Are You Healthy?

Glen Rudolphi did an analysis regarding Health care from an article by Jean S. Fraser. He emphasized the use of pathos in Fraser's article, "On Rethinking Health Care in California." Whether or not pathos is used is not the question. Glen uses Fraser's example of the employee who has a wife with "multiple sclerosis and may lose his health care coverage." He says that everyone feels sorry for someone who is sick. I agree that this example does bring out our emotions; however, this is one of the few emotional examples that Fraser uses in her article. She could have used aweful stories that develop much stronger sympathetic feelings. I heard someone say how Barrack Obama used a story of a girl who ate only mustard and bread to be able to pay for her childrens' needs. The immediate health repercussions aren't aweful, but the idea that she decided to do this makes Americans want to see changes.

Fraser's one solid example of pathos might not build enough sympathy towards those affected by health care problems to back her solutions or instigate reform. She uses some other ideas to bring out some emotion. For example, "At this rate, I might have to let go of one employee just to keep health insurance for the other two." She also states, "to pay for insurance inflation they should shift more of the cost to his employees, one of whom has a wife with multiple sclerosis."These types of problems bring Americans into attention of an author. Fraser tries to paint the scene of businesses as so pitiful because of health care problems. She makes the reader feel sorry for all health care workers and patients. This type of phrase helps paint the picture: "Insurance costs him $41,000 per year," and "Even at this rate, his employees still have co-pays for all doctor's services." Saying "even" paying this much we still have co-pays for "all" doctor's visits brings feelings into the readers head. Such feelings could be "unfair," "still?," or "that's outrageous." If these are the circumstances we are faced with then the reader feels an automatic conviction that something should change in health care. We feel this way because most Americans have been affected by the rapid incline in unemployment. If this can be fixed by reforming health care then the American people are behind it. While all these explanations are true we must recognize that there are much more deliberate ways to bring out pathos in this article. The description could be much more bleak than it is.

On the other hand she might have wanted to portray a more subtle scene. In some cases building up pathos too much can be to the authors detriment. In comparing Fraser's article with James Lovelock's article on Nuclear Energy, I feel distracted by Lovelock's use of extreme pathos. He says that "20,000 people died from overheating in Europe last summer," without citing his source. It seems slightly farfetched. Fraser seems more believable because of her soft use of pathos than Loveock does. I believe that she could provide two or three more examples throughout her article to remind the reader that the solutions presented are going to help people. In analiyzing the article we need to remember that there are different audiences that will read this. If she was targeting a realistic, but educated audience I believe her use of pathos could be perfect. If she is going for an audience that needs to feel the scene of health care problems to be convinced she should provide more emotionally provoking evidence.

It Seems to Be Heating Up

James Lovelock writes on Nuclear energy as the only potential energy source to save us from global warming. When you read the title you might automatically develop a skeptic attitude towards the article. Lovelock quickly turns the readers skepticism to intrigue by stating, "Sir David King, the Government's chief scientist." He builds enough ethos to keep you reading by connecting himself to the chief scientist. He puts himself in with climatologists as well by saying, "climatologists warn a four-degree rise in temperature is enough to eliminate the vast Amazon forests." This also accomplishes connecting his argument with the ethos of climatologists. This type of logos is all through the article.

The way he really brings logos into the picture is by shocking the reader with facts that make you look for solutions to convincing problems. by saying, "20,000 unfortunates from overheating in Europe last summer," he gets the readers attention by alluding to those 20,000 possibly being you or me if we don't find an answer to global warming. In the moment we look for a solution he offers an unlikely possibility:

"There is a chance we may be saved by an unexpected event such as a
series of volcanic eruptions severe enough to block out sunlight and so
cool the Earth. But only losers would bet their lives on such poor odds.
Whatever doubts there are about future climates, there are no doubts
that greenhouse gases and temperatures both are rising."

