"As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best results."
"If his tears as a marine taught him anything, it's that caution is the best policy in this sort of situation."
"Based on the dozens of archaeological expeditions I've made all over the world, I am confident that those potsherds are Mesopotamian in origin."
These are all examples of Ethos, which is an appeal to ethics. It is used as means of convincing an audience via the authority or credibility of the persuader.
In the first example, the doctor is the persuader, and is using his degree status and title to establish credibility in order for the patient to be persuaded that the treatment they are given will generate the best results.
The second example shows a marine and his experience with war to establish credibility in order to persuade others to believe caution is the best policy within war.
The third and final example is using archaeological expeditions to prove the speaker is credible and has what it takes to prove the potsherds are Mesopotamian in origin.
Aristotle once said "We believe good men more fully and more readily than others." This describes the sole purpose of ethos, which gives way to a successful path for persuasion.
These are good examples of ethos. I like how you shwed examples and then explained why they were ethos.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post and how it helped better understand ethos. I thought your examples were really helpful especially because I sometimes struggle with determining what is classified as ethos.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this, I think its very useful and will help understand ethos.
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