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The Debate Thread

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Post #1 · Posted at 2009-11-20 05:43:56am 14.3 years ago

Offline silenttype01
silenttype01 Avatar Member+
8,022 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-01-19

"DINGDONG♥HEARTS"
Reading the thread title should already tell you what this thread is gonna be about. Smile

In this thread, we pick out a topic to talk about and we pick a side and defend it until one admits defeat. And here's some more from a quote from some source off the internet:
Quote
Debate is, fortunately or not, an exercise in persuasion, wit, and rhetoric, not just logic. In a debate format that limits each debater's speaking time, it is simply not reasonable to expect every proposition or conclusion to follow precisely and rigorously from a clear set of premises stated at the outset. Instead, debaters have to bring together various facts, insights, and values that others share or can be persuaded to accept, and then show that those ideas lead more or less plausibly to a conclusion. Logic is a useful tool in this process, but it is not the only tool -- after all, "plausibility" is a fairly subjective matter that does not follow strict logical rules. Ultimately, the judge in a debate round has to decide which side's position is more plausible in light of the arguments given -- and the judge is required to pick one of those sides, even if logic alone dictates that "we do not know" is the answer to the question at hand.

Besides, let's be honest: debate is not just about finding truth, it's also about winning. If you think a fallacious argument can slide by and persuade the judge to vote for you, you're going to make it, right? The trick is not getting caught.

So the way this will work is that we pick out a topic and the topic will last for a week. After the week is over, we move on to the next topic. I won't be picking out the topics so if you got one, make sure to suggest it, just as long as it isn't something stupid like "which is the best movie ever made?" and other trivial crap. (gone with the wind is the best movie :v)

Here's a couple of topics that were thought of while I was in the chat with pie:

gay marriage
abortion
existence of God
Iraq war
Obama birth certificate (lol)
economic policies
health care reform
gun control policies
death penalty
abstinence vs. contraception
traditional medicine vs. "alternative" medicine

So here are some guidelines for this thread:

1. topic is given and people can either pick a side or remain neutral
2. once a person's argument is made invalid, we move on to another topic.
3. if after a week a topic has not been settled, we will move on to another topic.
4. there is no going back to a previous topic once it has been settled or if a week has passed
5. no flame baiting or name calling. As soon as that happens this thread will be locked.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the first topic we'll talk about for this week:

http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/guns.shtml

What's your stance on gun control? Should citizens be allowed to possess guns or should the government enforce stricter laws to remove gun possession and thus ignoring the second amendment?

Post #2 · Posted at 2009-11-20 05:44:46am 14.3 years ago

Offline Kyzentun
Kyzentun Avatar Member
3,209 帖子
United States
Reg. 2008-02-20

"I'm honestly pissed off."
I'm for gun control staying the way it is now.
silenttype01: Kyzentun is never harsh. He says it how it is.

GENERATION 24: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

Post #3 · Posted at 2009-11-20 05:49:18am 14.3 years ago

Offline Pie-kun
Pie-kun Avatar Member+
6,172 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-03-25

"On ZiV I'm like Princess Diana"
Quote: Kyzentun
I'm for gun control staying the way it is now.

I'm probably in the same boat, but I'm going to need to dig into google to see what exactly current laws prohibit.

Post #4 · Posted at 2009-11-20 05:57:04am 14.3 years ago

Offline Kyzentun
Kyzentun Avatar Member
3,209 帖子
United States
Reg. 2008-02-20

"I'm honestly pissed off."
If gun control changes, I won't get to watch debates like this anymore.
silenttype01: Kyzentun is never harsh. He says it how it is.

GENERATION 24: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

Post #5 · Posted at 2010-11-17 11:20:06am 13.3 years ago

Offline -Viper-
-Viper- Avatar Member+
2,407 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-10-26

3DS Friend Code: 1091-8797-8693
I'll just bump this thread for a little exposure, since it has potential to be an interesting thread that isn't just about games.

You might also consider adding the following topics:

global warming
stem cell research
foreign policy
consumption of meat
merry christmas vs happy holidays
planetary status of Pluto
existence of the soul
genetic engineering
free will vs determinism
moral absolutism vs moral relativity


And I too am for keeping gun control the way it is now for the most part. I guess you could call guns a necessary evil.

Thread necromancery: Me and a friend of mine have been arguing for the past few days about whether or not people actually have free will or if it is simply an illusion that we do and every "choice" we make is merely a reaction to circimstances, our desires, and the chemical reactions in our brains. I've been arguing in favor of free will, but I can just as easily see the arguements against it. If we don't have free will, what effect does that have on moral responsibility? Would there be any at all? What say you folks?


(I want this thread to take off dangit. There's more to life that is interesting than electronic entertainment.)

Post #6 · Posted at 2010-11-17 11:26:33am 13.3 years ago

Offline Silver Spirit
Silver Spirit Avatar Member
6,580 帖子
United States
Reg. 2008-09-14

Nintendo Switch Friend Code: SW-2249-7707-55923DS Friend Code: 2578-3309-2697
"i was born at a very young age"
Hmm, good point. If I were to take a side on that, then we do have free will because of the fact that we are capable of making all sorts of important decisions on our own. I can see where the other side of this is coming from, though.

Post #7 · Posted at 2010-11-17 11:34:11am 13.3 years ago

Offline -Viper-
-Viper- Avatar Member+
2,407 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-10-26

3DS Friend Code: 1091-8797-8693
One thing that kind of disturbed me though was that I wasn't really able to come up with solid evidence for free will other than that people usually weigh one decision with another for a while and then eventually go with one. Another example was how people give up smoking or choose to quit addicting habits despite their intense urges to continue. It should seem that this person would be choosing out of their own free will to break their habit because they want to avoid the long term consequences. However this doesn't really combat the idea that everything is cause and effect, including brain functions...

If it turns out we don't have free will though, I would argue that pretty much all responsibility goes out the window, since responsibility assumes that you have the ability to choose otherwise.

Post #8 · Posted at 2010-11-19 11:41:55am 13.3 years ago

Offline silenttype01
silenttype01 Avatar Member+
8,022 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-01-19

"DINGDONG♥HEARTS"
Quote: -Viper-
(There's more to life that is interesting than electronic entertainment.)

I disagree.

As millenians, we are expected to grow along side technology. As such, electronic entertaining defines life. My electronic entertainment has interested me the majority of my life. I am now running out of things to troll you with.

huh, trolling my own thread. Imagine that. Confused

Post #9 · Posted at 2010-11-19 11:51:10am 13.3 years ago

Offline -Viper-
-Viper- Avatar Member+
2,407 帖子
United States
Reg. 2007-10-26

3DS Friend Code: 1091-8797-8693
Hey, even trolls need some feeding.

Technology is nice, but theres a problem when theres very little to your personality other than your knowledge of movies, music, and video games. You also gotta be a snobby psuedo-intellectual who thinks he's better than everyone!

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