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Debate is the process of inquiry and advocacy, a way of arriving at a reasoned judgment on a proposition . Individuals may use debate to reach a decision in their own minds. Alternatively, individuals or groups may use it to bring others around to their way of thinking. Specifically, a debate is a speaking event in which two sides use reasoned discourse to argue about a particular subject. The immediate goal of each team is to convince a panel of judges and the audience that its arguments on the proposition are better than those of the opposition.
Debate can be classified into two broad categories: applied and academic . Applied debate is conducted on propositions, questions, and topics in which the advocates have a special interest, and the debate is presented before a judge or an audience with the power to render a binding decision on the proposition or respond to the question or topic in a real way. Academic debate is conducted on propositions in which the advocates have an academic interest, and the debate typically is presented before a teacher, judge or audience without direct power to render a decision on the proposition. The most important identifying characteristic of an academic debate is that the purpose of the debate is to provide educational opportunities for the participants. In general, applied debate is classified as special debate , judicial debate , parliamentary debate , or non-formal debate while academic debate is generally conducted under the direction of an educational institution for the purpose of providing educational opportunities for students.
The origins of debate are lost in the remote reaches of history, but we know that people were debating at least 4,000 years ago. Egyptian princes debated agricultural policy at the pharaoh’s court (2080 B.C.E). Chinese scholars conducted important philosophical debates during the Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256 B.C.E). Homer’s epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey (900–700 B.C.E) contain speeches which the Roman rhetorician Quintilian cited as examples of the arts of legal pleading and deliberation that may be regarded as embryonic debates. Aristotle’s Rhetoric (384–322 B.C.E) laid the foundation of argumentation and debate and is influential even today.
The ancient Greeks were among the first to recognize the importance of debate for both the individual and society. Plato, whose dialogues were an early form of cross examination debate, defined rhetoric as “a universal art of winning the mind by arguments, which means not merely arguments in the courts of justice, and all other sorts of public councils, but in private conference as well”.
Aristotle listed four functions for rhetoric. First, it prevents the triumph of fraud and injustice. Aristotle argued that truth and justice are by nature more powerful than their opposites, so when poor decisions are made, speakers with right on their side have only themselves to blame. Thus, it is not enough to know the right decision ourselves;we also must be able to argue for that decision before others. Second, rhetoric is a method of instruction for the public. Aristotle pointed out that in some situations scientific arguments are useless; a speaker has to “educate” the audience by framing arguments with the help of common knowledge and commonly accepted opinions.Third, rhetoric makes us see both sides of a case. By arguing both sides, we become aware of all aspects of the case, and we will be prepared to refute our opponents’arguments. Fourth, rhetoric is a means of defense. Often knowledge of argumentation and debate will be necessary to protect ourselves and our interests.
Academic debate began at least 2,400 years ago when the scholar Protagoras of Abdera (481–411 B.C.E), known as the father of debate, conducted debates among his students in Athens. Corax and Tisias founded one of the earliest schools of rhetoric,specializing in teaching debate so that students could plead their own cases in the law courts of ancient Sicily. Debate flourished in the academies of the ancient world and in the medieval universities, where rhetoric was installed as one of the seven liberal arts. What may have been the first intercollegiate debate in the English-speaking world took place in the early 1400s at Cambridge University between students from Oxford and Cambridge. The debating programs at British universities, which utilize a parliamentary format, have long been a training ground for future members of the parliament.
Intercollegiate debating popularized in the late 1800s, and interscholastic debating soon followed. In the early 1900s, however, intercollegiate debates were relatively rare. Normally a college would schedule only a few intercollegiate debates during an academic year, and large audience would assemble to watch the few students who were privileged to participate in these unusual events. Recognition of the value and importance of academic debate increased steadily during the twentieth century.Tournament debate was introduced in the 1920s, and by 1936 some educators were concerned about its increasing popularity. But tournament debate did not become predominant until the late 1940s.
In the post-World War Ⅱ era, tournament debate became the predominant mode of debating. In 1967, the American Forensic Association assumed responsibility for the National Debate Tournament (NDT), which has been hosted by a different college each year since then. In 1971, the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) was established to provide an alternative to the NDT debating and started using value propositions in 1975. Two propositions per year—one for each academic semester—were debated.
