Developing Reasons

“How Do I Come Up With/Explain Reasons?”

When confronted with a rich subject – say, genetically modified food – it can be daunting to find a way in to discuss it.

One way of coming up with ways into a topic or to develop arguments is to think of your subject from different points of view. Use each of the views below as a way to generate questions/thinking.

BTW, this technique is called a heuristic– a great word to drop at your next social gathering.

Economic View

This involves:

class issues
wages and jobs (what’s the poverty rate/line in America?)
costs – as in cost of living (rent, food, etc.)
who pays (as in taxes, or for a particular service)
who benefits financially
who suffers financially

Be sure to think of the long term financial costs as well.

One additional note: when using these categories, it’s best to be specific. In other words, instead of using “for economic reasons” in your division statement, use “the financial costs to farmers.”)

Genetically modified (GM) foods make money for the seed manufacturer, and thus cost consumers more. In the long term, may cost consumer more because it makes them rely more on the seed manufacturer. May save money for consumers if GM foods can prevent illness and disease. May make food cheaper as well, but because of cost of seed, may cost more as well. May cost more due to unforeseen health/environmental effects.

Political View

This involves:

Constitutional issues (see Bill of Rightson Course Site>Course Documents>Readings for fun and mental profit)
Who benefits – the powerful or the people? (i.e. corporations v. consumers, the rich v. middle class)
legal questions (Is what you suggest legal?)
input of lawmakers
voice of the people (forget apathy: if enough people talk, the politicians listen)
global issues (IMPORTANT POINT – let’s stop staring at our own navels and realize there’s a world out there)
realpolitik (politics based upon practical, not ethical moral or legal considerations – example: remaining trading partners with countries known to use slave labor or which repress rights).

To stop GM foods would require laws, which means input of lawmakers, which means the voice of the people will have to override the voice of the lobbyists and campaign contributors (see realpolitik). For global issues, the European Union is now outlawing GM foods, so it could mean trade wars.

Social View

This involves:

Education (How would this effect pre-schools? Colleges? Etc.)
Crime (could this lead to more or less crime? Different kinds of crime?)
Public and individual health/medical issues (Could ____ have long-term health effects?)
Cultural attitudes (How would people from different cultures view or be effected by this question/problem/issue?)
Religious attitudes (How would different religions – or atheists – view or be effected by this issue?)
Media – how would the issue be covered – or would it be covered at all?
Gender issues – would a man and a woman view or be effected by this issue differently?
Racial issues – would people from different races view or be effected by this issue differently?
Family – how would this effect families and children?

Health issues cut both ways: can benefit, can harm. There might be some religions against adulterating food. Cultural attitudes vary and swing according to what’s been on the news and fears of technology v. a fascination with it.

Moral/Ethical View

This is the most challenging because it involves defining your point before arguing it. It can also be very effective because humans are motivated by notions of fairness. If you’re interested in making this kind of argument, in addition to the short list below, check this more detailed “how to (Links to an external site.).”(https://hubpages.com/literature/Writing-an-Ethical-Argument)

Basic questions of “right and wrong” (in quotation marks because what’s right and what’s wrong varies according to who you ask).
Follow the “Golden Rule”
Harming another person is wrong

Is it right to tamper with nature? Should humans try to divine all the secrets of nature?