Szilard Szilard’s petition to the president is a successful. He has used persuasive appeals as he tries to appeal to the president not to authorize the use of atomic bombs. He has used logos, pathos and Ethos to successfully air his point. It is intriguing to note that these words now haunt us in this century were countries such as Iran and North Korea are making and testing nuclear weapons. These are weapons that pose a danger to humanity and should not be used as a show of power. Nuclear weapon is a threat to humanity, and its possession does not mean power but danger.

Szilard has presented the argument chronologically. He has opened the argument with an introduction of the underlying issue of atomic bombs. He starts by recognizing the authority of the audience who is the president (Szilard par 1). This is a good start since it appeals to the audience emotionally. It makes the audience want to read more and discover what the argument is all about.

The body off the argument is just a continuation of the introduction. Szilard has explained into details why the president should consider prohibiting the use of atomic bombs. Though in the opening paragraph he is notifying the president that the final decision lies to him, he explains his view on the issue logically. He presents his arguments logically and with much analysis. His points of view follow several reasons and there are no assertions without facts in this argument. The conclusion contains the final say or decision. It is a summary of the whole argument and it lays the main point of the argument. The whole arguments are well presented from the start to the end. There are no arguments without roof and every logical explanation follows some reason.

Szilard has used Pathos in the argument. In the opening argument, Szilard makes it know to the president that the decision on the usage of the atomic bombs is his and not a decision by him. This has an effect on the feeling of the president. The fact that Szilard recognizes that the president has the ultimate power makes the president feel powerful as far as the atomic bombs are concerned. Szilard is opening the argument by appealing to the emotions of the president by making him feel powerful.

Szilard also uses Pathos in an appeal to fear. He informs the president that atomic bombs will provide nations with a new away of destruction and having them is just the first step. He argues that with the making of atomic bombs, there will be no limit to the power that will become available. However, he warns that the first country to use the bombs will have to bear the responsibility of opening the door to the era of destruction in unimaginable scale (Szilard par 7). This is an appeal to the emotion of fear. If the president authorizes the use of atomic bombs and a war breaks out leading to unimaginable devastation, he will be responsible for igniting the war.  This appeal to fear has been presented logically. The conclusion that first country to use the bombs will have to bear the responsibility of opening the door to the era of destruction in unimaginable scale follows the reason that the power of the atomic bombs will be limitless.

Szilard has also used the appeal to logos. This is the appeal to logic. The argument is very logical given that every conclusion that Szilard comes into follows some reasons. For example he concludes that Japan should be given a chance to surrender (Szilard par 3). This is preceded by the reason that attacking Japan at the present moment cannot be justified. However, if Japan fails to surrender, then there is a justification to attack. The reason here is that there is no justification to attack and the conclusion is that Japan should be given a chance to surrender. This is very logical.

Another example of appeal to logos is that atomic bombs will provide nations with new means of destruction. Thus the nation which sets the precedent of using them will bear the responsibility of opening the doors to an era of devastation (Szilard par 1). The reason here is that atomic bombs are very destructive leading to the conclusion that nation which sets the precedent will bear the responsibility of the repercussions.

Another example of appeal to logos is when the Szilard explains that they as scientists have been working in the atomic bombs field for long and that they had to agree with the idea that America can be attacked by atomic bombs and the only defense would be to attack with the same weapon (Szilard par 2). However, he concludes by saying that since that danger has been averted, they are impelled to advice against the use of atomic bombs.

Every conclusion that Szilard make has several reasons supporting it. He makes no assertions without reasoning. Through his use of Pathos, Logos and good structure, Szilard has presented a well thought argument. The argument is logical and appealing to the audience. He concludes by summarizing the whole arguments in a few statements which highlight what the whole argument was trying to air. He advices the president to consider ruling that America will not use Atomic bombs based on the reasons presented in the body of the argument.

Work cited

Szilard, Szilard and Cosigners. “A Petition to the President of the United States.” Atomicarchive.com. 2011. Web. 24 June 2016.

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