January, 2010 "Ethos, Logos, Pathos"

The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, lived from 384 to 322 BC.  He was a teacher of Alexander the Great and a younger contemporary of Plato.  In 335 he founded the Peripatetic school of philosophy.  He was known for his "walking around" teaching at the Lyceum.  Aristotle was a gifted and profound thinker.  His influence has impacted many of the great Christian theologians, scholars like Thomas Aquinas.  His metaphysics is studied to this day.
 
Aristotle taught that rhetoric has three forms: ethos, logos, and pathos.  Each of these three forms is used by the narrator to persuade an audience.  As an undergraduate philosophy major, I remember studying all this very carefully.  I confess I needed to refresh myself on some of his ideas for this article.  He also taught masterfully about memory, but I can't remember the details.  I should have paid more attention in class when we studied memory.

Ethos is essentially character.  When a speaker is addressing an audience, the character of that person influences the way the message is received.  We listen more favorably to a person whose character we respect and admire than to one we do not.  Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, will be heard more sympathetically than Rod Blagojevich.  Character matters.   The word ethics is derived from the root ethos.  Ethics is about character. 

Logos is persuasion expressed with words using the principles of logic and reason.   Speakers use narrative to explain and convince.   The more effective they are in the use of words, the more persuasive they become.  This is the thinking side of rhetoric.  We admire the narrator who uses reason and logic to develop a point of view.  Well crafted argument is satisfying to the hearers.  

Pathos is the expression of emotion.  The word literally means "suffering - to feel pain."  Rhetoric includes the use of feelings to persuade.  Aristotle noted that even the most rational of arguments can be modified by pathos.   The feelings of an audience influence how they hear even the most rational of data.  If an audience is angry (for whatever the reason), even a well constructed, logical argument may be unpersuasive.  An angry jury will hear the presentation of the case much differently than one that is not angry. 

Ethos, logos, and pathos.  

Christian life includes these three categories as well.  We want our faith to reflect strong, deep character.  We are people of principle and values.  The Gospel truly has a foundational message about life and how to live it.  Christian faith has an ethos.  We also want our faith to have intellectual integrity and be anchored in truth.  Faith does not require the suspension of reason.  It has logos.  And finally, our faith is passionate.  It has feeling, pathos.  As a new year begins, let each of us strive to strengthen the three -- ethos, logos, and pathos.  Let us shore up that which needs our attention.