examples, audience would love to believe in the speech, as well as the speaker of that speech. Ethos is a factor that help the audience to determine the credibility of the words that the speaker speaks. Pathos is the way to deliver the content of the speech toward the audience. Although each of them contributes to the success of a speech, the content/info from the speech is the most important thing. Audience who wants just the most insight info from the speech, will care only to what the speech mainly concentrates in. Thank you for the article.

Long term (assuming one does not go back over and over again to the audience I think Logos is more important. But if one is trying to persuade in the short term (say a few days) Pathos is stronger. Just my view.

I’m a sixth grade teacher getting ready to prepare students to do a persuasive essay and oral report. Most of the examples they will be seeing prior to this are from the civil rights and abolitionists movement. I understand that most of the examples in logos are “concrete” in nature, and most in pathos are emotional. Where does something like morality and ethics(a large part of the argument against slavery and racism)fit in which has components of both?

Alice, I think you’ve answered your own question. Speakers can use both pathos and logos when making morality and ethical arguments. For example, consider a speech about slavery.

Pathos appeals include things like photographs of slaves being mistreated; descriptions of the horrible conditions on ships bringing slaves across the Atlantic; stories about slaves being ripped from their families and sold at auctions. All of these can invoke very strong emotional responses.

Logos appeals include things like a discussion of basic human rights and freedoms; a step-by-step argument about how slaves were not “better off” in the “care” of their owners; historical traces of slavery in other civilizations. All of these could make use of careful, reasoned logical arguments.

I really am excited to find such a rewarding group ofworthwhile articles on my favorite topic: persuasive speaking!!! Thank you.

This is excellent. As an educator, I refer to your website to teach my students the fundamentals of speech writing. It is succinct and encapsulates the key points in a well-considered manner.

Renee Durieux from CST 100-037N. I think this article made a really good point. It is easy to overlook pathos and ethos and focus only on logos (logic) when writing a speech. Throwing out a bunch of facts on the topic might seem like the best strategy to convince others, but if they don’t trust you, or they are bored they won’t listen. I think each of the three are necessary for a good convincing speech, and therefore none of the three are more important than the others, they must come together.

I’m a student of NOVA and currently taking CST-100 (036N). I agree with the three pillars of public speaking. Being credible is one of the most important thing on a speech and its better to be known as someone that is reliable. The emotional factor has to be the connection with the audience. Lastly the logical argument should make the prefect ending for the speech.

I remember learning this in high school. Very important during an essay. Didn’t think so much about using it towards a speech. Its a refresh and a great way to help with a persuasive speech. I think all are importance, one cant be one without the other. CST 100-36: Principles of Public Speaking at the Annadale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College

I’m a student at NOVA and I’m currently taking CST-100 (036N) with Professor Tirpak. I’ve used Logos, Ethos and Pathos before when writing essays for English but I never thought that they could be used for speeches as well. I also think that the most important of these three pillars would probably be Pathos, simply because connecting with the audience is the most important part of any speech. Ethos is definitely important, because the more credibility you have the more willing people will be to listen to you, but even someone with no credibility can give a fantastic speech by using the power of Pathos.

I am a student in Professor Tirpak’s CST 100-036 class.

These three pillars are what define your speech. While I wouldn’t say that one is inherently more important than the other, I would argue that ethos, pathos, and logos can vary in importance for different types of speeches. A technical report before colleagues will require strict attention to logical argument, while a speech designed to rally a crowd will be more intently focused on pathos. In all speeches though, each of the three aspects should be present.

So glad I came across your article, and have enjoyed following the comments (mostly of students) at the end. I’m signing up for more content loaded six minutes…and for the interaction it stimulates. Lots going on. Thanks!

Thank you so much, this has really been an eye opener.

These three pillars I learnt while at Junior College. Entering the work force and business world has proven how important that lesson was. Great explanations. Thanks.

Just referred to this article to complete an essay! In my essay, we were required to analyze an article and point out where and how the author uses all of the different appeals. It was kinda tricky because I had a news article, and in news articles, the authors “try” to publish “unbiased” pieces, but of course there’s always some bias in their writings to give their newspublisher some leverage. So for me, finding pathos arguments in the news article was pretty tricky. The author mainly relied on ethos and some logos to prove his claims, but thanks to the stuff you posted about pathos, I was able to find one pathos appeal in his article (seriously, there was only one!). Thanks so much for this post!

I think that all three Ethos, Pathos and Logos are essential to master the art of persuasive communication, to not have creditability, or logic then Pathos in my view is useless. Where will you emotions be when you know that the speaker is not credible and have no logics behind his/her speeches?

Nice job Andrew

These articles are truly beneficial to my studies in Criminal Justice

That was a great post Andrew. Being a toastmaster myself and watching the speech again I would say your analysis is very insightful and provides actionable steps to be used in a speech or even meetings and other speaking engagements. I’ve recently wrote a post about Life Lessons that you can derive from his speech and did mentioned your analysis of the speech. You can read it on my blog http://sumo.ly/afaP

Thanks Andrew for introducing such important pillars to learn, can’t wait to read more of your articles for better understanding to exercise.

The most important one is ETHOS because,if you can not display your talent or deliver your message in such a way that your audiences are convinced;you can not gain any respect or high esteem from them.This means you have to show your credibility in your speech through references and quotes of other scholars to effect behavioral change.I AM A PG STUDENT OF SBCC UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR NIGERIA.

Thanks. This site has really helped as i prepared for my CC2

Monica Mombasa, kenya

Watt is the three aspects of credibility? and watt is artistic proof ? I can not understand it!

I think that these are excellent tips because I have to give a speech and make a poster in ELA about a group that is being oppressed (my topic is LGBTQA).You have done a great job on descibing these three topics!

I think Pathos being that connection from sender to receiver or rather speaker to audience is sustained by Logos that logical argument and then gives way to Ethos credibility. That’s just my take on it.

very interesting I like the article he is very emotional and well put together nice.

I think it depends on your audience as well, and your message. I agree that all three are necessary at some point in the presentation to capture your audience attention and keep it throughout the entire presentation.

I believe that pathos is the most important. For example, the Gettysburg Address. There was so much emotion because many soldiers had just died. Ethos would be completely unhelpful in this speech, and logic doesn’t really work in the scenario either. No one wants to hear logic when their friends and family were just killed.

This article has all the required information, which i required for my persuasive presentation. In short it is an eye-opener. Thanks to the author of this article as well as my professor who recommends this article to me.

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What is Ethos and Why is it Critical for Speakers? « Pillowtalk Toastmasters — Feb 1st, 2010

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Logos vs Pathos vs Ethos (Explained!)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Logos, pathos, and ethos are three of the most frequently used technical terms in rhetoric (aka the art of persuasion). These are known as the three technical means of persuasion and make up the so-called rhetorical triangle.

The terms logos, pathos, and ethos originate in Greece. More specifically, the original source for our understanding of these terms is Aristotle, one of the most influential (if not the most influential) philosophers of all time (Shields, 2022).

He defined the function of rhetoric as “not so much to persuade, as to find out in each case the existing means of persuasion” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 14).

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle

In his Rhetoric, Aristotle claims that there are three technical means of persuasion :

“Now the proofs furnished by the speech are of three kinds. The first depends upon the moral character of the speaker, the second upon putting the hearer into a certain frame of mind, the third upon the speech itself, in so far as it proves or seems to prove” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 3).

Each of these corresponds to the three means of persuasion: 

• Persuasion through establishing the character of the speaker is ethos .
• Persuasion through putting the hearer into a certain frame of mind is pathos .
• Persuasion through proof or seeming proof is logos .

Logos vs Pathos vs Ethos (Definitions)

Logos is the most complex of the three means of persuasion because the word has been used by different philosophers to mean different but related things.

• Heraclitus of Ephesus used the word logos to refer to something like the message that the world gives us (Graham, 2021). The sophists used the term to refer to discourse in general.
• Pyrrhonist skeptics used the term to refer to dogmatic accounts of debatable matters.
• The Stoics meant by it the generative principle of the universe.

I could list further examples, but for this article, Aristotle’s definition will suffice. Logos, in rhetoric, refers to persuasion through logical argumentation or its simulation (Keith & Lundberg, 2017). As Aristotle writes,

“… persuasion is produced by the speech itself, when we establish the true or apparently true from the means of persuasion applicable to each individual subject.” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 6). 

Syllogisms, enthymemes, examples, and other arguments use logos to persuade. Due to the structure of this persuasion tool, it is the only one that can directly argue for the speaker’s point of view.

What Aristotle stresses over and over again is that deceptive or fallacious arguments can have a persuasive effect if the fallacy is concealed well enough.

Persuasion through logos requires only that the hearers think that something has been proven, whether it actually has been is a different matter. 

Pathos refers to appeals to the emotions of the audience. Whenever the audience is led to feel a certain way, and that feeling influences their judgment of a speech, the speaker is using pathos.

Aristotle’s underlying assumption is that people’s emotional states influence their evaluations, which is quite reasonable to suppose.

The rhetorical method, therefore, requires one to sway the emotional states of the hearers:

“… for the judgements we deliver are not the same when we are influenced by joy or sorrow, love or hate” (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 5). 

Ethos refers to persuasion through establishing the authority of the speaker. According to Aristotle, people follow a trustworthy speaker more readily on almost all subjects and completely so if there are no objective criteria to decide the matter.

The orator is using ethos if their speech is delivered in a manner that makes them seem worthy of confidence (Aristotle, Rhetoric, ca. 367-322 B.C.E./1926, Book 1, Chapter 2, Section 4). 

For example, a speech related to cancer treatments will be far more believable if the speaker establishes themselves as a medical professional. You will be more likely to listen to financial advice from a successful CEO. A speech that begins with “as an X, …” is probably appealing to ethos. 

Pros and Cons of Each Mode of Persuasion

While most people view logos as the most respectable means of persuasion and view all forms of pathos with a certain suspicion, each of the three has its advantages and disadvantages.

A skilled orator will use each of these properly to make their speech as persuasive as possible. So let’s see where the strengths and weaknesses of each lie.

Logos Pros and Cons

Pathos Pros and Cons

Ethos Pros and Cons

See Also: The 5 Types of Rhetorical Situations

Aristotle. (1926). Rhetoric. In Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vol. 22, translated by J. H. Freese. Harvard University Press. (Original work published ca. 367-322 B.C.E.) 

Graham, D. W. (2021). Heraclitus. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2021). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2021/entries/heraclitus/

Keith, W. M., & Lundberg, C. O. (2017). The Essential Guide to Rhetoric. Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Rapp, C. (2022). Aristotle’s Rhetoric. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2022/entries/aristotle-rhetoric/

Shields, C. (2022). Aristotle. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2022/entries/aristotle/

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Exploring Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: The Art of Persuasion

Ethos, pathos, and logos are essential components of rhetoric that play a pivotal role in the art of persuasion. Originating from ancient Greece and introduced by the philosopher Aristotle, these three concepts have stood the test of time, continuing to make a significant impact on how arguments are constructed and presented. To understand these concepts better, read on and see how you can use it in your writing!

