THE ARGUMENTATIVE ENVIRONMENT

BY: ADELAIDA Q. MANDAC

Argumentation is the act or process of forming reasons and drawing conclusions and applying them to a case or discussion

RHETORICAL APPROACH - Is the process of discovering all

of the available means of “artistic” persuasion on any subject.

PERSUASION- is achieved by the speaker’s personal

character where the speech is so credible.

RHETORICAL PROCESS1.Truth and justice maybe

guarded against falsehood and wrong

2. Debate maybe conducted in the absence of absolute truth

3. Both sides of a claim maybe presented

4.Proof to establish a probability of a position maybe developed

ELEMENTS OF PROOF IN RHETORICAL PROCESS are:

Logos Pathos Ethos

LOGOS Means logic The use of reason to support a decision Present the situation, the alternatives,

and the set of probabilities in the decision making process

Direct our mind’s reasoning capabilities

Pathos Means emotion The use of emotional and motivational appeals to

support a decision Emotional appeals are directed to the wishes, wants,

desires, goals and needs of the person whose acceptance is desired

Appeals are directed to the heart

Ethos• Refers to the use of source credibility to support

a conclusion• Proof is supplied by the source of which

judgment is made about his character, wisdom and goodwill

• Achieved by the speaker’s personal character where the speech make us think him credible

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Watching for Ethos

Comments made by experts that was proven very wrong:

“ The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty.” The president of a Michigan bank, advising the lawyer of Henry Ford not to invest in the Ford Motor Car Company.

“Forget it Louis, no Civil War picture ever made a dime.”

MGM production executive Irving Thalberg talking about “Gone

with the Wind “ with studio chief Louis B. Mayer in 1936.

Source of Credibility Initial Ethos- is based on the

arguer’s credentials, status, and reputation known to the audience before they hear or read the content of the message.

Derived ethos- results from what is said in the message