What is Academic Debate

1
What is (Academic) Debate?

• Kinds of Debates
• Political
• Campaign
• Academic
• Others

2
What is Debating

• Presenting different opinions (sides) about an
  issue.
• Supporting opinions with evidence and/or logical
  reasoning.
• Trying to prove a certain opinion is the correct
  or better one.
• Refuting others opinions.

3
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Leadership Skills
• State a goal
• Formulate a plan
• Work to achieve that goal
• Motivate others
• Prove to others a goal is worth achieving

4
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Investigating and Analysis
• Gain better knowledge of a problem
• Critically analyze a problem
• Better prepared to meet future challenges

5
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Critical Thinking Skills
• Choosing the best way to present arguments
• Finding the best evidence
• Understanding the consequences of each argument

6
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Open-Mindedness
• Able to consider what other people might say.
• Able to evaluate what other people might say.

7
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Thinking on Your Feet
• Analyze issues quickly
• Formulate a response quickly

8
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Speaking Skills
• Learn to speak extemporaneously.
• Learn to speak for different audiences.
• Learn to speak clearly.

9
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Organization
• Arranging arguments
• Prioritizing arguments
• Linking arguments

10
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Critical Listening Skills
• Active listening
• Concentrate
• Beyond recall to understanding
• Asking questions
• Passive listeners hear only about 25 of what is
  said.
• Able to have divided attention

11
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Self-Confidence
• Able to defend your own opinions
• Able to think on your feet
• Able to achieve goals
• Able to work under stress
• Able to work with others
• Etc.

12
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Two members on each team
• Work towards a common goal
• Cooperate with others beyond your partner

13
Benefits of Learning to Debate

• Fun
• Butterflies
• Adrenaline
• Winning
• Friendships
• Travel

14
What Exactly is Debate?

• A regulated discussion of a proposition by two
  matched sides.

15
Proposition

• A proposition is the agreed-upon topic of
  discussion.
• A proposition suggests a need to change from the
  status quo.
• Reasonable people may accept arguments on either
  side.

16
Matched Sides

• The affirmative team (side) argues for the
  acceptance of the proposition.
• The negative team (side) argues for the rejection
  of the proposition.

17
Proof

• Logical reasoning
• Evidence
• Information used to form the basis of an
  argument.
• Combination of the two

18
Why Learn Debate?

• We are
• God created us as reflecting and thinking beings.
• God created us a valuing beings.
• God created us a responsible beings.

19
Reflecting and Thinking

• God calls us to reason
• Come now, let us reason together, says the
  LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they
  shall be as white as snow though they are red as
  crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 118)
• Paul encourages Timothy to reflect
• Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will
  give you insight into all this. (2Timothy 27)

20
Reflecting and Thinking

• Reason is important to our witness
• But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
  who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
  you have. But do this with gentleness and
  respect, (2Peter 315)

21
Valuing

• God has value
• And God said, Let there be light, and there
  was light. God saw that the light was good, and
  he separated the light from the darkness.
  (Genesis 13,4)
• God wants us to have proper values
• Better a little with the fear of the LORD than
  great wealth with turmoil. (Proverbs 1516)

22
Valuing

• Having Christ is the greatest value
• He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as
  of greater value than the treasures of Egypt,
  because he was looking ahead to his reward.
  (Hebrew 1126)

23
Responsible

• God gave us responsibility
• The LORD God took the man and put him in the
  Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
  (Genesis 215)
• Responsible to God
• You were bought at a price do not become slaves
  of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to
  God, should remain in the situation God called
  him to. (1 Corinthians 723,24)

24
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the Taiwan Government should
  significantly change its death penalty policy.

25
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the Taiwan Government should
  substantially reduce the number of petroleum
  fueled vehicles on the road.

26
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the Taiwan Government should
  establish new policies to increase the number of
  small businesses (privately owned businesses).

27
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the ROC should substantially
  increase the rights of migrant workers.

28
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the Taiwan Government should not
  have any referendums related to the independence
  of Taiwan R.O.C from Mainland China.

29
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That Taiwans MOE should prohibit the
  teaching of a second language in public
  elementary schools earlier than the 5th grade.

30
Possible Propositions

• RESOLVED That the Taiwan Government should give
  special benefits and status of marriage to only
  the union of one man and one woman.