chapter 4

Chapter 4 is logos and how it’s an effective argument. Logos is an effective argument because if you provide facts theirs no arguing with that. Facts are proven information that gives little room for the other side to have a counter argument. Unlike in pathos and ethos when you use logos in and its straight forward when you use it is straighter forward in an argument.

  An example the book gives you is statistics. Statistics can be very powerful in an argument due to the fact that the information is there in your face.  It’s hard to fight around it.

 People use statistics in my everyday life to try to prove their point. It’s used in politics to try to damage another political opponent’s image. Like an example is in presidential races. They often use statistics to point out a flaw in the opponent so his word carries less and less value. A fact by itself carries no value, but if you use it in a context it can become an argument. An effective one as well if used properly.

chapter 3

Chapter 3 Argument Based on Character: Ethos is about how character is a sort of argument. This is true because if you represent yourself with a certain image that image itself will argue what you believe in. The example they used in the chapter was a car company that presented itself as a company that sold affordable cars so that everyone can get one. By doing this the company’s image will argue that their product is better than a company that sold more expensive company car.

    My favorite section was Understanding How argument based on Character Work. This section talked about why we use ethos in our everyday life. We use it because we can’t weigh every claim and spend a mass amount of time to figure out if it’s true or not. We need to take short cuts and that’s what’s ethos is for. The sample that they used in the textbook that I like was when they used a professor. You’re going to trust more of what your professor has to say rather than what an average Joe would say. You believe the professor more because what their teaching is usually what their best at. An average Joe wouldn’t be able to go in depth as a professor would.

 That section I could connect to my life in many ways.  I know theirs friends that when they tell me I’m going to believe them more than someone I know that is a compulsive liar. This is what the section and the chapter in general is trying to teach us. By presenting a certain image of yourself people

will believe what you have to say more and are also swayed inadvertently as well.

chapter 17

In chapter 17 the main them throughout the chapter is fallacies- argument and how each one are flawed in one form or another. The first argument they used is when fear tactics is used to try to prove a point to a second party. Scare tactics are a good way to argue a point, but only if the audience does not feel like the warning that is trying to be presented is an over exaggeration.   If this does happen the audience will just shut off completely to what the person has to say. A real life example was when I was in middle school I was watching television and this stop obesity early ad there was kids with their parents at the supermarket.  The kids instead of asking for candy or a sugary cereal asked for a cup of sugar or a bottle of grease.  Although they did prove a good point that parents should watch what their kids eat, I got more annoyed because realistically their isn’t a cup full of sugar in most food items. I just changed the channel and didn’t give it any other thought form their on.

            Another weak argument that I found interesting was the straw man argument. The straw man argument is basically when you go and try arguing with something that isn’t there to make what you’re trying to prove look stronger.  I liked how the chapter used the Obama inauguration speech as an example, because Obama’s inauguration speech didn’t happen that long ago. Some of the straw man argument Obama used where like when he said that “we are ready to take the lead one more (united states)”. Obama is arguing with something that is not their because, even though the United States has made mistakes in the past. They were still at the front of basically every issue in the world.

            I believe overall this chapter had taught me whatever style of argument you use there is always going to be some type of flaw. The only thing you can really do is try and make those flaws less noticeable

Picture's arent simply pictures

In chapter 14 it mainly talks about how powerful a picture can actually be to an audience. While you can spend endless hours and hours writing to an audience trying to convince them in what you believe. A picture in itself is worth a thousand words.  One of the reason pictures are as useful as a tool is because they can evoke any feelings that the photographer wants from the audience.  For example one of the more recent famous pictures came from the Vancouver hockey riot after the Stanley cup match. In the picture theirs a couple laying on the ground kissing while a scene of violence is happening all around them. It quickly became a real live modern day love story in a picture. Even though there was no alterative motive behind the picture, it shows how much meaning a simple picture can bring to the public. If a photographer wanted to purposely want the audience to think a certain way he can manipulate a photo until it takes the shape of the meaning he wanted it to. Pictures are also a good persuasive tool because it makes the audience imagine themselves in the picture when they see it or to at least feel what’s going on in the picture

Hi my name is Quy Truong.   I am originally from Riverside, California, where I attended my High School Eleanor Roosevelt High. While in high school I was a varsity wrestler for my school. Wrestling was probably one of the last sports I ever thought of joining while in high school.  But one of my close friends told me to check it out and ever since then wrestling as a sport has gained my respect, and is now one of my favorite sports.

 I am also currently a freshman here at Arizona State University where I am currently majoring in Biological Sciences where I hope to eventually work in the medical field.  I chose to go to ASU because I felt like I had to try something new instead of staying in state where I had already been living my whole entire life. I also chose to go here because I wanted to go a big school where I at least have an opportunity to meet different people from all over the place. I am currently dorming at the Sonora Center where I don’t have much to complain about except for its kind of off campus all the way in east Africa.

Well yea guys  I am basically  an easy going guy, and  I am always down to meet new people. Oh yea and I hate awkward elevator rides so if u see me in one, do me a favor and not make it awkward for me.