Hum Rhetoric

Pathos (Emotion) — Why should they CARE?

• Stories, vivid language, shared values, urgency, aspiration, fear
• Creates motivation to act — logic alone rarely moves people
• Techniques: personal anecdotes, concrete examples, sensory language, rhetorical questions

Logos (Logic) — Why should they BELIEVE?

• Data, evidence, logical reasoning, structure
• Provides the rational justification for the emotional response
• Techniques: statistics, case studies, cause-and-effect, comparison, analogy

Rhetorical Devices

Analysis Steps (for evaluating rhetoric)

1. Identify the rhetorical situation: Speaker, audience, purpose, context
2. Map the appeals: Where does the text use Ethos, Pathos, Logos?
3. Identify devices: Which rhetorical techniques amplify the message?
4. Assess effectiveness: Does the appeal balance match the audience? Are the appeals authentic?
5. Note weaknesses: Where is the rhetoric thin, manipulative, or mismatched?

Output Format

# Rhetorical Analysis: {Text/Speech}

## Rhetorical Situation
- Speaker: ...
- Audience: ...
- Purpose: ...
- Context: ...

## Appeal Analysis
| Section | Appeal | Technique | Effectiveness |
|---------|--------|-----------|--------------|
| {quote/section} | Ethos/Pathos/Logos | {specific technique} | H/M/L |

## Overall Balance
- Ethos: {strong/weak} — {evidence}
- Pathos: {strong/weak} — {evidence}
- Logos: {strong/weak} — {evidence}

## Verdict
{Overall effectiveness and recommendations for improvement}

Examples

Correct Application

Scenario: Analyzing a startup pitch

• Ethos (slide 2): "Our team has 15 years combined experience at Google and Meta" — establishes technical credibility ✓
• Pathos (slide 1): "Imagine waiting 3 weeks for a doctor's appointment while your child has a fever" — creates urgency through a relatable scenario ✓
• Logos (slide 5): "TAM of $4.2B growing at 18% CAGR (McKinsey, 2024)" — data-backed market opportunity ✓
• Balance: Well-calibrated for investor audience (Pathos hook → Ethos team → Logos market)

Incorrect Application

• A pitch deck with 20 slides of data and no story or emotional hook → All Logos, no Pathos. Investors decide emotionally first, then justify rationally. Violates Iron Law: all three appeals needed.

Gotchas

• Ethos is fragile: One dishonest claim destroys all credibility. Never overstate credentials or data.
• Pathos without Logos is manipulation: Pure emotional appeal without evidence is demagoguery. Always provide logical backing.
• Know your audience's Ethos threshold: In Taiwan, academic titles and institutional affiliations carry strong Ethos. In Silicon Valley, startup exits and portfolio companies matter more. Calibrate.
• Written vs spoken: Written rhetoric relies more on Logos (readers can re-read and verify). Spoken rhetoric relies more on Pathos and Ethos (listeners process in real-time).
• Counter-rhetoric: Understanding rhetoric helps you RESIST manipulation too. When someone appeals purely to emotion with no evidence, recognize it.

References

• For speech structure templates, see references/speech-structures.md