The Art of Rhetoric: What Aristotle Knew

2,300 years ago Aristotle wrote a groundbreaking book on persuasion, shaping the foundations of rhetorical theory: The Art of Rhetoric.

His goal was to show how to connect with people emotionally, to gain their trust and resonate with them on a deeper plane.

In his work, Aristotle focused on three rhetorical appeals.

• Logos: Substance and Structure (of the speech)

• Ethos: Character and Credibility (of the speaker)

• Pathos: Emotion and Values (of the audience)

Let’s explore these in greater detail.

 #1 Logos

Logos means that from the audience’s point of view, the speaker’s words make sense. Both parties exist in the same reality.

It’s about making meaningful connection between facts and supporting claims with evidence and statistics.

But, rather than operating from first principles, Aristotle preferred enthymemes for speech - rhetorical syllogisms where one or more premises are left unstated, relying on the audience's ability to fill in the gaps.

Enthymemes are based on probabilities, accepted beliefs rather than universal truths and Aristotle recognised that they made arguments more accessible and impactful.

Think of a speech as a castle. Logos allows the speaker to build on solid foundations rather than on sand.

 #2 Ethos

Aristotle referred to ethos as persuasion through character.

Ethos is the second ingredient Aristotle highlights in The Art of Rhetoric and is about the speaker’s credentials, their reputation.

What do you do to research someone? You google them. What have they worked on before? What is their background?

Isn’t google great for the modern era? It makes life so much easier!

Comparatively, in Aristotle’s day, you would largely learn about someone’s reputation through word of mouth.

And, the ancient Greeks had their own version of social media: the agora, where people would give speeches to the crowd and rise or fall on their own merits.

The tone of their voice, the way they moved and delivered words - all contributed to building or not building faith in their ethos.

Think of ethos as building the walls of the castle, with careful design, each wall being a pillar of credibility.

 #3 Pathos

Pathos is the tapping into the audience’s emotion and perhaps the least understood of Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals.

To utilise pathos in rhetoric was, in Aristotle’s view, to appeal to the values and beliefs of the audience, to sway them to a point of view.

This can be done ethically or unethically - that’s where ethos comes in.

Think of pathos this way: someone can try to persuade you of something using facts and logic. They may even have a history of good character.

But, if you don’t feel as a human, you won’t change.

After all, humans judge situations differently, depending on their emotional state. So, if the speaker wants to have any hope of persuading the audience to their point of view, they have to know the audience so they can present their beliefs with a dose of pathos.

Pathos is the vibrant flag on the top of the castle. The symbol that gives others hope, that makes them buy into the vision delivered by the speaker.

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The art of rhetoric hasn’t changed in over 2,000 years. The timeless wisdom of Aristotle continues to be used today by successful leaders all over the world.

Build your rhetorical castle. just make sure its foundation is unshakeable.