argumentation examples

Effective Rhetoric Examples

Prose Text

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste

This article from the Scientific American is an example of good rhetorical strategy. First of all, the ethos of the author is established right away by the title of the publication- Scientific American. To the reader this indicates that the information contained in the article will be science-based and relatively accurate, as opposed to some editorial articles. Although the article is in a scientific journal, the author also starts out with a story from "The Simpsons" to enable the reader to better identify them. By mentioning a common t.v. show, the author shows that the article is not "too" scientific for everyday readers. Additionally, the author appeals to the emotions of the audience through their fear of radiation and radioactive particles. Comparing coal ash to nuclear radiation, a common fear for many people, is an effective way for the author to convince them of the dangers of coal ash. Finally, by using scientific terms like "millirems" and including quotes from an associate lab director, the author establishes the logos of the argument. Overall this piece uses rhetoric in an effective manner.

Visual

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ats3dClc0No

This video, though short, has a few good examples of effective argumentation. The narrator identifies the participants right away as people who have credibility and expertise on the subject: the National Field Coordinator for Appalachian Voices, the Hurricane Creekeeper, and the Watauga Riverkeeper. The audience recognizes these people as those who care about the environment and the river, and who have experience in this area. The visual images shown are designed to incite the emotions of the viewer. Dead fish, sludgy black water, and a complete lack of activity arouse anger in the audience. As to the utilization of logos, the narrator cites statements from the TVA website indicating that cleanup is underway, but the video provides clear evidence that none is underway, giving the audience good reason to believe that there is little being done. This video does a good job of arguing that the idea of clean coal is not working, at least in its present state.

Ineffective Rhetoric

Prose

http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/the-scandal-of-coal-ash-dumps/

This article is not the best example of good use of rhetorical strategies. The author does not really give the audience any reason to listen to her, establishing her credibility only by the fact that she lives near an area where water contamination poses a health risk. However, this does not necessarily make her a trustworthy or an expert. The author also does not inspire the pathos of her audience in a good way; for most of the article it seems like she is complaining about the state of the environment, but not offering any real solutions. She clamors for the reader to be involved, but does not offer concrete reasons or emotional appeals. While she does include some logistical information to back up her argument, most of it is vague; she provides little explanation of her statement that coal ash has claimed the lives of more than 104,000 miners in the past century. This argument attempts to engage the audience, but falls short through a lack of logos and ethos.

Visual
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcUzdUtD7Dw&feature=related

This piece employs almost all of the strategies of rhetoric very poorly. The author gives no indication as to why the audience should listen to or believe what she has to say, and does almost nothing to establish her ethos. In addition, the facts, or logos of her argument are relatively weak. She gets the name of the town wrong, calling it Harrison instead of Harriman, which damages the believability of her argument. Her statements are vague and sometimes unclear; she uses "like" a lot and she does not present her facts very professionally or scientifically. Other than stating the dangers of the fly ash in order to make people fear the effects of the disaster, she does not do a good job of presenting her argument in a clear, factual, and believable way. The viewer sees no reason to listen to her argument, and she basically states that other people should care about this event because she cares, without really giving them good facts or using strategies to appeal to their values.

cradle to cradle

McDonough and Braungart approach their argument for cradle to cradle, eco-effective buildings and products in a different way than Monbiot. First they establish pathos with the reader by adopting a conversational style, drawing their audience in. They ask questions of the reader, making them curious and engaging them in a discussion of possible answers. Their hopeful tone also makes the reader pay attention: they focus not on the problems but the solutions, saying that environmental effectiveness doesn't have to be boring and minimalist.

The authors introduce logos to their argument by explaining the tests they performed during their research, and by using scientific terms like "off-gassed" and "halogenated hydrocarbons." They also discuss retention rates and the testable effectiveness of their ideas, which convinces the reader of the feasibility of their solutions.

Finally, McDonough and Braungart identify themselves as believable sources of information by eplaining their direct involvement in the designing and testing of buildings and products. For example, on page 75 they state that William McDonough's firm designed successful "cradle to cradle" based factories and office buildings. By engaging the reader in a conversation based in personal stories concerning their argument, they establish their trustworthiness and knowledge of the subject, emphasizing their experience and credibility.

