Aristotelian Rhetoric

What are logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos?

Logos (Greek for “word”)

- Used when appealing to logic and/or to reason.
- Focuses attention on the message and frequently uses data to support claim.
- Point’s out internal consistency and clarity within the argument.

Ethos (Greek for “character”)

- Used when appealing to character and/or to credibility.
- Focuses attention on the trustworthiness of the writer and/or speaker.
- May take care to show more than one side of an issue before arguing the preferred side- when
you use a counterargument to show an opposing side to an issue before explaining why your
thesis is still correct, you use ethos.
- May rely on one’s reputation for honesty or experience in a particular field.

Pathos (Greek for “suffering” or “experience”)

- Used when appealing to the audience’s capacity for empathy.
- Focuses attention on the values and beliefs of the intended audience.
- Often uses an imaginable story to exemplify logical appeals.
- Pathos appeals to our imaginations and feelings, helping the audience grasp an argument’s
significance in terms of how it would help or harm the tangible world around them.

Kairos (Greek for “right time,” “season” or “opportunity”)

- Used when appealing to the timeliness of an argument.
- Often, for an ad or an argument to be successful, it needs an appropriate tone and structure and
comes at the right time.
- Depending on who the audience is, you may adjust the timing, tone and level of formality within
the argument itself.