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Problematizing Via Methoddr. bonnie lenore kyburz

So, youve been asked to problematize a particular concern. What does thismean? First, it means to think carefully about the assumptions, opinions, and

beliefs you bring to thinking about a problem. Some useful questions include:

1.) Do I have a very strong bias (a one-sided position) about this problem?Might this bias foreclose the possibility of thinking expansively aboutit?

2.) Do I have strong, emotional responses to thinking about this problemthat might occlude my ability to think openly about it?

3.) Do I use very strong or absolute terms to frame up my sense of thisproblem? (i.e., always, never, terrible, right, wrong, . . .words that shut down inquiry)?

4.) Can I actually imagine another position than the one that seems to beinforming my emotional thoughts about this problem?

5.) Can I rethink my position in ways that are in opposition to my originalinstincts? Will it be possible for me to change sides?

6.) Can I explore this problem beyond a pro and con (dualistic) way ofthinking?

7.) Can I both believe anddoubt my original thoughts on thisproblem? (ala Peter Elbows Believing and Doubting Game?

Below are a few more general methods for problematizing. These first twoare especially useful for beginning problematizers. Lets say that youveworked through some personal concern to discover that your focusedresearch question is, say, Is physical pain valuable?

1.) Maybe you want to look at possible CAUSES of a problem. Askquestions about its origins, history, the events and contexts thatgenerated it. Ask why it still exists?

2.) Or you will look at potential CONSEQUENCES of the problem. What

will it mean if it continues? If we dont do anything to change/stop/alterit?

Other useful methods (for later, not this assignment) include:

3.) EXAMPLES of how pain is valuable (you have recurring headaches, soyou go to the doctor, get a scan, and discover a tumor that needsserious medical attention; you burn your hand on the stove, so youknow to remove it in order to avoid further damage to your skin). Or,

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examples of how physical pain is seemingly without value; thisquestion seems difficult to speak to, but here is where . . .

4.) . . . you might try to divide pain up into CATEGORIES (classifying),like mild, chronic, or severe, and then explore what these various kindsof pain mean in terms of value, looking for positive (surprising) new

views on pain. For example: you have chronic back pain that keeps youfrom doing certain dangerous activities you may have enjoyed in thepastcould this keep you from further harm? Conversely, we knowthat some people suffer severe and chronic pain that seems withoutvalue; they simply suffer, seemingly without reason.