Monbiot rhetoric

George Monbiot does an excellent job of incorporating numerous aspects of rhetoric in his argument for fighting climate change. Monbiot's audience is the general population, and like Carson, he has to walk a fine line between being too technical and making his audience understand what he is talking about. As an environmental activist, Monbiot is probably used to speaking in ways that the general population can comprehend, and he does a good job of establishing himself as someone they should listen to.

Monbiot uses ethos in the first paragraph to demonstrate his credibiility; by mentioning that he had previously spoken on climate change, he illustrates to the reader that he is someone whose statements can be trusted and that others have deemed him credible enough to give a lecture on the subject of the environment. He also associates himself with his audience instead of villifying them; by using "we" repeatedly on page xvi he establishes his credibility as someone who understands and empathizes with his audience. He admits that what he says may disturb or offend the reader, which makes him seem trustworthy, in that he will not try to sugarcoat his message or as he says on page xxi, "confirm what you believe to be true." In addition, by conceding the problem, saying that it will be difficult to abandon the comforts of the modern world and that many of the advances we have made are beneficial, he accomodates the fact that the reader may have a dissenting veiwpoint, giving him more credibility.

Monbiot also utilizes pathos in his appeal to the audience in order to generate interest in his argument. He uses various predictions based on scientific studies to incite a sort of fear in the reader. The reader fears that what he predicts may come to pass, and they can become more emotionally invested in what Monbiot has to say. For example, on page 6 Monbio discusses the spread of disease, water shortages, and droughts that could come about as a result of climate change in every part of the world. The audience understands that these changes could affect them and their families.

Ultimately, much of Monbiot's argument rests on the strategy of logos, and he uses a multitude of logical evidence to support his claims. On page xxiii he lists the various organizations, scientific and governmental alike, from which he gathered information. His statements are well-supported by footnotes explaining his statements more fully, especially those that are more scientific or math based. He also cites various scientific studies and papers published on the topic of climate change; for example on page 12 he quotes from researchers at the National Oceanography Centre. Interspersed throughout the article are scientific and technical terms that reinforce the logic of his argument.

Overall, Monbiot uses each of the three concepts of rhetoric skillfully and successfully in order to gain the reader's trust and enable them to fully understand the topic that he is trying to present. He illustrates not only the problems, but also the possible solutions to these problems. By stressing "feasibility" he assures the reader that industrial civilization can still be possible with massive reductions in pollution and energy-saving solutions.

The Earth is Worth It

In considering my stance on the subject of environmental ethics, I tend to place myself at the more ecocentric end of the spectrum of beliefs. My experiences and influences have all geared me toward an appreciation and respect for natural life and its preservation; one of my most firmly held beliefs is that humankind can no longer continue to exploit the Earth’s resources without facing disastrous consequences. I believe that a richer, more fulfilling experience can be gained through a new, environmentally-conscious relationship with nature, and that humans can only stand to benefit spiritually and physically through less exploitative practices. Processes that destroy and pollute the landscape destroy and pollute mankind in return.

I have come to this particular viewpoint through a wide variety of influential experiences and people. Growing up, I was surrounded by nature; my house backed up to an abandoned orchard, behind which sprawled the Patapsco State Park. My father was always throwing me and my brother outside, and left to our own devices we would wander the park, soaking ourselves catching crawfish in the river, or hanging from the apple and pear trees that spotted the field. We once found a dead grey mouse curled up by an old shed by the orchard and held an elaborate burial ceremony, heaping wildflowers and planting a tree at the head of the grave, over which we erected a headstone consisting of a piece of bark upon which we tenderly inscribed “here lies the mouse.” That grave is gone now, as are the pear trees, and the apple trees, and the fields of tall waving grasses dotted with goldenrod, all plowed over by the developer who planted a grove of beige houses in their stead. The places where I used to play as a child are now somebody’s driveway, somebody’s kitchen. The neighborhood grows a little more each year, eroding the wall of green that used to surround it, grasping with asphalt tentacles at what little remains. Having seen places in nature that I treasure succumb to development, I know the value of protecting what we have left.

