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Evaluating Ethos Through Technology Essay

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Evaluating Ethos through Technology
Logical and emotional appeals are two elements that Aristotle believed to be important in persuading an audience. Ethos also known as credibility is another important element in the attempt to persuade an audience. If the speaker is able to communicate the culture, language, and information to his or her audience, the audience will be more likely to perceive the speaker’s character, goodwill, and intelligence. But, these attributes can only be evaluated if the speaker personally delivers the messages and provides the proper researched information (Rottenberg &Winchell, 2012, p. 4) In fact, in the 1950’s, individuals would use dictionaries, encyclopedias, and books to research information. The information …show more content…

For instance, pointing and making fists can denote negative feelings toward the communicator. However, if the speaker shows the palm of his or her hands it can denote trust and put the audience at ease (Thompson, 2012). But without hand gestures and the actual presence of the speaker, the audience will have a difficult time evaluating the speaker’s credibility.
In ancient Greece, persuading an audience was easily done because most of the people shared the same world view. Moreover, the government had very strong regulations over the city. All speeches and stories were dictated and regulated by the government (Rottenberg & Winchell, 2012, p. 7). So most of people were able evaluate the information, understand its contents, and gain trustworthiness from the speaker. Today, people can communicate to people throughout the world and they may share many diverse views. For instance, an Arab from Iraq will most likely believe in the Quran whereas a person from China will most likely be Buddhist. These distinct cultures are important for the speaker to know in order for him or her to target the audience. If a writer does not include the correct vocabulary and information according to the audience’s culture and age, the audience will not connect to the speaker. Without those specifications, it becomes very difficult for the audience to connect to a literary work that is unknown

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