What's Debate?

 

DEBATE

"You may be right and I may be wrong but with an effort, together we may get nearer the truth.”  - Karl Popper

Debate is a formal contest of argumentation between two teams or individuals. But more broadly, and more importantly, debate is an essential tool for developing and maintaining democracy and open societies. More than a mere verbal or performance skill, debate embodies the ideals of reasoned argument, tolerance for divergent points of view, and rigorous self-examination. Debate is, above all, a way for those who hold opposing views to discuss controversial issues without descending to insult, emotional appeals, or personal bias. A key trademark of debate is that it rarely ends in agreement, but rather, allows for a robust analysis of the question at hand. Perhaps this is what French philosopher Joseph Joubert meant when he said: “It is better to debate a question without settling it, than to settle a question without debating it.”

The Karl Popper Debate Format

The Karl Popper debate format places students in two teams of three members. Teams are presented with a “resolution,” such as “Economic development should be valued above protection of the environment” or “Human genetic engineering is immoral.” The team affirming the resolution speaks first. The opposing team then must refute the arguments offered by the affirming team and offer arguments rejecting the resolution. Both sides are given the opportunity to present their positions and to directly question the opposing team. Neutral judges - usually teachers - evaluate the persuasiveness of the arguments and offer constructive feedback on such elements as faulty logic, insufficient evidence, and arguments debaters may have overlooked. Debate teams are judged strictly on the merits of their arguments.

Debate and Democracy

Debate is a means of making and evaluating arguments that allows debaters to better understand their own and others’ positions. This sense of a shared journey toward the truth brings debaters closer together, even when they represent opposing sides of an issue or come from vastly different cultures or social classes. In so doing, debate fosters the essential democratic values of free and open discussion

Middle School Debate

The aim of this discipline and practice is to empower adolescents as participants in democratic processes.

Some tips to consider:

• Let’s acquire research competence
• Let’s develop media and argument literacy
• Let’s train further in reading comprehension and evidence evaluation
• Let’s get ready to perform public speaking

I. Interpretation of the Resolution

The team supporting the resolution in middle school debate is referred to as the proposition. The team negating the resolution is referred to as the opposition. The proposition team makes a case for the motion for debate. This motion is generally a statement of value or perceived fact with which there is room to disagree. Examples might include anything from "Peer pressure is more beneficial than harmful" to "violent video games should banned" to "the United States should ratify the Kyoto accord". The topic is announced 20 minutes prior to the start of the debate. The opposition opposes the case made by the proposition team. There are three debaters per side; each gives one speech.

II. The Debate Format

A. The format in middle school debate consists of six speeches and proceeds as follows:

First Proposition Constructive 5 minutes
First Opposition Constructive 5 minutes
Second Proposition Constructive 5 minutes
Second Opposition Constructive 5 minutes
Opposition Rebuttal 3 minutes
Proposition Rebuttal 3 minutes

B. In middle school debate each speech has a specific purpose.

1. First Proposition Constructive

The speaker makes a case for the motion of the debater, providing proof for the topic with three or four major points.

2. First Opposition Constructive

This speaker makes several arguments against the proposition team’s case, and refutes the proposition’s major points.

3. Second Proposition Constructive

This speaker should rebuild and extend the proposition’s case. This means that this speaker must extend and amplify the original proposition points and refute the opposition’s major arguments against the proposition case.

4. Second Opposition Constructive

This speaker amplifies the opposition arguments against the proposition case, providing new information about why the opposition team should win the debate. This speaker should respond to the proposition’s answers to the opposition team’s original arguments.

5. Opposition Rebuttal

The speaker must pull the debate together and explain why, given all of the arguments in the debate, the opposition team should still win the debate. This speaker should finalize refutation of the proposition’s major points.

6. Proposition Rebuttal

This speaker should summarize the issues in the debate and explain why, despite the opposition’s arguments, the proposition team should win the debate. This speaker should refute the opposition’s major points.

C. Points of information are permitted in middle school debate.

A debater may request a point of information (either verbally or by rising) at any time after the first minute and before the last minute of any constructive speech. The debater holding the floor may accept or refuse points of information. If accepted, the debater making the request has fifteen seconds to make a statement or to ask a question. During the point of information, the speaking time of the floor debater continues.

Adapted from:

http://www.idebate.org/standards/rulesmiddleschool.php