From: Kirk Steele (ksteele42@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Oct 01 2003 - 12:30:16 MDT
What about team Rocket and Team Pokemon?
Mermaid <hidden@lucifer.com> wrote:
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the first debate challenge. Now, I'd like to propose round two. This is my plan for the Debate Challenge #2. Any valid/relevant suggestions for changes welcome. Here goes....
1. This time around, only four people will participate in this debate. The teams, Team Darwin and Team Hypatia, will have two members each. The first four to sign up(as seen on the bbs) will be accepted.
2. The debate will be closed to everyone except the four participants. The debate will take place on the bbs. This is NOT an IRC(chat) debate.
3. The participants will not know who their debating partner/opponents are when they sign up. They will be assigned a debating partner. They will have no choice regarding the position(defending or opposing) they will take.
4. The lack of choice should enable the participants to craft an argument for both sides. As this isnt going to be a policy debate, but rather one of the parlimentary style, it is most definitely possible for both sides to come up with a rational and logical argument. It is not about closely held beliefs. It is not about personal choices. It is purely a debate based on how a case, *any* case, can be argued rationally and logically.
5. The partners are required to co-ordinate and communicate with each other. The two teams need to develop a strategy to ensure that their team's argument is sound. This can be achieved through email or even irc. CoV's official chat channel is #virus in irc.lucifer.com. If anyone is unfamiliar with irc, please enquire.
The objective is to introduce members to each other and encourage them to mingle their skills and/or polish them. You can be sure that we will be matching strangers and pitting friends against each other when it comes to team formation. There will be no points and no other system for grading the debate. And YES, there will be a winning team and there will be prizes. Dont count on a gold plated medal, it will probably be something thats worth less than the cost of postage. But hey! dont go bitching...we are just getting started. Of course, if anyone wishes to sponser the winning prize they are welcome to do so. It will be most appreciated.
6. The debate will follow a strict timetable so as to ensure to all the team members sufficient time to communicate and strategise with each other.
7. All team members should participate fully. The members can discuss and share their debating points, but each member should present the debate in his/her own style. All four participants should 'take the floor' at least once. This will enable polishing the writing skills of everyone involved and ensure that everyone gets a chance to present the argument in any way they see fit. We want everyone to get a chance.
8. There will be three rounds. The introduction, rebuttal and conclusion. The teams are required to select their representatives(i.e. the one who will write the discussed points/issues in his/her own language and style), one each for the first two rounds. The conclusion may be presented by either. As to which of the two members will present the conclusion, that is an agreement between the team members.
9. Debate schedule as follows:
Saturday, October 4th: Participants will be assigned to their teams and informed of their debating partners.
Tuesday, October 7th: Team Darwin will present opening statement.
Friday, October 10th: Team Hypatia will present opening statement.
Tuesday, October 14th: Team Hypatia rebuts Team Darwin.
Friday, October 17th: Team Darwin rebuts Team Hypatia.
(rebuttal is applicable only for views presented during the first round. Team Darwin should not use this round to respond to Team Hypatia's rebuttal)
Tuesday, October 21st: Team Hypatia makes its concluding statements.
Friday, October 24th: Team Darwin makes its concluding statements.
(the team members of Darwin and Hypatia must select amongst themselves one person to present the conclusion)
October 25th-October 30th: the floor is open to the public. The audience can step in and make their pronouncements.
Winning team will be announced on November 1st.
I selected a light and non controversial topic for this debate. Hopefully, if we like this exercise, we can bring in more interesting topics. Right now, we are just testing the system and hence the simplicity of the topic. Debate Challenge #x will be a topic where evidence, quoted materials and online references will be required. We will move on to more formal debates as we get more comfortable and familiar with the rules and form of debate. We may even have three members per team depending on interest.
Debate challenge #2, being "light", can be informal in style. Witty, humourous exchanges and creative techniques are welcome while ad hominem and slander will not be tolerated. Please employ logic in your arguments. Follow the rules of logic. Scour the net, read your books, do whatever is necessary to enrich your debating skills. Since we have no 'time limit' online, we will have to stick to a 'word limit' of a minimum of 400 words and a maximum of 700 words. If either team fails to make their presentation, the opposition will be winner by default. Reasonable requests for a second round of rebuttal will be honoured.
And oh..the topic:
Television retards intellect.
Team Darwin will debate for the statement. Team Hypatia will debate against it.
The team members and team assignment will be announced later.
Thats all. Any other thoughts?
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