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: History and Definition

Ethos refers to the ethical appeal of an argument by establishing the speaker’s credibility and authority on a subject. It originates from ancient Greek philosophy and rhetoric, with Aristotle as a key figure in defining ethos as one of the three modes of persuasion. Ethos requires the speaker to convey expertise, trustworthiness, and genuine concern for the audience’s well-being, ensuring the argument presented is well-founded and reliable.

Pathos is an approach in rhetoric that appeals to the audience’s emotions , values, and desires, aiming to invoke feelings of sympathy, empathy, or even anger in order to persuade the audience. Aristotle also identified pathos as one of the fundamental modes of persuasion, understanding that emotional appeal can significantly impact the development of an effective argument. Employing powerful language, storytelling, and imagery are common methods used to evoke emotions in the audience, making the speaker’s message more relatable and compelling.

Logos is the logical appeal within the art of persuasion, utilizing facts, data, and evidence to support a claim or argument. Another integral mode of persuasion identified by Aristotle, logos relies on the audience’s sense of reason and objectivity to validate a position. By incorporating clear, organized thoughts and well-researched evidence, the speaker’s argument becomes more persuasive, as it appeals to the rational side of the audience’s thinking. Often, logos is effectively employed through various means such as statistics, cause-and-effect reasoning, and logical analysis.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Usage and Examples

Credibility and trust.

Ethos represents an appeal to the authority or credibility of the speaker or writer. It is one of the three modes of persuasion, alongside pathos and logos, and focuses on establishing trust and reliability between the speaker and the audience. Ethos relies on the character, ethics, and credentials of the speaker to build a strong argument.

When utilizing ethos in speech or writing, the presenter aims to demonstrate their expertise, qualifications, and credibility on the subject matter. By doing so, they make their audience more likely to trust and accept their viewpoints. It is crucial for the speaker or writer to maintain a high level of integrity and ethical standards to effectively use ethos.

Examples of Ethos

• Expert Testimony : An individual with a professional background or significant experience in a particular field can provide an expert perspective on the topic, increasing the credibility of the argument.
• Authoritative Quotes : Quoting renowned individuals, such as scholars or historical figures, serves to bolster an argument by aligning it with the words and ideas of respected authorities.
• Credentials : A speaker or writer can establish ethos by mentioning their academic, professional, or experiential qualifications relevant to the subject matter. This demonstrates their expertise and knowledge on the topic.
• Ethical Behavior : Demonstrating moral principles, honesty, and respect for the audience can help establish credibility and trustworthiness. It is essential for the speaker or writer to avoid exaggeration, dishonesty, or manipulation in their argument.

In sum, ethos relies on the authority, credibility, and character of the speaker or writer to persuade the audience. By properly establishing trust and expertise, a presenter can effectively utilize ethos to make their argument more convincing and reliable.

Emotions and Feelings

Pathos is one of the three modes of persuasion, alongside ethos and logos, that help convince audiences through appealing to their emotions and feelings. It aims to trigger an emotional response within the audience to gain their sympathy, empathy, pity, fear, or anger. By connecting with the audience’s emotions, the persuader can effectively influence their perception, opinions, or decision-making process.

Incorporating stories, relatable examples, and figurative language can heighten the emotional impact and make the audience more receptive. Customizing the emotional tone of a message to resonate with the target audience can result in a more persuasive argument.

Examples of Pathos

Here are several instances where pathos has been applied effectively:

• Advertisements : Emotional storytelling is a common practice in advertising to evoke a specific feeling or response from the viewers. For example, ads that showcase heartwarming moments, struggles, or triumphs can persuade viewers to associate positive feelings with the brand or product.
• Political campaigns : Politicians often use pathos to rally their supporters and garner votes. They may share stories of everyday citizens facing hardships, which allows the audience to empathize and identify with the politician’s proposed solutions.
• Public speaking : Pathos can be a powerful tool for public speakers to create an emotional connection with their audience. Incorporating anecdotes or strong visual elements in their speeches enables the audience to feel the emotional impact of the topic being discussed.
• Non-profit organizations : Non-profits often rely on pathos to raise awareness for their cause and to encourage donations. They may use compelling images or stories to elicit empathy and a desire to help from the public.

In summary, pathos is a vital aspect of persuasion that appeals to the audience’s emotions and feelings. This can be achieved through the use of emotionally charged language, storytelling, and relatable examples tailored to the target audience. Successfully incorporating pathos can create a powerful and persuasive message that resonates deeply with the audience.

Logic and Reasoning

Logos is one of the three rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, and logos) used to persuade an audience. It focuses on appealing to the reader’s sense of reason and logic. By employing well-structured arguments, other relevant factors, and a fact-based approach, a writer can skillfully establish credibility and showcase the validity of their claims. Effective use of logos involves incorporating facts, reasoning, and relevant statistics to make a compelling and rational case for the audience.

Examples of Logos

• Facts: Presenting accurate, well-researched information is crucial when using logos to persuade an audience. Facts provide the foundation for logical arguments, helping readers understand the issue and acknowledge the author’s perspective as reliable and trustworthy.
• Reasoning: Clear and coherent reasoning is essential to demonstrating the logical connections between ideas. Presenting a well-reasoned argument allows the audience to follow the writer’s train of thought and understand the rationale behind the claims being made.
• Statistics: Quantitative data, such as percentages and figures, can be powerful tools in persuading readers. By providing concrete numbers, a writer can showcase the relevance and significance of their argument, reinforcing their point with empirical evidence.
• Logical appeal: Crafting a logical argument requires the author to make use of meaningful language and solid reasoning. This ensures that the audience can easily grasp the argument’s structure and flow while appreciating its soundness and reliability.

In summary, logos is a persuasive technique that relies on facts, reasoning, statistics, and logical appeal to engage the reader’s sense of reason and logic. By employing these elements in their writing, authors can present a strong and compelling argument that holds the attention and respect of their audience.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Rhetorical Strategies and Techniques

Ethos, pathos, and logos: language use and tone.

Rhetorical strategies involve using language effectively, and one crucial aspect of this is the choice of words, grammar, syntax, and tone. A speaker or writer uses rhetorical appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos—to persuade, inform, or evoke emotions in the audience.

• Ethos establishes credibility and trustworthiness by demonstrating the author’s expertise, experience, or character.
• Pathos appeals to emotions and values to evoke empathy, sympathy, or other feelings.
• Logos employs logical reasoning and evidence to support the argument or message.

To create a persuasive message, a speaker or writer should carefully select the appropriate vocabulary, jargon, or technical terms to suit the audience’s understanding and background. Also, grammar and syntax play a significant role in conveying the intended message, ensuring clarity, and providing a professional tone.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Body Language and Clothing

In addition to the language used, nonverbal cues such as body language and clothing contribute to the effectiveness of persuasion. These aspects help build a connection with the audience and lend credibility to the speaker or writer. Some essential elements of body language and clothing to consider include:

• Posture : Maintaining an upright posture and avoiding slouching can demonstrate confidence and command attention.
• Eye contact : Engaging with the audience by maintaining eye contact helps establish rapport and trust.
• Facial expressions : Smiling and displaying appropriate emotions can make the speaker appear more approachable and relatable.
• Gestures : Using natural gestures to emphasize points can reinforce the message and demonstrate enthusiasm.

As for clothing, choosing attire that is appropriate to the situation, setting, and audience expectations impacts the speaker’s credibility and professionalism. This can range from formal business attire to a more casual outfit, depending on the context.

By combining effective language use, tone, body language, and clothing, speakers and writers can improve the persuasiveness of their message using various rhetorical strategies and techniques.

Using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Various Contexts

Ethos, pathos, and logos in speeches.

In the context of speeches, ethos, pathos, and logos play a crucial role in persuasive communication. A speaker should establish their credibility (ethos) by highlighting their expertise or prior experience on the subject matter. This will create trust between the speaker and the audience.

Pathos, the appeal to emotions, can help increase audience engagement and make the speech more relatable. A speaker can use anecdotes, personal experiences, or stories to evoke emotions in the audience. However, it is important not to overuse this strategy, as it may come across as manipulative or insincere.

Logos should be employed by referencing logical arguments, evidence, and factual information to support the speaker’s position. This may include statistics, data, or expert opinions. A balanced use of ethos, pathos, and logos will create a compelling speech that is more likely to persuade the audience.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Writing

When writing, whether it’s an essay, article, or opinion piece, the use of ethos, pathos, and logos is also essential in crafting persuasive arguments. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Ethos: Establish the writer’s credibility by providing background information, citing sources and qualifications, and demonstrating a clear understanding of the topic.
• Pathos: Use narrative elements or real-life examples to evoke emotions in the reader, such as empathy or sympathy. This makes the writing more relatable and engaging.
• Logos: Support claims with logical reasoning, evidence, and facts. These can be in the form of research findings, expert opinions, or well-structured arguments.

Incorporating these elements enhances the persuasiveness of the writing and strengthens the writer’s position, making it harder for the reader to dismiss the presented arguments.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Advertisements

Ethos, pathos, and logos are also prevalent in advertisements, where persuasion is the key to convincing consumers to purchase a product or service. Here’s how they can be applied:

• Ethos: Establish brand credibility by showing expertise, endorsements from celebrities or experts, or reliability through testimonials or reviews.
• Pathos: Evoke emotional responses from the audience through visuals, music, or storytelling. Advertisements often tap into emotions like happiness, nostalgia, or a sense of belonging.
• Logos: Present logical reasons or data to support the benefits of the product or service. This can include statistics, comparative analysis, or lists of features and benefits.

Advertisements that effectively utilize ethos, pathos, and logos are likely to create a lasting impression on the audience and persuade them to make a purchase.

FAQs on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

What are ethos, pathos, and logos?

Ethos, pathos, and logos are three rhetorical strategies often used to persuade or inform an audience. Aristotle introduced these concepts in his explanations of rhetoric, the art of influencing the thoughts and conduct of an audience.

• Ethos: An appeal to the speaker’s credibility or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them.
• Pathos: An appeal to emotions, evoking feelings such as anger or sympathy to persuade the audience.
• Logos: An appeal to logic and reasoning, using facts and evidence to convince the audience.

How do you use ethos, pathos, and logos in writing or speaking?

When using these three rhetorical appeals in writing or speaking, consider the following:

• Ethos: Establish credibility by mentioning relevant qualifications, expertise, or experience. Use a respectful and trustworthy tone.
• Pathos: Use emotive language, personal anecdotes, or vivid imagery to evoke emotions in your audience. Be mindful of your audience’s values and beliefs.
• Logos: Present well-researched and accurate information, data, or examples to support your claims. Be logical, clear, and concise when presenting your arguments.

Why are ethos, pathos, and logos important?

