Thursday, November 4, 2010
Interesting Concept
An interesting concept that I read in Chapter 10 and did not previously discuss is the Appeal to Spite. The Epstein text explains this appeal as “‘You shouldn’t help anyone who has refused to help you (recently),’” (193). An example of an appeal to spite would be “I’m not going to help Jim do his homework because he wouldn’t help me unload the groceries yesterday.” They do not want to do Jim a favor, because they do not feel as if they owe it to Jim to help him. However, Jim may have been busy, or physically incapable to help unload the groceries; however, just because they did not get help, they feel as if Jim does not deserve help as well. This is an immature and unreliable tactic, which unnecessarily punishes others. This appeal also encourages the “principle that two rights make a right,” (193). Obviously, we all know that this principle is not valid or benefit one person. However, many of those who hold grudges abuse this principle often.
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I think that appeal to spite is one of the interesting concept because even though it might sound really unreasonable but it is use to a certain extend. For example, people can talk about death penalty. For some people there are the argument that people who have committed a cruel homicide crime should receive a death penalty, life for life. Since the murderer have taken someone's life, the murderer should get a death penalty to repay for that life. This can be see as an appeal to spite. Since someone did something bad, that person should receive the same punishment in return. I think that for the most part, appeal to spite is unreasonable but it is a great help to convince and manipulate people.
ReplyDeleteI agree that appeal to spite is one of the more interesting appeal to emotions. But to me appeal to spite and appeal to patriotism are two of the less influential appeals. Personally they don't or wouldn't have much a influence on my reasoning or choices. In my opinion appeal to fear, appeal to pity, and appeal to vanity are much stronger appeals. But I guess all appeal to emotions are personal emotions. Because one might not have a strong emotion of pity while someone might strongly believe in patriotism. So there are probably people out there that have strong emotions of spite.
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