Logos

Logos

The use of logos is called a “logical appeal.” A statement does not have to be considered logical to be a logical appeal. As an observer, you can recognize that the rhetor (an orator) is attempting to use logos to persuade the audience, but that recognition doesn’t mean the rhetor is succeeding. We use the term logos to describe what kind of rhetorical appeal is being made, not to evaluate whether or not an appeal makes sense to us (as observers) or to the audience being addressed. “Logos” is the use of the strategies of logic to persuade your audience. If an statement attempts to persuade the audience by making a reasonable claim and offering proof in support of that claim (rather than by trying to make them feel certain emotions, or by making them perceive the speaker as credible), then that statement is a logical argument.

Mistakes to avoid When you are engaged in rhetorical analysis, you are an observer of the interaction between the rhetor and the audience. So it’s not your job to decide whether or not an argument is logical. Instead, it’s your job to decide whether or not an argument will be perceived by the audience as logical.