Formal debates & topic discussion?

[Orion]

Currently doing some formalised debating at university, I ponder the possibility of such a thing here to get thought and discussion kick-started.

Month-by-month topics, concrete for and against teams, gradings, some basic rules and practices, that sort of things. Would people be interested in seeing such a thing? Taking part, choosing topics, judging discussions, moderators and more? Where it is possible, the subjects will be topical, or otherwise relevant but more broad.

THESE SORTS OF DEBATES WOULD NOT REPLACE EXISTING FORMS OF DISCUSSION, JUST EXIST IN TANDEM WITH THEM.

[Professor Ven]

Currently doing some formalised debating at university, I ponder the possibility of such a thing here to get thought and discussion kick-started.

Month-by-month topics, concrete for and against teams, gradings, some basic rules and practices, that sort of things. Would people be interested in seeing such a thing? Taking part, choosing topics, judging discussions, and more?

Yey feed me feed me


I will give all my cookies for this

[krexia]

In addition to, or replacing, what currently exists? If the former, yes. If the latter, no.

(I'm hardly here any more and haven't done formalised debating since I was 15 but so long as we're still allowed to have usual discussions, why the hell not?)

[SHAWTYS #1 FAN]

Only if I get to be a frequent judge.

[Orion]

It would augment what is already there, of course. The dynamism and sporadic nature of what can currently come up isn't something that should be lost.

And Sensei can be a moderator or something too.

[Rydgea]

This is as good a place as any for such a system. I say go for it, see if it sprouts organically; if it dies so be it. Don't debate to have a debate system. ;p

Just joshin. I'm interested in further details. Do the moderators choose the teams, allot time for research on the subject matter their for or agin'? Do people choose what side they want to debate or will they sometimes be forced to fight for a perspective they personally oppose, etc.

[Orion]

I'm interested in further details. Do the moderators choose the teams, allot time for research on the subject matter their for or agin'? Do people choose what side they want to debate or will they sometimes be forced to fight for a perspective they personally oppose, etc.

The details currently are of course currently flexible to change, but a basic outline might be thus:
+ Topic thread is opened, and people declare their interest and a preferred side
Judges and/or moderators for the topic are chosen, who then also announce which people are on what side
+ A week is given for each team to organise the basic structure of their arguments, tinker with the ideas they'll be presenting, anticipating the opposing team's arguments, rebuttals to those, research, etc.
+ In a four-person debate, the first week would have the first speaker for one team make their first broad argument/s (perhaps multiple ones, but centered around a particular aspect of the topic) then the next week is spent on the discussion of those points, rebuttals to it, counter-rebuttals to those, etc.
+ Repeat for the first speaker of the other team.
+ Same for the 2nd speakers of each team, a week each for their arguments and the discussion thereof.
+ In the last few days of that month, one of the speakers of each team summarise their best argument, as well as the strongest rebuttal to the other team's main argument/s.
+ At the conclusion, the judges mete out points based on criteria of clear explanation, consistency, relevance, convincingness, etc - then declare a winner. Ranks and points or what have you could be kept in the main stickied thread.

[chihuahuaman]

I find this idea refreshing and I agree with it completely. But do you have to choose new moderators for it? I believed there were plenty. Anyway, I find this to be an excellent idea.

I think you guys should add a "Debate Count" under the Post Count. Especially with popcorn.

[xCursedXRebellionx]

i'm pretty sure we've done something similar in the past. it sounded good on paper, but it didn't work out very well. but i partly blame how choppily it was ran last time. but if someone like orion organizes it, then it should be fine.

[Dogenzaka]

I voted for the wrong option :(

oh well. if it's in addition to what we have, then who cares? might as well.

[Zenkure]

I'm all for this idea. Never formally debated, so heck, why not. Might be fun.

[soraking10]

We had something like this on another forum I am actively engaged on. As long as no bashing occurs, I think this could really be a hit.

[Cosmic+Amarna]

When is the estimated to commence?

[Orion]

I find this idea refreshing and I agree with it completely. But do you have to choose new moderators for it? I believed there were plenty. Anyway, I find this to be an excellent idea.

We're not talking about moderators in the forum sense. Just people to moderate the debate. They wouldn't be given any special forum powers or anything, and would still function as normal members in pretty much every thread except the one they're moderators for. Even there, they'd have no actual power, just their word.

i'm pretty sure we've done something similar in the past. it sounded good on paper, but it didn't work out very well. but i partly blame how choppily it was ran last time. but if someone like orion organizes it, then it should be fine.

Thanks brah.

I voted for the wrong option :(

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAAAT
Oh well, I can fix the numbers of the votes, but I think your name will always be attached to the 'no' option.

oh well. if it's in addition to what we have, then who cares? might as well.

Absolutely, there's no need to replace what we have right now. Concurrent debates could, of course, even be organised, but that would require more people to be involved.

We had something like this on another forum I am actively engaged on. As long as no bashing occurs, I think this could really be a hit.

Good presentation (which includes manners) will be taken into account, and there will be points deducted for committing fallacies such as Ad Hominem attacks.

When is the estimated to commence?

Probably within a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for a few more of KHI's regular/stalwart debaters to give their opinion or assent/dissent through the polls and see what the results of that are.

[Dexel]

I don't think I'd exactly be a frequent utilizer of this idea and I don't stick around here that long/often for some reason, but why not? Sounds good to me. Don't see why it can't at least be attempted. :x