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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 ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Atqui eorum nihil est eius generis, ut sit in fine atque extrerno bonorum. Igitur neque stultorum quisquam beatus neque sapientium non beatus. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Minime id quidem, inquam, alienum, multumque ad ea, quae quaerimus, explicatio tua ista profecerit. Quid est, quod ab ea absolvi et perfici debeat? His similes sunt omnes, qui virtuti student levantur vitiis, levantur erroribus, nisi forte censes Ti. An eum locum libenter invisit, ubi Demosthenes et Aeschines inter se decertare soliti sunt? Duarum enim vitarum nobis erunt instituta capienda.
An me, inquam, nisi te audire vellem, censes haec dicturum fuisse? Quodcumque in mentem incideret, et quodcumque tamquam occurreret. Quis suae urbis conservatorem Codrum, quis Erechthei filias non maxime laudat? Scaevolam M. Suam denique cuique naturam esse ad vivendum ducem. Legimus tamen Diogenem, Antipatrum, Mnesarchum, Panaetium, multos alios in primisque familiarem nostrum Posidonium. Ergo illi intellegunt quid Epicurus dicat, ego non intellego? Plane idem, inquit, et maxima quidem, qua fieri nulla maior potest. Quod dicit Epicurus etiam de voluptate, quae minime sint voluptates, eas obscurari saepe et obrui.
Itaque hic ipse iam pridem est reiectus; Universa enim illorum ratione cum tota vestra confligendum puto. Sed nimis multa. Satis est tibi in te, satis in legibus, satis in mediocribus amicitiis praesidii. Familiares nostros, credo, Sironem dicis et Philodemum, cum optimos viros, tum homines doctissimos.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quamvis enim depravatae non sint, pravae tamen esse possunt. Quo modo autem optimum, si bonum praeterea nullum est? Illa argumenta propria videamus, cur omnia sint paria peccata. Apparet statim, quae sint officia, quae actiones. Tum Piso: Quoniam igitur aliquid omnes, quid Lucius noster? Fortasse id optimum, sed ubi illud: Plus semper voluptatis? Tum Triarius: Posthac quidem, inquit, audacius. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Esse enim quam vellet iniquus iustus poterat inpune. Atque ab isto capite fluere necesse est omnem rationem bonorum et malorum.
Nobis Heracleotes ille Dionysius flagitiose descivisse videtur a Stoicis propter oculorum dolorem. Non ego tecum iam ita iocabor, ut isdem his de rebus, cum L. Etenim nec iustitia nec amicitia esse omnino poterunt, nisi ipsae per se expetuntur. Nec vero alia sunt quaerenda contra Carneadeam illam sententiam.
Quare hoc videndum est, possitne nobis hoc ratio philosophorum dare. Cur fortior sit, si illud, quod tute concedis, asperum et vix ferendum putabit? Nam et complectitur verbis, quod vult, et dicit plane, quod intellegam; Sed haec quidem liberius ab eo dicuntur et saepius. Cur igitur, cum de re conveniat, non malumus usitate loqui? Ergo ita: non posse honeste vivi, nisi honeste vivatur? Sed ne, dum huic obsequor, vobis molestus sim. Primum in nostrane potestate est, quid meminerimus? At certe gravius. Quam ob rem tandem, inquit, non satisfacit?
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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