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Chapter 10
- 1. Chapter 10 PersuasiveSpeaking in a Democratic Society
- 2. The Anatomy ofPublic Controversy ~ Persuasion is rooted in controversy. ~ We deal with personal controversies every day, yet not all controversies involve matters of public importance.
- 3. Ethos, Pathos, LogosEthos-- the audience’s perception of whether a speaker is qualified on a given topic. (competence/character) Logos —when evidence or supporting materials used to prove or disprove a claim. Pathos --emotional appeal (fear, compassion, pride, anger, guilt, reverence, etc.)
- 4. Questions of Fact,Value & Policy ~ Persuasive issues revolve around questions of fact (what is true), value (what is good or bad), and policy (what should be done in the future). ~ As you prepare to speak about a particular topic, you need to identify the types of issues surrounding that topic and focus your efforts on unresolved controversies.
- 5. Ethical Proof inPersuasive Speaking (Ethos) Trustworthiness Competence Open-mindedness Dynamism
- 6. Factors Influencing EthosShow your audience that you share their experiences and concerns. Bolster your ethos with reputable experts. Strengthen your ethos with personal experiences. Strive to be clear and interesting. Show your audience that you have considered different points of view Develop a dynamic, audience-centered delivery.
- 7. Appealing to AudienceEmotions Affective language Identify shared values Use vivid detail Use visualization Compare the unfamiliar to the familiar
Editor's Notes
- #3 When you speak about a public controversy, you have an obligation to do more than simply express your opinion. As a citizen, you have an obligation to back up your opinions with arguments and evidence. Prayer in the schools, the future of social security, the patriot act, illegal immigration, affirmative action, medical malpractice, gay marriage; all of these issues spark controversy because people have strong yet conflicting opinions. They are public controversies because they affect large numbers of people – and because they require that we make decisions about new laws, how to spend tax dollars, or what programs and policies we adopt.
- #6 Ethical proof: refers to the audience’s perception of the credibility of the speaker and his or her sources. The constituents of strong ethos are trustworthiness, competence, open-mindedness, and dynamism.
- #8 For persuasion to take place, you need to engage your listeners’ emotions. You can engage your audience’s emotions by using strong, affective language, appealing to shared social values, providing specific, vivid details, helping listeners to visualize what you are talking about, or comparing the unfamiliar to the familiar. Emotional appeals, however, can be deceptive and manipulative and should never replace reasoned arguments (think back the demagogue videos).