Galbiso 1

Kai Galbiso
Professor Clint Johnson
English 1010
July 12, 2016
Words Within Words, a Rhetoric Experience
Throughout writing we are taught and shown how to write, but have we ever stepped
back and truly saw how one was writing? Through meaning, through organization, and through
voice a lot of things can be done to persuade ones thoughts. In the article of, Global Warming
Not a Crisis, by Joseph Bast and James M. Taylor, there seems to be a lot of it. With strong
suggestion using logic providing evidence to their claim, emotion that is very sly and
subconsciously warming, and the suggestion of credibility will sanction any conservative mind.
The authors are not only writing to give information, they are sanctioning a belief to young
conservative people across the world.
In this article written by Bast and Taylor they are approaching the subject of matter that
global warming, is in fact, not a crisis. They use multiple sources of credibility to provoke that
their claim of global warming is not a crisis. Headlining every new section of point with
questions such as: Why Does Heartland Address Global Warming? Isnt There a Consensus?
Natural or Man-Made? Etc. All which are very open opinionated questions, that Bast and Taylor
use their sources to give an answer. That global warming is not a crisis because there is no real
proof; the science technology is too far behind in order to tell what the climate change will have
effect on us in the future. That we should stop spending money in climate change investing and
put it elsewhere. That studies are open ended on both sides and there are no hard facts that

Galbiso 2

climate change is present. Bast and Taylor go on to give a recommended list of ideal policies that
would help us out currently, if we stopped focusing on climate change.
Authors Joseph Bast and James M. Taylor both write for many qualified companies. The
Heartland Institute in this case happens to be a conservative and business oriented website
promoting what they believe to be true. James M. Taylor being the more recognizable of the two
has a very credible background and has been in the game quite some time. Bast and Taylor have
constructed this piece of writing to hit multiple variations of audience. The audience that is most
absorbent to this article is my generation. The kids who are twenty years of age, conservative
background, who will most likely believe anything and everything someone of this stature
(authors of article) have to say. The impact this article will make will be made on my generation,
because of the purpose. The purpose of this article is to either strengthen the views of the
conservative people as well as sanction the belief in the younger generation who are willing to
abide.
Bast and Taylor use many sources and studies to display evidence to back their claim.
They base every section of this article with a pattern of persuasion that most people cannot see.
In every section the authors use a voice of their own to give an idea of what is about to be
brought up, than the next few paragraphs are swallowed by logos. For example, in the beginning
of the article they start strong with this, every single environmental group in the U.S. says
global warming is real and a crisis, Many of the worlds most distinguished scientists
believe climate processes are too poorly understood to support calls for immediate action or
predictions of catastrophic global warming (Solomon, 2008), (pg. 1). A perfect opening
paragraph that uses logic to implant the idea that all scientists believe climate processes are too
poorly understood to support calls for immediate action or predictions of catastrophic global

Galbiso 3

warming (pg. 1). The reader at this point has seen a logistic study, with a background source that
will more than likely capture the reader, and subconsciously that idea will sit for the remainder of
the article. After the opening paragraph there are usually three to four paragraphs that are
nothing but statements and evidence that are from credible sources. The authors are stating the
purpose (in other words obviously) and then backing themselves up with their evidence. In
every section of appeal they support the purpose with more evidence portraying such as, There
is plenty of evidence that there is no scientific consensus that climate change is man-made and
dangerous (Bast and Spencer, 2014). More than 30,000 scientists have signed a petition saying
there is no threat that man-made global warming will pose a threat to humanity or nature
(Petition Project), (pg. 2). In this short, yet very sourced paragraph is the identity of logos.
There is nothing here but evidence supporting the claim that backs up the purpose, which then
leads to an even stronger sanctioned reader of belief.
The emotion that Bast and Taylor use in the article is very sly and subconsciously
warming. Meaning the authors have a way with words where one feels comfortable and
trustworthy with them. After every section and three to four paragraphs of logos there is always
an ending paragraph or two that will restate what the logos paragraphs are telling. The authors
are really good about their pathos but they still manage to sneak it in. They use sentences to
make it seem to the audience that they are doing the best they can to find the answers in order to
make the audience feel like there is a legitimate answer. For example, We then took upon
ourselves the task of publicizing the scientific uncertainty behind the global warming scare and
documenting the high costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions economic costs as well as
the loss of freedom, (pg. 2). This here is an appeal to patriotism and the questioning of
freedom. That is one things Americans will over react about - freedom. And the one thing

Galbiso 4

Americans have, is pride. If the authors have not caught ones attention by now, they just have,
for the emotional purpose of freedom is unquestionable.
The suggestion of credibility is very present. The article structure was put together very
nicely. With a beginning paragraph or two of pathos and ethos the authors then lead you to a
stream of logos or evidence of why their belief is true. Then take you to a conclusive paragraph
on that subject of matter which restates what the logos did. Ethos is the credibility of each
paragraph. It is used to show how reliable everyone is, and how smart these scientist are. For
example, Liberals have no reason to look under the hood of the global warming scare, to see
what the real science says. They believe in global warming because they feel it justifies their
ideological convictions (Hulme, 2009), (pg. 1). Not only is this website conservative and
business oriented, it just gave an identity to the opposing factor which is (give or take) more or
less half of the population. This example is a perfect form of ethos that gives their (the authors)
competition (the liberal view) the identity that makes Basts and Taylors argument stronger.
They use little sentences like, Hulme, not incidentally, is no skeptic:... (pg. 3). Here they use
Hulme a man who has stated, Climate change teaches us in case we preferred to ignore it
that our existing energy technology portfolio with high dependencies on gaseous and liquid
carbon-based fuels derived from fossil sources will not survive two more generations,(Mike
Hulme- personal statement about climate change). I find this very interesting because the
authors have given him an identity that says otherwise. Rather they have used some of Hulmes
work and made his words appeal to the reader, rather than give what this man truly believes in.
The most prominent ethos throughout the article is almost at the end of every passage. It gives
the name and identity to the authors showing that they truly care, as well as the credible scientists
that have been sourced.

Galbiso 5

In conclusion, the acts of rhetoric are very visible. Bast and Taylor use great showcases
of evidence that can persuade and sanction a readers belief. They throw in a bit of educational
emotion that can have you like the author on a personal level which leads you to liking the
article. As well as they give people identities that you have never met or known. There is bias,
and there is intent. As a reader, do your best to analyze, so that you can comprehend what is
being thrown at you, and how to handle it. Throughout the article the purpose and notion is
clear, to sanction down the beliefs of the younger conservative generation and keep a policy that
benefits their lifestyle.

WORD COUNT: 1522

Works Cited
Taylor, James M., and Joseph Bast. "Global Warming: Not a Crisis." Home. N.p., 31 May 2011.
Web. 12 July 2016. (https://www.heartland.org/ideas/global-warming-not-crisis)
"James M. Taylor." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 July 2016. D
(https://www.heartland.org/james-m-taylor-jd)

Galbiso 6

"Mike Hulme." Mike Hulme. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 July 2016. (http://www.mikehulme.org/)