The Use of Ethos, Logos and Pathos in "Cosmic Perspective"
In Cosmic Perspective by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the author argues on how people should feel empowered and large when learning our place in the universe rather than feeling insignificant or small. Tyson then continues to reason on how people with a big ego tend to feel less than after learning how we fit into the universe and not vice versa.
Tyson begins his essay by setting the reason of his argument and addressing the exigence and purpose through pointing out what type of people are able to celebrate the importance of the cosmic universe, not many. He then continues by building his credibility by commenting on his personal observations, research and his profession. The author Tyson continues by grabbing the audience’s attention through the emotional appeal of his essay by noting how a psychology professor had noted how many viewers including himself felt after watching a space show at the planetarium.
Tyson has many strong main points in his essay Cosmic Perspective, one of many is how he believes people who find learning how large the universe is depressing are usually people who have a big ego. He also believes that society should understand how we fit in the universe rather than how the universe fits in their lives. Tyson also points out how if the most powerful and influential people held an understanding of our place in the universe, it could lower our problems or maybe even diminish them. The author then brings culture and politics in his essay when he discusses how people are fed “cultural assumptions” that our lives are more important than anything else going on in the universe.
In this paragraph I will be discussing the Kairos, which is the context or setting and also the fit of communication to the situation. In this essay, Tyson shows Kairos when he discusses how in the Eighteenth century, James Fergusons “enthusiastic introduction” to the cosmic view flourished long before anyone had known or guessed about our universe. Based on the publication of his essay on the “National History magazine”, one would assume his intended audience would be individuals who are intellectually curious and interested in the cosmic perspective. I will then continue on by identifying Telos, which is the authors purpose for communication. Tysons purpose for communication would be to inform and argue the importance of the universe which many people ignore or don’t have the luxury of time to inform themselves on. Tyson argues that many civilians “act in wanton disregard” when it comes to the interest of the earths daily interaction will later affect our offspring’s health and prosperity. He believes that many people are ignorant and reckless when it comes to the earths well-being and especially to our universe importance. Next, I will be introducing Ethos which is the authors credibility and authority on what he discusses determined by the audience.
One example of Ethos would be when acknowledged in Tysons essay that he is a “astrophysics and the director of the Hayden Planetarium”. That would be considered ethos because it allows the audience to understand his intellectual level on what he is arguing and informing the audience on. Another example of Ethos would be when it is admitted that Tyson, “is an author for many science books” and “writes the “Universe” column in Natural History magazine”, which is also where his essay was published in 2007. These two quotes would also be examples of Ethos because they reassure the audience this not the first time Tyson is informing an audience on the topic of space. Rather than one of his many informative writings in magazines and science books, read by many intellectuals interested in the cosmic perspective. Which is why Tyson is able to have such strong claims in his essay about how many civilians are inconsiderate towards the universe and earth’s place in it.
Leading us into, Logos, the appeal of logic. Logos is used to convince the audience by the use of reasoning and citation of facts known by the author. The first example of Logos would be when Tyson asserts that he “pores over the data that establish the mysterious presence of dark matter” and then continues to claim his ability to “track the orbits of asteroids, comets, and planets”. The word choices of those two quotes would support Tysons facts and points given, due to his intellectual ability to understand the tracking and data of the universe. Another example would be when Tyson acknowledges the “Ivy League professor of psychology” who had visitors, that watched the space show, fill out a questionnaire determine their level of depression after the show. Tysons choice of mentioning that the professor comes from a such a prestigious level of schooling, helps to convince the audience when it comes to the authors’ argument on how many people feel small after learning how large our universe is rather than feeling large and existent.
Tyson’s choice of wording is very important and helpful in this essay when it also comes to identifying Pathos. Pathos is the emotions or empathy of the audience invoked by the authors choice of tone and wording, the emotional appeal. In the essay where Tyson emphasizes “Need more ego softeners?” is one example that really sets a tone for the audience, because it allows the audience to understand how strongly Tyson feels towards his argument, which is directed to people who feel small and depressed when learning about the universe have a large ego. In that quote the Author is targeting and appealing the audience by their emotional response of depression and feeling of smallness. Tyson then adds that “cosmic discoveries have demoted our self-image” which he then follows up by noting astronomical discoveries learned by astronomers and how it expanded on what scientist thought they knew about the universe. Tysons word choice and tone in that quote and his belief that each discovery would lower earths image in comparison to the universe, would be a strong pathos example. The author then ultimately emotionally appeals his intended audience with his wording when he suggests, how some cosmic truths lie undiscovered waiting for a “clever thinker, an ingenious experiment, or an innovative space mission to reveal them. ” In that quote, Tyson’s astronomical interested audience is appealed emotionally by questioning themselves if they fit any of those criteria suggested.
Pathos is one of the most important rhetorical appeals when persuading and appealing the intended audience on the purpose of the authors argument, along with Logos, Ethos, Telos and Kairos. In conclusion, this rhetorical analysis was to inform the reader how Tyson, the author of Cosmic Perspective, used different rhetorical appeals of persuasion to appeal his intended audience on the importance of his argument in his astronomical essay. It is important for the reader to recognize the Kairos, Telos, Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in this essay in order to be able to understand the authors purpose and credibility of his argument of the cosmic perspective being empowering rather than depressing.
