Argumentation

When debating any issue there are going to be both good and bad arguments. While researching the debate about gay marriage I found sources that used concepts of rhetoric to strengthen their argument, as well as sources that lacked any true support for their views.

One example of a source that used elements of rhetoric was an essay that appeared on the site Catholic Answers. This essay employed logos very effectively; the article cited studies and facts, especially regarding the views of the Catholic Church, to support its points. By citing specific studies and psychologists, the article also created ethos because there are credible sources supporting the findings.

Another strong argument about gay marriage is a clip of a debate on the Dr. Phil show. This debate employed many forms of rhetoric to debate the issue of gay marriage. Though we only witnessed a clip of the segment, we could see the debaters employing many techniques to support their arguments. Both members of the panel used pathos and logos to support their position. They appeal to our morality and values to either agree that marriage is an equal right, or that marriage is about uniting a man and woman. They address specific facts about court decisions and history regarding segregation to make their points. Finally, though we are not told of the panelists’ qualifications, we can assume that they have some credibility in order to have been invited on the show.

There were also sources that did not employ strategies of rhetoric, which weakened their arguments and made it hard to agree with their conclusions. One example was a personal video found on Youtube. In the video a man defends his objection to gay marriage. His main objection has nothing to do with morals or religion; his only objection seems to be the fact that gay men have anal sex, which could cause anal sex to become more common and increase the number of rapes with anal sex. Throughout his address the speaker fails to use any form of ethos, pathos, or logos. He has no credibility to speak to the topic besides his own opinions. Despite this fact, he attempts to name statistics and make predictions that have no legitimate support. Also, he doesn’t base his opinion off of any real facts, only ill-based assumptions. Finally, the tone he takes is unprofessional and offensive which would dissuade many listeners from adopting his viewpoint.

Another example of an argument with a lack of rhetorical support is a personal blog post I found online. There is no ethos evident; the author doesn’t seem to have any expertise to back up his opinion. Furthermore, he offers no actual facts to add to his positions; though he references issues such as the national deficit, health care reform, and the environment, no numbers or sources are used to show how big of an issue they are. Overall, the post offers little more than a personal opinion.

Overall, I believe that the sources that used strategies such as logos, pathos, and ethos provided stronger arguments than those without. They give several different supports for the arguments, whether it is statistical proof, credible research, or a professional tone of voice. Those without these elements have little to support their arguments, making them simply a personal opinion.

Good Argumentation

http://www.catholic.com/library/gay_marriage.asp




Bad Argumentation

http://www.thejonblog.com/archives/000273.html

Cradle to Cradle

Throughout Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungart use many rhetorical strategies to convey their ideas about being eco-effective. The concept of “cradle to cradle” is basically the idea that consumers of nature’s goods have a responsibility to restore that usage safely and carefully. It is the idea that we must give more to the environment than we take away. This concept is the central idea of McDonough’s and Braungart’s work.

I found the writing style of McDonough and Braungart especially impressive because of their ability to utilize both logos and pathos at the same time. When discussing how to make the most eco-friendly book or office building, the authors make their vision very accessible and imaginable for the reader. However, they still manage to talk about how each detail will affect the eco-friendliness of the locations, such as covering the roof of an office building with grasses or building an open courtyard. Furthermore, when they describe the “difference between eco-efficiency and eco-effectiveness as the difference between an airless, fluorescent-lit gray cubicle and a sunlit area full of fresh air, natural views, and pleasant places to work, eat, and converse,” they make it irresistible for anyone to doubt the benefits of being eco-friendly.

Another way the authors use pathos is when they link being eco-friendly with a sense of morality. It is each person’s job to do things the right way, and McDonough and Braungart make it clear that we are obligated to make our lives more eco-friendly. They describe the effects our abuse of the earth; daily it has less growth, oxygen, clean water, and habitation.

However, the authors still use plenty of logos to support their writing. They reference details about natural growth to show how an ecosystem supports itself. They also detail how we pollute the environment in small steps and the effect that it is having on the ecosystem. By referencing specialists such as biologist E. O. Wilson and professor of environmental science Kai Lee they give their work a lot of credible support also.

Monbiot Reading

George Monbiot uses many rhetorical strategies in his work to reach out to the reader and strengthen his point. Instead of launching right into a logical appeal or a list of facts, Monbiot opens with a story that shows why he wrote on this subject.

Monbiot also makes himself very accessible and puts himself on the same level as his reader. He mentions that living in a world that was entirely environmentally safe, we would have to give up many modern marvels such as fancy soap and towels. Those these are frivolous examples, he uses them to point out that he likes the comforts of modern life as well as many others. This helps the author relate to an average person who may be worried about becoming environmentally conscious. The reader is encouraged to listen because they share the same views as the writer; he wants to be environmentally safe but enjoys living with conveniences.

Another emotional appeal that Monbiot uses is talking about future generations. He claims that we are fortunate, but that the world may not be the same for future generations if we continue to live the way we do. This is a direct pathos strategy because he appeals to readers who want their children to live well.

