Rhetoric

The world is indebted to the Greeks due to their achievement in literature and art, but much more than this, they were given to arguments that fueled reasoning. They were also the founders of liberty of thought and discussion through rhetoric. There have been various definitions of rhetoric, and notable among these definitions is the knowing that rhetoric is a form of communication that aims at persuading others to buy into a concept or prompt them to take action. Aristotle was important as one of the founders of rhetoric.

As a result of differences, men assumed various positions in the past through many means, but one central approach that stood out was how they communicated. To some, ascendancy to nobility in the past was also achieved through communication, and men, through the apparatus of their speeches, were accepted to rule, or they were condemned to scorn. By the finesse in their communication, people argued their causes, and they were justified or condemned.

In persuading people, Aristotle made a case for rhetoric and opined on three elements crucial to rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos e means that whatever you say must be credible and follow an ethical standard, conforming to what is considered morally acceptable in society. This can be developed by building credibility within a domain. So, a person communicating must adhere to ethical standards when presenting his views. While pathos emphasizes a connection with emotions. What you say must resonate with people's emotional condition, as they are emotional and respond to it. Logos has ties with logic, putting evidence and facts into play. While communicating, you must present your points from the standpoint of logic, not hearsay or other controversies.

It is thus crucial to understand that communication is an art that can be learned and is also a survival skill. At every stage of life, you will communicate, and this is a defining factor that distinguishes humans. You cannot afford not to be able to communicate, and in doing that, you must be ethically prudent, pathologically sound, and logically driven in your thoughts.