Intro to Critiques
Fiat
The assumption in the debate game that we
pretend the plan gets passed by the
USFG. Then, we can debate out the
Costs (DA’s) vs Benefits (AD’s)
Some people don’t like the fiat
game
They don’t want to look only at ADS vs DA’s
They want to look at assumptions made by
the other team
Example
Plan: give money to Afghanistan
Advantage: help save lives
Negative Critique: this plan makes the
assumption that we can act as a “savior”
for other countries, we shouldn’t think like
that
Example
Plan: give money to Afganistan
Ads: help save lives
Critique: we should not use the USFG, it is
a sexist organization that tries to use
power over people
Example
Plan: give money to Afganistan
Ads: help save lives
Critique: ???? Any ideas?
Critiques are like:
DA’s – but without uniqueness
CP’s – but they don’t always have solvency
They are their own argument type.
Parts of a Critique
1) Link
2) Impact
3) Alternative
Link
What the other team does.
For example: they use the USFG, they use
sexist language, they use evidence from
the mass media, etc.
Impact
The outcome of the other team doing this
bad thing.
For example: the uphold the sexist institution
of the govt. Or, they hurt me personally.
Ect.
Alternative
Shows what the other team could have done
to avoid the critique.
For example: use non-governmental groups
instead of the govt. OR not use the sexist
language in the first place
Uniqueness
The idea in a DA that the aff alone pushes
us down the hill toward the impacts
In a critique: they are usually not unique. It’s
more of an absolute GUILTY or NOT
GUILTY argument, not a causation
argument.
Activity
Come up with as many possible critiques
you might run against a plan that:
Supports the government of Lebanon
through giving aid to them to help prop up
their legal system. Advantage: creating
the rule of law in Lebanon.
Types of Critiques
Language Critiques
One team uses some language in the round
that is bad.
Takes us out of the debate-world game
entirely.
Types of Critiques
Process Critiques
The thought process of the other team is
bad.
-
They use the usfg
They use bad evidence
They ignore a key group
They prop up US power
etc
Answering Critiques
1) Link
2) Impact
3) Alternative
4) Permutation
Defend your plan and the game of debate.
Why is it worth your time?