The Magic of Persuasion!

There are three parts of ethos that play an important role while arguing. These are: the virtue, the practical wisdom and the selflessness or disinterest. While arguing one must apply these three tactics to be a good persuasive person.

After reading I realized that must if us use all these tactics in an argument. We use different tactics and tones of voice depending of the person we are addressing. When talking to a person that we admire we most of the times try to brag them and say good things about them. When talking to a teacher about the incredible academic achievement we’ve done we brag about ourselves saying good things. If while giving an argument we realize we are wrong we immediately change of topic and finish the argument by agreeing with our opponent. All of this things are related to ethos, we use them every day without noticing all the rhetoric it has behind.

While arguing, the only thing that concerns ourselves is the “audience’s interest” (56). Here, without noticing we are using one of the “three essential qualities of persuasive ethos” created by Aristotle. If the person with whom we are arguing is not concentrated in our point, then we just stop arguing and leave the topic behind. However, if we see that our opponent is interested with what we are saying then we continue arguing until we get to a point.

Getting to an agreement is the end for all discussions. If one is bored of arguing and wants the argument to come to an end then you just agree with your opponent. This happens to me a lot. For example lets pretend two students are arguing. One is CNG student and the other one is a student from Anglo Colombiano. They are arguing about which school is better. They may refer to the national rankings, in which our school is probably in the top eighty, while the Anglo must be in the top fifties. This is a very bad idea. Both persons wiil say good things about each school and will probably have evidence that supports their point. However they are not going to change their point of view because they love their school equally, therefore arguing about this topic will be irrelevant, for this reason the argument will probably arrive to an end.

In this situation the virtue is present, both persons know that both of them share the same values, however their opinions are different. The audience while be persuaded with the student that shows more knowledge toward the topic and with the one that demonstrates their ability to stand out without mattering the situation. Here is where ethos stands, character!

Without noticing we are using modes of rhetoric everyday!