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This model from Ancient Greece has helped define the art of persuasion for over 2,000 years and continues to serve as a guide for impactf ...
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Quis Aristidem non mortuum diligit? Non enim solum Torquatus dixit quid sentiret, sed etiam cur. Rhetorice igitur, inquam, nos mavis quam dialectice disputare? Propter nos enim illam, non propter eam nosmet ipsos diligimus. Nunc ita separantur, ut disiuncta sint, quo nihil potest esse perversius. At hoc in eo M. Huius ego nunc auctoritatem sequens idem faciam. Beatus autem esse in maximarum rerum timore nemo potest.
Sic, et quidem diligentius saepiusque ista loquemur inter nos agemusque communiter. At enim hic etiam dolore. Sed quot homines, tot sententiae; Putabam equidem satis, inquit, me dixisse. Saepe ab Aristotele, a Theophrasto mirabiliter est laudata per se ipsa rerum scientia; Cum ageremus, inquit, vitae beatum et eundem supremum diem, scribebamus haec. Magni enim aestimabat pecuniam non modo non contra leges, sed etiam legibus partam. Obsecro, inquit, Torquate, haec dicit Epicurus? Nihil opus est exemplis hoc facere longius. Recte, inquit, intellegis. Et certamen honestum et disputatio splendida! omnis est enim de virtutis dignitate contentio.
Plato, Aristotle’s teacher, was critical of persuasion techniques, seemingly to rally against the form and emotional element winning arguments over a logical case as an example of manipulation. Aristotle did counter this, suggesting that the art of persuasion was a necessary but neutral tool and that it should be used ethically.
Other criticism of the model tends to be in its application, as it sets a broad framework but potentially lacks more practical application. In other words, while a useful guide, the model still takes considerable skill to apply effectively and consistently.
Legal application.
This 2014 research paper describes how Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle is a crucial tool in the courtroom. The author explains:
“Logos, ethos, and pathos, a persuader’s logical, credibility-related, and emotional appeals, when used in concert, create a whole argument. This argument is one which takes into account the human element as well as the rational and logical needs of the law in its pursuit of justice. Classical Aristotelian rhetoric, thus, must not be dismissed by the advocate hoping to most effectively represent his client. Nor should it be dismissed by the legal community as form over substance.As I have demonstrated, the end result of an attorney utilizing Aristotle’s three modes together is the fairest result possible in a given situation, so substance is not sacrificed, and effective form is still maintained.”
“I have a dream.”
I could have chosen an analysis of any modern speech based on Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle, I went with Martin Luthor King’s classic.
This article breaks it down, including noting the following:
Ethos:
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By way of establishing his intentions, “In his speech, King frequently looks back at moments in American history and refers to the leaders who laid the foundation of free America.”
Pathos:
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Given the moment of anger and frustration he was speaking in, there’s no wonder that Pathos was a main ingredient. “His speech keeps growing more dramatic and engaging. King tries to make the frustration visible that years of neglect have caused.”
Logos:
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King paints the future state, the ‘dream’, and lays out a path to achieve it, heavily referencing American history.
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Aristotle’s Rhetoric was set out in his book On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civil Discourse. I say 'book' because it has been published as such but, like his other works, seems to have been a collection of his student’s notes in response to his lectures. His body of work on persuasion did progress and shift over his life, though these three appeals remained consistent.
Other modern sources to dive into this model include the work of Carmine Gallo, see his HBR article on the topic; and Sam Leith’s Words Like Loaded Pistols. For a more in-depth albeit slightly academic view of this model, you can also visit the entry in Stanford’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
My Notes
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