Emotions are a powerful element in any argument, to sway the audience to sympathize with and accept a position. Emotional appeals may be considered fair when the emotions generated are based on facts and related to the issue. For example, if a writer establishes that a food additive is dangerous to public health while arguing for banning the additive, the emotion of fear generated by the argument would be fair. But emotional appeals are considered unfair when the emotions are generated by biased words (not solid evidence) and unsubstantiated claims; or are part of fallacies such as personal attacks not related to the issue being discussed.

Here are some example of emotional appeals. Do you find them persuasive?

Example: "The mere availability of the euthanasia option often improves the quality of, and even prolongs the lives of many terminal or incurably suffering patients. Having such a choice seems to dissipate the panic of helplessness by assuring a modicum of personal control. Consequently, the vast majority of patients go on to die "naturally" and with few complaints despite continued excruciating suffering. This greatly eases the burden of families and caretakers." --Dr. Jack Kevorkian

Examples:

If we don’t attack Iraq and eliminate its weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), Iraq will give th WMDs to terrorists who will use them against America.

If we don’t ban handguns, violent crimes will continues to escalate. Fifty-four percent of the murders committed last year were committed with handguns. Killing with handguns simply is a good deal easier than killing with other weapons.

Examples:

We should ban handguns because police officers are being killed by them in the lie of duty. For example, Donald Brown was murdered by three men who wanted to rob the supermarket manager he was protecting. Patrolman Brown was 61 years old, six months from retirement, he and his wife intended to retire to Florida at the end of the year. Now there will be no retirement in the sun; and she is alone.

Many of us take for granted eating three meals a day. But there are people in Hawai‘i who go to sleep hungry each night; some may eat only one meal a day; some may not eat at all. Please help us feed the hungry and homeless by sending your donation to the food bank.

Example: Americans shouldn't throw food away. There are many people starving in Africa who would give anything to have the food you throw away.

Example: America is the only democracy in the world that still condones the death penalty. All the democracies in Europe condemn the death penalty as barbaric.

Example: America is a nation of immigrants. Immigrants and their children built America into the richest country in the world; they fought and died for America in World War II. So as Americans, we should welcome new immigrants today.

Examples:

Too many lenient judges are letting criminals go free. Murderers and rapists get out on parole and commit more crimes. We should be allowed to elect our judges, so we can choose judges who favor locking up criminals and the death penalty, so that criminals can’t commit more crimes.

The recent senseless murder of a 15-year old seminary student again emphasizes the insanity of our gun laws. No matter how guilty the 13-year-old who shot into the head of the victim, it seems that our Congressmen are even more guilty by not enacting stricter gun control laws. They are supposedly sane, rational men; and the kindest thing that can be said about them is that they are merely motivated by greed.

Example: Fascists are scum. We should kill them all.

Example: We should support the President's position on stem cell research because the majority of Americans do.