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Aristotle's Rhetoric Analysis

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Aristotle’s idea of rhetoric is invention or the faculty of finding the best mean of persuasion in the particular case. Aristotle stated that there are two means of invention one is artistic and the other is nonartistic. The nonartisic form of invention is something that already exists prior to speech; something that can be applied. The artistic form of invention is made up of three proofs which are logos, pathos, and ethos. There are three types of proofs artistically created by a speaker, “those which demonstrated that a thing is so (logos), those which depend for their effectiveness or believability or the speaker (ethos), and those designed to sweat a listener’s feelings (pathos)” (Golden 68). The threefold analysis of invention by Aristotle’s …show more content…

The components of enthymemes are probabilities, signs, and examples. Probability is seen as arguments that are generally true and contain an element of cause. Signs are a propositions setting forth a reason for the existence of a particular fact. Examples are evidence used in a speech after a speaker makes a general conclusion, this helps the audience to make connections of something that has already happened and what the likely outcome will be. The enthymeme is seen as a rhetorical syllogism that is comprised of probability, signs, and examples which is the evidence or experience provided to the audience to help persuade them. While an enthymeme is a form of logical proof it also produces an emotional an ethical …show more content…

In order for listeners to be persuaded they need to be able to believe in the character of that person. A speaker can be giving logical proof all they want but if the audience does not trust the speaker then they will not be able to be persuaded. Aristotle wrote that ethical proof, “is wrought when the speech is so spoked as to make the speaker credible; for we trust good men more and soon, as a rule about everything; while, about things which do not admit or precision, but only guesswork, we trust them absolutely” (Golden 68). A speaker’s integrity is judged on the basis of the apparent truthfulness of the statements one is making. The audience will also judge on the soundness of ideas in terms of their own experience and the evidence given in order to support the proposal. Lastly the speaker’s attitude toward the audience is also judged on the basis of best interest. Even though Aristotle stressed the importance of logos he stated that ethos is, “the most potent of all the means to persuasion” (Golden 73). A speaker may have an abundance of evidence, but if the audience finds the speaker to be a dishonest person they will have their doubts and it will be ten times more difficult for the speaker to persuade

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