These rhetorical appeals are essential because they help engage and persuade an audience. Effectively using ethos, pathos, and logos can make your arguments more persuasive and your message more memorable. Recognizing these strategies in others’ work also allows you to evaluate the effectiveness and credibility of their arguments.

Can ethos, pathos, and logos be used together?

Yes, these rhetorical appeals can be used together and are sometimes referred to as the “rhetorical triangle.” Combining ethos, pathos, and logos in your work can make your argument more robust and impactful. Keep in mind that the most effective approach depends on your specific audience and their values or beliefs.

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Ethos, Logos, & Pathos: The Three Parts of a Persuasive Presentation

Every persuasive speech you’ve heard in your life—a marketing spiel, a political campaign speech, a call to action—is governed by the same three pillars of speech. These pillars have already been laid out more than 2,000 years ago, but they remain as relevant to the persuasive speeches you endeavor today.  

In his work, On Rhetoric , the great philosopher Aristotle spelled out the three elements of appeal that work together to make a speech persuasive: ethos, logos, and pathos. If you want to make your public speaking more compelling, looking into these three pillars is valuable in convincing your audience to hear your message.   

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In this article, we’ll go into detail about what these three pillars mean, and actionable points of how to maximize them on your next presentation. 

What Are Ethos, Logos, and Pathos? 

To successfully give a persuasive presentation, you must look to master these three pillars of persuasive speech: 

• Ethos : the ethical appeal; your authority, credibility, and character
• Logos : the logical appeal; your arguments’ strength, soundness, and coherence
• Pathos : the emotional appeal; your arguments’ emotional bond and impact on your listeners

Let’s put these elements into context and see how they work. Let’s say you are a salesperson trying to sell your company’s newest car to a customer. If you are going for strong Ethos, you can say, “As someone who has worked with cars for 15 years, I can guarantee that this model is the most economical one.”

If you want to attack with Logos, you can load up on the car’s newest features and go, “This car is designed with a new camera system, smart suspension, a multizone climate system, and more latest features to make your drive 200% better than other models.” 

And if you’re going for Pathos, you can say, “Your kids will just love this new car, and it’s perfect in bringing your whole family on a road trip to the beach.” 

Do you see how these pillars each persuade the customer in a different way? All persuasive speakers use a combination of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos to drive the message home and win over their listeners. Understanding the rhetorical triangle and its components is one of the first steps toward improving your presentation skills.

Now let’s go a little deeper to see how you can employ these three pillars to deliver a strong, persuasive presentation yourself.  

But First, Invention 

Before you can decide how you’re going to appeal to your audience, you must first gather the necessary information that will guide you on your feat. As the famous Roman orator Cicero explained, this step is called Invention , the discovery and development of the arguments that govern your message. 

You must do ample research and information gathering, not only about your topic but also about your audience. You must understand your listeners, their interests, inclinations, biases, and expectations. Without this grounding, you’re setting yourself up to blindly create strategies that are not targeted to your listeners. 

Using this research, you can now decide on how you’re going to entice your audience by leveraging the three pillars of persuasion. 

Ethos: The Ethical Appeal

Ethos is all about character. It defines how credible, trustworthy, and relatable you are as a speaker. Before your audience listens to what you have to say, they first examine you to see if you have locus standi , or the right to be heard. 

It’s not enough that you have the credentials or the expertise to talk about the subject, but you need to translate this by building trust and rapport with your audience. You can exude more Ethos if you are confident when you’re presenting, shown in your voice, gait, mannerisms, and even attire.    

Another thing that increases Ethos is similarity and relatability. When presenting, you can use a shibboleth —a specialized term used by a specific group of people—to show that you are in the know. Make the effort to show that you are part of the group and that your message heeds listening to. 

Logos: The Logical Appeal

Logos is all about your arguments. Does your message make sense? Is it supported by facts and evidence? Can it counter any opposing opinion? 

Logos appeals to your audience’s reason and intelligence, and what your listeners are looking for is to find the truth through the facts of the argument. This not only entails traditional facts like statistical data and figures but relevant stories as well. Depending on the context, you can include personal experience and case studies to further amplify the Logos of your speech.   

Your arguments must also be comprehensive and easy to understand. If the context allows, effective visual aids are powerful in making sure your audience grasps the message. To make your slides more appealing and reach your audience, you can design a killer presentation by using free & good backgrounds for presentations .

Pathos: The Emotional Appeal 

Pathos is all about emotional impact. The most memorable and persuasive speeches all had high Pathos, those that stirred strong emotions within us and compelled us to understand and follow the speaker’s point of view. 

Source: free Ethos Pathos Logos PowerPoint template

Choose which emotion you want to evoke in your audience that will amplify your message. If you’re trying to sell a product, induce joy and desire. If you’re asking for donations for a sick patient, induce pity and hope. And don’t forget the power of humor in engaging your audience and increasing your likeability. 

One of the most effective strategies to increase Pathos is to tell a story. Paint a picture, and link an emotional response to the most important parts of your message to make them memorable. 

Understanding Ethos, Pathos, and Logos and how they work is the first step in improving your public speaking and presentation skills . The next step would be to put them into practice. Using some of the actionable points we have shared, plan out how you’re going to best appeal to your audience. Once you’ve mastered the three pillars, your speech is guaranteed to drive its message home. 

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos are valuable benchmarks that you can follow to make sure your presentation is compelling and impactful to your listeners. While some may argue that one pillar is more important than the others, a persuasive speech with a balanced combination of all three pillars of a rhetorical triangle will always be more successful than a speech only focusing on one. 

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Kairos: The Modes of Persuasion and How to Use Them

General Education

Ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos all stem from rhetoric—that is, speaking and writing effectively. You might find the concepts in courses on rhetoric, psychology, English, or in just about any other field!

The concepts of ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos are also called the modes of persuasion, ethical strategies, or rhetorical appeals. They have a lot of different applications ranging from everyday interactions with others to big political speeches to effective advertising.

Read on to learn about what the modes of persuasion are, how they’re used, and how to identify them!

What Are the Modes of Persuasion?

As you might have guessed from the sound of the words, ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos go all the way back to ancient Greece. The concepts were introduced in Aristotle’s Rhetoric , a treatise on persuasion that approached rhetoric as an art, in the fourth century BCE.

Rhetoric was primarily concerned with ethos, pathos, and logos, but kairos, or the idea of using your words at the right time, was also an important feature of Aristotle’s teachings.

However, kairos was particularly interesting to the Sophists, a group of intellectuals who made their living teaching a variety of subjects. The Sophists stressed the importance of structuring rhetoric around the ideal time and place.

Together, all four concepts have become the modes of persuasion, though we typically focus on ethos, pathos, and logos.

What Is Ethos?

Though you may not have heard the term before, ‘ethos’ is a common concept. You can think of it as an appeal to authority or character—persuasive techniques using ethos will attempt to persuade you based on the speaker’s social standing or knowledge. The word ethos even comes from the Greek word for character.

An ethos-based argument will include a statement that makes use of the speaker or writer’s position and knowledge. For example, hearing the phrase, “As a doctor, I believe,” before an argument about physical health is more likely to sway you than hearing, “As a second-grade teacher, I believe.”

Likewise, celebrity endorsements can be incredibly effective in persuading people to do things . Many viewers aspire to be like their favorite celebrities, so when they appear in advertisements, they're more likely to buy whatever they're selling to be more like them. The same is true of social media influencers, whose partnerships with brands can have huge financial benefits for marketers .

In addition to authority figures and celebrities, according to Aristotle, we’re more likely to trust people who we perceive as having good sense, good morals, and goodwill —in other words, we trust people who are rational, fair, and kind. You don’t have to be famous to use ethos effectively; you just need whoever you’re persuading to perceive you as rational, moral, and kind.

What Is Pathos?

Pathos, which comes from the Greek word for suffering or experience, is rhetoric that appeals to emotion. The emotion appealed to can be a positive or negative one, but whatever it is, it should make people feel strongly as a means of getting them to agree or disagree.

For example, imagine someone asks you to donate to a cause, such as saving rainforests. If they just ask you to donate, you may or may not want to, depending on your previous views. But if they take the time to tell you a story about how many animals go extinct because of deforestation, or even about how their fundraising efforts have improved conditions in the rainforests, you may be more likely to donate because you’re emotionally involved.

But pathos isn’t just about creating emotion; it can also be about counteracting it. For example, imagine a teacher speaking to a group of angry children. The children are annoyed that they have to do schoolwork when they’d rather be outside. The teacher could admonish them for misbehaving, or, with rhetoric, he could change their minds.

Suppose that, instead of punishing them, the teacher instead tries to inspire calmness in them by putting on some soothing music and speaking in a more hushed voice. He could also try reminding them that if they get to work, the time will pass quicker and they’ll be able to go outside to play.

Aristotle outlines emotional dichotomies in Rhetoric . If an audience is experiencing one emotion and it’s necessary to your argument that they feel another, you can counterbalance the unwanted emotion with the desired one . The dichotomies, expanded upon after Aristotle, are :

• Anger/Calmness
• Friendship/Enmity
• Fear/Confidence
• Shame/Shamelessness
• Kindness/Unkindness
• Pity/Indignation
• Envy/Emulation

Note that these can work in either direction; it’s not just about swaying an audience from a negative emotion to a positive one. 

However, changing an audience's emotion based on false or misleading information is often seen as manipulation rather than persuasion. Getting into the hows and whys requires a dive into the ethics of rhetoric , but suffice to say that when you attempt to deceive an audience, that is manipulation.

If you really want to get an audience fired up about something, you can inspire righteous anger, which may or may not be manipulation. If somebody is offended that you’ve asked them for something, you can try making them feel sorry for you by turning indignation into pity— that’s manipulation.

What Is Logos?

Logos comes from a Greek word of multiple meanings, including “ground,” “speech,” and “reason.” In rhetoric, it specifically refers to having a sense of logic to your persuasion; logos-based rhetoric is founded in logic and reason rather than emotion, authority, or personality.

A logic-based argument appeals to a person’s sense of reason— good logos-based rhetoric will persuade people because the argument is well-reasoned and based in fact. There are two common approaches to logos: deductive and inductive arguments.

Deductive arguments build on statements to reach a conclusion —in effect, the conclusion is reached in reverse. A common method is to propose multiple true statements which are combined to reach a conclusion, such as the classic method of proving that Socrates is mortal.

All men are mortal, and Socrates is a man, therefore Socrates must be mortal.

That’s not really a case that needs to be argued, but we can apply the same framework to other arguments as well. For example, we need energy to live. Food gives the body energy. Therefore, we need food to live.  

All of this is based on things we can prove, and results in a conclusion that is true , not just theorized. Deductive reasoning works on the assumption that A = B, B = C, so therefore A = C. But this also supposes that all the information is true, which is not always the case.

Sometimes the conclusions you reach with deductive reasoning can be valid, as in the reasoning makes sense, but the conclusion may not be necessarily true. If we return to the Socrates argument, we could propose that:

All men eat apples. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates must eat apples.

