The Stasis Spectrum
Stasis is best thought of as a spectrum, from more foundational or basic claims to more complex or abstract ones:
Existence
– What evidence shows the issue, phenomenon, or event actually exists? – Do relevant stakeholders agree on these core facts?
Procedure / Jurisdiction
– Which body or individual has authority to decide this matter? – Have all deadlines and procedural prerequisites been met? – Is there an alternative venue or process that would be more appropriate?
Definition
– How should we define or name this phenomenon? – What criteria must something meet to fit this definition? – Which competing definitions exist and which are most accurate? – How might a different label change our analysis or response?
Cause / Effect
– What caused this? – What will its effects be?
Value
– By what standards should we judge this phenomenon? – Is it good, bad, mixed, etc.? – How does it align with our ethical, artistic, social, or cultural values?
Comparison
– Compared with similar phenomena or alternatives, is this better or worse? – What criteria are we using to compare them?
Policy
– What specific action should be taken? – How will this action address the problem? – Is the solution feasible within existing resources and constraints? – How will we know whether we have succeeded or failed?
For an argument to succeed, the arguer and audience must agree, at least provisionally, on foundational issues before moving to the complex levels.
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