Forms of appeal

Forms of appeal are rhetorical strategies that Stephen Reicher and Alex Haslam use in “Why not everyone is a torturer”. The article is constructed using a combination of logos (appeal to reason), ethos (appeal to trust and authority), and pathos (appeal to emotions). Logos and ethos, however, are most noticeable in the arti…

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Logos

When they make logical connections between ideas, the writers appeal to logos.

For example, the writers state that to think torturers are simply victims of their circumstances is wrong: “But this is bad psychology and it is bad ethics.” (p. 189, l. 26). They appeal to logos as they explain their statement: “It is bad psychology because it suggests we can explain human behaviour without needing to scrutinize the wider culture in which it is located. It is bad ethics because it absolves everyone from any responsibility for events (…).” (p. 190, ll. 5-11)

The writers also use logos when they explain the need for a deeper analysis of society’s values and beliefs: “The choice is not denied to us by human nature but rests in our own hands. Hence, we need a psychological analysis that addresses the values and beliefs that we, our institutions, and our leaders promote.” (p. 193, ll. 19-22…

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Pathos

In their article, the writers do not appeal to the readers’ emotions often. When they do, it is subtle. This makes sense, as the article approaches its topic from a scientific point of view and therefore it needs to be based on logic and facts. However, the use of pathos is important, as the writers aim to persuade readers that they play a role in how the subject of torture is approached.

The topic of torture itself is a sensitive one – not only because it involves violence but also because it can make people question humanity itself. For example, the writers describe how people must feel when they look at the photos of Abu Ghraib prison: they “make us recoil and le…

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