Is this the secret to Trump’s success?
Is this the secret to Trump’s success?
By LeRoy Lane
For The Register-Guard
...I see three main reasons for his rhetorical success, which continues to build after his performance in the Republican presidential candidates’ first debate on Aug. 6.
First, Trump makes excellent use of an argument Aristotle called the enthymeme — an argument that most effective persuaders naturally adopt without purposeful design, but with a good understanding of human nature.
The enthymeme is one of four syllogistic arguments — categorical, disjunctive and hypothetical being the other three.
All four arguments have three parts: major premise, minor premise and conclusion. For example, the hypothetical syllogism looks like this:
Major premise: If Donald Trump fails to become the nominee of the Republican Party, then he will form a third party.
Minor premise: Donald Trump will fail to become the nominee of the Republican Party.Conclusion: Therefore, Donald Trump will form a third party.
In the “Rhetoric,” Aristotle wrote: “Whenever men in speaking effect persuasion through proofs, they do so either with examples or enthymemes; they use nothing else.”
The enthymeme differs significantly from the other more formal syllogisms, with the prospect of greater listener influence.
In the enthymeme, the major premise is not expressed but implied, which makes the argument less complicated than the other three and easier to follow; because listeners can perceive that the omitted premise is implied, they can mentally supply it themselves and, in a sense, complete the argument by which they could be persuaded...
Is the enthymeme the secret to Donald Trump's success? See the other two reasons LeRoy Lane gives here:
http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/33417352-78/the-secret-to-trumps-success.html.csp
Yes, I knew it!
Side Score: 6
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No, he is just lucky!
Side Score: 5
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I have not been keeping up with Trump or any of the candidates. I have always known that voters are simpletons. But, if he gets elected, I suspect that (like a kidney stone and prior liberal administrations) this too shall pass. Side: Yes, I knew it!
I think that a lot of middle class people are conservatives. But they see the Republican party as being taken over by the rich. Normally that would not matter except that the middle class feels betrayed/forsaken by the rich. When the crash of 2008 hit, those responsible, the rich got off lightly and the middle classwas left holding the bag. Trump is rich, but he doesn't come across as belonging to the good old boy rich club. In fact, he seems to enjoy rubbing their faces in it. He come across as a man who answers to no one and owes no one any political favors. Side: Yes, I knew it!
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Out of curiosity, do you believe that most of the Middle class is Conservative, and if so, do you have any source for it? As for Trump, I fail to see how he wouldn't belong to the good old boy rich club. He spends all his time flaunting his wealth, declaring that all women love him, plastering his gaudy name all over an otherwise rather picturesque part of the city out here (Chicago), etc. He does come across as a man who answers to no one, but that is kind of the new populist stereotype regarding the rich. Side: Yes, I knew it!
I guarantee you the moment he steps into the white house being president (if he does), his 'I owe no one anything' and 'I turn down all offers' will only apply to Americans, he'll be sucking Chinese 3-inchers on a daily basis to pay off debts, mark my words. Side: No, he is just lucky!
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