Logos

Recently in class we have been discussing logos. Logos is the use of statistics and facts to persuade an audience. We have learned about different types of logos, as well as logical fallacies. These discussions have enlightened me to the different types of rhetorical techniques and strategies used by people in the wider world, as well as those used in school by teachers and students.

Several logical fallacies include straw man, genetic, and stacking the deck. Straw man involves focusing on the weak point in an opponent's argument, and attacking it to destroy the the entire argument. Genetic fallacies involve pointing to the origin of something or someone, rather than its current positions, in order to discredit it. Stacking the deck involves rejecting or ignoring any evidence that could support an opponent's argument.

After learning about these fallacies, as well as others, it is amazing to me how often people rely on them as opposed to actual solid arguments. As you might have noticed, these techniques are often used by people in positions of power, such as everyone's favorites, Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. It is unfortunate that two presidential candidates must rely on fallacies, as opposed to thoughtful, well-composed arguments.

Thus, in short, what we have been learning in class has opened my eyes to how arguments are constructed, both the good and the bad.