Monbiot strengthens his argument by acknowledging the weaknesses or difficulties his plan offers. He explains that changes will have to be made by each country according to size and climate. This shows the reader that he has thought through his proposal many times and has considered the positives and negatives.

Monbiot also offers a large section of facts and numbers, which gives the reader a lot of hard facts to realize how serious the problem is and how quickly it is growing. Not only does this appeal to the logical side of the reader, but it also instills fear which is useful for spurring actions. For example, he talks about how rising sea levels will pollute drinking water in many coastal cities; it is clear that environmental change can have a direct impact on our lives. This also gives the writer credibility, which is central to Faigley’s and Selzer’s tactics for writing an effective argument.

Overall, Monbiot uses several tactics to create a strong argument that is accessible by his audience. Using strategies described by Faigley and Selzer, he uses several emotional and logical appeals to connect with his audience. By allying with the reader but also offering hard facts and making a difficult subject more simple to understand, Monbiot creates an effective argument to become more environmentally aware and take action to change how we live.

Escaping Suburbia

I was an eight year old who had never ventured from the suburbia of Northeast Ohio standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon for the first time. The next summer, I found myself standing at the base of the Teton Mountains in Wyoming anticipating a hike through its hills. Two years later, I was laying in Rocky Mountain National Park next to a genuine campfire watching the moon rise above the mountains and seeing more stars than I seen even during school trips to the planetarium. Imagine how these sites would affect an eight-year-old girl from Mentor, Ohio.

I consider myself fortunate that my experience with nature began at a young age. As I transitioned from childhood to my teenage and young adult years, exposure to some of the most impressive natural sites in our country became a part of my concept of nature and how we interact with it. While other kids my age were traveling to Disney World or visiting their Grandmas in Texas, my family of five drove our rusty minivan and vintage 70's pop-up trailer cross country to the Rocky Mountains. Over the past twelve years we've spent weeks with our retro pop-up in some of the Rockies' stunning park and campsites. As a young child the sites I saw amazed me; no photograph I'd seen could do justice to the magnitude of a mountain range or the Grand Canyon or Old Faithful.

The first few trips we made to the mountains had the most significant impact on my environmental ethics. As we grow older, we are taken from a naïve state of ignorance and slowly introduced to new concepts about the world around us. Our universe grows from our neighborhood to an entire planet, and even solar system. These concepts are learned through our educations systems, our family’s narrative, television, and storybooks. However, nothing can teach as well as practical experience. I firmly believe that there is no way to teach a young child about their respective size than to take them to one of nature’s major creations. During the course of our family vacations, I quickly realized that we are a miniscule part of nature and our world; it is impossible for anyone who stood where I stood to feel any differently.

This realization has become central to my beliefs and actions throughout the later years of my life. I don’t consider myself a religious person; the strict rules and restrictions of the Roman Catholic faith never set well with me. However, I believe that my experiences with the environment and immense respect for nature has created, or at least enhanced, a form of faith for me. Though I have trouble believing some of the stories of the Bible I can see many of its concepts in our surroundings. Many people turn to their faith when they need an escape or guidance. I, on the other hand, find nature to be more therapeutic than any Catholic service I’ve ever been to. For the past couple years, nature has offered me an escape from the pressures of everyday life. Whenever I felt that I needed guidance or direction, I usually found my way to the woods behind my house and wandered through. I discovered I could think much more clearly and usually found the guidance I needed.

Furthermore, I believe that one can live well in the eyes of God by living life to the fullest and appreciating all that we are given. I believe that services, confessions, and penances distract people from actually taking action to improve the world around them and living out God’s vision. For me, the environment is one of the greatest gifts we have been provided and therefore I feel it is each person’s responsibility to protect it and enjoy it.

Stemming from the experiences I have had with nature, I have become very aware of how our actions affect the environment around us and how much damage mankind is capable of doing. This consciousness has guided my actions and motivations throughout the past few years. I have grown more conscience of how my actions affect the environment and how I can become more responsible for caring for it. Through small steps – recycling paper, using cold water when I wash clothes, using reusable shopping bags, walking instead of driving, turning off unused lights - I try to lessen my impact on the environment. I also encourage my friends and family to take some of the same steps in their daily lives. Even if they don’t have the same experiences with and respect for nature as I do, they still recognize the need to protect the environment. Admittedly, I still have a long way to go. However, I recognize the need for responsible living and have a strong motivation to keep working towards it – a family photo from a past vacation always does the trick.

Rough Draft!

Imagine an eight year old who had never ventured from the suburbia of Northeast Ohio standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon for the first time. Or standing at the base of the Teton Mountains in Wyoming anticipating a hike through it's hills. Or laying in Rocky Mountain National Park next to a genuine campfire watching the moon rise above the mountains and seeing more stars than she'd seen even during school trips to the planetarium. Imagine how these sites would affect an eight year old girl from Mentor, Ohio who had hardly ventured beyond the contained neighborhoods and highways that surrounded her.

