Aristotle's Triangle Flashcards
A speaker’s or author’s authority to express opinions on a subject.
Ethos
“As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best results.”
Ethos
“If my years as a Marine taught me anything, it’s that caution is the best policy in this sort of situation.”
Ethos
“He is a forensics and ballistics expert for the federal government - if anyone’s qualified to determine the murder weapon, it’s him.”
Ethos
The emotional appeal used to persuade an audience to accept a certain point of view or opinion. That element in literature that stimulates pity or sorrow. (What emotion would these examples evoke within you?)
Pathos
“If we don’t move soon, we’re all going to die!”
Pathos
“You’ll make the right decision because you have something that not many people do: you have heart.”
Pathos
“After years of this type of disrespect from your boss, countless hours wasted, birthdays missed… it’s time that you took a stand.”
Pathos
Logic used by a speaker/writer to support a claim or point of view.
Logos
“The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas.” (This sentence uses statistics to influence the audience.)
Logos
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: we have not only the fingerprints, the lack of an alibi, a clear motive, and an expressed desire to commit the robbery… We also have video of the suspect breaking in. The case could not be more open and shut.” (This sentence clearly uses facts to persuade the audience.)
Logos
“Doctors all over the world recommend this type of treatment.” (This sentence uses reasoning to influence the audience.)
Logos
Reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case.
Deductive Reasoning
All men are mortal. Joe is a man. Therefore, Joe is mortal.
Deductive Reasoning
Bachelors are unmarried men. Bill is unmarried. Therefore, Bill is a bachelor.
Deductive Reasoning
All numbers ending in 0 or 5 are divisible by 5. The number 35 ends with a 5, so it must be divisible by 5.
Deductive Reasoning
Deriving general principles from particular facts or instances.
Inductive Reasoning
“The coin I pulled from the bag is a penny. That coin is a penny. A third coin from the bag is a penny. Therefore, all the coins in the bag are pennies.”
Inductive Reasoning
“Most of our snowstorms come from the north. It’s starting to snow. This snowstorm must be coming from the north.”
Inductive Reasoning
“The left-handed people I know use left-handed scissors; therefore, all left-handed people use left-handed scissors.”
Inductive Reasoning
The convergence of speaker (the persona adopted by the author to deliver his or her message; may or may not actually be the same person as the author), audience (who the author is directing his or her message toward), and purpose (the author’s persuasive intention).
Rhetorical Situation
Using your opponent’s own argument to your advantage; agreeing with the opposing viewpoint on a certain smaller point (but not in the larger argument).
Concession
A teenager arguing to her parents that she needs a cell phone makes the following statement: I know that you think I will just use the phone to text during class and call friends instead of doing homework.
Concession
A businessman making a proposal for a new skin product makes the following statement: This is a tough market, with many skin care products already out there. However, this product is different-it provides the same level of advanced skin care for a fraction of the cost.
Concession
A politician arguing that his country needs to send troops into a warzone makes the following arguement: I know that any time we send troops into harm’s way, it is a risk that some will not come back. However, there are innocent women and children being murdered, and we cannot stand idly by. Our men and women wear the uniform for just such a time as this.
Concession
Littering: It seems like an easy argument to be against littering, but many can also use the counterargument stating littering results in the creation of jobs. People get paid to clean up the litter. Littering, of course, can also be argued as detrimental to the environment.
Counterargument
The argument(s) against the author’s position.
Counterargument
Bullying: Bullying is often thought of as a natural part of society and when a person is bullied, the offender is to be punished. Without interference it becomes a cycle, bad for the victim and the bully who feels powerful and sometimes ashamed after the fact. A counterargument is to present evidence for the emphasis to be placed on prevention, instead of continuation of the cycle: bully then punish.
Counterargument
Getting a Pet: A child may argue for a dog. The parents remind the child his sister is allergic to dogs. The boy uses the counterargument that she has been around some dogs without any problems. He is ready for each argument against the dog, perhaps stating there are breeds of dogs that are hypoallergenic. He may also argue that a dog will build up the sister’s tolerance.
Counterargument
The deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it is.
Understatement
“Deserts are sometimes hot, dry, and sandy.” – Describing deserts of the world.
Understatement
“He’s got a few pounds he should lose.” – Describing an obese person.
Understatement
“It rained a bit more than usual.” – Describing an area being flooded by heavy rainfall.
Understatement
A type of understatement in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite.
Litotes
Her cooking isn’t terrible, exactly.
Litotes
Ireland is no ordinary country.
Litotes
Geoffrey, this isn’t rocket science.
Litotes
A statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before.
Non Sequitur
My refrigerator is acting up. I’d better finish that book by Friday.
Non Sequitur
It was a spring day, the sort that gives people hope: all soft winds and delicate smells of warm earth. Daisy quit her job the week before.
Non Sequitur
A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event.
Anecdote
I once had a border collie. She was so smart! Every morning, I’d open up the front door and she’d run out, pick up the newspaper and deliver it to my husband at the breakfast table.
Anecdote
Oh, I love Ireland! I visited the west coast six times last year. Last time I went to Kilmacduagh, an old monastery where the winds whip with songs of the deceased who are laid to rest there. While I was there, I swore I heard something. I think it was a ghost!
Anecdote
Is that a white rose? Wow! I love them. My grandfather had a massive rose garden with over 200 different species. Every Friday, he’d go out into the garden, clip a dozen, and make my grandmother a bouquet. Does love like that exist anymore?
Anecdote
