Question

Read the following excerpt from President John F. Kennedy's 1962 speech at

Rice University in Texas. The purpose of this speech was to persuade the
American people to support an expanded space exploration program..
.... For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the
planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a
hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have
vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but
with instruments of knowledge and understanding.
Which type of rhetorical appeal is Kennedy using in this passage, and how do
you know?
a.) Kennedy is using logos because he is appealing to the audience's
desire for knowledge and understanding.

Answer 1

The rhetorical appeal used by Kennedy in this passage is primarily ethos.

Step-by-step explanation:

He is appealing to the audience's sense of ethics, morality, and trust in the United States' intentions in space exploration. He emphasizes the commitment to space exploration for peaceful purposes, which is a matter of ethics and credibility. While there is an element of logos (logic and reason) in his argument as he talks about the importance of knowledge and understanding, the central appeal is more rooted in ethos – the credibility and character of the United States in space exploration.