Ideas how to persuade someone

1. ARGUMENTATION
PROPOSING AND
SUPPORTING CLAIMS

2. Intellectual traditions
Classical humanism
Social reconstructivism
Progressivism

3. Hungarian and North American
writers
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Thesis
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Thesis
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North
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4. According to other opinions, however, there is „no
place” in society for those who cannot live a full life.
Those who are unable to work and live on state
benefits only hinder social progress. In fact, they
promote the spiritual development of society. From
them, we can learn to accept differences, and help
those in need. Of course, it would be better for them
as well if it wasn’t necessary. Maybe we could rather
help them by reprogramming their genetic material.
We cannot be sure if it will ever be possible.
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Alternating
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North
American

5. Requirements of Anglo-American
argumentative rhetoric
Listener/reader-friendly style
a confident opinion statement,
a primary focus on justifying this claim,
strongly linked evidence/reasoning,
clear connections, linking,
reservations and alternative opinions are
evaluated in the light of the author’s
opinion,
conclusions drawn for the audience.

6. Structural features of
argumentation: Aristotelian rhetoric
1. Introduction
- obtaining the good-will and sympathy of the audience
- naming the main theme or proposition
- naming the subthemes
- narration aiming to establish a positive atmosphere
2. Body
- elaboration of the theme
- argumentation
1. proving
refutation
2. proving
refutation
- summary
3. Conclusion

7. Ethos
Pathos
Logos
A variety of genres

8. Discourse organisation
Through Argumentation
Thesis: Genetic engineering will
benefit people.
Support 1: Genetic engineering helps
prevent diseases.
Support 2: Genetic engineering
enables parents to choose the sex of
their children.

9. Counter Argumentation
Antithesis: Some say that we won’t
be able to enjoy the advantages, as
people will not respect the limits of
this technology.
Evaluation: I believe that with
appropriate legal measures and
awareness raising it can be kept
under control, and
Thesis: genetic engineering will
benefit the human kind.

10. Argument schemata
reasoning: the combination of ideas
according to a certain logic
evidence: opinions, facts, figures,
common beliefs to support a
viewpoint
appeal to the audience: involving the
audience through addressing,
questions, appealing to common
knowledge

11. Reasoning
Comparison/contrast
“If all the people are the same,than we are more
likely to be wiped out by a disease or virus. It was
the same in the case of the Irish potato famine: it
happened because almost all of the potatoes in
Ireland were genetically the same and were
infected.”
Cf. dramatic contrast
“Ten years ago we had a reputation of excellence.
Today we are in danger of losing reputation.”

12. Cause-effect
“I saw on a Discovery Magazine Billboard
a picture of a baby with the number 120
next to it implying the child's life
expectancy, now that is a little scary. As
we start making a healthier race and they
keep living longer, we will way
overpopulate and starve everyone out.”
Phenomenon - symptom
“In addition to medicine, genetic
engineering could also be useful in plant
biology. Imagine growing huge foods, big
enough to feed entire families.”

13. Evidence
Other’s words, quotes
“… many people are worried that GE
will be carried beyond healthy limits.”
“According to Shakespeare, an orator
always performs two speeches
simultaneously: one that the audience
can see and another that they can
hear. „

14. Personal evidence
“I have worked summers on organic
farms and have felt the financial pain
of small-scale farming.”
Real-life examples
“Genetic engineering fulfils what the
Nazis wanted in World War ll – to
enable certain human beings to be
perfect.”

15. Facts and figures
“30% of the interviewees said that
they had not had any systematic
training in essay writing previously.”
Fiction
“Genetic engineering can easily lead
to the human selection described in
the film ‘Gattaca’.”

16. Communal knowledge/experience
“ As we all know, we are already
overpopulated, but we would be
jamming people into the tightest
places because there would be no
room.”

17. Appeal to the audience
Initiating involvement through
finding common ground,
addressing the audience directly
with “we” and “you”,
using rhetorical questions,
initiating real interaction through
questions.

18. Conclusion
Capture audience through different
channels:
- justify yourself
- appeal to logic
- appeal to emotions
- involve them