The purpose of debate is to set forth on a quest to unravel the better truth amongst the various facets of the truth brought forth by the debaters. This is to be done by realizing that there is no one totalitarian truth but a better truth that is born of the discussion. Debating is not just about addressing the problems; it aims at arriving at a conclusive notion about a certain issue and providing the most suitable solutions and mechanisms. Fundamentally, debating is considered as a hobby that can enrich your life in all kinds of ways. You don’t have to do it — and if you do it, you don’t have to do it seriously — but if you do, you’ll more than likely see the benefits.
Debate is one of the best investments one can make in his/her future. From building communication skills to fostering critical thinking and confidence, debate teaches one what he/she needs to live a successful personal, academic and professional life.
Public Speaking Skills
Most people naturally avoid public speaking. Debate provides a non-threatening environment to practice public speaking skills so that down the road when student debaters are called on to speak before public they will have the skills necessary to do a great job. This increases debate learners’ chances of doing well in the future in their careers.
Listening and Note-taking Skills
Debate requires a learner to become a careful listener and a good note taker. Debaters quickly learn to listen to their opponents with a sharply focused and critical eye,recording their arguments precisely on a flow sheet so that their own responses are to the point—adapting the phrasing of their opponents and turning the subtleties and limitations heard to their own advantage. The ability to listen critically is widely recognized as an important attribute of the educated person. Debaters begin to develop this important skill of critical listening from their very first debate.
Critical Thinking
Perhaps the most important skill debaters learn is the ability to think rigorously and critically. Studies show that participation in debate increases the critical thinking of student debaters. Debate participation promotes problem-solving and innovative thinking, and helps students to build links between words and ideas that make concepts more meaningful. Student debaters are taught to synthesize wide bodies of complex information, and to exercise creativity and implement diferent ways of knowing. Learning to think well has far reaching efects into every aspect of students’life.
Instruction in critical thinking is designed to achieve an understanding of the relationship of language to logic, which would lead to the ability to analyze, criticize,and advocate ideas, to reason inductively and deductively, and to reach factual or judgmental conclusions based on sound inferences drawn from unambiguous statements of knowledge or belief. The minimal competence to be expected at the successful conclusion of instruction in critical thinking should be the ability to distinguish fact from judgment, belief from knowledge, and skills in elementary inductive and deductive processes, including an understanding of the formal and informal fallacies of language and thought.
An efective critical thinker always
● raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and concisely;
● gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it efectively;
● comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
● thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences;
● communicates efectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.
How to think critically?
Here are steps you might take when using critical thinking for problem-solving at work.
● Identify a problem or issue.
● Create inferences on why the problem exists and how it can be solved.
● Collect information or data on the issue through research.
● Organize and sort data and findings.
● Develop and execute solutions.
● Analyze which solutions worked or didn’t work.
● Identify ways to improve the solution.
Being objective is a fundamental part of critical thinking. That means analyzing the problem without allowing personal bias, emotions or assumptions to influence how you think. A strong critical thinker will only analyze a problem based on the context and facts collected after conducting thorough and impartial research.
Academic Skills
Many studies have shown a marked improvement in a wide variety of academic skills as a result of participation in competitive debate. Student debaters often excel in written and oral communication, and greatly improve their reading comprehension.Students become comfortable with new concepts and unfamiliar language, and gain access to a wide array of new information such as college-level philosophy, history,public policy and current events. Perhaps most importantly, student debaters become self-directed learners, allowing them to take control of their education experience and continue to learn throughout their lives. This makes competitive debate a particularly afective vehicle for gifted and talented education.
Teamwork
Teamwork is actually a synonym for debate. Debate will teach debaters teamwork and people skills because they must work and think as a team in order to succeed. They will have to work with a partner, coach, and other teammates, sharing information and developing strategies. As you develop your speaking skills, you will also develop your people skills, so you will be able to talk to others with ease. Sometimes debate partners become friends for life. Even competing debaters from other colleges and universities can become your friends.