Lecture on Stasis Theory
Objective
- Understand and apply stasis theory.
- Recognize terms in prompts and assignments related to stasis theory.
Introduction
- Stasis theory is a method to categorize arguments and determine points of agreement and disagreement.
Key Questions
- Is a hot dog a sandwich?
- This question helps to illustrate how opinions can be divided and analyzed using stasis theory.
Overview of Stasis Theory
- Four Levels of Stasis Theory
- Facts
- Agreement or disagreement on the existence or occurrence of something.
- Example: Hot dogs exist.
- Example: In a murder trial, did someone die?
- Definition
- Defining parts of an issue and their relationships.
- Example: Is a hot dog a sandwich?
- Some define a sandwich as meat between bread.
- Others say it must be between two separate pieces of bread.
- Example: Was the death murder or another cause?
- Quality
- Evaluating the issue: good, bad, costs, stakeholders.
- Example: Hot dogs being classified as sandwiches affecting sales.
- Example: In a murder trial, questions of intent and circumstances (rage, insanity, self-defense).
- Policy
- Determining actions based on established facts, definitions, and quality.
- Example: Selling hot dogs in sandwich shops.
- Example: Punishment in a murder trial (jail, execution, probation).
Application
- Sources may disagree at different levels; often disagreements in policy stem from prior levels.
- Evaluate where agreement starts and where disagreement begins.
Example: Vaccination Debate
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Parents may have different views based on rights and obligations.
- Agreement: Vaccines exist.
- Disagreement: Definitions of freedom, parenthood, citizenship.
- Different stakeholders (parents vs. doctors) may define priorities differently, affecting quality and policy decisions.
Conclusion
- Use stasis theory to analyze stakeholder disagreements in various contexts.
- Incorporate this approach into assignments and research.
Please refer back to the posted PowerPoint for further details and examples.