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Stasis Theory

Stasis Theory . Courtesy of Purdue OWL. What is it?. Is a four-question, pre-writing (invention) process developed in ancient Greece by Aristotle and Hermagoras . Stasis theory helps writers conduct critical analyses of the issues they are investigating. What Questions Does it Ask?.

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Stasis Theory

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  1. Stasis Theory Courtesy of Purdue OWL

  2. What is it? • Is a four-question, pre-writing (invention) process developed in ancient Greece by Aristotle and Hermagoras. Stasis theory helps writers conduct critical analyses of the issues they are investigating.

  3. What Questions Does it Ask? • The facts (conjecture) • The meaning or nature of the issue (definition) • The seriousness of the issue (quality) • The plan of action (policy).

  4. Facts • Did something happen? • What are the facts? • Is there a problem/issue? • How did it begin and what are its causes? • What changed to create the problem/issue? • Can it be changed?

  5. Definition • What is the nature of the problem/issue? • What exactly is the problem/issue? • What kind of a problem/issue is it? • To what larger class of things or events does it belong? • What are its parts, and how are they related? It may also be useful to ask critical questions of your own research and conclusions: • Who/what is influencing our definition of this problem/issue? • How/why are these sources/beliefs influencing our definition?

  6. Quality • Is it a good thing or a bad thing? • How serious is the problem/issue? • Whom might it affect (stakeholders)? • What happens if we don't do anything? • What are the costs of solving the problem/issue? It may also be useful to ask critical questions of your own research and conclusions: • Who/what is influencing our determination of the seriousness of this problem/issue? • How/why are these sources/beliefs influencing our determination?

  7. Policy • Should action be taken? • Who should be involved in helping to solve the problem/address the issue? • What should be done about this problem? • What needs to happen to solve this problem/address this issue? • It may also be useful to ask critical questions of your own research and conclusions: • Who/what is influencing our determination of what to do about this problem/issue? • How/why are these sources/beliefs influencing our determination?

  8. Achieving Stasis • Achieving stasis means that parties involved in a dialogue about a given issue have reached consensus on (or agreed upon) the information and conclusions in one or more of the stases. In ancient Rome, if legal disputants could not agree with the presented information in one of the stases, the argument would stop (arrest) and plaintiffs would attempt to agree (achieve stasis or find common ground) within the disputed information. 

  9. Causal Arguments: Chapter 10 • What is the quality of cause of the thing? • Who/what is influencing our determination of the seriousness of this problem/issue? • How/why are these sources/beliefs influencing our determination?

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