The problem is that we can’t prove that all men eat apples —some do, some don’t. Some might eat an apple once but never again. But based on our arguments, the conclusion that Socrates must eat apples is valid.

A strong deductive argument for logos-based reasoning will be composed of provable facts that can reach a provable conclusion. However, a valid but not entirely sound argument can also be effective—but be wary of shifting from persuasion to manipulation!

Another approach to logos-based rhetoric is inductive reasoning, which, unlike deductive reasoning, results in a probable argument rather than a definite one. That doesn’t mean that it is less effective—many scientific concepts we accept as truth are inductive theories simply because we cannot travel back in time and prove them— but rather that inductive reasoning is based on eliminating the impossible and ending in an argument that is based in sound logic and fact, but that may not necessarily be provable.

For example, all people with a cough have a cold. Kelly has a cough. Therefore, Kelly likely has a cold.

Our conclusion is likely , but not absolute. It’s possible that Kelly doesn’t have a cold—not because she doesn't have a cough, but because there are other possible causes, such as having allergies or having just breathed in some dust. The conclusion that she has a cold is likely based on data, but not absolute.

Another example would be that Kelly picks her nose. Kelly is a woman, therefore all women must pick their nose.

Inductive reasoning is based on generalizations. The first example, in which Kelly likely has a cold, makes sense because it’s based on something provable—that a sampling of people who have a cough have colds—and followed up with a likely conclusion. In the second example, this is a less sensible conclusion because it’s based on extrapolation from a single reference point.

If we reverse the claim and say that all women pick their noses, and Kelly is a woman, therefore Kelly must pick her nose, that would be more sound logic. Still not necessarily true—not all women pick their noses—but a more sound example of inductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning can still be incredibly effective in persuasion, provided that your information is well-reasoned. Inductive reasoning creates a hypothesis that can be tested; its conclusion is not necessarily true, but can be examined.

As always, be wary of venturing into manipulation, which is more likely to be based on erroneous or misleading facts.

What Is Kairos?

Kairos is the Greek word for the opportune moment, which is precisely what it means in rhetoric. According to this principle, the time in which an argument is deployed is as important as the argument itself. An argument at the wrong time or to the wrong audience will be wasted; to be effective, you must also consider when you are speaking and to whom.

In effect, kairos means choosing the correct rhetorical device to match the audience and space in which you’re attempting to persuade. If you wanted to persuade people to go vegetarian, the middle of a hot dog-eating contest is probably not the right time. Likewise, you’re probably not going to persuade a room of data-driven scientists of something by appealing to pathos or ethos; logos is probably your best bet.

In essence, kairos asks you to consider the context and atmosphere of the argument you’re making. How can you deploy your argument better considering time and space? Should you wait, or is time of the essence?

As Aristotle famously said, “Anybody can become angry—that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.”

The goal of kairos is to achieve exactly that. Effective use of kairos strengthens your persuasion ability by considering how people are already feeling based on context. How can you influence or counteract that? Or maybe pathos isn’t the right approach—maybe cold hard facts, using logos, is more suited. Kairos works in conjunction with the other modes of persuasion to strengthen your argument, so as you’re putting a persuasive piece together, consider how and when it’ll be deployed!

How to Identify Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos

Understanding how the modes of persuasion work can make you better at identifying and picking them out. Not only is a better understanding of them useful for composing your own arguments, but it’s also beneficial when seeing other people’s arguments. When you understand how ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos work, you’re less susceptible to them.

Advertising is one of the places we see the modes of persuasion most often. Looking at each of these advertisements, you can see how they use each mode of persuasion to convince audiences to convince an audience of something.

Using celebrities is a classic example of ethos, which uses authority or recognition to convince an audience of something. In this case, celebrities like Michelle Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Janelle Monáe discuss the importance of voting.

It doesn’t matter that they’re not politicians or political scientists; audiences find them appealing and genuine. When they speak of the importance of voting, audiences listen because they like what these figures have to say . If talented, famous people like this are taking the time to vote, it must be important!

Historians or those well-versed in politics might make different arguments about why audiences should vote, but in this case, the goal is to inspire people. When we see people we admire doing things, we want to do them too; hence the reason that ethos works so well.

ASPCA’s commercials are some of the most infamous examples of pathos in advertising. Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” plays over footage of abused animals in shelters, encouraging viewers to donate money to support the organization.

It’s not hard to understand why it works; both the song and the imagery are heartbreaking! You can’t help but feel sad when you see it, and that sadness, when followed up by a prompt to donate, encourages you to take immediate action.  And these ads are effective— the campaign raised millions of dollars for ASPCA .

By appealing to our emotions and making us feel sad, this advertisement encourages us to act. That’s a classic use of ethos—it influences our feelings through the one-two punch of sad music and imagery, encouraging us to perform the desired action.

In some cases, emotion and authority aren’t the right tactic. Logos often appears in tech advertisements, such as this one for the iPhone XS and XR.

Notice how the advertisement focuses on product shots and technological terms. Most audiences won’t know what an A12 bionic neural engine is, but it sounds impressive. Likewise, that “12 MPf/1.8 wide-angle lens, with larger, deeper 1.4 micron pixels” is pretty meaningless to most people, but the numbers suggest that this phone is something special because it uses scientific-sounding language.

It doesn’t matter whether audiences really understand what’s being said or not. What matters is that they feel confident that the ad is selling them something they need —in this case, impressive technological specifications that make this phone an improvement over others.

Kairos should ideally factor into all uses of the modes of persuasion, but timeliness can also be a big selling point. In this Christmas-themed M&Ms advertisement, the company uses timely humor to forge a connection between the holidays and M&Ms.

Because these commercials have been running for such a long time, there’s also a nostalgic attachment to them. Just as people look forward to new Budweiser advertisements during the Super Bowl, others look forward to seeing M&Ms or the Coca-Cola polar bear during the holidays.

Though this commercial doesn’t go out of its way to tell you the benefits of M&Ms, it does forge a connection between M&Ms and Christmas, encouraging people to purchase them around the holidays.

Examples of the Modes of Persuasion

Now that you’ve had some exposure to how ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos function and what they can do, you can test your ability to recognize them using the images below!

There are a few things to notice about this image:

• The anonymous figure
• The language
• The use of a statistic

Can you figure out which mode of persuasion this represents?

The fact that the figure is anonymous tells us it’s probably not ethos. While we might be influenced by a person who’s in shape, there’s not really an appeal here based on the person—they’re just an image to support the ad.

“DOMINATE” is a pretty loaded word, suggesting that this may have elements of pathos.

However, take a look at that statistic. Whether it’s true or not, a hard statistic like that suggests that this ad is using logos to appeal to viewers. You can draw out an argument from there—75% of users lose weight within weeks. You’re a user. Therefore, you will likely lose weight within weeks.

What do you notice about this image?

• The way the text frames the woman’s body
• The name of the perfume
• The color choice

What mode of persuasion is this?

Again, we don’t know who the model is, and perfume isn’t going to make us look like her, so we can count ethos out.

The ad seems pretty intent on making us look at certain things—the woman’s lips and chest in particular. What is it trying to make us feel?

“FORBIDDEN FRUIT” has a connotation of sensuality.

Red is a color commonly associated with passion.

When you combine the photo, the framing, the perfume name, and the color, you get a strong sense of sex appeal from the advertisement. This makes it an example of pathos—the ad is trying to make us feel a certain way . If we buy this perfume, maybe we would feel attractive, too.

How about this advertisement?

• A serious-looking photo
• Text promising “no more back pain”
• “Doctor recommended.”

Seeing a doctor might make you tempted to think the answer is logos, but there’s no appeal to logic here.

“No more back pain,” is a nice promise, but there’s no attempt to appeal to emotions, so it can’t be pathos.

What’s important in this image is the combination of the doctor in the image and the line “doctor recommended.” This doctor might not be famous, but he does have authority, making this an example of ethos.

Our confidence in this treatment grows because we trust that a doctor understands how to address back pain.

What mode of persuasion is this?  Think about:

• The framing

She does look fashionable and the ad mentions stylists, so it’s possible that this is ethos.

There are no statistics or arguments being made, so the answer probably isn’t logos.

Pathos is possible, but despite having a heavily made-up model, this ad is far less about sex appeal than the previous one.

But the text mentions a specific holiday—New Year’s—suggesting that this is kairos. Kairos can, and often should, be combined with all the modes of persuasion to be even more effective. In this case, the model’s appearance could suggest either ethos or pathos in addition to kairos. The message here is that you should act now, at the beginning of the year, to take advantage of the deal and to start the year off with a new style, much like the one the model is sporting.

Key Tips for Identifying Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos

Now that you know the difference between all the modes of persuasion, you’ll have a much easier time identifying them. If you run into trouble, you can always ask questions about what you’re seeing, hearing, or reading to understand what mode of persuasion it’s using.

#1: Is It Related to a Specific Time?

If the argument is based on a specific day or context, such as Valentine’s Day or appealing only to a select group of people, such as people with dogs, it’s more likely to be kairos.

#2: Does It Involve a Celebrity or Authority Figure?

Celebrities are often a dead giveaway that an argument is using ethos. But authority figures, such as doctors, dentists, or politicians, can also be used to appeal to ethos. Even regular, everyday people can work, particularly when combined with pathos, to appeal to you based on a mutual connection you have.

#3: Does It Involve Statistics?

Statistics are a huge clue that an argument is using logos. But logos can also just be a logical argument, such as that if plants need water, and it’s hard to remember to water them, you should buy an automatic plant waterer. It makes perfect sense, making you more likely to buy it, rather than changing your habits to remember to water your plants more frequently.

#4: Does It Influence Your Emotions?

If an argument tries to change your emotions, whether by making you sad, happy, angry, or something else entirely, it’s a good indicator that it’s using pathos. Sex appeal is one of the biggest examples of pathos in advertising, appearing everywhere from makeup ads to car commercials to hamburger advertisements.

What’s Next?

Need help understanding the historical context for The Great Gatsby to perfect your kairos-based argument?

You can always combine the modes of persuasion with literary devices to make your arguments even stronger!

Learn how to say "good morning" in Japanese ! Even if it's not a mode of persuasion, it's just good manners.

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Logos Definition

What is logos? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Logos , along with ethos and pathos , is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Logos is an argument that appeals to an audience's sense of logic or reason. For example, when a speaker cites scientific data, methodically walks through the line of reasoning behind their argument, or precisely recounts historical events relevant to their argument, he or she is using logos.

Some additional key details about logos:

• Aristotle defined logos as the "proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself." In other words, logos rests in the actual written content of an argument.
• The three "modes of persuasion"— pathos , logos , and ethos —were originally defined by Aristotle.
• In contrast to logos's appeal to reason, ethos is an appeal to the audience based on the speaker's authority, while pathos is an appeal to the audience 's emotions.
• Data, facts, statistics, test results, and surveys can all strengthen the logos of a presentation.

