Ethos, Pathos, and Logos...

The add to the right most definitely has all three of Aristotle's three persuasive appeals. This includes ethos, the appeal to ethics, and credibility; pathos, the appeal to emotion; and logos, the appeal to logic, by using statistics and facts.

This Peta Save The Seals add uses ethos by using a celebrity. Steve-O is a very well known celebrity who is usually laid back and easy-going. But his hard expression screams that he has something worth fighting for. If even Steve-O is angry about this, then it must be something for me to be angry about too, right?

Steve-O also shows pathos in this add. Obviously his hard expression shows that it's time to go into battle for the unfortunate baby seals, and his macho pose contrasts with the adorable drawing of a baby seal on his shirt, as well as his personality. And for someone who didn't know, or recognize Steve-O, would get the impression of him being a tough guy, with tattoos, muscles, and an almost heroic facial expression. Which goes to show that you can be a tough guy and still care for the baby seals. All at once, this add stirs anger, as well as pity, and the inevitable reaction of "Awwwwww!" Pathos is also apparent in the writing in the top left corner. Words like "babies", "massacre", "cruel", and "slaughter" stir up some pretty impressive emotions.

Although logos doesn't make nearly as much of an appearance as pathos, it still gets it's five minutes of fame. In the top left corner it states that, "Each year, tens of thousands of seals, many of whom are still babies, are massacred." The terms "each year" and "tens of thousands" appeal to logos. Wow. That many seals in so little time. Logically speaking, if something isn't done now, we'll loose all our seals. And nobody wants that.


With these three persuasive techniques, this add makes reader ready to take arms against the cruel Canadian sport. Just as Aristotle said, ethos, pathos, and logos, all put together, can make a really convincing argument.

thINK Journal #3: Bull Shark

For my third, shark-inspired journal entry, I give you the Bull Shark. The Bull shark is considered the third most dangerous shark, behind the Great White (first place), and the Tiger Shark (second place), for a number of reasons.

According to HowStuffWorks.com, Bull Sharks can adapt to fresh water and have even been known to swim up the Mississippi River. One was even reported as far up the Mississippi as Illinois. It has also been found 2,200 miles up the Amazon River. Bulls often found in lakes as well as rivers, so be careful where you swim. The Bull Shark is one of the two species of shark that can swim in the fresh water, the other being the River Shark.


According to the Florida Museum of Natural History: Ichthyology Department, Bull Sharks prefer to live in shallow, coastal waters. But they are found in warm waters all over the world. Although they are often found in fresh waters, it is very unlikely that their entire life cycle would take place in such an environment, although scientists believe Bull Sharks can breed in fresh water.


A Bull Shark primarily eats fish, and smaller sharks, and humans rarely enter their diet. Like the Hammerhead Shark, the Bull enjoys the occasional Sting Ray, and has also been known to eat young sharks of their own species. Oddly enough Bull Sharks also enjoy Sea Turtles, Sea Gulls, Dolphins, and Squid. The Bull Shark will appear slow, and rather clumsy, but appearances can be deceiving. When hunting the Bull Shark will turn quick and extremely agile.


The Bull Shark is similar to the Hammerhead in more ways then one. The Bull Shark also gives birth to live young, but doesn't have near as many pups as the Hammerhead. Bulls can give birth to about 13 pups, who stay with their mother for 10-11 months after they're born.

At birth the Bull Shark is little more then 2 feet long, but they soon grow, and can get up to 11 feet long, weighing 500 lbs.



Although the Bull Shark isn't as dangerous as the Great White, or Tiger Shark, it's important to watch out for them, even in local rivers. In order to avoid them try not to swim where rivers open up into gulfs or oceans, because they are very common there. Don't swim near schools of fish, because the attract larger predators. And obviously, don't try to be Steve Irwin.

thINK Journal #2: Hammerheads.

