Final answer:
Emotional appeals are prevalent in different forms of communication and can influence audience responses, but they may not be relevant to the actual evidence or argument at hand. It is important to critically evaluate the presence and impact of emotional appeals, distinguishing them from logical reasoning when assessing an argument's validity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emotional appeals are common tactics used in a variety of mediums including writing, advertising, and media, to elicit a response from the audience. By appealing to emotions such as sympathy, anger, fear, or joy, the writer or creator attempts to influence the audience’s reaction or decision-making process. While these emotional responses can be powerful, they may not always be relevant to the logic or veracity of the evidence presented. For instance, music in a film may evoke sadness, yet this feeling does not contribute to the logical assessment of the narrative's credibility.
When evaluating arguments and evidence, it's crucial to distinguish between the pathos (emotional appeal) and logos (logical appeal) of the content. An argument that relies too heavily on emotion without offering substantive, factual evidence can be misleading. It is important to ask if the initial reading of the evidence is persuasive, to consider whether the logic is clear and credible, and to examine if any relevant points have been omitted. Disentangling our emotional responses from the factual content is key to critical thinking and reasoned decision-making.
An example of an irrelevant appeal to emotion could be when discussing legal decisions, such as whether to drop criminal charges against a governor due to sympathy for his military service and advanced age, despite no discussion of the actual charges or his guilt or innocence. This ad hominem attack distracts from the actual argument by invoking irrelevant personal feelings towards the individual.