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StasisTheory:AskingtheRightQuestionacombinedeffortofSUNyanniandWANGxueOutline•Briefintroductionofstasistheory•TheoreticalV.S.Practicalquestions•Whathappenswhenstasisisnotachieved•Thefourquestions•Elaboratingthequestions•Usingthestasis•examples•Confirmation&RefutationBriefintroductionofstasistheory•Theuse/purpose/aim•Ameansofinventionprovidesrhetorswithasetofquestionsthat,whenaskedsystematically,canhelpthemtodeterminejustwhereitisthatthedisagreementbetweenthemselvesandtheiraudiencebegins.•Thestasismarkstheplacewheretwoopposingforcescometogether,wheretheyrestorstandinagreementonwhatisatissue.•FindalltheavailableargumentsBriefintroductionofstasistheory•Heuristicinsystematic•Clarifiestheirthinkingaboutthepointindispute•Thinkabouttheassumptionsandvaluessharedbymembersoftheirtargetedaudience•Establishesareasinwhichmoreresearchesneedstobedown•Suggestswhichproofsarecrucialtothecase•PointsthewaytowardsthemosteffectivearrangementoftheproofBriefintroductionofstasistheory•Heuristicinsystematic•NoguaranteethatyourconsiderationanddevelopmentofTheoreticalandPracticalorgeneralandspecificquestionswillprovideyouexactlythepropositionthatyouwishtoargue•Continualtorefinetheissueanddevelopthenuancesofyourpropositionsyouworkthrougheachoftherhetoricalcanons(inventioncanbeginalloveragainduringlatestagesofthecomposingprocess)•Enrichyourstockofarguments-yourintellectualCopia•Asystematic,thoughtfulconsiderationoftheissuemayprovideyoupreciselythepropositionyouarelookingfor,aswellasargumentsyoucanusetosupportit.Briefintroductionofstasistheory•Definition&origin•Staseis:QuestionsorissuesinGreek•Stasis:derivedfromaGreekwordmeaning“astand”•Mordernequivalence:issue(thepointaboutwhichallpartiestoanargumentcanagreetodisagree)TheStaseisandcontraryarguments•“DissoiLogoi”or“CountervailingArguments”•Thesophists’convictionthatcontradictionspervaderhetoricalsituations•Dependingoncircumstancesandpointofview•ThedoctrinepointstothesituationalnatureofdiscourserecognizedbyKairos.•Asystematicexplorationofanyissuebymeansofstasistheorycanrevealnotonlytheavailableandoftencontradictorypositionsthatmaybetakenupwithregardtoit.examinationofthestaseiscanalsorevealthatthereareoftenmorethanjusttwosidestoanyissues.TheoreticalV.S.PracticalquestionsgeneralV.S.specific•Practical:•Whatpeopleshoulddo,involvehumanactivity(action)•Theoretical:•Whypeopleshoulddosomething(theory)•Addresstheoriginandnatureofthings•Allowrhetorstoviewquestions“fromafar”asthoughtheyhavenoimmediaterelevantfordailyaffairsandputtingasideforthemomenttheirpracticaleffectsTheoreticalV.S.PracticalquestionsgeneralV.S.spercific•Theoreticalinvestigationsprovidepositionsonmorepracticalissues,buttheyalsotakerhetorsfarafieldfromeverydayevent.practicalquestionhastheoreticalunderpinningTheoreticalV.S.PracticalquestionsgeneralV.S.specific•Difference:considerthelevelofgeneralityatwhichanissuemaybeaddressed.•Issuesingeneraltermsgivethespeakerapersuasiveadvantage,sincetheaudiencemightviewasself-servingtheparticularstatementoftheissue•Specificstatement:aspecificplaceandimpliesasinglepotentialaction.•Hypothesis:nameaspecificquestionthatinvolvedactualpersons,placesorevents.•Thesis:namegeneralquestionshavingwideapplication-matterssuitedtopolitical,ethical,orphilosophicaldiscussion-whichdon’trefertoactualpersonsorevents.•Quintilian:everyspecialissuepresupposesageneralone.TheoreticalV.S.PracticalquestionsgeneralV.S.spercific•Questionsthathoversomewherebetweentheverygeneralandtheveryspecific(argumentcastaspersonal,financialchoice,ethicalaspect)TheoreticalV.S.PracticalquestionsgeneralV.S.spercific•Anydecisionyoumakeaboutthelevelofgeneralityatwhichyouwillpursueanissueisalwaysaffectedbytherhetoricalsituationforwhichyouarecomposing.•Whoisaudienceforthepaperorspeech•Whatisthesetting•Howdoestheaudiencefeelabouttheissue•Whatdotheyknowalready•WhatwilltherhetorhavetotellthemPuttingthesedistinctionstowork•RhetorcanbegintheargumentfromtheirowngroundwhiletheopponentmaybeginbydefiningtheissuesothatthestandoccursonhisgroundPuttingthesedistinctionstowork•Agoodwaytodecidewhichkindandlevelofquestionyouwishtoargueistoimaginethekindandlevelofquestionyouropponentsmayadvance.Whathappenswhenstasisisnotachieved•onereasonthattheargumenthasnotbeenresolvedisthatthecentralpropositionsputforwardbythoseinvoledinitarenotinstasis.•Reachingstasismeansfindingtheplacewhereopponentsagreetodisagree•thepropositionsareseldomofferedinthesystematic,head-to-headway,ortheyareseldomputinstasis.•Stasisanalysisestablishesthattheparticipantsintheargumentarearguingrightpasteachother.Thatistosay,themajorpropositiontheyputforwarddonoraddressthesameissue.•Anotherreason:thereluctancetoadmittheimplicationsofitspropositions(pro-choicers/pro-lifers)Whathappenswhenstasisisnotachieved•Pro-lifers:arguefromphilosophicalortheoreticalassumptionsaboutthepointatwhichlifebegins(fetusorfertilizedegg)•Pro-choicers:arguefrompoliticalgroundsabouttherightsofindividualsandtherelationofthoserightstocommunitygoods.•Thepoint:aslongasthemajorpropositionsinthisdiscourseremainoutofstasis,thearg