How to Pronounce Logos

Here's how to pronounce logos: loh -gos

Logos and Different Types of Proof

While it's easy to spot a speaker using logos when he or she presents statistics or research results, numerical data is only one form that logos can take. Logos is any statement, sentence, or argument that attempts to persuade using facts, and these facts need not be the result of long research. "The facts" of an argument can also be drawn from the speaker's own life or from the world at large, and presenting these examples to support one's view is also a form of logos. Take this example from Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" speech in support of women's rights:

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?

Truth points to her own strength, as well as to the fact that she can perform physically tiring tasks just as well as a man, as proof of equality between the sexes: she's still appealing to the audience's reason, but instead of presenting abstract truths about reality or numerical evidence, she's presenting the facts of her own experience as evidence. In this case, the logic of the argument is anecdotal (meaning it's derived from a handful of personal experiences) rather than purely theoretical, but it goes to show that logos doesn't have to be dry and clinical just because it's concerned with proving something logically.

Logos: Proof vs. Apparent Proof

Not all speakers who use logos can be blindly trusted. As Aristotle specifies in his definition of the term, logos can be "proof, or apparent proof." A speaker may present facts, figures, and research data simply to show that he or she has "done their homework," in an effort to attain the degree of credibility that is often automatically attributed to scientific studies and evidence-driven arguments. Or a speaker might present facts in a way that is wholly or partially misrepresentative, using those facts (and, by extension, logos ) to make a claim that feels credible while actually arguing something that is untrue. Yet another factor that can cause a speech or text to have the appearance of providing proof is the use of overlong words and technical language—but just because someone sounds smart doesn't mean their argument stands to reason.

Even if the facts have been manipulated, any argument that relies on or even just claims to rely on "facts" to appeal to a listener's reason is still an example of logos. Put another way: logos is not about using facts correctly or accurately , it's about using facts in any way to influence an audience.

Logos Examples

Examples of logos in literature.

While Aristotle defined the term logos with public speaking in mind, there are many examples of logos in literature. Generally, logos appears in literature when characters argue or attempt to convince one another that something is true. The degree to which characters use logos -driven arguments can also provide important insight into their personalities and motives.

Logos in Shakespeare's Othello

In Othello , Iago plots to bring about the downfall of his captain, Othello. Iago engineers a series of events that makes it look like Othello’s wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him. Suspicion of his wife’s infidelity tortures Othello, who only recently eloped with Desdemona against her father’s wishes. In this passage from Act 3, Scene 3, Iago manipulates Othello by means of logos . Iago "warns" Othello not to succumb to paranoia even as he fans the flames of that paranoia:

Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on….. Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger, But, oh, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er Who dotes, yet doubts— suspects, yet soundly loves… She did deceive her father, marrying you… She loved them most…. I humbly do beseech you of your pardon For too much loving you….

Iago here lectures Othello on the abstract dangers of jealousy, but then goes on to use reason and deduction to suggest that, because Desdemona deceived her beloved father by marrying Othello, she'd probably be willing to deceive Othello, too.

Logos in Don DeLillo's White Noise

In this passage from Part 2 of Don Delillo’s novel White Noise, Jack Gladney and his son Heinrich gaze through binoculars at an Airborne Toxic Event—or cloud of poison gas—that has just hit their town. Jack , in denial, tries to reassure his son that the cloud won’t blow in their direction and that there’s no cause for alarm. Heinrich disagrees:

"What do you think?" he said. "It's still hanging there. Looks rooted to the spot." "So you're saying you don't think it'll come this way." "I can tell by your voice that you know something I don't know." "Do you think it'll come this way or not?" "You want me to say it won't come this way in a million years. Then you'll attack with your little fistful of data. Come on, tell me what they said on the radio while I was out there." "It doesn't cause nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, like they said before." "What does it cause?" "Heart palpitations and a sense of deja vu." "Deja vu?" "It affects the false part of the human memory or whatever. That's not all. They're not calling it the black billowing cloud anymore." "What are they calling it?" He looked at me carefully. "The airborne toxic event." ... "These things are not important. The important thing is location. It's there, we're here." "A large air mass is moving down from Canada," he said evenly. "I already knew that." "That doesn't mean it's not important." "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Depends."

Jack tries to reassure himself and his family that the situation isn’t serious. Heinrich tries to counter his father’s irrational, fear-driven response to the catastrophe with his "fistful of data": information he's learned in school from a science video on toxic waste, as well as reports about the disaster that he heard on the radio. He presents the facts so that his father can’t ignore them, thereby strengthening the logos of his argument that the situation is serious and the cloud will come their way. In this particular example, the lack of logos in Jack's argument reveals a lot about his character—even though Jack is a tenured college professor, strong emotions and fear for his own mortality often drive his behavior and speech.

Logos in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

In this example from To Kill a Mockingbird , lawyer Atticus Finch uses logos to argue on behalf of a black defendant, Tom Robinson, who stands accused of raping a white woman.

"The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is."

The logos in this case lies in Atticus' emphasis on the facts of the case, or rather, the fact that there are no facts in the case against Tom. He temporarily ignores questions of racial justice and emotional trauma so that the jury can look clearly at the body of evidence available to them. In short, he appeals to the jury's reason .

Logos in Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , the narrator takes a cross-country motorcycle trip with his son Chris, and their two friends John and Sylvia. When Chris tells the group in Chapter 3 that his friend Tom White Bear believes in ghosts, the narrator tries to explain that scientific principles only exist in our heads, and therefore are actually modern man's equivalent of ghosts:

"Modern man has his ghosts and spirits too, you know." "What?" "Oh, the laws of physics and of logic...the number system...the principle of algebraic substitution. These are ghosts. We just believe in them so thoroughly they seem real." "They seem real to me," John says. "I don't get it," says Chris. So I go on. "For example, it seems completely natural to presume that gravitation and the law of gravitation existed before Isaac Newton. It would sound nutty to think that until the seventeenth century there was no gravity." "Of course" "So when did this law start? Has it always existed?...What I'm driving at is the notion that before the beginning of the earth, before the sun and the stars were formed, before the primal generation of anything, the law of gravity existed." "Sure." "Sitting there, having no mass of its own, no energy of its own, not in anyone's mind because there wasn't anyone, not in space because there was no space either, not anywhere—this law of gravity still existed?" Now John seems not so sure. "If the law of gravity existed," I say, "I honestly don't know what a thing has to do to be non existent. It seems to me that law of gravity has passed every test of nonexistence there is...And yet it is still 'common sense' to believe that it existed." "I guess I'd have to think about it." "Well, I predict that if you think about it long enough you will find yourself going round and round and round and round until you finally reach only one possible, rational, intelligent conclusion. The law of gravity and gravity itself did not exist before Isaac Newton. No other conclusion makes sense. And what that means... is that that law of gravity exists nowhere except in people's heads! It's a ghost!"

The narrator uses logos in his discourse on scientific concepts by presenting his audience with an example—gravity—and asking them to consider their own experience of gravity as empirical evidence in support of his argument. He urges his friends to come to a "rational, intelligent conclusion" about the concept of gravity, instead of relying on conventional wisdom and unexamined assumptions.

Logos in Political Speeches

Politicians frequently use logos, often by citing statistics or examples, to persuade their listeners of the success or failure of policies, politicians, and ideologies.

Logos in Barack Obama's 2015 State of the Union Address

In this example, Obama cites historical precedent and economic data from past years to strengthen his argument that recent progress has been substantial and that the nation's economy is in good health:

But tonight, we turn the page. Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are graduating than ever before. More of our people are insured than ever before. And we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we’ve been in almost 30 years.

Logos in Ronald Reagan's 1987 "Tear Down this Wall" Speech

In this speech, Reagan intends for his comparison between the poverty of East Berlin—controlled by the Communists—and the prosperity of Democratic West Berlin to serve as hard evidence supporting the economic superiority of Western capitalism. The way he uses specific details about the physical landscape of West Berlin as proof of Western capitalist economic superiority is a form of logos:

Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany--busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of parkland. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance--food, clothing, automobiles--the wonderful goods of the Ku'damm. From devastation, from utter ruin, you Berliners have, in freedom, rebuilt a city that once again ranks as one of the greatest on earth...In the 1950s, Khrushchev [leader of the communist Soviet Union] predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind—too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.

Why Do Writers Use Logos?

It's important to note that the three modes of persuasion often mutually reinforce one another. They don't have to be used in isolation from one other, and the same sentence may even include examples of all three. While logos is different from both ethos (an appeal to the audience based on the speaker's authority) and pathos (an appeal to the audience's emotions), the use of logos can serve as a strong complement to the use of ethos and/or pathos —and vice versa.

For instance, if a politician lists the number of casualties in a war, or rattles off statistics relating to a national issue, these facts may well appeal to the audience's emotions as well as their intellect, thereby strengthening pathos as well as logos as elements in the speech. Consider this passage from Michelle Obama's 2015 speech at The Partnership for a Healthier America Summit, in which she updates listeners on the success of her Let's Move! project for improving children's nutrition:

I mean, just think about what our work together means for a child born today. Maybe that child will be one of the 1.6 million kids attending healthier daycare centers where fruits and vegetables have replaced cookies and juice. And when that child starts school, maybe she’ll be one of the over 30 million kids eating the healthier school lunches that we fought for. Maybe she’ll be one of the 2 million kids with a Let’s Move! salad bar in her school, or one of the nearly 9 million kids in Let’s Move! Active Schools who are getting 60 minutes of physical activity a day, or one of the 5 million kids soon attending healthier after-school programs.

While Obama includes statistics to persuade her audience that Let's Move! has been a success ( logos) , she's also using those facts and figures to stir up enthusiasm for her cause ( pathos).

Other Helpful Logos Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Logos: A detailed explanation and history of the term.
• The Dictionary Definition of Logos: A definition encompassing the different meanings of the word logos.
• Logos on Youtube: A video from TED-Ed about the three modes of persuasion.

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How to understand any speech: your guide to ethos, pathos & logos

In this post, let’s take a break from poetry and literature to look at something slightly different – rhetoric and persuasion. 

We probably don’t notice it, but speeches are everywhere around us. 

If you watch the news, you’ll hear politicians the likes of Donald Trump or Boris Johnson soapboxing about ‘ Making America Great Again ’ or why Brexit is the way to ‘ Take Back Control’ . 

If you listen to podcasts or watch vlogs on your daily commute to school/work, you’d be tuning in to what’s essentially a rhetorical performance. 

And if you’re a leader at school or work, then you’d probably have given a speech or two to your schoolmates or colleagues. 

My point, then, is that being able to understand speeches and the messages they contain is an important skill in life. 

How do we unpack a speech?

