Winter/Spring 2013
Philosophy 276: Section A
Harry Potter & Philosophy:
Wizarding & Wisdom
Debate Format
Schedule
A significant part of our class (and of your grade) will be the use of a fairly formal debate structure.
The class will be divided into four teams by Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin. Each house team will have 8 (or 9) members, four of whom will compete in a given
debate round (though all members will have a turn debating).
There will be five debates in all, beginning with two rounds: Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor
vs. Hufflepuff. Housess not competing in a particular round will judge who won the debate. The
two winning Houses will then compete against each other, as will the two losing teams. The fifth
round will involve the two winners from the prior rounds.
Here's the schedule:
o
o
o
o
o
February 12:
February 26:
March 19:
April 9:
[April 23:
First Debate Round - Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw
Second Debate Round - Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff
Third Debate Round - winners of the first two Rounds of debate
Fourth Debate Round - losers of the first two Rounds of debate
Fifth Debate Round - a run-off between the 3rd & 4th Round winners]
Topics
Each pair of Houses will be responsible to choose a thesis for debate. The thesis will be have to be
a matter of philosophical importance in the interpretation of the Harry Potter series (e.g., whether
the books are more liberal or libertarian; whether ambition is a virtue; whether Dumbledore's
sexual orientation is significant to his character; whether use of a love potion could ever be
morally justified). Theses, of course, will have to be worded as positive affirmations (e.g., the Harry
Potter series supports a libertarian ideal with regard to the role of civil government).
If the House teams can’t make up their minds, then which House will take the affirmative position
and which will take the negative will be determined the week prior to the debate by means of a
coin toss. Members of the teams will then have to decide upon their roles and prepare their
presentations for debate.
Format
The debate format will resemble the format used in many high school debate teams, though not
following those rules precisely. A debate will run, therefore, in the following way (where "1A"
means "first person from team A," etc.):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Affirmative opening (1A) – 8 minutes
Negative opening (1B) – 8 minutes
Affirmative development (2A) – 5 minutes
Negative development (2B) – 5 minutes
Negative rebuttal (3B) – 8 minutes
Affirmative rebuttal (3A) – 8 minutes
Negative closing (4B) – 5 minutes
Affirmative closing (4A) – 5 minutes
3 minutes will be allotted for cross-examination after the first four stages. Cross-examination will
be carried out by a member of the opposing House, so long as it is not the member scheduled to
go next.

The “Opening” should outline where the team plans to head in their arguments and begin
to make their case.

The “Development” should further develop the team’s case for their position, providing the
central claims of their argument.

The “Rebuttal” should be directed against the case provided by the other team, raising
objections and attempting to undermine their arguments.

The “Closing” should sum up everything that has been said by a particular team, trying to
tie it all together and finish off their case in a compelling way.
Assessment
Grades will be based upon the clarity and effectiveness of arguments, evidence of reading,
thought, and research, as well as organization and succinctness of thought.
Though rhetorical effectiveness as a debater will not be ignored, your grade is less focused upon
your rhetorical abilities than upon these other elements.