Rhetorical Analysis Of The Perimeter Of Ignorance

Have you ever wondered how many discoveries have been lost due to ignorance and fear of the unknown? Usually, it pays to take a leap into the unknown and be rewarded with discoveries that could change the world of science. Author Neil deGrasse Tyson, in his article, “The Perimeter of Ignorance,” argues that ignorance is called upon when something is beyond our human minds, and science is dismissed instead of encouraged. In his article, he utilizes a variety of effective rhetorical methods not only to support his claim but to engage his reader. Author Tyson uses historical facts with credible figures and rhetorical questioning. He also engages the reader with humor and intriguing dialogue to keep the reader's attention, spark reflection, and challenge the reader's beliefs.
In addition to the first rhetorical strategy, he also uses ethos and logos. Tyson establishes his credibility and uses facts throughout the article to appeal to the reader's sense of reason. And by using both rhetorical devices, ethos and logos appeal to the reader's beliefs and reason. These rhetorical devices prompt the reader to reflect on their own ignorance and begin to make sense of Tyson’s main claim. And by doing so, the author gains more credibility with his readers, who are engaging with his claim. Throughout the article, Tyson uses vivid imagery to help paint a picture in the mind of the reader. The vivid imagery he describes helps evoke a sense of wonder as he engages the imagination of the reader with the description of the universe. Author Tyson describes the universe in a way that is tangible to the reader: “And as our ordinary, optical telescopes got bigger and better, more mayhem emerged: galaxies that collide and cannibalize each other, explosions of supermassive stars, chaotic stellar and planetary orbits”(3). In doing so, his rhetoric strategy works and creates a fun imagery of the