Please read the following explanation of the difference between a logical and a fallacious appeal to emotion. Then, in a comment, give me an example of a logical use of emotional appeal and a fallacious use of emotional appeal, either an example from something you've read or observed or an example you've created.
"An appeal to emotion is a type of argument which attempts to arouse the emotions of its audience in order to gain acceptance of its conclusion. Despite the example of Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek television series, emotion is not always out of place in logical thinking. However, there is no doubt that strong emotions can subvert rational thought, and playing upon emotions in an argument is often fallacious.
When are appeals to emotion appropriate, and when are they fallacious? No student would attempt to prove a mathematical theorem by playing upon the teacher's sympathy for the long hours of hard work put into it. Such an appeal would be obviously irrelevant, since either the proof is correct or it is flawed, despite the student's best efforts. In contrast, if the teacher attempts to motivate the student to work on proving the theorem by invoking the specter of a failing grade, this appeal to fear is not irrelevant.
So, one distinction between relevant and fallacious appeals to emotion is based on the distinction between arguments which aim to motivate us to action, and those which are intended to convince us to believe something. Appeals to emotion are always fallacious when intended to influence our beliefs, but they are sometimes reasonable when they aim to motivate us to act. The fact that we desire something to be true gives not the slightest reason to believe it, and the fact that we fear something being true is no reason to think it false; but the desire for something is often a good reason to pursue it, and fear of something else a good reason to flee."
Logical use of an appeal to emotions:
ReplyDeleteThe emotional appeals in the Peter Singer Solution to World Poverty are logical. In the article, Singer appeals to people's emotions by talking about children starving and dying.
Illogical use of emotional appeal:
An example of an illogical appeal to emotions could be if someone prove a scientific theory by appealing to his peer's sympathy for attempting the experiment.
An example of a fallacious use of emotional appeal is when a diet commercial comes on TV. The commercial shows pictures of people who apparently have lost a lot of weight, holding up an old pair of pants which are clearly way to big. The commercial makes you feel like if you start this diet your pants will also be way to big. They also show these people comfortable in bathing suits, getting girlfriends or boyfriends, and being happy. When you see those people act so happy, the commercial persuades you to want to start the diet. This is fallacious because as much as you want to start a new diet that will immediately help you feel happier and skinner, that alone will not transform you into this newly happy person like you see on TV.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a logical use of emotional appeal is when your boss sees that you are not fulfilling the expectations of your job and so he tells you that if you do not begin to fulfill those expectations by getting to work early and leaving late every day to redo the work that was terribly done and be able to stay caught up with your current work, he will fire you.
“I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up.”
ReplyDelete― Gayle Forman, If I Stay
This is an appeal to your emotions. During this part in the book when she said this you feel bad for the author and for me, I got upset. I can't tell you what happens in the book, but because of Gayle Forman's use of pathos, your emotions are very effected. This doesn't necessarily "motivate me to act" but Forman used pathos really well, but didn't force any beliefs on me.
Fallacious appeals to emotions are easier to understand for most people because you want to go with your gut instinct. However, that's not always the best choice.
"I know I lied to you, but I mean, you lied to me the other day. So you can't actually be mad at me."
A clear example of logically using an emotional appeal would be in the "Letter From a Birmingham Jail", Dr. King uses his children's innocence to help show one of his points, blacks are not treated equally. In the letter he says, "when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?" This section of his letter is not irrelevant to his point. He is just using an emotional appeal well to help support his argument.
ReplyDeleteA fallacious use of an emotional appeal would be when people use pictures of dead babies to try and prove their point that abortion is wrong. Although a picture of a dead baby might influence someone's beliefs about abortion, it is still a fallacious appeal because it does not use any logic to support the argument.
Here are two examples of emotionals appeals that I created based off of the information given in the the paragraphs in the blog post.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a logical emotional appeal would be a parent saying that if you don't get all A's, you will be grounded for a year. Since there is a likelyhood that it will happen, it is a logical emotional appeal. There is no hoping or pleading since the parent is simply setting out the consequences of not getting all A's. The parent is invoking fear to get a response.
An example of a fallacious emotional appeal would be telling an English teacher just because I spent a lot of time of a paper, I deserve an A instead of a C. The time spent on a paper really has little to do with the quality of thought that went into the paper. Its basically like saying "well since I tried on my test, I should get an A" even if you didn't know anything on it.
Logical - http://goo.gl/zaaWX (Call for increased aid to starving kids in Africa)
ReplyDeleteFallacious - If I tried to say "This blog post is perfect! Can't you see my cute cat? (http://imgur.com/HC2gF)
For anybody who sees this, do you think it is logical or fallacious? Is this PETA ad (http://goo.gl/YyM2H) a call to action or an attempt to change a belief?
