What are logos, pathos, and ethos?

Logos, pathos, and ethos are the three modes of persuasion, or ways to persuade people. More specifically:

  • Logos appeals to the audience’s reason. It involves presenting logical arguments, statistics, and facts.
  • Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions. It involves influencing the audience’s emotions through storytelling or evocative language so that they are more likely to accept the speaker’s viewpoint.
  • Ethos appeals to the speaker’s or writer’s credibility. It involves establishing the speaker’s or writer’s authority, trustworthiness, and moral character, making the audience trust them.