Aristotle's Second Means Of Persuasion

Presidents have delivered some of the most historic speeches, which are remembered and studied for years. Political speeches are often persuasive in nature and are written with the intention of convincing the audience to agree with a political view or to elect a politician. Rhetoric is defined as the art of persuasion of as many people as possible, or the study of effective speaking and writing. It is difficult to discuss rhetoric without thinking of politicians and how they use their ability to speak to accomplish their political goals or further their careers. The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote a treatise on the study of rhetoric and how a person could become a successful speaker. This essay will discuss what qualities and techniques
(Aristotle 182) June 12, 1963 President Kennedy spoke at a commencement ceremony at American’s University Reeves Athletic Center in Washington, D.C., on one of the hottest days of the year. The speech begins much as one would expect a commencement speech to, but very quickly the President shifts topics. His transition remarks are, “I have, therefore, chosen this time and this place to discuss a topic on which ignorance too often abounds and the truth is too rarely perceived--yet it is the most important topic on earth: world peace.” (jfklibrary.org) Even reading this speech stirs my emotions, I cannot imagine anyone present that day not feeling emotionally moved by the President’s words. He calls upon Americans to change their attitudes about the possibility of peace, and explains what kind of peace he is hoping for – real peace, genuine
(Aristotle 182) In April 1961, the Soviet space program sent cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first to orbit the earth. Many Americans feared the Soviet Union and were concerned about what this meant for the safety of our country. President Kennedy used this fear and logic to help focus and drive our country in the right direction for space exploration. He used logic with congress to secure money to further finance NASA, by explaining that we needed to make sure we were involved in space exploration or we would be left behind. On September 12, 1962 President Kennedy gave the Moon Speech at Rice Stadium in Texas. He was laying out his goals and reasons for space exploration. As he was explaining to cost he stated, “This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined. That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year--a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year.” (jfklibrary.org) He used humor and facts to explain that although space exploration will cost a lot, it seems more realistic when compared to a common item like tobacco. This is the type of example or enthymeme that Aristotle spoke about when using logic to persuade the audience. (Aristotle