Later, long after the disappearance of the orchard, I traveled to Costa Rica where I worked on an organic banana farm that focused on sustainability. I saw how the sustainable initiatives of El Yue enriched the community and limited the amount of waste and pollution that the farm produced. Though I was without any sort of technology, I did not miss it, and in fact welcomed the change. The abundance of plant and animal life I encountered everywhere only served to reiterate to me what we have lost in the United States as a result of our relentless pursuit of industrialization and ecologically insensitive development. We traveled around the entire country. First we roamed the hot grey sand beaches where tiny blue crabs scuttled over the rocks and waves crashed and swirled, spitting out surfers. Then to the misty, cool mountains of Monteverde, where you could see the clouds billowing out of the cloudforest at sunset, looking as though you could walk away across the treetops. Being in a place where nature was so close at hand, so unrestrained, cemented my attachment to the environment. I held a baby toucan in my hands, saw a coral reef out of which fish of every color exploded if you got too close. It is hard to understand the importance of conserving these things if they are already gone, lost to a shopping mall parking lot or a McDonalds.

My mother is essentially the backbone of my ethic; her beliefs have transmitted to me an environmental consciousness and a realization of the impacts we all have on our surroundings. As a holistic health counselor, my mother has oriented my family toward an appreciation and understanding of the relationship between the human body and the healing that can come from nature. And while my father likes to joke about her “witchcraft” and gobbledegook mumbo-jumbo crackpot theories, I have taken a lot of the more practical applications of her beliefs to heart. Eat locally. Eat organic. Use natural remedies in place of pharmaceutical medication. Believe in your body’s power to heal itself. Positive thinking yields positive results. I know that it all sounds very “new-agey”, and in high school I was constantly mortified by my mother’s bizarre behavior, but now it seems to make more sense.

I suppose that my environmental ethic centers around a respect and appreciation for those things that nature has to offer us. I believe in a future where sustainable development is widespread, and the places we have left to us are preserved. I believe in the power of individual effort, but I also know that policy changes must occur in order to promote a general reorientation towards ecocentric and environmentally responsible practices.

ethics draft

In considering my stance on the subject of environmental ethics, I tend to place myself at the more ecocentric end of the spectrum of beliefs. My experiences and influences have all geared me toward an appreciation and respect for natural life and its preservation; one of my most firmly held beliefs is that humankind can no longer continue to exploit the Earth’s resources without facing disastrous consequences. I believe that a richer, more fulfilling experience can be gained through a new, environmentally-conscious relationship with nature, and that humans can only stand to benefit spiritually and physically through less exploitative practices. Processes that destroy and pollute the landscape destroy and pollute mankind in return.

I have come to this particular viewpoint through a wide variety of influential experiences and people. Growing up, I was surrounded by nature- my house backed up to an abandoned orchard, behind which sprawled the Patapsco State Park. My father was always throwing me and my brother outside, and left to our own devices we would wander the park, soaking ourselves catching crawfish in the river or hanging from the apple and pear trees that spotted the field. We once found a dead grey mouse curled up by an old shed by the orchard and held an elaborate burial ceremony, heaping wildflowers and planting a tree at the head of the grave, over which we erected a headstone consisting of a piece of bark upon which we tenderly inscribed “here lies the mouse.” That grave is gone now, as are the pear trees, and the apple trees, and the fields of tall waving grasses dotted with goldenrod, all plowed over by the developer who planted a grove of beige houses in their stead. The places where I used to play as a child are now somebody’s driveway, somebody’s kitchen. The neighborhood grows a little more each year, eroding the wall of green that used to surround it, grasping with asphalt tentacles at what little remains. Having seen places in nature that I treasure succumb to development, I know the value of protecting what we have left.

Later, long after the disappearance of the orchard, I traveled to Costa Rica, where I worked on an organic banana farm that focused on sustainability. I saw how the sustainable initiatives of El Yue enriched the community and limited the amount of waste and pollution that the farm produced. Though I was without any sort of technology, I did not miss it, and in fact welcomed the change- the abundance of plant and animal life I encountered everywhere only served to reiterate to me what we have lost in the United States as a result of our relentless pursuit of industrialization and ecologically insensitive development. We traveled around the entire country, first roaming the hot grey sand beaches where tiny blue crabs scuttled over the rocks and waves crashed and swirled, spitting out surfers. Then to the misty, cool mountains of Monteverde, where you could see the clouds billowing out of the cloudforest at sunset, looking as though you could walk away across the treetops. Being in a place where nature was so close at hand, so unrestrained cemented my attachment to the environment. I held a baby toucan in my hands, saw a coral reef out of which fish exploded if you got too close. It is hard to understand the importance of conserving these things if they are already gone, lost to a shopping mall parking lot or a McDonalds.