Words like "grim forecast," "the odds were 300,000 to one," and the analogy of the sea level rising, give a bleak look on life continuing as normal. Who wouldn't feel like it is bleak knowing that seven meters of rise in sea level would drown London, Venice, New York, and Tokyo? These words followed by his convincing solutions provide a very good connection between what the reader wants to happen and how it can be realized.

In a different light, I would say that he uses pathos a little too extremely. His statistics and large number ratios make me skeptical of his credibility. this damages his ethos and doesn't give the desired pathos effect on me. Then, he tries to connect them to get me motivated. It could work on some audiences and possible his specific audience. I do get his urgency; however, I feel less inclined to act on his connecting ideas than if I believed his argument fully.

A Slightly Heated Topic by Larz Watts analyzes Lovelocks article saying that he "continues to support the theory of Global Warming, until he feels he has proved it enough. Then he is able to take all of that proof and apply it to his principal argument: that we should switch to nuclear power." I must agree that Lovelock continues to support his theory again and again, but I don't think it was as effective as Larz does. In saying that because of the melting ice cap that Greenland will melt faster I don't feel the connectivity that Larz does because I'm skeptic of the whole idea that Lovelock presents. I'm skeptic because he presents it so abruptly and without citing his sources.

I see convincing connections between nuclear energy and global warming, but I also see some holes in Lovelocks argument.

A dream? or a vision?

"I Have a Dream"

Those looking for hope in a different world were looking for an example of a happy, educated, and respected African-American. Martin King accomplished just that. He separated himself from the term "Negro" by his formal speech and by his precise pronunciation of the words "the emancipation proclamation." Megan wrote in "Touching Lives" that "King knew exactly what the people were challenged with because he faced the same problem." I agree that, with this audience, King had a connection that rivals any other.

"We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote." This sentence provided the exact audience awareness that opens people's minds. He knew that blacks in Mississippi weren't aloud to vote and the black residents of New York didn't have a candidate in New York supporting their rights. This appeals to both the educated and uneducated black American. I can see the educated black man feeling a camaraderie with King. He might also feel accomplishment in also becoming educated in a very difficult time. The uneducated portion on his audience could feel hope from his words. They could see the potential of their children, because of Kings' efforts.

The white supporters gained confidence when King referred to them as "white brothers." He acknowledged their realization of the connection between white and black destinies. He said he wouldn't be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." After this comment the crowd went crazy in agreement. Other personification he uses helps the people identify with "storms of persecution," "winds of police brutality," and "oasis of freedom and justice." Anyone in attendance would feel the strength of the storm and the wind oppressing them, and the eventual oasis of happy, free, life. One idea to note is how his pattern of speech shows his audience awareness. He repeats the words "I have a dream" with increasing power in a similar pattern to how a black southern baptist preacher will often do. Since over 80% of his listeners were black southerners, credit is due to his use of these connective words. This obviously resonates well with those accustomed to the preacher type voice.

Anatomy of a Ban

The name of this article tells us in itself that the author is going to dissect the subject. This is a catchy way to bring out curiosity in readers. There are many ways that the author accurately depicts the situation; however, many logical fallacies can be found within the article.

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=12389

Hasty Generalization/sweeping generalization is used in the following ways:

-"Women who have had an abortion require psychological treatment of such symptoms as nervous disorders, sleep disturbances, and deep regrets,"

• Saying that all women who have had an abortion need psychological treatment covers such a basic range of women. It explains only one side, leaving the women who are relieved by the choice to abort.

"Abortion results in increased tobacco smoking,"

• This is obviously a skewed statement trying to make the reader think that every woman who aborted now smokes, and if they already smoked, they smoke more now. A sentence that could still accurately portray the affects of abortion on smoking would include "can result in." The author can lose ethos by a conscious reader recognizing this fallacy.
  

"Most couples find abortion to be an event which shatters their relationship,"

• Saying "most couples" has a misleading connotation unless a published study is cited as a reference to solidify the facts.
  

