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Debates Forum Parameters

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Debates Forum Parameters
Interlocutor
Professor

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Oct 23, 2002
Total Topics: 41
Total Posts: 879
Posted 04/13/04 - 04:13 PM:
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Debates Forum Parameters

The Debates forum is for the purpose of formal debate. The Debates forum will consist of formal debates, and formal debates only. Within the Debates forum there is a Discussion sub-forum, in which polls, proposals, and challenges will be posted, and in which discussion about the debates will take place.

Selecting Topics-
Generally, except in rare circumstances, it's up to you to select a topic that you and another person wish to debate. Topics may include any and all concerns related to philosophy. See pinned threads in the 'discussion' subforum for ideas.

Selecting Participants-
Participants should volunteer to debate a topic and find someone else also wishing to debate it. They should then PM any moderator or administrator to describe the debate they want. Note that debate participants will not always be approved, it's a subjective decision by moderators based on reviewing your posts.

Deciding Debate Guidelines-
Generally, debates will consist of two sides, and include one debater per side. Normally, debaters will trade off, making posts until the debate is completed. Though there are other debate forms which could be used if the participants so choose. Debates will have a duration agreed upon by each participant and approved by the moderators. Duration may consist of days or rounds. Perhaps seven rounds (a total of fourteen posts) and fourteen days will likely be the standard duration. Other debate rules, concerning things like what will be the conditions of victory, loss, or forfeit of the debate, or in what manner the debate will be conducted, will be agreed upon by each participant and approved by the moderators if applicable.

Debate Challenges-
If anyone wishes to begin a debate and does not have a willing opponent, he or she is welcome to post in the debate challenges and scheduling thread to ask if anyone is interested. Of course there will be no “calling-out” of any other members, participation is voluntary and should not be construed as otherwise.

If two opponents have agreed upon a topic they should submit their desire to debate, as well as the specific procedures they wish to abide by, and any special requests, by PMing any moderator or administrator.

Debate Procedures-
Everyone is welcome, at any time, to submit to the moderators rule or procedural changes or additions, debate topics, or requests to participate in particular debates. Keep in mind, however, that all rules, debates, and debate participants are subject to moderator approval, and simply because you ask doesn’t mean it will happen. Also, please do not post your own debate topics, debate topic polls, or debate participant polls. The moderators will handle this. When a debate is scheduled, the moderators will create the debate thread in the Debate forum, as well as a corresponding thread within the Discussion sub-forum. Further, please try to limit your discussions within the Discussion sub-forum specifically to ongoing, past, or future debates, the posting of challenges, or the rules and formats of the debates themselves.

Debate Rules-

  • Only moderators and debate participants may post within a debate thread. All posts within the debates not by a participant will be deleted.
  • Only formal debate posts are allowed within the threads. Each participant must post his or her post in turn. No other discussion or chitchat, including qualifications or notifications, is allowed.
  • When a post is published, the debate participant will have limited time to edit the post. Unless otherwise stated, this time will be three hours.
  • All discussion by debate participants concerning their debate is limited to the formal debate itself. No participant should comment about their debate in any other part of the forums until the debate has concluded.
  • Debate participants are not permitted to directly respond to any statement in any other forum or thread within the text of their debate posts.
  • The first post of each participant must contain an explanation of their position, and how that position will be elucidated.
  • Unless otherwise approved, the first post of each participant must be written out and submitted to the moderator in charge of the debate forum before the debate begins. Upon receiving both opening posts, the moderator will post each at the same time. The debate may then begin with each participant taking turns (unless otherwise approved).
  • Breaking up your opponent's post in the fashion of a typical post is not permitted. All quotations of your opponent must be handled in the same manner as they would in a formal essay. Use of the "quote" tags, or any other method of breaking up a post, is not permitted.
  • Post shouldn't reference excessive sources. If a participant has a point to make, he or she may not argue it by saying “Well, read Beyond Good and Evil, and you’ll get it.” Nor should a participant link to excessively long articles, or an excessive amount of them. In short, while referencing outside sources has a place, make your own arguments.
  • When referencing a source, any point made by that source which is referenced must be at least summarized. In an argument about the existence of God, for example, if you’re speaking about sufficient causality, you may not say: “Well, Aristotle proves the existence of a first cause, so therefore we can dispense with this part of the argument as having been reasonably demonstrated.” In essence, if you have a point to make, you must make it yourself.
  • Guidelines of the debate, especially if they are to be abnormal, should be agreed upon by both participants, then submitted for approval. Guidelines include, but are not limited to: number of rounds of the debate, when it will begin and end, whether there will be length or reference limitations, time between posts and/or rounds, who will go first, and conditions for victory and proof.
  • If, for any reason, a participant is unable to fulfill his or her obligations to the debate, he or she may request reasonable accommodations, including time extensions. In some cases it may be possible for another poster to complete the debate.


Standard Debate Guidelines Summary-
Type of Debate- posts will be published in rounds.
Number of Rounds- 5.
Time Allotment Between Posts- ideally within 48 hours, but not rigid.
Post Length- No more than 2,500 words. No less than 200 words. Beginning posts must be at least 500 words.
Reference Limitations- try to keep hyperlinks to no more than five or so.
Who Goes First- generally the instigator (the person who proposes the challenge) will go first.
Conditions for Victory- each reader may have a different idea of who won a debate and why, and polling is not how philosophical issues are decided. Victory is not really the point, the idea is to learn something from the process.
Burden of Proof- the onus is on both participants.

Debate Recommendations-
Participants may conduct the debates in any way agreed upon and approved by the moderators, and consistent with the rules and regulations. However, there are some ways in which debates may work more smoothly. First, parse your arguments out over the duration of the debate. Take some time to address your opponent’s arguments, but spend time making yours as well. If you both want to post the entirety of your arguments in the beginning of the debate, then trade off arguing, that is fine. Yet the debate may then end up looking like a normal thread, and the goal here is a more formal treatment of the issues.

You don’t necessarily have to argue for the side you believe in. Sometimes the best way to grow intellectually is to put yourself in the mind of the opposition. So don’t be afraid to play a devil’s advocate, if you think you can argue your side with full intellectual honesty.

Be aware that not everyone will always know what you’re talking about, unless you make sure to explain your points and references. So if, for example, you reference Plato’s divided line, it might be helpful to give a brief explanation of what that is, for the sake of the uneducated.

Edited by Paul on 05/13/08 - 12:43 PM. Reason: condensed, simplified and otherwise altered the rules
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