General Debate Format

First, I will propose a proposition or problem to be debated, such as, for example: Do People Have a Fundamental and Inviolable Right Not to Be Tortured? Then, you will note what role the group you are in will be playing for that debate. Group A For Group B Con Group C Judging

For means that your group is in favor of the proposition. Con means your group is against the proposition. Judging means that you are not for or against the proposition, but instead you are objective assessors of the debate itself. Each debate lasts one week, starting Sunday and ending the next Sunday night. The judges decide the debate at the mid-point on Wednesday night and then finally on Sunday night. Final arguments must be in by Sunday at 8pm. Each group functions as a virtual group. For groups A and B, you do not have to meet to discuss your strategy (you may, but you dont need to). Merely go to the thread I have started for the debate and start constructing your arguments. The idea here is that group members act as a team. You help each other and strengthen your arguments and help each other attack the other side. Goal: The goal is to win the argument. To do this your group must accomplish two tasks: (1) construct the best positive argument for your position and (2) construct the best attack of your opponents positive argument. To achieve (1) you must (1a) create a good argument and (1b) defend that argument against the attacks of the other side. (Whether (1) and (2) have been achieved is decided by the judging group). Role of Groups A and B : say group A creates some argument X for the proposition. The job of group B (on top of creating their own argument against the proposition) is to attack X call the counterattack argument Y. Members of group A will now have to try to fix X by either defending it against Y (by showing how it doesnt work) or by repairing X in some way so that it can now bypass attack Y. Group B has the same job from its own perspective create arguments for their side and A must attack theirs. Notice here that group members are a virtual team. It could be that some member of group

A doesnt know how to fix the argument in light of some attack it has been under. Some other member of that group can step in and help out. Note here that the members of group B will be on hand in this case to either strengthen argument Y, point out how the fix doesnt work proposed by group A or come up with a new line of attack, Z. Obviously this will require frequent posting for the week. Not checking the argument board frequently is, essentially, leaving your team out to dry. Debate Content: 1. Debaters can use personal arguments and opinions. 2. A healthy chunk of the arguments should draw from the material we have learned in chapter 2. 3. References to the movie should be used to frame the debate. For example, using the words or actions of replicants as evidence for or against the proposition is helpful and useful. Debate Frames The Judges must weigh in on the status of the argument on Saturday morning and on Monday morning and then must give their final assessment on that Wednesday. This means that the debate has one mid round and then it is judged finally on Wednesday. This means that each group must try to make their best case by Sunday evening and then lastly by Tuesday evening for the final round. Role of Group C: The Judges The Judges do not have a side in the debate. The Judges merely assess the arguments in progress. Essentially, the Judges watch and assess critical thinking, point out whether one side fallacies used, The Judges can (at any time): 1. Ask clarification questions of either side regarding what they have said 2. Point out that one side has avoided an argument from the other side and demand a reply without which that side is sure to lose points 3. Point out that a reply to an argument, or a fix of an argument has not left them entirely satisfied (alerting that side to strengthen it) 4. Point out that a particular argument has succeeded in swaying them to one side (this alerts the other side to attack that argument) On the Mid Round Assessment: 1. Each judge says which side they are supporting at that time. 2. Each judge indicates why they are supporting that side. This includes (a) pointing out weaknesses you see in the other sides argument as pointed out by the supporting side, (b) pointing out that the losing side has avoiding counter-arguments from the winning side, ( c) pointing out the strengths in the winning side and (d) just overall discussing the merits and

weaknesses of each side. During the Mid Round the losing side should take note of weaknesses in their case and try to fix them before the Final Round is judged. On the Final Round: Judges repeat what they did during the Mid Round Assessment, but then conclude by stating who, in their judgment, is the Winner of the debate. If there is a tie among the judges, Dr. Panza will be cast the tie-breaking vote.