Training, 11/03/2011
Identifying Burdens
Warwick Debating Society
What commonly occurs.
1) Motion is announced.
2) Droopy thinks up arguments for his side of
the debate.
3) Droopy provides said arguments.
4) Feedback is given; Droopy is told that his
arguments were very well made but that
another team better fulfilled the burdens of
the debate.
5) Droopy frowns.
What will now commonly occur.
1) Motion is announced.
2) You identify the burdens for the debate.
3) You think up arguments which best enable you
to satisfy said burdens.
4) You provide these arguments.
5) You stand a far better chance of fulfilling the
burden.
6) You smile.
7) Droopy still frowns.
Motion: THW require all schools to teach safe sex to
children from age 10 regardless of parental consent.
Government:
1. Children are old enough to learn about safe-sex at age 10.
2. It is necessary that children know about safe-sex from age 10.
3. The state has the authority to overrule the wishes of parents on this issue
(due to 1.)
Opposition:
1. Children are too young to know about safe-sex at age 10.
2. It is unnecessary to teach them about it at age 10 because it is irrelevant
to their lives.
3. Parents have the authority to decide if they do/do not want their children
taught about this issue at age 10 because it is controversial and is not
urgent (due to 1. and 2.)
THW bring back corporal punishment.
Government:
• It is legitimate to hit children.
• Corporal punishment would lead to a
(large) improvement in
teaching/learning conditions.
Opposition Burdens
1.It is illegitimate to hit children, regardless of
any possible benefit.
2.This possible benefit does not exist anyway
because corporal punishment brings more
harms than benefits – i.e. worsens
teaching/learning conditions.
THW allow children over the age of 13 to have gender
reassignment surgery without parental consent.
Government:
1.The age of 13 is old enough to know what
gender you want to be.
2.Parents should not have any influence over
your decision providing you are older enough.
3.This is better for the child in question than
under the status-quo (SQ).
Opposition Burdens
1.You are too young at the age of 13 to know
what gender you want to be.
2.This decision affects your well-being and thus
parents should still have to consent to it (even
if you are mature enough).
3.SQ is better for all stakeholders than the
policy.
THW Criminalise Adultery
Government:
1)Adultery causes so much harm that it should
be considered a crime.
2)It is legitimate (and possible) for the state to
punish adultery.
Opposition Burdens
1)Adultery cannot be classified as a crime.
2)The state does not have the right to intervene
and punish people for actions which they
undertake in such a private sphere.
3)Pragmatically it is impossible to implement
such a policy.
THBT Black Entertainers Should Not
Use the N-word During Performances.
Opposition Burdens:
1. Black entertainers do not use the N-word in
an offensive manner.
2. Their use of the N-word does more good
than harm.
Opposition Arguments
1. Right to Freedom of Expression.
2. Black entertainers need to use the N-word to express
themselves i.e. in comedy sketches.
3. The use of the word by black entertainers is not in a
racist context and therefore should not be banned.
4. Their use of the n-word can give it new meaning
because we live in a new generation.
5. It is only offensive to some black people so we
shouldn’t stop it from being used.
6. Banning the use of the n-word will lead to it to forever
have such historically racist connotations.
7. Lots of people find the use of the n-word in
performances entertaining/humorous so it should not
be discouraged from being used.
Next Week: More on prioritising
arguments
The End.