Rhetorical Devices/Logical Fallacies Flashcards
Rhetoric
The art of persuasive speaking and writing.
Rhetorical Question
A figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point and without the expectation of a reply
e.x “Am I right?”
Ethos
Focuses attention on the writer or speaker’s trustworthiness using the two forms: appeal to character or appeal to credibility.
Logos
The appeal to logic, means to convince an audience by use of logic or reason.
Pathos
The emotional appeal means to persuade an audience to their emotions.
Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.
e,x:
(Let us march.. Let us march.. Let us march!”
Repetition
Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable.
**Anaphora is a specific type of repetition and is different.
Imagery
Imagery is used to enhance the vividness of writing and speaking. A writer who uses imagery well can appeal to the reader’s imagination by linking words with sensory experiences.
Alliteration
The repetition of the same sound at the start of a series of words in succession whose purpose is to provide an audible pulse that gives a piece of writing a lulling, lyrical, and/ or emotive effect.
Antithesis
Means “opposite”. This rhetorical device puts two opposite ideas together to achieve a contrasting effect.
e.x Bugs are disgusting, but they are yummy when cooked.
Logical Fallacy
Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claimm.
Appeal to Ignorance
This fallacy occurs when you argue that your conclusion must be true or false because there is no evidence to prove it either way. This fallacy wrongly shifts the burden of proof away from the one making the claim.
Black and White
This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides of choices.
e.x. In this world, it’s kill or to be killed.
Slippery Slope
This is when we argue A will cause B, and B will lead to undesirable C. Since we do not want C, we should avoid A.
Arguing that a change in procedure, law or action will create a domino-effect of adverse consequences; suggesting that if one thing happens, a series of things will inevitably happen.
Circular Reasoning.
A circular argument in which the conclusion is included in the premise; this restates the argument rather than actually proving it.
e.x Hale is a good communicator because he speaks effectively.