Aristotle, the Ancient Greek philosopher, left us with a systematic ‘toolkit’ in his Art of Rhetoric – a treatise on what it means to persuade and how to persuade others effectively. Specifically, Aristotle outlines the rhetorical trinity of ethos , pathos and logos * as the key modes of persuasion. 

In layman speak, this means that in the Aristotelian view,  any effective speech should establish the speaker’s credentials and goodwill – usually of a moral nature (ethos) , invoke some sort of emotional response from the audience (pathos) , and construct a clear, logical argument (logos). 

In a nutshell, good orators make you trust , feel and think .

Small caveat here: these components don’t necessarily have to be of equal weighting, but they should all feature in any great speech – albeit to varying degrees.

*There’s actually one more persuasive mode – kairos, which means the appeal to urgency (e.g. take action NOW!). It’s very common in advertisements, marketing communications or any text that requires a strong call-to-action. But for the purpose of this post, we’ll focus on the most dominant ones – ethos, pathos and logos.

Explaining ethos, pathos, logos.

Eth-os – ethics

• This is about establishing personal credentials, and getting your audience to believe that you know what to say, that you’re a morally decent person, and that you’re the right person to deliver your message 

Path-os – pathetic / pity 

• No, this doesn’t refer to ‘pathetic’ in the contemporary, negative sense of a weasley loser, but rather, the word’s archaic meaning of ‘relating to the emotions’. This doesn’t just include pity and sympathy, but also anger, sadness, joy, compassion – any human feeling, essentially.

Log-os – logic

• This means putting together an argument that’s clear, reasonable and supported by authoritative evidence. Your audience should be able to walk away from your speech knowing exactly what it was you wanted to say.

To illustrate what ethos, pathos and logos could look like, here’s a set of examples –

Ethos : 

“Anyone who wishes to improve their literary skills should read the Hyperbolit blog, because it is written by an Oxford English graduate who’s passionate and knowledgeable about literature.”

Why is this an example of ethos? 

→ The blogger’s credentials are established with the references to “Oxford English graduate”, as well as her passion for and knowledge of literature.

Pathos : 

“Ever pulled a painful all-nighter to write an essay on a poem you have no clue about? The frustration of not being able to identify poetic devices, the confusion of not knowing how to structure your writing, and the panic of facing a looming deadline that’s only intensified by the ticking of the clock – we’ve all been there. But fear not, because with the Hyperbolit blog, you’ve got a trusty resource to fall back on.”

Why is this an example of pathos? 

→ The emphasis on negative emotions – frustration, confusion, panic – suggests the necessity of there being a source of learning support for any student of literature.

Logos : 

“Contrary to popular belief, mastering literary skills isn’t all that hard. One should be an avid reader of different literary forms, genres and works, as increased exposure to a variety of writing familiarises us with how words can be used in different ways to convey various meanings. One should also make it a habit to read the Hyperbolit blog, as it provides a wealth of quality materials on skills in literary appreciation and analysis.”

Why is this an example of logos? 

→ First, the problem is presented – mastering literary skills is hard. To address this, two solutions are proposed: 1) reading widely and frequently; 2) following the Hyperbolit blog. 

Of course, be it ethos, pathos, or logos, the common theme (and most important reminder) is clear – it’s definitely a good idea to read and follow the Hyperbolit blog. Ahem. 

Shameless self-plugging aside, let’s now read a couple of famous speeches to examine how the three modes of persuasion work in the context of rhetoric, and specifically, what effects they achieve for the audience.

The speeches I will cover include: 

• Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention Speech

Chief Joseph’s 1877 Surrender Speech

• Sojourner Truth’s 1851 ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ Women’s Rights Convention Speech
• Christine Lagarde’s 2013 ‘A New Global Economy for a New Generation’ Davos Speech

(I’ve also written a comparative analysis on the rhetorical techniques in Joe Biden’s 2020 and Donald Trump’s 2016 president-elect victory speeches, which you can check out HERE . )

You can also watch my YouTube video on this topic, in which I give literary examples of ethos, pathos and logos – and explain a ‘bonus’, related term:

1) Analysing the use of ethos in Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address

Interestingly, one of Obama’s most memorable speeches wasn’t delivered while he was US President. Instead, it’s a keynote address that he gave at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where he spoke as Illinois State Senator in support of John Kerry’s presidential campaign (back then Kerry was running against the incumbent George W. Bush, who would go on to win a second term). 

In roughly 2000 words, Obama expresses a vision of inclusivity, diversity and compassion as the core values of a better, more hopeful America – a nation which he alludes to in the speech as “a magical place” rivalled by no other nation in the world.

While Obama’s main purpose was to throw his weight behind Kerry’s campaign, what made his performance so powerful and resonating was, however, the biographical vignette with which he opened up his speech. 

By establishing from the off his identity as a child of mixed race ancestry and diverse immigrant roots, Obama tells his audience that he is very much a product of those values which he believes are fundamental to America’s identity. 

Notwithstanding the country’s deeply flawed history, nowhere else in the world could his black father and white mother have come together and created “a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too”. 

Obama’s message is clear: he believes that America is a great nation today because it is inclusive, diverse and compassionate towards anyone who wants to make a better life for him/herself (whether or not this is the truth is perhaps a separate conversation). 

The speaker also implies that he is qualified to make this claim, because he stands on the DNC podium as a living testament that not only well-endowed WASPs get to have their voices heard by the public, but socially and racially disadvantaged people like him can, too. Economically, he came from humble beginnings; racially, he would have had it a lot tougher than his white peers. 

Particularly, Obama reminds us with a sweeping montage of family details that he is of no blue-blooded lineage –

“Tonight is a particular honour for me because, let’s face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant to the British.”

And on his maternal side:

“[My mother] was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbour, my [maternal] grandfather signed up for duty, joined Patton’s army, marched across Europe. Back home my grandmother raised a baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA and later moved west, all the way to Hawaii, in search of opportunity.”

This is hardly the conventional heritage of someone who would one day go on to become a political heavyweight in a global superpower. 

Notice, too, that the personas of his family members – father, mother, paternal and maternal grandparents – all represent different types of ‘good American citizens’ who have contributed to the process of nation-building. 

We see the slave (paternal grandfather), the immigrant (father), the hard worker (maternal grandfather), the homemaker (maternal grandmother), and the progressive (mother). He is, in essence, the hybrid child of a conservative – but kind – America, and a progressive, proto-globalised America – a 21st century child born in the 20th century. 

By laying his ancestral cards out on the table, then, Obama portrays himself as a man not just of the people, but among the people, and in some senses, even beneath the people.

After all, even the slightest knowledge of American history tells us that the legacy of slavery continues to haunt the country’s racial relations today. 

By setting up this contrast early on, Obama firmly proclaims his credentials as a liberal progressive – but not a liberal elite. And really, there’s no better poster child of progressive America than an interracial son of African and Caucasian blood who’s hit it the big time. 

So, because he’s ‘proven by identity’ that he’s a liberal progressive through and through, the vouch he would later make for John Kerry as a Democratic presidential candidate who champions liberal progressive values becomes that much more convincing. Because like recognises like. 

2) Analysing the use of pathos in Chief Joseph’s 1877 surrender speech and Sojourner Truth’s 1851 ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ speech 

Obama’s optimism about the ‘land of the free’ isn’t unjustified, but it certainly doesn’t present us with the full picture. That he is a mixed raced (but self-identified black) man who managed to transcend racial and social barriers is surely a success story for American history, but an anomalous one nonetheless. 

If we dig deep into America’s origins, we’ll see that a lot of the “freedom and opportunity” was achieved at the expense of exterminating Native Indians, exploiting African slaves and shunning other ‘marginal’ figures deemed inferior to white European settlers.

In 1877, Chief Joseph, leader of the Nez Perce tribe – an Amerindian people in the Wallowa Valley (now Oregon state), surrendered to General Howard after realising that his forces were outnumbered on their 1400-mile retreat from Oregon to Canada (87 Nez Perce men to 2000+ US Forces). 

At the point of concession, Chief Joseph gave a brief, but heart wrenching, statement which conveys his utter exhaustion and despair over not just a military defeat, but more importantly, the mass suffering and death of his own people. 

His speech is very short, so I will reproduce it in its entirety for our reference – 

“I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ He who led the young men [Olikut] is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are — perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.”

What makes this speech so tragic? 

• Practically everyone in the Nez Perce tribe is dead – his allies, the young and the old: “[Chief] Looking Glass is dead. Toolhoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead… He who led the young men [Olikut, Chief Joseph’s brother] is dead… The little children are freezing to death.”
• There is an absolute dearth of resources in harsh, bitter climate, which means there’s little chance of survival for those who are still hanging on by a thread: “It is cold, and we have no blankets… My people… have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are – perhaps freezing to death.”
• Chief Joseph – a leader normally of stoic, authoritative stature, shows himself to be completely broken in body, soul and spirit: “I am tired of fighting… Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.” 

These three observations alone should suffice to make us feel great pity for the Chief, whose defeat was less a result of Nez Perce’s inherent weakness as it was a reflection of the ineluctable transfer in sovereignty from the ‘Old World’ of indigenous co-existence and the ‘New World’ of settler colonialism. 

Chief Joseph’s speech, then, is an exemplary specimen of rhetorical pathos, as we feel – through the heavy emotionality of the Chief’s register – both the hopeless grief of a single man and the doomed fate of an entire people. 

Sojourner Truth’s ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ 1851 speech 

Let’s now turn to another speech, one that was delivered by the anti-slavery and feminist activist Sojourner Truth at the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. 

As a runaway slave, Truth knew all about the injustices and oppression that came with living under the same root as a white master. In addition to being black, being a woman made it doubly challenging to live with dignity in the pre-Civil War era. 

Yet, Truth defied the odds to speak out against her oppressors. 

The best case of this is perhaps her WRC address, which, like Chief Joseph’s statement, is short in length, but immensely forceful in impact and authentic in emotion. You can read it here .

To expose the ludicrous assumptions that underlie misogyny and the double standards in treatment towards white and black women, Truth launched a biting attack against men in a brilliant verbal torrent of indignation:

“That men over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?” 

In her speech, Truth exposes a paradox that would have put all men to shame: while Truth is only female in biology, she is, as it were, forced to be even more masculine than men in behaviour and disposition.

She is compelled by brutal circumstance to “plough and plant”, “gather into barns”, and “bear the lash” – all without the help or pity of any man. We understand from her account, then, that her suffering was one of violence when none was necessary, and negligence where help was needed. 

As a slave, she was stripped of any right to the social courtesies supposedly ascribed to the ‘fairer sex’, but the fact that she had “borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, [and] cried out with my mother’s grief” doesn’t make her any less of a real woman. 

Truth’s unabashed outrage over her unjust treatment and open honesty about social hypocrisy endear us to her personality, while the rawness of her outcry draws us closer to her cause for both blacks and women. 

And by aligning herself to the cause of female empowerment, she implies that gender inequality is not all that unlike racial discrimination, as both are equally arbitrary, unfair and inhumane. 

