Logos, Pathos and Ethos

These three words are examined by Aristotle in his book Rhetoric. Last fall, when I was an undergraduate at Heidelberg College, I completed an analysis of six speeches using the Neo-Aristotelian method and specifically the use of Pathos.

A quick overview of the three words in terms of rhetoric:

Logos: the reasoning, logic a speaker uses

Ethos: The character or disposition of a speaker

Pathos: The use of emotion in speech (compassion, pity, etc...)


Blogs are starting to be a critical source of news and information. However, as with anyone, the credibility (ethos) of writing in a blog comes into question (as well as it should be because even I have a blog!).

Newspapers are taking a hit from the internet; and more specifically, the blogosphere. But the "Newspaper of Record" has their own debacles to blame for their decreasing numbers:

The Wilson/Glater article, as in previous Times coverage:

• neglects to mention that Nifong's early comments on the case almost certainly violated Rules 3.8(f) of North Carolina's Code of Professional Responsibility, which forbids prosecutors from making extrajudicial comments that have "a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused." Few prosecutors in history have publicized their case and condemned potential defendants as egregiously as Nifong did. He was successful enough that his relentlessly repeated—and almost certainly false—accusation of racial rape has defined this case and The Times' coverage of it to this day.
• declines to state that Nifong's pre-indictment refusal to meet with defense lawyers who claimed to possess evidence of Reade Seligmann's innocence violated two other sections of Rule 3.8, comments 1 and 2. The first comment says that "a prosecutor has the responsibility of a minister of justice and not simply that of an advocate . . . This responsibility carries with it specific obligations to see that the defendant is accorded procedural justice"; the second holds that "a prosecutor should not intentionally avoid pursuit of evidence merely because he or she believes it will damage the prosecutor's case or aid the accused." Nifong's action was about as outrageous an abuse of power as any prosecutor can exercise. Think of one of your own children facing false indictment and a prosecutor refusing even to look at evidence proving their innocence.
• never explains that Nifong explicitly ordered Durham police officers to violate their own department's procedures regarding eyewitness identifications—an extraordinary action for any district attorney to take. The authors vaguely suggest that the lineup violated "generally accepted guidelines," not revealing the source for these guidelines.

However, the Duke chronicle has been amazing in their coverage and offering insight. But if I were to do a paper on the Duke case, which sources would be held in higher regard, The Duke Chronicle or the New York Times? In this regard, newspapers should largely blame themselves for less quality in news reporting. My kingdom for a Woodward and Bernstein.

In rhetoric, pathos and ethos have their importance (in my reports, I found that civilizing values play very important roles in a speech). However, how important are first impressions? This study found that people make a decision in less than a second about the quality of a web site. So, are people judging their beliefs about a blog because of logos (logic) or the aesthetics, word of mouth (ethos), or the emotions (pathos) created? We should all be cautioned to use a little less emotion and the credibility of the individual and use more logic.

Whether or not you agree with KC Johnson about his blog, he clearly plays on people's emotions. However, he did have to counteract emotions by some of those in Durham (Pg. 2). And every source of the media should be examined; do not assume one medium is better than another.

Fact was, in the Duke lacrosse case, Nifong early on stated that "innocent people do not need lawyers." We also knew very early on about conflicting stories by the (false accuser), she identified an individual as definitely being at the party that night when in fact he was with his girlfriend in another city, and we knew there was not any DNA of the accused found on the woman. Did anyone stop and logically think this through?

I never said early on I thought the boys were innocent; however, I did state that I have questions. News coverage and the facts did not always gel.