Logos is when we use cold arguments – like data, statistics, or common sense – to convince people of something, rather than trying to appeal to an audience's emotions. Here's an example of logos in action from our man Aristotle himself: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
Introduction
The philosopher Aristotle described logos as one of the four types of persuasion, along with ethos, pathos, and kairos. Aristotle defines logos as "reasoned discourse" in his book The Art of Rhetoric, where a writer or speaker uses statistics, facts, and other evidence to support their claims.
Examples of logos
Below are logos examples from literature, business, and politics, with supporting facts that appeal to the audience’s logic.
“All men are mortal.
Socrates is a man.
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.”
—Aristotle’s The Art of Rhetoric
“The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is.”
—To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
“Just look at insulin. One in ten Americans has diabetes. In Virginia, I met a 13-year-old boy—the handsome young man standing up there, Joshua Davis. He and his dad both have Type 1 diabetes, which means they need insulin every single day.
Insulin costs about $10 a vial to make. That’s what it costs the—the pharmaceutical company. But drug companies charge families like Joshua and his dad up to 30 times that amount. . . .
For Joshua and 200,000 other young people with Type 1 diabetes, let’s cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month so everyone can afford it. And drug companies will do very, very well . . . ”
Conclusion
Building reasonable connections for the listener is another crucial aspect of the logos appeal, which can be found in almost all arguments. In order for the audience to come to no other conclusion than what you have provided, the logical progression from one piece of evidence to the next, leading to your assertion, must be solid and unambiguous. You can also download our app from the playstore or visit our website.
