PERSUASION
In my communicating high technology class a little diddy jumped out at me and I've thinking about it all week so I thought I should capture my thoughts before they fade.
Persuasion is achieved when the argument addresses the three needs of the person you are trying to persuade; ethos (ethical), pathos (emotional), and logos (logical). When delivered to an audience they make up the “the rhetorical triangle,”
Rhetoric in a triangle ethos
pathos logos
This equilateral triangle suggests that each part of a persuasive appeal is as important
as any other part. In addition, it emphasizes the need for balance of all three appeals or
types of proof. Excess emotion, for example, might detract from the logical appeal of your argument. Cold, hard facts might fail to persuade your audience.
So my conclusion is if I am to sell strong I must make my arguments ethical, logical, and emotional balanced in equal parts guided by empathy and personal experience.
