What is Kairos?

Kairos is the single most important aspect of persuasion. Taught by Plato, formalized by Aristotle, used by Cicero and Quintilian, Kairos is the final determinant of whether an argument persuades. But what the ancients taught, we have lost. Modern speech and debate students learn to master Ethos, Pathos, and Logos but this was never where the study of rhetoric was intended to end. According to the ancients, there is a fourth and final means of persuasion: Kairos. A lack of Kairos will torpedo your persuasive efforts but mastery of Kairos will supercharge all your other skills. 

Modern students leave tournaments confused. Students lose rounds they "deserve" to have won. Students blame losses on the "subjectivity" of public speaking. But maybe these losses are not as random as they seem. Maybe students master Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, which makes them believe they deserve to win, but they miss a crucial piece of the puzzle along the way. What could today's students possibly be missing? Kairos. 

Kairos is not about shooting the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos arrows. Kairos is about shooting one masterfully crafted arrow specifically designed to impact each target. What makes Kairos powerful? Kairos is powerful because it makes subjectivity the friend of the speaker. Yes, you read that correctly. If you can master Kairos, you can turn the subjectivity of speech and debate into an asset. After all, isn't that what persuasion is all about? To read more about the origins, meaning, and application of Kairos, read ...