"Abortion exploits women, treating them and their children as mere property,"

• One woman who has never chosen to abort feels that abortion itself exploits women. a statement by this woman could easily be turned into the quote we see above. If women chose to abort, then how can they feel like property?

False Analogy

The article concludes with the statement, "Because the bill is so radical, experts don't expect it to make it out of the House of Representatives." What makes the bill so radical? Comparing it with one other state's bill hardly gives the true view of the topic. To say that because this bill is so radical that it won't make it past the House compares it with other "radical" bills that didn't pass. This bill is completely different than other bills in content and purpose. A fair comparison would account for that.

All of these problems give little credibility to the author. This makes it harder to build good ethos, pathos, and logos.

"Ich bin ein Berliner"

click to listen: delivered 26 June 1963, West Berlin

"I'm a jelly doughnut," may not seem like the word choice you would use to win Berlin's love, but President John F. Kennedy did just that. His goal was to build ethos in himself and the U.S. His accent in German may have not been like a fluent German speaker, however, he identified

himself with the German people by using their own language. "Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen." Those who didn't feel a connection with the United States gained an appreciation for President Kennedy, and thus the U.S.
He identified himself in the first sentence as a proud guest of the Mayor of West Berlin. This relationship automatically gave him a good sense of ethos with his German audience. He praises and recognizes the Chancellor who has worked for democracy in Germany to tell them that he also supports this alongside their leader.

He made a series of statements contrasting the view of communist sympathizers and all those involved in anti-communist movements. All of these remarks were followed by "let them come to Berlin." Repeating this phrase gives the audience a continual feeling that he supports Berlin's drive to be free. After he said, "There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin," the crowd went wild with applause. He effectively gained ethos for himself and for the United States with the German people.

Mike Stanley

Flood Kills 8 Georgians

Language tools used in The New York Times address on the flood in Georgia.

Imagery
In the opening paragraph, the authors help the readers visualize the rescuers searching "water-logged houses", while floating down the streets in "mucky red-brown waters." Readers see "spewed sewage in the Chattahoochee River" as a huge problem. Saying that the flood caused significant damage to a sewage plant doesn't help the columnist keep our attention like spewed sewage does.

Overstatement
The word "deluge" used in the first paragraph references the great flood in the Bible. Comparing Georgia's flood with the one that covered the whole earth makes the circumstances in Georgia seem much more bleak.

Metaphor
"The basement was an aquarium,” was quoted from a well known doctor in the area. I say he was well known because he was my doctor on two occasions. I'm sure that his basement wasn't literally transformed into an aquarium, but readers see the connection between what a basement should look like and what aquariums are.



Click to see the video: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/09/22/multimedia/1247464768531/georgia-floods.html









Mike Stanley

Divine Love

In Russel M. Nelson's General Conference address he touches on the importance of love in these days. He knew that the members of the church were familiar with the prophecy in Matthew 24 about love growing cold. He also knows that members of the church esteem him as an apostle, especially when reading from the Ensign. This gives him a special ability to use that scripture as a springboard to give readers the idea that now, more than ever, love is important.
As church members, we are encouraged to share our beliefs with others. This can be a very difficult task if a member doesn't know exactly where to initiate a gospel conversation. The article in the Ensign gives members the perfect topic at the perfect time to start gospel directed conversations with their acquaintances. Not only the LDS culture was interested in issues having to do with love. Obviously the news during that time depicts the lack of love in society, but larger issues were at hand as well.
In this same month in 2003 millions of protesters gathered in close to 800 cities to voice their opinions against the War in Iraq. His address on love concludes with the question "Can our love for others really approach divine love?" He answers in the affirmative stating that it is very important that we gain this love by giving service to others. As the issue of the war was at a peak he gives the Lord's solution by inviting us to love one another.



Nelson, Russel M. "Divine Love." Ensign Feb 2003: 20