By Richard Nordquist. Grammar & Composition Expert

Richard Nordquist, Ph.D. in British, is professor emeritus of rhetoric and British at Lance armstrong Atlantic Condition College and also the author of two grammar and composition textbooks for school freshmen, Writing Exercises (Macmillan) and Passages: A Author’s Guide (St. Martin’s Press). Richard has offered because the About.com Help guide to Grammar Composition since 2006.

Updated This summer 14, 2016.

Definition

In classical rhetoric. logos may be the way of persuasion by illustration showing logical proof, real or apparent. Plural: logoi. Also known as rhetoricalargument. logical proof. and rational appeal .

Logos is among the three types of artistic proof in Aristotle’s rhetorical theory.

&#34Logos has numerous meanings,&#34 notes George A. Kennedy. &#34[I]its something that is ’said,’ but that is one word, a sentence, a part of an address or of the written work, or perhaps a whole speech.

Continue Studying Below

It connotes the information as opposed to the style (which may be lexis ) and frequently implies logical reasoning. Thus it may also mean ’argument ’ and ’reason’. Unlike ’rhetoric ,’ using its sometimes negative connotations. logos [within the classical era] was consistently considered like a positive element in human existence&#34 (A Brand New Good reputation for Classical Rhetoric. 1994).

See Examples and Observation below. Also see:

Etymology
In the Greek, &#34speech, word, reason&#34

Examples and Observations

• &#34Aristotle’s third component of proof [after ethos and pathos ] was logos . or logical proof. Like Plato, his teacher, Aristotle might have preferred that loudspeakers use correct reasoning, but Aristotle’s method of existence was more practical than Plato’s, and that he wisely observed that skilled loudspeakers could persuade by attractive to proofs that appeared true.&#34
  (Halford Ryan, Classical Communication for that Contemporary Communicator. Mayfield, 1992)

Continue Studying Below

• &#34The attracts reason why an orator would use don’t violate the concepts of strict logic they’re just adaptations of logic. So, whereas the syllogism and induction would be the forms that reasoning consumes logic, the enthymeme and also the example would be the forms that reasoning consumes rhetoric .&#34
  (Edward P.J. Corbett and Robert J. Connors, Classical Rhetoric for that Modern Student. Oxford College Press, 1999)
• Logos and also the Sophists
  &#34Virtually everyone considered a Sophist by offspring was worried about instruction in logos. Based on most accounts, the teaching from the skills of public argument was the important thing towards the Sophists’ financial success, along with a good a part of their condemnation by Plato.

&#34Any citizen [in ancient A holiday in greece] could finish in court with the necessity to defend themself, therefore, the Sophists’ teaching of logos was essential and useful. As Aristotle place it, ’It is absurd to carry that the man needs to be embarrassed with being not able to protect themself together with his braches, although not to be not able to protect themself with speech and reason, when using rational speech is much more distinctive of a person than using his braches’ (Rhetoric 1355b).&#34
(Edward Schiappa, Protagoras and Logos: Research in Greek Philosophy and Rhetoric. second erectile dysfunction.

College of Sc Press, 2003)