ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE

DEBATE
- came from the LATIN word ‘dis’ which means reversal and ‘battere’ meaning to fight
- an oral contest or controversy on one definite question known as PROPOSITION
between the opposing speakers with one or more members on the affirmative and
negative side
- it has rules and does not just occur anywhere
- -done in a face to face interaction
ARGUMENTATION
- act of influencing the beliefs and actions of men through reasoning
- giving reasoned opinion or doxa (Greek)
- can be done in a spoken or written form

Elements of Debate
1. PROPOSITIONS
- A judgment expressed in a declarative statement. In a debate it appears as an
affirmative statement of the question to be resolved.
- Question: Should UNCW have a football team?
- Proposition: Resolved: UNCW should have a football team.
Types of Propositions
- Proposition of Fact: that a fact is/is not true or that an event did/did not take place
- Proposition of Value: makes an evaluation or judgment about an issue or event based on
criteria
- Proposition of Policy: declares that a certain action should or should not be taken
2. ISSUES
- Issues: a conclusion that must be proven in order to establish that a proposition be
adopted
- Issues arise when there is an actual or anticipated clash between two or more claims
- Issues can arise around facts, values or policies
3. ARGUMENTS
- An assertion that implies and demonstrates the result of reasoning or proof.
- Reasoning
- Evidence- matters of fact or opinion offered as support or proof of assertions advanced
in the debate
Types of Evidence
- “Definitions- are not just meanings of words we look up in dictionaries. Definitions are
kinds of arguments, and they have serious consequences for the direction as well as the
destination of any practical reasoning.
Types of Definitions
- Formal
- Common Usage
- Authority
- Example
- Operational

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- Functional
- Negation
- Comparison/Contrast
4. ANALYSIS
- Identifying and arguing the major issues of the debate, with points also considered for
effectiveness of cross-examination.
5. REASONING
- Effectively creating clash by arguing and presenting one side of the debate, extending an
argument, turning the opponent's arguments against them, exposing faulty logic and
extending an argument based on a major item of evidence.
6. EVIDENCE
- Quality of sources, applying the evidence to a specific argument, using evidence to
support major arguments, showing how well the evidence is understood.
7. ORGANIZATION
- Structure of the spoken presentation. For example, the introduction, the arguments and
summary. How the tone followed the flow of the debate. Was the presentation coherent
and how effectively was time utilized.
8. REFUTATION
- Effectively weakening the opponent's arguments, creating clash and addressing all
arguments in the debate.

HISTORY OF DEBATE

o Protagoras of Abdera
 The history of debate can be traced from the Ancient Greece where
Protagoras lived.
 He known as a Sophist and the inventor of Fallacies [fallo – ‘I deceive’]
 He is regarded as the ‘Father of Debate’ since he was the first to institute
argumentative contests among his disciples.
sophist-
 a paid teacher of philosophy and rhetoric in ancient Greece,
associated in popular thought with moral
skepticism and specious reasoning
 -a person who reasons with clever but fallacious arguments

o Corax (latter part of fifth century)

 A debater-rhetorician who divided debate speech into four parts (1)
Introduction; (2) Narration; (3) Proof of Discussion; (4) Conclusion
o Marcus Tullius Cicero (first century, preceding the Christian Era)
 He is one of the greatest Roman orators and debater.

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o St. Thomas Aquinas (Middle Ages)

 Presented an almost perfect form of argumentation contained in his
Summa Theologiae where he always began with a proposition showing the
thesis and antithesis of each.
o Classical and Middle Ages
 Latin- the lingua franca of debate during the periods
 Students during this period were trained on the use of dialectic (debating
through question and answers)
o Cambridge vs Oxford both in England – the first recorded intercollegiate debate
in 1400’s
o Oxford Union Society- the oldest and the most highly respected international
debate society

HISTORY OF DEBATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

o Balagtasan- is Filipino form of debate done in verse. The term is derived from the
surname of Francisco Balagtas.
o Thomasites- introduced to the Filipinos Forensic Debating with Oxford-Oregon
format.
o In 1928, the University of the Philippines sent abroad a debating team composed
of four young Filipinos headed by Teodoro Evangelista and coached by Professor
Carlos P. Romulo

TYPES OF DEBATE

 Karl Popper Debate

o The Karl-Popper format focuses on relevant and often deeply divisive
propositions, emphasizing the development of critical thinking skills and
tolerance for differing viewpoints. Debaters work together in teams of three and
must research both sides of each issue. Each team is given the opportunity to
offer arguments and direct questions to the opposing team. Judges then offer
constructive feedback, commenting on logical flaws, insufficient evidence or
arguments that debaters may have overlooked.
o This format was developed for use in secondary school programs and
competitions. It is popular in Central and Eastern Europe and in Russia. In Africa it
is becoming increasingly popular in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Liberia
and Nigeria.
o The distinguishing features of the format are: cross-examination, when four of
the six debaters ask their opponents questions; and preparation time, when
debaters can prepare before their speeches. This format emphasizes team work
and is a good format for beginner debaters, because each speaker in this debate