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3) Analysing the use of logos in Christine Lagarde’s 2013 ‘A New Global Economy for a New Generation’ speech  

Most people, I’d imagine, would agree that Christine Lagarde , President of the European Central Bank, ex-International Monetary Fund Managing Director, French politician and lawyer, is an example of a strong, kick-ass female leader.

In a world where charlatans like Donald Trump and Silvio Berlusconi get to be heads of state, it offers one some consolation to see figures like Lagarde at the helm of a key international organisation. Putting the gender point aside, there has to be some sensible leadership to counterbalance populist ‘accidents’ in the world. 

At the 2013 Davos Conference, Lagarde delivered a speech titled ‘A New Global Economy for a New Generation’ , in which she stressed the importance of global cooperation, economic integration and humanistic goals. 

With the hindsight of 2020 (no pun intended), her message rings worryingly ironic today, as we face a world increasingly fractured by trade wars, geopolitical mudslinging and a trend towards deglobalisation. 

Regardless, Lagarde’s speech is an eloquent, logical appeal for why the world wins when nations work closely together. In particular, she makes a clear case for why, among various global concerns, “greater openness”, “stronger inclusion” and “better accountability” deserve the most attention from the international community. 

Why is ‘greater openness’ necessary for a new global economy?

To answer this question, Lagarde doesn’t beat around the bush. She tells us the reason immediately –

“when countries transcend the narrow national interest and come together for the global good, everybody wins.” 

She then goes on to show how everybody loses if countries don’t look beyond selfish concerns by reminding her audience of the 2008 Economic Recession – 

“In this era of globalization, cooperation needs to be hardwired into the psyche of policymakers. Why? As we saw clearly during the [2008 economic] crisis, this is a world where economic jitters in one region or market can have instant repercussions all across the globe. In a flat world, there is no room for economic silos.” 

Okay, so it’s bad if countries don’t cooperate, but say if they do, what concrete benefits will cooperation bring?

Lagarde preempts this query with the example of Asia, which she singles out as a success story for trade (but not other types of) integration. Because of close intra-region cooperation, Asia has become “a region that has made tremendous progress in trade integration – trade within Asia tripled over the past decade, and regional trade among emerging Asian nations grew ever faster.” 

Using Asia as a precedent, Lagarde makes the case that “other regions too can benefit from more integration, including the Middle East and Africa. These regions will gain from opening up – knocking down barriers to trade and welcoming investment.” 

How does Lagarde construct the logical path in her speech? 

First, she proposes her central premise – the idea that economic integration is good.

Following that, she swiftly reminds us of the ills that not integrating could bring (economic crisis).

Next, she highlights an successful example of integration (Asia), finally making the claim that such integration should be applied to a wider geographical scope (Middle East and Africa). 

Whether or not one agrees with her premise (economic integration isn’t necessarily good for all situations), we must acknowledge that Lagarde’s speech is an elegant demonstration of a logos-based argument.

Its reasoning is clear and compelling, following the line of ‘This is what I think, here’s why it’s valid, here’s what will happen if we don’t do it, here’s what’s already been done, and here’s what we should do moving forward.’ 

Finally, notice that Lagarde doesn’t say economic integration is a good idea because she’s the IMF Managing Director and she knows best (i.e. ethos), or that economic integration is necessary because can you imagine the millions of starving, unresourced, unbanked people suffering in Africa right now, and integration would really help them (i.e. pathos). 

Instead, reason, logic, and composure – these are the building blocks of Lagarde’s message.

I hope this post has helped you understand more about how you can break down speeches and analyse rhetoric.

T he Aristotelian modes of persuasion – ethos, pathos, logos – are helpful insofar as they provide us with a framework for analysis, but ultimately, the most important thing is that we grasp the main message and ideas the speaker wants to convey. 

Comment below with questions and thoughts! 

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Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking and Persuasion

April 11, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

Persuasive speaking is a skill that you can apply regularly throughout your life, whether you are selling a product or being interviewed. 2,300 years ago,  Aristotle  determined the components needed for persuasive speaking. They are referred to as the three pillars of persuasion – ethos, pathos and logos. In this article, we discuss how to use the three pillars for public speaking.

What are ethos, pathos and logos?

Ethos, pathos and logos are modes of persuasion used to convince and appeal to an audience. You need these qualities for your audience to accept your messages.

• Ethos : your credibility and character
• Pathos : emotional bond with your listeners
• Logos : logical and rational argument

Ethos – The Ethical Appeal

Ethos is Greek for “character” and “ethic” is derived from ethos.

Ethos consists of convincing your audience that you have good character and you are credible therefore your words can be trusted. Ethos must be established from the  start of your talk  or the audience will not accept what you say.

In fact, ethos is often established before your presentation, for example, you may be the CEO of the company you’re presenting to so you’re already perceived as a specialist.

Why is ethos important?

Characteristics of ethos

There are four main characteristics of ethos:

• Trustworthiness and respect
• Similarity to the audience
• Expertise and reputation/history

1. Trustworthiness and respect

The audience are more likely to be respect you and think that what you’re saying is true if they  perceive you as trustworthy . This judgement is formed using factors such as:

• Ethics and values
• Generosity and sharing
• If you’re part of a group that stands for the above values, such as an NSPCC worker

2. Similarity to the audience

Listeners are more likely to be convinced by someone they can relate to. For example, you may share:

• Age and gender
• Race and culture
• Personality etc

If you do not share traits with your audience you can choose to adjust your:

• Mannerisms and gestures
• Visual aids

But don’t do too much as your listeners will seen you as not being genuine.

Tony Robbins, a well known authority in the life coaching space, giving a TED Talk on ‘Why we do what we do’.

3. Authority

If the audience perceive that you are an expert they are more likely to be persuaded by what you say. Remember that every presenter has authority because they are the speaker.

For example:

• Political authority e.g. a prime minister
• Educational authority e.g. teacher

4. Expertise and reputation

Expertise is your knowledge of the subject.

Reputation is what your audience knows about your knowledge of the subject.

Reputation depends on:

• Achievements or acknowledgments from others in the area, such as, awards and testimonials.
• Your experience and the amount of years you have worked in this area.
• How involved you were with this topic – are you a key character?
• Your expertise should be verified, for example, you may be talking about different therapy treatments and your expertise is shown by you being a successful Clinical Psychologist.
• Your contribution to the area , perhaps through blogs, books, papers and products.
• Your authority

Merging the four characteristics of ethos

Not all of characteristics have to be present to develop high ethos, for example, a university lecturer speaking to her students is most likely perceived as trustworthy as the lecturer is known to provide correct information, she has authority over the 18-21 year olds due to her job title and her age.

But she’s not similar to her students because of this. She has been working in this area for 30 years and at the university for 5 years (expertise) and has contributed largely to the area through a number of studies and subsequent papers (reputation). This is enough ethos for the audience to be persuaded by what she says.

Another person, such as a manager addressing her employees may have a different combination of these traits but still have enough ethos. It’s hard to achieve complete ethos, especially considering that having authority often reduces similarity.

Improve ethos

Authority and reputation are usually predetermined before your presentation so it’s difficult to change the audience’s mind about this. But it’s easier to change people’s perception about how trustworthy and how alike you are during the presentation.

Improve ethos day to day:

• Become an expert in the topics you present on because people are more likely to want to listen to someone who has researched a topic for 10 years rather than 2 years.
• Ensure that people know about your expertise by promoting yourself, for example, ensure that people can easily access testimonials, reviews, papers etc.
• Treat the trustworthy characteristics as your values, so practice being honest, ethical, compassionate etc.

Improve ethos before a speech:

• Research your audience , especially concentrating on the traits you share, so you know how to appeal to them.
• Show up early to the presentation venue to show the audience that you want to be there.
• If, for example, you are speaking at a wider event, such as a conference, try to attend as much of it as possible. This means that you and the audience are sharing an experience so they are more likely to perceive you as similar to them.
• If the venue requires information to advertise your presentation, emphasise your ethos in this material so people will know why they should come and see your talk.

Telling personal stories during a presentation is a great way to increase ethos.

Increase ethos during a speech:

• In your introduction draw attention to your ethos because this is the best way to demonstrate your credentials to that particular audience on that particular day. Highlight vital facts that demonstrate the main four traits of ethos but which are relevant to the topic and the audience. Don’t make the introduction long and irrelevant.
• Tell personal stories  that show the audience that you follow your own recommendations because they are more likely to believe you on other points that cannot easily be confirmed.
• Facts, stats and quotes  should be up-to-date and from reputable sources, for example, between choosing from social media or Mind’s website to quote a statistic about anxiety, you would choose Mind’s website as this has high ethos which in turn increases your ethos.
• Reference people in the audience or previous speakers or events earlier that day. This forms connections with the audience.
• Be unbiased by admitting that you and your opposition’s side agree on at least one matter. This highlights that you are credible because you are treating the topic with consideration and fairness.

Improve ethos after the presentation

• Always stay for as long as you can after your speech in case audience members want to speak with you. This will also help with future presentations as it’s likely that this will become part of your reputation.
• Stick to your promises, for example, during the  questions and answers session  you may have agreed to find out an answer to a question and tell everyone – ensure that you do this to be seen as honest.

Pathos – The Emotional Appeal

Pathos is Greek for suffering and experience. Empathy, sympathy and pathetic are derived from pathos.

Pathos is to persuade by appealing to the audience’s emotions. As the speaker, you want the audience to feel the same emotions you feel about something, you want to emotionally connect with them and influence them. If you have low pathos the audience is likely to try to find flaws in your arguments.

Why is pathos important?

Emotions are motivators so the audience is more  likely to be persuaded  and act on your requests by using pathos. Pathos is more likely to increase the chances of your audience:

• Understanding your point of view.
• Accepting your arguments.
• Acting on your requests.

Example of pathos during a speech

Girls Who Code Founder Reshma Saujani explains how one of her students created an algorithm to detect false positives in breast cancer testing after her dad was diagnosed with cancer.

