Official Debate Signup Sheet

[telekinetic]

Short Version: If you want to debate, post your name here and I'll keep a list in the OP.

• Topics are pulled from a pool of user suggestions and assigned at the beginning of the debate. Ideally these would either be about aspects of current events that are still under discussion, controversial issues with no general consensus, or somewhat obscure or neutral topics, so that people's winner votes are based on the debating, not the opinion, and so that each side has a viable chance at providing a well-sourced position.
• Negative and affirmative are assigned randomly, after participants agree to participate. I'm initially picturing one person per side, but if it succeeds, am totally willing to explore expanding the format to 2v2 or NvN.
• Finite time limit of, say, one week.
• Peer voting for 'winner'....I don't care about this so much, but it would still be interesting to see who was most persuasive.

There are two basic styles I think we could pursue this with:
1. 'Forum style' debate.
I would define 'forum style' as approximately what went on in the Desert Eagle Sucks thread. The topic goes on as long as it has to (within the time limit) with no maximum post count from either team, freedom to embed supporting content and media. Supporting articles should be primarily restricted to links, and all synthesis should be done for the audience so that the point is clear. That is, if you're going to quote an article, only quote the most relevant portions, link the rest, and then explain why it's relevant.
2. 'Formal Debate'
A formal debate would eschew line-by-line quotes of your opponents positions, and instead be basically a transcribed version of an oral debate, except with linked sources. That is, you'd refer to opponents positions in your rebuttal/response without using the "quote" tags. ("While we just heard that Willravel maintains that the impact from the spill is insignificant, relative to the global aggregate amount of oil contamination, I can show you that is not accurate.") Brief quotes of a sentence or two would be acceptable, but primarily we'd be looking for information synthesis. Each side would be restricted to no more than 10 posts in the thread, starting with the affirmative.

2. 'Formal Debate'
A formal debate would eschew line-by-line quotes of your opponents positions, and instead be basically a transcribed version of an oral debate, except with linked sources. That is, you'd refer to opponents positions in your rebuttal/response without using the "quote" tags. ("While we just heard that Willravel maintains that the impact from the spill is insignificant, relative to the global aggregate amount of oil contamination, I can show you that is not accurate.") Brief quotes of a sentence or two would be acceptable, but primarily we'd be looking for information synthesis. Each side would be restricted to no more than 10 posts in the thread, starting with the affirmative.

In this thread, put the following:

-User Name
-Type of debate (formal/informal/either)
-Any debate topics you'd be interested (gun control, abortion, parent's rights), or broad categories (religion, bioethics, fiscal policy) to help us pair you up. Note, do not specify your side...those will be generated randomly, at least at first, so that this is a test of debate skills, not a test of 'correct'-side-picking. This is no guarantee you'll get that issue, but it will give us an idea of what you're interested in.

And....go!

Example:

Telekinetic; either; bioethics, human cloning, gun control, US immigration, BP oil spill

[Willravel]

-Willravel!
-formal as a mofo
-the historical existence of Jesus, whether or not the United States should have a standing military, how people of the earth would respond to the existence to benevolent extraterrestrial life, crocs: just for grandmothers and toddlers at the beach, Hitler: ultimately a benefit or a hinderance for the human race, the historical existence of libertarianism, marijuana: medicinal or legalize, Tom Cruise's sexual preference, paranormal activity: real or not?, PETA: helping animals?, circumcision, reparations for slavery, patriotism: bullshit?, is psychology a science?, is world peace possible?

[Merlocke]

Merlocke

Informal, however I just would rather have some sort of structure than it turning into the typical internet forum flamewar (but really, I've never seen one on TFP)

Taxes - good, bad or indifferent,
Is the modern day government still required? (with the advent of the internet),
Apple's policies - good or bad for the future of tech?
Mac or PC?

---------- Post added at 01:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 AM ----------

Holy crap - I just read the first debate. That was IN-Tense. I've never done a proper debate before, so I'm a little nervous at getting my head kicked in, but still dumb enough to give it a good ol' college try. Even if I lose, I'm gonna learn one hell of a lot.

[King Angels]

Tonight is Economy talk. McCain has no experience or idea on the subject. Hitler McCain, with his connections to Nazi-style guerillas in Nicaragua will be crap at best.

[raging moderate]

i would definitely sign up for a TFP debate.


how about a debate on the success of the welfare state