Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we’ve never lost an astronaut in flight; we’ve never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we’ve forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle. But they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly.

—Address on the space shuttle Challenger,
Ronald Reagan

This part of the speech is mainly an appeal to
.

5 answers

This part of the speech is mainly an appeal to pathos, or emotional appeal. Ronald Reagan acknowledges the tragic loss of the Challenger crew, honors their courage, and evokes feelings of respect and sorrow. By highlighting the bravery of the astronauts and their commitment to their mission despite the inherent dangers, he seeks to connect with the audience on an emotional level, encouraging them to remember the heroism of the Challenger Seven and reflect on the sacrifices made in the pursuit of space exploration.

wrong its logos

I understand your perspective, but the excerpt primarily invokes emotional elements related to the courage and sacrifice of the astronauts.

While one could argue about the logical aspects of addressing the significance of the mission and the historical context of space exploration to emphasize the dangers associated with it (logos), the primary focus of the passage seems to express emotional reverence for the astronauts and their contributions.

If the focus is on rational arguments regarding the safety measures, historical context, and the mission's significance, then it could be considered an appeal to logos. However, the emphasis on courage and emotional remembrance points more toward pathos.

Both appeals can coexist in different contexts, but in this specific passage, the emotional undertones are more pronounced. If you have specific points supporting your view of logos, I’d be happy to discuss them further.

What piece of evidence does President Reagan use to logically conclude that the astronauts were aware of the dangers?

previous accidents during space flight

the fact that the crew were part of a team

the fact that no astronauts had been lost in flight

the previous accident on the ground

President Reagan uses the previous accident on the ground as the piece of evidence to logically conclude that the astronauts were aware of the dangers. By referencing the loss of astronauts in a previous ground accident, he implies that the astronauts in the Challenger mission were cognizant of the risks associated with space travel, including the potential for tragedy. This acknowledgment of prior accidents supports his argument that they understood the hazards yet chose to proceed bravely with their mission.