Rhetoric Theory

Rhetoric Theory One of the most common theories in communication is rhetoric. “Rhetoric is communication that influences the attitudes or behaviors of others” (Alberts, Nakayama, and Martin 319). Rhetoric is what is used to persuade an audience. Philosophers have defined rhetoric in different ways. Plato defined rhetoric as “the art of winning the soul be discourse” (Alberts, Nakayama, and Martin 324). Aristotle, one of Plato’s students, said rhetoric was “the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion” (Alberts, Nakayama, and Martin 324). The theory was defined in different ways, depending on whether it was seen as positive or negative, by the philosopher. Although the definition has been altered …show more content…
Greek elders would teach young wealthy boys rhetoric tools to use in public speeches (Hannah et al.). The sophists expanded the teachings of rhetoric to the public. They traveled around Greece setting up schools to teach rhetoric strategies. The most famous Sophists schools were taught by both Gorgias and Isocrates (Mckay). Plato did not approve of the sophists teachings and had a negative view on rhetoric. Aristotle did not agree with his teacher Plato and believed rhetoric could be used for both good and bad depending on the ethics of the speaker. “Aristotle raised rhetoric to a science by systematically exploring the effects of the speaker, the speech, and the audience” (Griffin, Ledbetter, and Sparks). Aristotle studied and perfected the use of rhetoric. He believed there were rhetorical proofs that could be used to strengthen an argument. The three proofs were ethos, logos, and …show more content…
A company creates an ad that shows a before and after photo of a consumer and how much weight they lost. The company’s goal is to create a feeling of envy in the audience. The viewer is amazed from the transformation and wants to see the same results. The viewer’s emotions take hold of him and without thinking logically he orders the magic supplement. Pathos is the most successful rhetoric proof in advertisement regarding to fitness. A military recruiting ad would also attempt to use pathos towards its audience. The ad could focus on the pride of defending a country’s freedom or the respect the viewer receives as a soldier. A recruiting officer would emphasize the great feeling of pride and avoid discussion about the feeling of being in the middle of a war zone watching friends die. A speaker using pathos can take great advantage of the audience by bringing out emotions too strong to