0.3 Writing module two: problem statements, introductions, and  (Page 3/5)

• An economic cost
• An intellectual, moral or spiritual cost
• A cost of time or resources
• A loss of power, prestige, or potency
• A disadvantage (real or perceived) that affects an individual, group, company, or population

Conceptual costs

The consequences of a conceptual problem also answer the question “So What?” In contrast to pragmatic costs, however, they may simply demonstrate that not knowing, understanding, etc., is unacceptable.

Examples: Conceptual Costs

“We will fall behind in the space race.”

“We will never know what happened to the dinosaurs.”

Notice that in each of these cases, a conceptual problem could easily become a pragmatic problem if the author were to link the lack of knowledge (of the universe, of the dinosaurs) she describes to a practical consequence (compromised missile defense, gaps in understanding of prehistoric times, etc.) of not knowing.

Structuring your problem

You know what you want to write about: DNA, Clean Energy, Climate Change, etc. Now you need to transform your topic into a problem statement. To begin, you can focus the problem by asking yourself the same questions as those to which your audience will also need answers. We’ll begin with some pragmatic topics, and use The Craft of Argument method to organize them into some problem statements.

I am working on the issue of _______.

• DNA
• Clean Energy
• Climate Change

Why This Topic?

in order to find out how to change ______.

• the diagnosis and treatment of disease
• high levels of damaging emissions
• the rate at which average temperatures are rising

But we still need to know, so what? In the next step, we need to make the cost or benefit clear:

so that you/they/someone can avoid the cost/gain the benefit of_________.

• a disease-free life
• environmental deterioration
• dwindling natural habitats

We can use a similar procedure to develop problem statements for some conceptual topics.

I am working on the issue of _______.

• Nanoparticles
• The Jet Stream
• Primate Behavior

Why this (conceptual) topic?

in order to find out about (why/how/when/what) ______.

• the basic structure and properties of materials
• determining factors in weather
• the social patterns of apes

Here too, we still need to know, “ so what ?” That is, why should we pursue these problems? Whereas pragmatic problems have tangible, “real” costs that we can see or touch, conceptual problems require another step in motivating audiences. For conceptual problems, we need to answer the question “so what?” with an appeal to the reader’s knowledge or understanding . In the case of pragmatic problems, the costs and benefits are likely to be concrete. In the case of conceptual problems, the consequences are usually abstract. In the examples above, this means that the final answers to the question “so what?” appeal to the need to think differently:

so that I/we can understand better _________.

• the manifold substances that surround us
• cloud patterns and their causes
• family resemblances between humans and our evolutionary predecessors

In the case of conceptual problems in particular, the slippery nature of that all-important question, “So what?” still requires that you find an audience that cares about knowing more, understanding better, or thinking more deeply about an idea or a problem. Depending upon your audience, further support or persuasion may always be necessary.