Watch the full video here:  Why We Need Women in Tech

Improving pathos

• Choose  emotional points and topics , for example “Beat your social anxiety” would trigger more powerful emotions than “Learn how to speak in a group.”
• Use  analogies and metaphors  – linking your ideas with something your listeners already know about and feel strongly about can trigger emotional responses. For example, “They are awful” compared to “They are poisonous.” This will use the audience’s knowledge that poison is bad and therefore this issue needs to be dealt with.
• Use  emotionally charged words , for example, say “This kitchen roll is a life-saver” rather than “This kitchen roll is great”. Another way to make a statement more emotional is to use  vivid and sensory words  which allow the audience to experience the emotion. For instance, “The smell of your grandparents’ house” will increase the recollection of hopefully warm memories, and therefore will trigger certain emotions.
• Positive emotions, such as joy, should be linked with your claims.
• Negative emotions, such as anger, should be linked to your rival’s claims.
• Using  humour  increases the likelihood that the audience are enjoying themselves and so they are more likely to like you and listen to you.
• Visual aids  can sometimes be more powerful than words, for example, showing an image of a scared small child will have more impact than saying that children are often victims of domestic violence.
• Research your audience  and find out what their shared values are. Target these values and beliefs because they are strongly associated to emotions.
• Storytelling  is a quick way to form an emotional connection. It’s often used to link a part of a key message with an emotional response – you’ll be familiar with seeing this in adverts asking for charity donations.
• Match what you’re saying with your body language , face and eyes. People often mirror emotions so by matching your body language with your words you increase the chances of triggering the desired emotions.
• Also  match your voice to your words , for example, if you want to show sadness  speak in a soft voice , if you want to show excitement then increase your pace etc.
• Stand as close as you can to the audience  so the speech feels more personal – don’t hide behind the computer screen.
• Use words that carry suitable connotations , for example, if you asked a group of men whether they would like to be called “tall”, “lanky” or “big”. Even though the words have essentially the same meaning, the men are more likely to choose the word that has the most positive connotation, in this case the word “tall”.
• If you have accidentally  caused a negative emotion find out why and apologise . For example, perhaps there have been severe interpersonal conflicts that you were unaware of and a joke you made upset audience members.

Logos – The Logical Appeal

The word “logic” is derived from logos.

Logos is to appeal to logic by relying on the audience’s intelligence and offering evidence in support of your argument. Logos also develops ethos because the information makes you look knowledgeable. Ask the following questions to decide if you have achieved logos:

• Are my messages coherent?
• Does the evidence support my claims?
• Will the audience’s actions lead to my desired outcome?

Why is logos important?

Essentially, logical arguments that make sense are not easily dismissed.

Improving logos

• Be comprehensive : Make sure your points and arguments can be understood
• Be logical : Ensure that your arguments make sense and that your claims and evidence are not implausible. Have a plan for dealing with opposing viewpoints that your listeners may already believe.
• Be specific : Base your claims on facts and examples as your arguments will be accepted quicker than something nonspecific and non-concrete. The more easily the evidence is accepted, the more easily the conclusions will be accepted.

Be comprehensive

• Use language that your audience will understand. Avoid jargon and technical terminology.
• Use simple figures and charts to make the presentations more understandable.
• Make the relationship between your evidence and conclusions clear.
• Analogies and metaphors  are helpful especially when explaining new ideas and theories.

Engage the audience by asking them questions during your speech to increase logos.

• Ensure that the  audience is involved  by asking them engaging questions. This will make them active listeners so they may even come to your conclusion themselves.
• Talk about opposing views as this allows you to explain why your logical arguments are more reasonable.
• Deductive reasoning  is looking at the evidence and  coming to a conclusion . For example. “I don’t like loud places. That restaurant is really loud. So I won’t like that restaurant.”
• Inductive reasoning  is when you add rational pieces, perhaps beliefs, to the evidence and come to a conclusion. The evidence is used to infer a conclusion but the conclusion is not guaranteed. For example: “All the vegan restaurants I have eaten in have been good. This is a vegan restaurant. So it must be good.”

The audience are using both types of reasoning as you speak, so their beliefs may interfere with them accepting your conclusions. Overcome these by building your argument on the audience’s widely held beliefs – commonplaces. For example, a company’s main value and therefore commonplace may be “Compassion makes us the best company”.

Use the audience’s commonplace like a fact and apply it to a new situation. So if you want to encourage your staff to join a committee, use their commonplace, for example, rather than your belief say: “This committee needs considerate and kind-hearted people.”

Be specific

• Facts and stats cannot be debated and they signify the truth.
• Visual evidence, such as, objects and  videos  are hard to challenge.
• Citing specialists and authorities on a topic increases the quality of your evidence and therefore your claims.
• Tell stories, such as, case studies or personal experiences. The audience would like to hear your own stories if you’re a specialist, for example, “When I was excavating in Nottingham…”

There is uncertainty over which pillar is the most important – Aristotle thought that logos was vital but when used by itself it lacks impact. So ensure that you treat all three pillars with equal importance to succeed in persuading your audience.

• Essay Editor

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: the Essence of Rhetorical Appeals

Effective communication occurs if a speaker is persuasive and credible. People wouldn't trust a person if his words seemed to be unconvincing and involved. As you know, communication skills may be developed, and every text will hit the mark. Studying ethos, pathos, and logos – definitions and usage principles – will help you much in self-improvement. You will become more successful in both academic writing and rhetorical speaking, because you will be able to appeal to your opponents' emotions and logic, presenting your own trustworthiness. So, ethos, pathos, and logos are waiting for us, let's start!

'Ethos' has a Greek origin, it means 'character'. This rhetorical appeal touches on ethics. Operating with this means, you persuade the audience on the basis of your accuracy and reliability.

Elements of Ethos

What is ethos in rhetorical analysis? In addition to the definition, it is important to talk about its structure. Ethos consists of three components.

How to Use Ethos?

During communication Ethos may be established in such ways:

• showing knowledge and experience in the sphere (scientific evidence, citing specialists, and whatnot);
• giving only solid information and presenting everything clearly;
• expressing respect and consideration for the readers or listeners.

Typical Mistakes When Using Ethos

When adding Ethos to your speech, pay special attention to the following issues. Using them one makes a large mistake, breaking the principles of this type of appeal.

• Mention unqualified and unreasonable sources as evidence.
• Accentuate the knowledge in an excessive manner.
• Dismiss alternative points of view and opposite opinions.
• Disinform or give distorted evidence.
• Be rude to the public or treat them like simpletons.

So, remember that you should respect the audience every moment you are speaking with them.

Let's continue discussing ethos, pathos, logos meaning with the next matter – Pathos.

From the Greek language, it means 'experience, sensation'. It is the second mode of the system, implying emotional appeal when persuading readers or listeners. When adding pathos to the text, the author tries to touch personal values, fears, inner feelings, etc. This approach appears to be quite effective when discussing burning problems and topics concerning everyone.

How to Use Pathos?

To formulate the pathos piece successfully, follow these instructions:

• explore the audience (you are to know their values and understand the inner world);
• select proper language to create bright images, quite impressive and memorable for the audience;
• give interesting examples, like stories, anecdotes, or something else of this character (such illustrations are sure to increase the listener's empathy);
• try to be sincere as much as possible (people usually feel if the speech is double-tongued, and they don't like to be manipulated);
• add humorous issues if proper (it usually helps to build positive emotional contact with people).

Typical Mistakes When Using Pathos

Sometimes the author may spoil the pathos part of the speech. Such mistakes are the most popular, try to avoid them.

• Add too many emotions and manipulate the public;
• Express emotions, unsuitable for the discussion or the target audience;
• Do not approve emotional appeal with any factual evidence;
• Take too many set phrases and speech patterns;
• Convey emotions in an artificial manner.

Now you've got acquainted with one more rhetorical appeal. So, can you answer such a question? What is ethos, pathos, and logos called? Just not completely. We have the last component – Logos – to discuss.

In Greek, it means 'order, reason'. The third type of appeal is based on logical connections, reasoning, and solid proofs. The listeners believe the speaker if his text is consistent, clear, and well-reasoned. This issue is obligatory when preparing scientific or research works, projects where objectivity and accuracy are crucial. 

How to Use Logos?

To perform Logos correctly the author should take into consideration the succeeding points:

• support evidence with reliable statistics and only relevant data;
• avoid special jargon or difficult terms (the language used should be concise and quite simple to understand);
• present visual material (graphs, illustrations, tables) to confirm the ideas and arguments;
• keep in mind possible counterarguments and include them in the discussion;
• refer to the common sense when discoursing upon the topic;
• tell about the methodology and research details in a transparent, clear way.

Typical Mistakes When Using Logos

Potential mistakes in preparing the Logos component may be the following. 

• Give information that is unreliable or outdated.
• Shrink from both controversial issues and opposing opinions.
• Present too much technical information, hard to interpret.
• Speak about matters that are irrelevant to the topic.
• Draw false conclusions, making the whole narration illogical.

Stay away from them to operate with Logos in the best way. To create a well-structured passage of this type, use Aithor , a special text-generating tool, always providing relevant and meaningful information.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos in Examples

It goes without saying that some practical illustrations will be much more useful than a lifeless-like theoretical block.

Having read about rhetorical appeals, you are certain to make your communication more effective and impactful. We offer you a little self-examination test to check if you've understood the difference between the three issues.

• What type of appeal is appropriate for operating with emotions? (logos pathos ethos)
• What type of appeal would help you to illustrate a point using reason? (logos pathos ethos)
• What type of appeal is used if a speaker touches an ethical sphere? (logos pathos ethos)

If your answers are pathos, logos, ethos, you are right!

Just remember that Ethos touches the credibility and ethical field, Pathos – the emotional sphere, and Logos – logic and reasoning. Every fine speech is always a combination of all the three components.

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Writing is changing a lot because of AI. But don't worry — AI won't take human writers' jobs. It's a tool that can make our work easier and help us write better. When we use AI along with our own skills, we can create good content faster and better. AI can help with many parts of writing, from coming up with ideas to fixing the final version. Let's look at the top 10 ways how to use AI for content creation and how it can make your writing better. What Is AI Content Writing? AI content writin ...

What is Citation and Why Should You Cite the Sources When Writing Content

When we write something for school, work, or just for fun, we often use ideas and facts from other places. This makes us ask: what is a citation in writing? Let's find out what this means and why it's really important when we write. What is Citation? Citation in research refers to the practice of telling your readers where you got your information, ideas, or exact words from. It's like showing them the path to the original information you used in your writing. When you cite something, you us ...

Plagiarism: 7 Types in Detail

Your professor says that it is necessary to avoid plagiarism when writing a research paper, essay, or any project based on the works of other people, so to say, any reference source. But what does plagiarism mean? What types of it exist? And how to formulate the material to get rid of potential bad consequences while rendering original texts? Today we try to answer these very questions. Plagiarism: Aspect in Brief Plagiarism is considered to be a serious breach, able to spoil your successful ...

Paraphrasing vs Plagiarism: Do They Really Differ?

Academic assignments require much knowledge and skill. One of the most important points is rendering and interpreting material one has ever studied. A person should avoid presenting word-for-word plagiarism but express his or her thoughts and ideas as much as possible. However, every fine research is certain to be based on the previous issues, data given, or concepts suggested. And here it's high time to differentiate plagiarism and paraphrasing, to realize its peculiarities and cases of usage. ...

How to Write a Dialogue in an Essay: Useful Tips

A correct usage of dialogues in essays may seem quite difficult at first sight. Still there are special issues, for instance, narrative or descriptive papers, where this literary technique will be a good helper in depicting anyone's character. How to add dialogues to the work? How to format them correctly? Let's discuss all relevant matters to master putting conversation episodes into academic essays. Essay Dialogue: Definition & Purpose A dialogue is a literary technique for presenting a con ...