Potter Box

Key takeaways

Potter Box belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Potter Box to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Potter Box from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Potter Box is a model for making ethical decisions, developed by Ralph B. Potter, Jr., professor of social ethics emeritus at Harvard Divinity School. It is commonly used by communication ethics scholars. According to this model, moral thinking should be a systematic process and how we come to decisions must be based in some reasoning.

Steps The Potter Box is an ethical framework used to make decisions by utilizing four categories which Potter identifies as universal to all ethical dilemmas. Potter was a theologian when he developed this moral reasoning framework. The Potter Box uses four dimensions of moral analysis to help in situations where ethical dilemmas occur: Facts, Values, Principles, and Loyalties. The Potter Box consists of a few steps, which can be completed in any order. The user may move between the steps several times before an adequate decision is made. The steps are numbered for simplicity's sake, and Cliff Christians has organized the steps into quadrants.

Definition / facts The definition stage of the Potter Box concerns the facts of the issue at hand. Here is where the analyst should set out all facts without making judgments or hiding any facts. Example: Using a photograph of a car wreck to promote safe driving, making it visible to the target viewers.

Values At this stage the analyst should state and compare the merits of different values to acknowledge the influences on decision-making. By referring to the specific concerns of the individuals involved, it allows the analyst to identify differences in perspectives. We may judge something according to aesthetic values (harmonious, pleasing), professional values (innovative, prompt), logical values (consistent, competent), sociocultural values (thrift, hard work), and moral values (honesty, nonviolence). Example: Will the shock value of the images encourage safe driving habits? Will the images stir up potentially disturbing memories for certain people?

Principles Principles are ethical philosophies or modes of ethical reasoning that may be applicable to the situation. By considering the values stated above from several ethical philosophies, the decision-maker is better equipped to understand the situation. The following are some of the ethical philosophies that may be utilized under this segment of Potter's Box:

Aristotle's Golden Mean. Aristotle's Golden Mean defines moral virtue as a middle state determined by practical wisdom that emphasizes moderation and temperance. Confucius' Golden Mean. Confucius' Golden Mean is more commonly known as the compromise principle and says moral virtue is the appropriate location between two extremes. Kant's Categorical Imperative. Kant's Categorical Imperative dictates that you must do unto others what you would want them to do unto you, or to act as if your personal decisions and actions could become universal law. Mill's Principle of Utility. John Stuart Mill's Principle of Utility dictates that we must seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Rawls' Veil of Ignorance. John Rawls' Veil of Ignorance asks us to assume we don't know which stakeholder position we would find ourselves in, removing our personal interests from the analysis. Agape Principle. This principle, also known as the 'Persons as Ends' principle, emphasizes love for our fellow humans and the golden rule. He stresses that when we love our neighbors, we shall seek to do good to them, therefore, we should love fellow humans the same way we love ourselves. These examples assist the thinker in linking concrete options to overarching principles, aiding introspection and thinking about basic principles.

Loyalties Loyalties concern who the decision-maker has allegiances or loyalties to. For example, in journalism, the first allegiance is always to the public. Other allegiances a journalist might have would be to his or her employer, industry organizations or co-workers. Are we more concerned about being true to our own values or about the effectiveness of the campaign? Is the "greater good" more important than the "golden mean"?

References

Straubhaar, LaRose, Davenport. (2014) Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology, 8th ed., pp. 479–500.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Potter Box

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Potter Box claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Potter Box before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Potter Box ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Potter Box

In research: Potter Box appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Potter Box in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Potter Box is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Social ethics, Social philosophy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Potter Box outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Potter Box in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Potter Box means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Potter Box out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Potter Box in simple terms?

The Potter Box is a model for making ethical decisions, developed by Ralph B. Potter, Jr., professor of social ethics emeritus at Harvard Divinity School.

Why does Potter Box matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Potter Box?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Potter Box.