Logical appeal to emotion
ReplyDeleteOften times I see commercials on TV that show images of poor children in foreign countries, which ask to "sponsor" the kid. Sponsoring would mean sending money so the child would be able to have an food and an education. I think this is a logical appeal because it motivates us to act and help people in need.
Fallacious appeal to emotion
When people show pictures of dead people to support an argument that war is bad, it appeals to our emotions. However, these pictures just influence our belief that war is bad and don't cause us to act, thus making this appeal fallacious.
An example of a logical, emotional appeal is the picture on this link: http://unicyclecreative.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/hockeybears.jpg
ReplyDeleteI think this is logical because it's calling us to action but not intending to influence our beliefs.
There are many examples of fallacious, emotional appeals in many advertisements. When commercials show happy people using their product they are tugging at our emotions and our natural urge to be happy. What they are trying to convince us is that if we use their product then we will be happy. This is the post-hoc fallacy: since you used the product, you will be happy...even if the product has nothing to do with being happy.
A logical appeal to emotion is the commercial on TV where dogs and cats are shown in a shelter. This makes any viewer sad and makes them think about how they can help . This is an attempt to motivate people to adopt these pets so they won't live sad like this forever.
ReplyDeleteAn illogical appeal is when a video game console runs an advertisement of a family being happy and playing together. While it is possible that this may be the result most times it is not. Rarely does a game console bring an entire family together to have fun with no worries except happy ones about this game. This is a utopian message trying to fool any families that a game console will bring your family together and make you all happy.
A logical appeal to emotion would be a commercial saying, "If you donate $10 to our non-profit organization right now, you will be able to buy enough food to provide for a starving child for two weeks.". This would motivate most people to do something if they believe that they could save a starving child just by donating $10.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a fallacious emotional appeal would be if someone going into a job interview said, "I should get this job because I have been waiting for my interview for a week now!". This would be fallacious because this would try to make the interviewer that they deserve the job.
So far, these responses are quite thoughtful! I hope those of you who have yet to post write as thoughtfully. -Ms. F.
ReplyDeleteA logical use of emotional appeal would be MLK's use of emotions in paragraph 14 to display the hardships the black people had to go through while waiting for equal rights. It was very logical to use emotion in that place because it really plays on the feelings of human beings and their responsibility to prevent those images from happening. Reading paragraph 14 makes the reader feel sorry and probably inspire movement.
ReplyDeleteA fallacious use of emotional appeal would probably be, like Ms. Fleming said, in proving things that need hard facts, like math proofs. In that instance, you shouldn't use emotional appeal because it does not persuade the reader in any way to believe the proof or not. SImilarly, my idea of a fallacious use would be in a scientific experiment. When proving something is scientifically correct, most use statistics, data, and observation. Nothing is proven and fully accepted by the entire scientific community by merely emotional appeals. In fact, the scientific revolution in the 17th century was based off of the shift away from ethical and emotion appeals and more towards logical appeals to prove scientific experiments.
An example of a logical appeal to emotion is in paragraph 14 of Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "Letter From a Birmingham Jail". This paragraph states multiple examples of how harshly black people were treated in the time of segregation. For example, " But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; etc..." This is a good example because not only is it logical in the sense that for a fact, black people were treated unfairly; but it also motivates people to do something to stop all of the violence toward black people.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a fallacious use of an emotional appeal is when celebrities talk about friends and/or family who have been diagnosed with serious illnesses, injuries, etc. What I mean is how they talk about it in a commercial and make people feel sympathy for them and the person with the illness. This is a logical fallacy because they are not experts in that specific area of study. I am not saying that you HAVE to be an expert to talk publicly about these things; but it sure helps. Especially since our society appeals to logic the most, and if you know what you are talking about, then most likely people will believe you.
I think that an example of a logical appeal to emotions can be found in the song "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks. The lyrics in the last verse say:
ReplyDeleteOne Friday night at a football game
The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read but nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair.
This song has always affected me emotionally. I think the reason that it is effective is because it presents its claim without trying to push beliefs on anyone. (Although the Dixie Chicks aren't known for this...hehe!) It makes war seem sad and makes you want to go help a soldier not because it tries to change what you think, but because it compels you to be sympathetic with the girl in the bow and the soldier.
