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Formal Debates?[W; 51]

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TheGirlNextDoor

TheGirlNextDoor

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Would anyone here like to participate in a formal debate? If so, please post your interest in this thread. I've also picked a few topics, but if there is something else someone would be interested in debating, please post your topic of choice in your response.

This is something I like doing, and if enough people are interested - I would like to see if I could organize something.
 
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Re: Formal Debates?

Please explain the method you propose. How will it differ from our current MO?


TheGirlNextDoor said:
Would anyone here like to participate in a formal debate? If so, please post your interest in this thread. I've also picked a few topics, but if there is something else someone would be interested in debating, please post your topic of choice in your response.

This is something I like doing, and if enough people are interested - I would like to see if I could organize something.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Formal Debates?

specklebang said:
Please explain the method you propose. How will it differ from our current MO?
Click to expand...

I would like to see a topic chosen, and then a team of at least three that argue the 'pro' and 'con' side of said topic. A time limit set, and appointed judges to score and weigh the debate. After a winner is declared, opening up the thread for everyone to comment and discuss.

This is only ME wanting to see if there's any interest and if so, I would like to see if this can happen in the near future.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

Public school system vs. charter schools (or the voucher system)


BTW, didn't we have "Real Debates", "Reverse Debates", and "Closed Debates" here at DP at one time.......not that long ago? Some are still "wearing" the awards from those days gone by. :shrug:
 
Re: Formal Debates?

My main topics of interest would be healthcare and education.

TheGirlNextDoor said:
I would like to see a topic chosen, and then a team of at least three that argue the 'pro' and 'con' side of said topic. A time limit set, and appointed judges to score and weigh the debate. After a winner is declared, opening up the thread for everyone to comment and discuss.

This is only ME wanting to see if there's any interest and if so, I would like to see if this can happen in the near future.
Click to expand...

I would also be interested in doing this.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

FluffyNinja said:
Public school system vs. charter schools (or the voucher system)


BTW, didn't we have "Real Debates", "Reverse Debates", and "Closed Debates" here at DP at one time.......not that long ago? Some are still "wearing" the awards from those days gone by. :shrug:
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Not since I've been here. So, it's been awhile.

If you're interested, cool. If not, I get it.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

TheGirlNextDoor said:
Not since I've been here. So, it's been awhile.

If you're interested, cool. If not, I get it.
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No, I didn't say that I was disinterested.......I just remember that we had a "formal" debating format in place at one time. :shrug:
 
Re: Formal Debates?

Its a great idea.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

obvious Child said:
I dunno.

4Forums tried this

Mixed results. But that may have been because some of the formal debate people were psychopaths.
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They've done it here before, and we did it on PCF and WS... with good results. I believe the key is picking team captains and then putting together a cohesive, intelligent and respectful team.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

TheGirlNextDoor said:
They've done it here before, and we did it on PCF and WS... with good results. I believe the key is picking team captains and then putting together a cohesive, intelligent and respectful team.
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Hence no psychopaths?

Hahaha. I dunno. I don't remember the Whistlestoppers ones going well. But, heck, every forum is different.

You do need some good ground rules though.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

obvious Child said:
Hence no psychopaths?

Hahaha. I dunno. I don't remember the Whistlestoppers ones going well. But, heck, every forum is different.

You do need some good ground rules though.
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I actually participated in two of WS's and I don't recall any issues... but that was awhile ago.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

TheGirlNextDoor said:
I actually participated in two of WS's and I don't recall any issues... but that was awhile ago.
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That was another era.

Still, I think if you hash out good ground rules, formulate a time schedule of argument-argument, rebuttal, rebuttal and maybe one round of rebuttal response ending with a final summary, you'll keep things "formal."

Someone makes the initial argument, another a rebuttal, the third the response and team does a summary together, it might work assuming again, no psychopaths.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

obvious Child said:
That was another era.

Still, I think if you hash out good ground rules, formulate a time schedule of argument-argument, rebuttal, rebuttal and maybe one round of rebuttal response ending with a final summary, you'll keep things "formal."

Someone makes the initial argument, another a rebuttal, the third the response and team does a summary together, it might work assuming again, no psychopaths.
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Yes, oc... That's how it's normally done....
 
Re: Formal Debates?

obvious Child said:
I know, but not sure if everyone is aware of the regular schedule of these things.
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True enough. However, I believe the rules leading up the start of the actual debate would cover all the ground rules pertinent to the flow, time limit and scoring procedure for the entire process. I'm really hopeful there is enough interest in doing this.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

obvious Child said:
Hence no psychopaths?

Hahaha. I dunno. I don't remember the Whistlestoppers ones going well. But, heck, every forum is different.

You do need some good ground rules though.
Click to expand...

I did the Fair Tax one on Whistlestopper. It went well at the beginning but I did poorly at the end mostly because my entire team failed to show up at their appointed days and so I did three people's work :lol:





I would be happy to take part for foreign policy or terrorism.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

cpwill said:
I did the Fair Tax one on Whistlestopper. It went well at the beginning but I did poorly at the end mostly because my entire team failed to show up at their appointed days and so I did three people's work :lol:





I would be happy to take part for foreign policy or terrorism.
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I remember that, but you did a good job. :)

Anyone else? Surely this can't be everyone?
 
Re: Formal Debates?

Please no abortion debates, that topic has been beaten to hell and back. I'm sick of even reading the thread titles. :thumbdown
 
Re: Formal Debates?

I won't join because I don't write well.
But I'd love to read it amd follow along!!:lol:
 
Re: Formal Debates?

I have proposed and worked on this very idea on other websites. Never got off the ground but I'd be willing to help.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

The issue should be phrased as a very narrow question, for instance "Should prostitution be legalized in the US".

I'd keep the teams to 2 people each. The more you have the messier and disjointed it gets.

Standard debate format.

Pro A writes a 500-1000 word statement.
Con B gets to cross, 5 questions, 50 words or less. Pro A responds in 100 words or less.
Con A writes a statement.
Pro B gets 5 questions.
Pro B writes a statement.
Con A gets 5 questions.
Con B writes a statement.
Pro A gets 5 questions.

Con gets a 1000 word summary argument
Pro gets a summary argument.

Let the viewers vote on who won.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

I'd be interested in gun control, taxes and federal deficit but there is no way to vote for multiple choices.
 
Re: Formal Debates?

Lutherf said:
I'd be interested in gun control, taxes and federal deficit but there is no way to vote for multiple choices.
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Sorry about that. My poll suggestions were vague for a reason, but I did mean to have multiple choice. :3oops:

Thanks for your input.
 
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