12: How Arguments Appeal to Emotion (Pathos)
- Page ID
- 380542
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)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.
- 12.1: The Place of Emotion in Argument
- This page explores the relationship between logic and emotion in arguments, challenging the conventional belief that logic is more important than emotional appeal. It highlights how emotions can amplify an argument's effectiveness, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King's speech as a key example.
- 12.2: Word Choice and Connotation
- This page examines the impact of word choice on readers' emotions and perceptions in writing, focusing on connotation and its ability to evoke different feelings. It provides examples demonstrating how language influences attitudes on topics like journalism and immigration. Additionally, it offers practice exercises for analyzing the emotional weight of terms related to social movements, promoting careful selection of words to shape audience reactions.
- 12.3: Powerful Examples
- This page emphasizes the power of emotional language and personal stories, especially in discussing complex issues like immigration. It argues that narratives, such as those of asylum seekers, can foster empathy and enhance understanding compared to abstract arguments. By contrasting various stories, including personal and political narratives, it encourages critical evaluation of how these tales are utilized in debates.
- 12.4: Tone
- This page explores the importance of tone in writing and how it influences a reader's perception of an argument. It outlines strategies for identifying a writer's tone through word choice and structure, as well as providing a categorized list of tone words. Additionally, the page discusses analyzing tone consistency and shifts, offering descriptive phrases and practice exercises to enhance understanding of tonal expression in written arguments.
- 12.5: Varying the Emotions
- This page emphasizes the significance of emotional tone in engaging an audience effectively within arguments. It highlights the value of shifting tones to maintain interest rather than relying on repetitive emotional appeals, supported by Shakespearean examples. The page also compares tonal shifts in writing to musical dynamics, suggesting that varied pacing and intensity can lead to impactful conclusions that inspire action.
- 12.6: Fitting the Emotions to the Audience
- This page discusses how an argument's effectiveness relies on the writer's emotional expression and understanding of the audience's values and experiences. It warns that misjudging emotional appeals can weaken arguments, illustrated through immigration scenarios. The page stresses the need to tailor arguments to audience concerns and craft messages that resonate with various groups to enhance persuasive impact.
- 12.7: Legitimate and Illegitimate Emotional Appeals
- This page explores the role of emotional appeals in arguments, emphasizing their potential to enhance or undermine logical reasoning. It warns against distractions or fallacies and stresses the need for emotional appeals to be logically justified and subject to scrutiny. The discussion also touches on the debate over the appropriateness of emotional comparisons, especially in contentious issues like detention practices.