I had trouble thinking of a fallacious emotional appeal, probably because emotional appeals of any kind usually work on me. One example is that sometimes after I snap at someone, I apologize and blame it on the long day that I had. Really, using this appeal to emotion because I am using something unrelated to the argument, my bad day, to convince them to forgive me.
A logic use of an emotional appeal would be in any commercial that is trying to get you to adopt a pet from the SPCA. They show video clips and images of animals who have been tortured and some have even lost an arm or a leg. These images make the viewer really feel for the animal and want to help them.
ReplyDeleteA fallacious use of an emotional appeal would be if a child and their parent are in an argument about whether the child can go somewhere they want to go and the parent says no. The child gets very mad and says "YOU ARE RUINING MY LIFE!!" This would not be logical because it is a non sequitur and is completely irrelevant to the issue at hand.
Logical use of emotional appeal: In the above the influence commercials, they show young kids who lose who they are or who do things they normally wouldn't. They show kids getting into trouble or fighting with their friends or family. This is an emotional appeal because it preys on the fears of those exposed to drugs or offered drugs, but it also preys on the fear of each person who has a friend who may be doing drugs. It evokes sadness, especially for those who have friends who are involved, and motivates them to notice the signs and take action before it is too late.
ReplyDeleteIllogical use of emotional appeal: In the Kleenex commercials, they often show people sobbing on the street to some random guy they just met that has a cornucopia of tissue boxes surrounding him. It shows people blubbering about their problems, and it presents the logical fallacy that the tissues some how have a comforting and healing power. They appeal to the emotions of sadness in each person about their problems and tries to convince them to buy Kleenex to wipe away their tears when they are sad because it will comfort them, which they obviously won't.
A logical appeal to emotion is when a commercial encouraging viewers to donate to local charities shows a happy, smiling family, because while this does cause viewers to assume that if they donate to a charity, they will help people and families who need it and make their lives better and happier. The emotional appeal causes the use of an assumption, but the assumption is both correct and relevant, so this emotional appeal is logical.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if a car commercial shows a happy, smiling family, this appeal to emotion is illogical. It causes viewers to make the same sort of assumption: that if they buy the car advertised, they will have a happy, close family. This use of emotional appeal is illogical because having a new car isn't relevant to a good family relationship. A car won't fix any problems in the family, unless the problems are directly car-related. This instance of emotional appeal is illogical because it causes viewers to make a false assumption.
Logical emotional appeal: The commercials that ask you to donate to stop global warming. These commercials usually have a penguin or polar bear sitting and starving on a tiny block of ice. This is logical because global warming affects the polar bears and they are so cute!
ReplyDeleteIllogical emotional appeal: I recently saw a Tollhouse cookie commercial where two brothers fought and then went to their separate rooms. The mom then made cookies and the boys came out of their rooms and were fine. Seeing a happy family after a fight plays to your emotions, but doenst really happen.
A fallacious appeal to emotion is the irrelevant use of emotion. If someone tries to argue over their grade on a report, the amount of time spent "working" on it won't change the grade. Telling the teacher you had other subjects to do this week doesn't change the fact that you had weeks to finish the project and knew of your up coming schedule.
ReplyDeleteA logical appeal to emotion is using a legitimate reason to justify the outcome of an event. For example, if someone had to attend an unexpected funeral and had a paper due the day of their expected return, it would be fair to allow them some extra time to finish the project.
A logical appeal to the emotion: One I see is the commercial asking you to donate to some of the charities around the local community. The commercial shows happy, smiling, family members making you assume that they donate to charity. These emotional appeal causes the use of an assumption, luckily it is correct and revlevant, making this point logical over all.
ReplyDeleteA Fallacious appeal to emotion is like someone going into a class and balling to there teacher about there grade hoping they would change it, with no sound facts trying to change the morals of that teacher just for a higher grade.
ReplyDeleteLogical use of emotional appeal: Orphans in Africa are advertised on television to collect money for their aid. The commercial shows children crying because their parents have died from disease or malnutrition which toys with people’s emotions.
ReplyDeleteFallacious use of emotional appeal: I tell Ms. Fleming that my mom yelled at me the night before as the reason why I didn’t complete an assignment. I ask her to bump the due date to the next day.
This is fallacious because Ms. Fleming might feel bad for me but my mom yelling at me the previous night is irrelevant to the due date of the assignment.
I believe Michael Sanchez clarified this subject very well. A fallacious appeal to emotion is when one attempts to justify their/others’ actions with emotions. An example would be when a student tells a teacher that he could not finish the homework because he was sad. Him being sad has nothing to with him completing the homework.
ReplyDeleteA logical appeal to emotion would be that I could not finish the homework because I had to attend a wedding.