As a continuation of my last post, I give you an oddly shaped shark: The Hammerhead. Unlike the Great White, who is implicated in 32.7% of all shark attacks, and the Tiger Shark, who is implicated in 14% of all shark attacks, the Hammerhead Shark is implicated in 0.7% of all shark attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.



Hammerhead Sharks are commonly known because of their appearance. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as "any of a family (sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have eyes at the ends of lateral extension of the flattened head" This means that they are a shark that eats a lot, and who's eyes are placed in a rather intriguing position. Check out this Hammerhead on the right. Ugly isn't he?





Hammerheads eat smaller fish, octopus, squid, crustaceans, and even sting rays, which it pins to the ocean floor using its wide head. According to National Geographic, The Great Hammerhead Shark can grow to be 20 ft in length, and weigh over 1,000 lbs. Although most Hammerheads are rather small, the Great Hammerhead is among the top nine largest identified species of shark. Unlike a pet goldfish, who's lucky to live two weeks, the Hammerhead can live to be 30 years old, and spend their lives in both temperate and tropical waters, traveling in large groups, or schools.



Although the Hammerhead is a fish, babies are fed placenta, and are born, rather then hatched. Hammerheads are viviparous, which means that the eggs hatch inside the female's body, and that Hammerheads give birth to live young. Hammerheads can have anywhere from 13 to 42 babies, or pups, per litter. But despite the fact that Hammerheads have many pups, their population is declining. According to the MarineBio organization, "hammerheads are a bycatch species of tropical longline and drift net fisheries with highly valued fins". Hammerhead meat is also sold for human consumption, and can be bough fresh, frozen, dried, or smoked.



According to the Shark Foundation, Sharks existed 400 million years ago and have sense evolved into the species they are now. Hammerhead Sharks have evolved to have their current head structure which allows them 360° vision and greater stereo vision, or depth perception.



Hammerheads aren't rare, but are always interesting, and cool to see. Have fun watching SHARK WEEK, and remember: Fish are friends. Not food.

thINK Journal #1: HAPPY SHARK WEEK!!!!

Yup, its that time of year again: Shark Week.

Shark week premiered August 1st, on Discovery Channel.

After watching a couple of shows on Shark Attacks, I began to wonder what causes shark attacks.

According to the Australian Shark Attack Files, there have only been 53 shark attacks off the coast of Australia in the last 50 years.

Here's a look at the number of shark attacks in the United States over the past decade according to the International Shark Attack File:

In 1999 there were 37 shark attacks, none of them fatal.

In 2000 there were 53 shark attacks, only 1 of them fatal. In 2001, there were 50 shark attacks, 3 of them fatal.

In 2002 there were 47 attacks, none of them fatal.

In 2003 there were 40 shark attacks, with 1 fatality.

In 2004, there were 30 attacks, 2 fatal.

In 2005 there were 40 shark attacks with 1 fatality.

In 2006 there were 39 attacks, with no fatalities,

And in 2007 there were 50 shark attacks, again with no fatalities.

In 2008 there were 41 attacks, one fatal,

And finally in 2009 there were only 28 attacks with no fatalities.

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History: Ichthyology Department, You are more likely to be struck by lightning then to be attacked by a shark. The average number per year of deaths by lightning strikes is 38.6, where as the average shark attack per year is only 18.7. And the average death by shark attack is even lower: o.5 per year.

The primary reason sharks attack humans is because they mistake us for their prey. Our splashing around on the surface looks like panicked fish, and surfers floating on the surface on their boards resemble sea lions, part of the diet of a shark.

The two sharks that most commonly attack are the Great White: Shown in the picture above, and the Tiger Shark, to the left.

The Great White terrorises the temperate waters while the Tiger Shark hunts in the tropical waters. Despite how dangerous they seem to us, we are so much more dangerous to them. According to National Geographic 38 million sharks are killed per year.

If you can't tune in to Shark Week on your TV, you can check out all the bloody fun at Discovery Channel.com. So go get some popcorn, and prepare for the JAWS theme song. And remember: Fish are Friends. Not Food!