My mother is essentially the backbone of my ethic; her beliefs have transmitted to me an environmental consciousness and a realization of the impacts we all have on our surroundings. As a holistic health counselor, my mother has oriented my family toward an appreciation and understanding of the relationship between the human body and the healing that can come from nature. And while my father likes to joke about her “witchcraft” and gobbledegook mumbo-jumbo crackpot theories, I have taken a lot of the more practical applications of her beliefs to heart. Eat locally. Eat organic. Use natural remedies in place of pharmaceutical medication. Believe in your body’s power to heal itself. Positive thinking yields positive results. I know that it all sounds very new-agey, and in high school I was constantly mortified by my mother’s bizarre behavior, but now, it seems to make more sense.

I suppose that my environmental ethic centers around a respect and appreciation for those things that nature has to offer us. I believe in a future where sustainable development is widespread, and the places we have left to us are preserved. I believe in the power of individual effort, but I also know that policy changes must occur in order to promote a general reorientation towards environmentally responsible practices.

Williams

In the excerpts selected from "An Unspoken Hunger," Terry Tempest Williams employs a number of different rhetorical and expressive strategies in order to engage the reader. In the piece on Yellowstone, Williams' repetition of verbs and short phrases emphasizes the constant activity and change occuring in nature, particularly in Yellowstone, and enables the reader to visualize the park as a dynamic, living force - it brings the area to life in the very first paragraph. By repeating in consecutive paragraphs on page 84 that the Yellowstone Ecosystem/ Echo System is "Pansexual," and listing all the natural entities that are loved by this landscape, Williams personifies the relationship between the landscape and its occupants, as well as between the people who come into contact with it. She demonstrates to the reader the importance of engaging in a loving relationship with the land, and the vocabulary that she employs reinforces this point, using words like "passion," "love," "sensual," and "erotic." Overall the effect is one that brings the landscape to life and makes the reader realize that a closer relationship with nature is possible.
Conversely, in "Redemption," the tone is darker, more violent. Images of crucifixion, tearing and cutting, and the "ragged" edges of the hide illustrate the less loving side of humans' relationship with nature. In such a short passage, the theme of religion dominates, with references to prayer, sacredness, and crucifixion; the reader can see the effects of the warring religions of man and nature.
"Winter Solstice at the Moab Slough" is also imbued with references to religion and spirituality, relationships, love and renewal. Essentially, Williams uses these themes to illustrate to the reader that it is important to form loving relationships with the landscape as a path to renewal for both man and nature. Religious images reinforce the idea of forming a "connection" to the land and having faith in its ability to nourish and love mankind in return.

Place

Although I was only there for one summer, I consider the small town of Limon in Costa Rica to be a place I know very well. I went to Costa Rica on a volunteer trip in the summer of 2007, and was assigned to a banana farm in a remote area of Limon called El Yue. I had never been to Costa Rica before, let alone out of the country, so I had little idea of what to expect. Stepping off the plane onto the runway I was smothered by the intense humidity; everything was vibrantly green and the airport seemed as if it was rapidly losing a battle to keep its place against the surrounding wilderness. I rode a bus through the mountains to El Yue, through heavy blankets of mist and creeping vegetation that overran the potholed roads, switching to the back of a pickup for the last leg of the ride. As we bounced along dirt paths through the jungle, howler monkeys clambered through the trees overhead, screeching and hurling nuts and whatever else they could get their hands on. We finally arrived at El Yue, a small farm in the jungle backed by a wide, muddy river. Trees heavy with vines drooped over the small dirt paths that crisscrossed the farm, and running parallel to each was a smaller path worn down by the hordes of leafcutter ants that ran along it each night. The banana grove was accessible by the “Puente Mono Loco,” or Crazy Monkey Bridge, which was essentially two logs in a relative state of decay. When night fell, the blackness was so complete you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. It was the farthest I’d been from home, but over that summer it became one of my favorite places.