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speaks once only and members of the team need to communicate with each
other during the designated preparation time.
 Parliamentary Debate
o Many formats of debate are described as 'parliamentary'. This is really a catch-all
term which simply means that they are loosely modelled on the practices of the
British parliamentary system and other parliaments around the world that
adopted those practices. In practice it means that the motion for debate is
treated in much the same way as a legislative Bill placed before the UK House of
Commons. The motion always stands in the name of the Government (also called
'the Proposition') and it is the job of the Opposition to demonstrate that the
motion is either impractical or immoral.
o The distinguishing factor of parliamentary formats, of which there are many, is
the use of Points of Information (PoI). These points allow debaters to interrupts a
speaker to ask a question or offer information which favors their side of the
debate. Both Proposition and Opposition speakers can offer PoIs, but only to the
other side. It is not compulsory to accept a PoI, but in competitive debate
speakers are penalized if they fail to take any. Usually the first and last sections of
a speech are 'protected time' during which PoIs may not be offered.
o In many parliamentary formats the terminology of the House of Commons has
also been adopted with the first proposition speaker being referred to as the
Prime Minister and the first opposition speaker being known as the Leader of the
Opposition. The chair or presiding adjudicator is usually referred to as Mister or
Madam Speaker and all remarks are addressed to them not the other debaters.
 British Parliamentary (BP)
o This is the name of the format used for the World Universities Debating
Championship and has, as a result, become the default format for many university
societies, especially in the English speaking world. It is probably the most
commonly used format in the World. In much the same way as many university
societies debate in their native language as well as English, so they tend to use a
regional or local format and also BP.
o Debates comprise eight speakers: four speaking in favor of a motion and four
against. Each side is made up of two teams of two individuals. They debate a
motion (the idea to be discussed) which is usually framed with the wording This
House Believes... or This House Would.... For example if the motion is This House
Would Support Assisted Suicide, it is the role of the Proposition (or 'Government')
speakers to explain why assisted suicide is a good idea and the opposition should
demonstrate that it is not. As a form of parliamentary debate, in BP the
government should propose a course of action and support it with philosophical,

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practical and consequential arguments. The burden of proof is on the

government, but the opposition must also demonstrate the strength of their
arguments.
o Typically in BP, a motion is announced 15 minutes before the debate starts.
Speeches are seven minutes in length, with the first and last minute protected
(Points of Information cannot be offered in 'protected' time). The first
proposition speaker is required to present a definition of the motion that places
an idea in a real-world setting. Once a motion has been defined, all speakers are
required to address the definition, not some other variant that might be easier for
them.
 Legislative Debate
o Legislative Debate is based upon the notion of having representative student
leaders consider some of the problems that actually confront lawmakers. In doing
so, Legislative Debate provides unparalleled insight into the way legislation is
drafted and establishes leadership and deliberation skills crucial to effective
participation in democratic processes. Legislative Debate also offers a vehicle for
teaching parliamentary procedure and helps students internalize the value of
decision-making processes that draw on consensus building and majority rule.
 Lincoln-Douglas Debate
o In Lincoln-Douglas Debate, the motion is a statement, phrased as a sentence that
focuses on an issue of philosophical or political concern and which will be
analysed from a moral perspective. Lincoln-Douglas Debate places primacy on the
ability of debaters to make original, coherent and philosophically persuasive
arguments on issues of ethicsDebaters should present a persuasive moral
position that they can defend from criticism and use to argue against an opposing
case, without falling into self-contradiction or denying the complexity of the
issues at stake. Students should familiarize themselves with the work of major
ethical philosophers and should inform their cases with real-world examples and
analysis.
 Cross-Examination Debate
o Like other forms of debate, Cross-Examination Debate focuses on the core
elements of a controversial issue. Cross-Examination Debate develops important
skills, such as critical thinking, listening, argument construction, research, note-
taking and advocacy skills. Cross-Examination Debate is distinct from other
formats (with the exception of two team Parliamentary Debate) in is use of a two
person team, along with an emphasis on cross-examination between constructive
speeches. While specific practices vary, Cross Examination Debate typically
rewards intensive use of evidence and is more focused on content than delivery.

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 Public Forum Debate

o Public Forum Debate offers students a unique opportunity to develop on-their-
feet critical thinking skills by situating them in contexts not unlike US political talk
shows. Public Forum debaters must anticipate numerous contingencies in
planning their cases and must learn to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances as
discussions progress. Public Forum's open-ended cross-examination format
encourages the development of unique rhetorical strategies. Public Forum
debates should be transparent to lay audiences, while providing students with
real-world public speaking skills, through the discussion of contentious ideas.

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