39 Rhetoric is Different from Argument

Rhetoric is also different from argument. Argumentation is a form of rhetoric, but not the only rhetorical form. When we think of arguments, we typically envision two people yelling at each other about a topic they’re invested in. Arguments are one way of trying to persuade someone. Persuasion can be tricky to achieve, which is why rhetoric examines the available means of persuasion. However, the “available means” of persuasion can change for each argument. Imagine how some audiences might welcome arguments based on facts and statistics, while others might prefer personal examples and stories. As writers, we need to analyze the situation of every argument to determine which approaches and evidence would be most persuasive to our audience. Argumentation and persuasion are rhetorical modes used to convince others of an opinion, belief, or the merits of a course of action.You and every writer need to determine the most persuasive strategies to appeal to your audience.

We can think of a constructed “argument” not so much as an adversarial endeavor, but a search for the truth of a matter. Just as Supreme Court Justices are charged with listening to all evidence before coming to a conclusion that will best serve the Republic, you may assume that your reader is seeking the most reasonable perspective to take, based on all the facts. Consider an argument to be a sincere effort to find the “truth,” or at least the best way of understanding the situation in question.

Persuasive writing is about convincing the reader that your opinion is the one he or she should adopt. The focus is on the opinion itself, rather than any counter-arguments, and the reader is led (or lured) step by step to feel increasingly more comfortable with the thesis. The tone can be more aggressive and passionate than in argumentation, because the writer is appealing to the reader’s emotions, rather than to the logical mind.