I consider myself fortunate that my experience with nature began at a young age. As I transitioned from childhood to my teenage and young adult years, exposure to some of the most impressive natural sites in our country became a part of my concept of nature and how we interact with it. While other kids my age were traveling to Disney World or visiting their Grandma in Texas, my family of five drove our rusty minivan and vintage 70's pop-up trailer cross country to the Rocky Mountains. Over the past twelve years we've spent weeks with our retro pop-up in some of the Rockies' stunning park and campsites. As a young child the sites I saw amazed me; no photograph I'd seen could do justice to the magnitude of a mountain range or the Grand Canyon or Old Faithful. As I grow older, the sites continue to awe me, though this amazement has developed into a genuine respect and admiration.

The first few trips we made to the mountains had the most significant impact on my environmental ethics. As we grow older, we are taken from a naïve state of ignorance and slowly introduced to new concepts about the world around us. Our universe grows from our neighborhood to a country and an entire planet and even solar system. These concepts are learned through our education systems, our family’s narrative, television, and storybooks. However, nothing can teach as well as practical experience. I firmly believe that there is no way to teach a young child about their respective size than to take them to one of nature’s major creations. During the course of our family vacations, I quickly realized that we are a miniscule part of nature and our world; it is impossible for anyone who stood where I stood to feel any differently.

This realization has become central to my beliefs and actions throughout the later years of my life. I don’t consider myself a religious person; the strict rules and restrictions of the Roman Catholic faith never set well with me. However, I believe that my experiences with and immense respect for nature has created, or at least enhanced, a form of faith for me. This respect is grounded in the belief that something unnatural must have helped form the world that we live in. Though I have trouble believing some of the stories of the Bible I can see many of its concepts in our surroundings. Furthermore, I believe that one can live well in the eyes of God by living life to the fullest and appreciating all that we are given. For me, the environment is one of the greatest gifts we have been provided and therefore I feel it is each person’s responsibility to protect it and enjoy it.

Stemming from the experiences I have had with nature, I have become very aware of how our actions affect the environment around us and how much damage mankind is capable of doing. This consciousness has guided my actions and motivations throughout the past few years. I have grown more conscience of how my actions affect the environment and how I can become more responsible for caring for it. Small steps - recycling, using cloth bags while shopping, not drinking bottled water, walking instead of driving - have been integrated into my daily routine. Admittedly, I still have a long way to go; there is always some way we can improve our commitment to preserving nature. However, I recognize the need for responsible living and have a strong motivation to keep working towards it – a family photo from a past vacation always does the trick.

Williams Rhetoric

Throughout her writing, Terry Tempest Williams uses various rhetorical styles to bring her writing to life. In Yellowstone: The Erotics of Place, Williams uses a series of short, meaningful phrases to catch the reader’s attention. By using strong verbs and vivid imagery Williams creates a comprehensive image for the reader. One can hardly read descriptions such as “geysers surging” or “hooves stampeding” without feeling the life found in Yellowstone. The writing takes this description of a location and brings it to life. Mixed in with these dramatic phrases are elaborated stories and concepts. These stories give the writing direction and purpose as Williams introduces the concept of engaging with our surroundings. The concept of loving and appreciating the land is explicitly stated in her work, but can also be found in the carefully crafted and impressive writing used at the beginning and end of the piece.

In other stories, Williams uses different strategies to strengthen her message. In Winter Solstice at the Moab Slough, Williams tells the story of the Hopi and how they celebrate life and the earth. This story continues the theme of our connection with our surroundings and the strong tie between man and nature. However, this story lacks the strong statement made in the Yellowstone piece. Instead, it is more fluid, almost like the stream of thoughts going through the author’s head. The reader follows the stream of conscience, yet in the end still arrives at the same point as the previous piece: that “the land is love.”

In Erosion, Williams tells the story of a Japanese immigrant who has a deep connection to the land. The story illustrates the almost spiritual connection the immigrant has with his surroundings and how incredible this gift is. However, when the immigrant’s son is taken away to jail at the end, the feelings of joy and comfort quickly change to sadness and regret.

The place I know best

Though I’ve been lucky to travel to many places, one place I know very well is a local beach near where I grew up. Mentor Headlands Beach, which lies along Lake Erie, is less than a ten-minute drive from where I grew up. Headlands Beach is not a particularly impressive beach; its usually littered with some trash and the lake constantly has a fishy smell that is common in Northeast Ohio. Despite these facts, it is still an unexpected find in Ohio’s suburbia and is a perfect spot on nice days. On hot summer days the beach is packed with local swimmers, and at night people walk the beach and watch the sunset.

I consider this the spot I know the best because throughout the past couple years, the beach has been a part of the major events in my life. Whether it was a good experience or a bad experience, my friends and I often ended back at Headlands Beach. It served as a place of celebration as well as an escape. For example, each birthday, graduation, and break from school was supplemented with a trip to the beach. On the last day of school we always headed straight there, and it was always our first stop when someone got their license. Our days off were spent walking the beach and visiting the old lighthouse.

Alternately, Headlands Beach was one of the best escapes my friends and I found when we ran into issues. For example, when one of our good friends moved away we spent our last day at Headlands Beach. It also hosted many long discussions about family issues and relationships. This beach was a large part of my life growing up, and for that reason I consider it the place I know the best.