8: How Arguments Appeal to Emotion (Pathos)
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Learning Outcomes
- Describe the value of emotional appeals in written academic argument
- Identify the ways in which a given argument appeals to emotion through word choice, tone, or powerful examples
- Assess the likely effectiveness of an emotional appeal for a particular audience
- Distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate emotional appeals
- Use legitimate emotional appeals to support their own written arguments.
- 8.1: The Place of Emotion in Argument
- Logic and emotion come together to build powerful arguments and infuse them with a sense of purpose.
- 8.2: Word Choice and Connotation
- Writers can help shape readers’ reactions by choosing words with particular emotional associations.
- 8.3: Powerful Examples
- Powerful examples can help readers connect emotionally to the argument’s claims.
- 8.4: Tone
- The overall emotional tenor of an argument is called tone. Identifying and describing the tone can give us insight into the author’s attitude and purpose.
- 8.5: Varying the Emotions
- The tone can vary throughout an argument as the author moves from point to point.
- 8.6: Fitting the Emotions to the Audience
- The success of an emotional appeal depends on how well the author predicts readers’ likely reactions.
- 8.7: Legitimate and Illegitimate Emotional Appeals
- Emotional appeals need to align with logical reasoning to be legitimate.
