Aristotle on ETHOS

 

"Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think hum credible. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others: this is true generally whatever the question is, and absolutely true where exact certainty is impossible and opinions are divided. . . his character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion he possesses." Aristotle, Rhetoric 1.2.1356a.4‑12

 

HISTORICALLY, TWO VIEWS:

 

1. owned

 

2. created (an attribute),

 

Components of ethos ‑ "habits of mind" [hexis]

1. intelligence ="mental habits"
2. virtue = "moral habits"
3. good will = "emotional habits

 

Issues for rhetorical theory:

 

1. How does a positive judgment of speaker credibility come about?

 

2. How do we know when a speaker is lying, or isn't behaving credibly?

 

Characteristics of ethos:

 

1. ethos is developed in the message

 

2. ethos is dynamic

 

3. ethos is a caused response

 

Practice questions:

 

*Name some public figures with high ethos

 

*What rhetoric‑based characteristics give them high credibility?