Question

persuasive language
lets focus on logos
logos is an appeal to logic; it is a means of convincing the audience through rational thought and reason.
how can you incorporate logos?

• you can use research and statistics to back-up your arguments. (87% of students benefit from textbooks, so...)
• you can use logical processes to explain your point – if this... then that... (if you dont want gum disease, then you should brush regularly.)
• you must give convincing, solid evidence and reasons to support your claims. (i need a car: it would make me more independent; save me money; improve my life.)

examples:

> ive not eaten meat for 8 years, and im fit and healthy; you cant argue that vegetarianism is always unhealthy.

> we have conducted the experiment 57 times and we get the same results every single time.

> that is not my wallet. my wallet has a tear in it. this wallet has no tear in it. therefore, it cannot be mine.

why use logos? if you can present a logical, rational argument to your audience, which engages their intellect and sense of reason, they are more likely to be persuaded.
task one: for each of the following, explain whether or not you think that logos is being used effectively.

		effective?	explain
1	\all men and women will die. you are a man. therefore, you will die one day.\
2	\everyone has children. therefore, everyone needs to think about the schooling of his or her children.\
3	\you dont need to jump in front of a train to know its a bad idea; so why do you need to try drugs to know if theyre damaging?\
4	\cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. so why start smoking?\
5	\every morning the rooster crows, then the sun rises. therefore the rooster causes the sun to rise.\

task two: for each of the following scenarios, write your own persuasive sentences using logos:

1. you are trying to persuade your brother to stop eating chocolate.

1. you are attempting to convince your class that they shouldnt drink and drive.

1. you are trying to persuade an audience that they should exercise more often.

© stacey l

Explanation:

This problem is about analyzing the use of logos (logical appeal) in arguments and creating persuasive sentences with logos. The subfield under Arts that best applies is Linguistics (or Writing, as it involves persuasive language use). For Task One, we analyze each argument for logical validity; for Task Two, we construct sentences using research/statistics, logical processes, and solid evidence.

Task One:

1. “All men and women will die. You are a man. Therefore, you will die one day.”

• Effective? Yes
• Explain: The argument uses a syllogism (major premise: all men/women die; minor premise: you are a man; conclusion: you will die). It’s a valid logical structure with true premises, so logos is used effectively.

1. “Everyone has children. Therefore, everyone needs to think about the schooling of his or her children.”

• Effective? No
• Explain: The premise “everyone has children” is false (e.g., childless people, children themselves). A false premise undermines the logic, so logos is not effective.

1. “You don’t need to jump in front of a train to know it’s a bad idea; so why do you need to try drugs to know if they’re damaging?”

• Effective? Yes
• Explain: The argument uses an analogy (train = drugs, “knowing it’s bad without trying” is the shared logic). It’s a logical comparison to persuade, so logos is effective.

1. “Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. So why start smoking?”

• Effective? Yes
• Explain: It uses research/statistics (chemicals, cancer-causing agents) to back the argument, providing solid evidence to dissuade smoking, so logos is effective.

1. “Every morning the rooster crows, then the sun rises. Therefore the rooster causes the sun to rise.”

• Effective? No
• Explain: This confuses correlation (rooster crows with sun rising) with causation. The rooster’s crow does not cause the sun to rise, so the logic is flawed.

Task Two (Examples):

1. Persuade brother to stop eating chocolate:

“Eating too much chocolate can lead to weight gain—studies show that a single chocolate bar has ~20 grams of fat and 250 calories. If you eat one daily, that’s 91,250 extra calories a year, which could add 26 pounds! Also, chocolate is high in sugar, and dentists say sugar causes 80% of cavities. So cutting back on chocolate will help you stay fit and keep your teeth healthy.”

1. Convince class not to drink and drive:

“Drunk driving is deadly: 30% of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol (per CDC). Even a small amount of alcohol slows reaction time—at 0.08 BAC, your reaction time doubles. If you drink and drive, you risk killing yourself, others, or getting a DUI (which means fines, jail time, and a ruined record). Is a night out worth that?”

1. Persuade audience to exercise more:

“Regular exercise reduces heart disease risk by 40% (Harvard study) and boosts mood—people who exercise 3x/week report 25% less stress. If you walk 30 minutes daily, you’ll burn 150 calories, lower blood pressure, and sleep better. So exercising more improves your health, happiness, and longevity.”

Answer:

Task One:

1. Effective? Yes

Explain: Valid syllogism with true premises.

1. Effective? No

Explain: False premise (“everyone has children”) undermines logic.

1. Effective? Yes

Explain: Logical analogy (train/drugs, “knowing bad without trying”).

1. Effective? Yes

Explain: Uses research/statistics (chemicals, cancer agents) as evidence.

1. Effective? No

Explain: Confuses correlation with causation.

Task Two (Sample Sentences):

1. “Eating too much chocolate can lead to weight gain—studies show that a single chocolate bar has ~20 grams of fat and 250 calories... Cutting back on chocolate will help you stay fit and keep your teeth healthy.”

1. “Drunk driving is deadly: 30% of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol... Is a night out worth that?”

1. “Regular exercise reduces heart disease risk by 40%... So exercising more improves your health, happiness, and longevity.”