The Philosophers ToolkitAnalysing a Question

Reasoning

Questioning?

Ope

n m

ind

Clear thinking

SWOT

Evaluation

Rationale (or similar) argument mind map/flow chart

Written argument

Tools to use to analyse a question or statement

SWOT analysis

http://www.principlesofsuccessfulfreelancing.com/2009/01/creating-a-swot/

SWOT analysis• Mostly used in cooperate business strategy.

• Useful for questions that seek a solution or the effects of particular situation or way of thinking such as:• What are the benefits of…• What might happen if…• If ‘such and such action’ is taken what might be the consequences of…• Should I take the job?• Will studying philosophy help me in my other subjects?• Which shoe should I buy?

• Examples of questions in philosophy:• What would the world be like if there were no lies?• If the UN implemented a policy to feed every refugee, what would that

look like?• What might happen if everyone had the same idea of beauty?• Is a scientific investigation a good way of gaining knowledge?• Should I donate more money to charity?

SWOT analysis

http://www.shuriken.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/swot.jpg

SWOT analysis

http://www.autofocusasia.com/automotive_components/components_sourcing.htm

Option: Choose a pair of shoes and do a SWOT analysis on whether you should buy them…

Or evaluate one of the other questions, or one of your own

SWOT analysis

Strengths• Would be warm in the winter

Weaknesses• Would be hot too in the summer• They will take a long time to put on and take

off• Cleaning them will be a big job• They are expensive

Opportunities• People might notice me more and come for

a chat about the shoes, I might make new friends

Threats• People might notice me more and want to

ask about the shoes which will take up time and might make me late

SWOT analysis

Strengths• A little extra cash• Something productive to do in my spare

time

Weaknesses• Less time to study and socialize• Will be boring• Money is not fantastic

Opportunities• Could help me get a better job later• Might make new friends• Might learn new skills, appreciate the value

of money a bit more

Threats• Friendships and school work might suffer

Should I take the part time job at the gift shop?

Evaluation• This type of evaluation can be used when an action, solution, policy,

program, thought etc. is already in place and the effect it has had might not be obvious at first glance, or when deciding how to move forward when there are options. It is used everywhere from corporations to science classrooms

• Useful for questions that ask to know the effects of something after it has happened such as:• Which vaccination program is the most effective?• Is the ad reaching the target audience?• Which pair of shoes would be most useful?• Has my philosophy study program been of benefit to my thinking?

• Examples of questions in philosophy:• Did not going to Anna’s party affect our relationship?• Have the changes to the piece of art turned it into something else?• Did letting 8 yr oldJohnny take the train to school on his own last week

affect his confidence?• Has the flood tax made a difference to the lives of the flood victims?

http://www.evaluationtoolkit.org/practices/develop-a-theory-of-action/key_actions/use-your-logic-model-to-develop-relevant-evaluation-questions

Evaluation

Introduction:

Strengths/Positives/Affirmative:

Weaknesses/Negatives:

Criteria for judging:

Justified personal judgment:

Option: Choose 1 or 2 pairs of shoes and evaluate…• Whether it was a worthwhile purchase

http://inventorspot.com/articles/10_strangest_shoes_fashion_today_24497

Or evaluate one of the other questions, or one of your own

EvaluationIntroduction: This pair of shoes have a tv screen in the heel and a battery storage area to run the tv. I bought them 6 months ago and what to know how useful they have been.

Strengths/Positives/Affirmative:• They are a great talking point when I go out and I have a lot of fun showing them off

Weaknesses/Negatives:• A little too high in the heel makes them uncomfortable to wear• Have to keep changing the battery• When I sit down people want me to take off my shoe so they can play with them and see how they

work

Criteria for judging:1. How often do I wear them? 2. How often do I watch the tv? 3. How comfortable are they?

Apply the criteria:4. Not often, only to parties really. 5. When I am sitting around and not actually wearing the shoe. 6. Not very

Justified personal judgment: They have not been very useful because I can only wear them to parties and I can only watch the tv when I am not actually wearing them.

Rationale styled flow chart

• Used when a suggestion(s) to a question are given and you want to map the argument for and against the suggestion(s) as a flow chart.

• Can be set up in many ways, but the easiest for this course is to use the method that the company Rationale suggest.

• Examples for questions in philosophy:• Are questions more important than answers? can rationalize

‘questions are more important than answers’• Is it fair that some people have jobs and others don’t? can

rationalize ‘it is okay that not everyone will have a job’

Rationale styled flow chart

Rationale styled flow chart

It is okay that not everyone has a job

Not everyone wants a job

There are unemployment

benefits

Not everyone can get unemployment

benefits

Some people choose to live meagerly to avoid the rat race

Written report

• Used when a suggestion(s) to a question are given and you want to map the argument for and against the suggestion(s) as a written report or mini essay rather than as a flow chart

• Examples for questions in philosophy:• Are questions more important than answers? can

rationalize ‘questions are more important than answers’• Is it fair that some people have jobs and others don’t? can

rationalize ‘it is okay that not everyone will have a job’

• Lets put the previous flow chart into a written report…

Written report

I think that it is fine if there is some unemployment and that not everyone has a job. Not everyone wants a job, some people are quite happy to live on the money given out by the government because they are not materialistic, don’t want a lot of possessions and might grow their own food. Okay, maybe some people can’t get unemployment benefits for example if they have been fired from their previous job or if they quit but if they do and they are okay with that we should let them be the ‘unemployed by choice’ so those that really do want jobs are freed up to take them.

The same topic….different questionWhich question would fit which type of analysis best?

Which shoe will be better

for jogging?

If I wore the chair shoes to a party would

I regret it after?

Which shoes are unethical?

Did the 6 months I worked in that job help

me in any way?

Jobs for children are

like slave labour

And for Q’s with a more philosophical nature…

Which question would fit which type of analysis best?

Will lying about myself

help me make friends? Happiness is achievable for everyone.

Am I the same person I was 10

years ago?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The UN should be able to do more to help

refugees

Some useful website:

This one goes into evaluation in some depthhttp://www.evaluationtoolkit.org/practices/evaluate-implementaton

This is the Rationale software that has the flow charts and written reports for an argument. There is a free trial period if you want to download at home and have a lookhttp://rationale.austhink.com/