The transformation of logical-argumentative models in public academic speeches

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze the mechanisms of transformation of logical-argumentative models in public academic speeches, specifically examining the integration of rational and emotionally-narrative components through the example of speeches by Abraham Vergis, J. K. Rowling, and Steve Jobs before university audiences. The research methods employed a comprehensive approach combining rhetorical and discourse analyses to study means of persuasion (ethos, logos, pathos), narrative analysis to investigate the structure of the speeches' storytelling elements, as well as a comparative-typological method that allowed the identification of individual oratory strategies of the three examined speakers. The research material consisted of texts of commencement speeches delivered at Harvard University (Abraham Vergis, 2025; J. K. Rowling, 2008) and Stanford University (Steve Jobs, 2005). The research results revealed key trends in contemporary public academic speech, characterized by a shift from traditional linear deductive logic to a narrative model. Ethos is transformed into a moral authority attained through the speakers’ sincerity and acknowledgment of their own vulnerabilities, logos is represented through clearly structured life stories, and pathos serves as a means of activating empathy and motivating listeners through emotionally rich imagery. The conclusions indicate that modern academic rhetoric has significantly evolved, moving away from rigid deductive schemes toward a synthesis of rational and emotionally-narrative models. This approach not only enhances the persuasiveness of public academic speeches but also contributes to the development of critical thinking and value orientations in the audience. The classical Aristotelian triad – ethos, logos, and pathos – retains its relevance, enriched with new functions and forms, adapting to the challenges of the information age.