Academic Debate Training Opposition Strategies

1. Academic Debate Training Opposition Strategies Prepared by Kateryna Yablochkova Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

2. Levels of debate (policy) Definition Need for change Plan claim Argument #2 Benefits warrant data Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

3. Challenge the definitionONLYif: • It is truistic, self-proving or tautological • It is time-set • It is based on special knowledge • It is non-topical Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

4. How to challenge the definition: • state why it has to be re-defined • state how you are re-defining it • state, where necessary, why you are re-defining it in that particular way Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

5. Example 1 (Truism) • Motion: This House believes that ends justify the means“ • Bad definition: Genocide is never an acceptable tool of domestic policy Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

6. Example 1 (Truism) • Motion: This House believes that ends justify the means • Bad definition:Genocide is never an acceptable tool of domestic policy • Conceptualisation: The institution that prosecutes genocide globally is the International Criminal Court. The opposition will argue that this institution is ineffective and we have to return to ad hoc tribunals Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

7. Example 2 (Time-set) • Motion: This House would legalize it • Bad definition: This House is the Congress of the US, it's the year 1925, and we argue that prohibition does not work Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

8. Example 2 (Time-set) • Motion: This House would legalize it • Bad definition: This House is the Congress of the US, it's the year 1925, and we argue that prohibition does not work • Conceptualisation: Opposition wants to restrict the use of alcohol now Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

9. Example 3 (Specific knowledge) • Motion: This House doesn’t believe in Hollywood anymore • Bad definition: The Rating Board of the MPAA should change PG-13 rating given to the movie Rent last year for NC-17 Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

10. Example 3 (Specific knowledge) • Motion: This House doesn’t believe in Hollywood anymore • Bad definition: The Rating Board of the MPAA should change PG-13 rating given to the movie Rent last year for NC-17 • Conceptualisation: The US movie rating system should become more liberal Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

11. Example 4 (Squirrel) • Motion: This House will impose sanctions on Iran • Bad definition:Iran is an radical Islamic nation that supports terrorism. Therefore to impose sanctions on Iran means to impose sanctions on radical Muslims. We thus believe that state’s permanent residents that publicly advocate radical Islamic beliefs should be deported from the country Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

12. Example 4 (Squirrel) • Motion:This House will impose sanctions on Iran • Bad definition: Iran is an radical Islamic nation that supports terrorism. Therefore to impose sanctions on Iran means to impose sanctions on radical Muslims. We thus believe that state’s permanent residents that publicly advocate radical Islamic beliefs should be deported from the country. • Conceptualisation: International community should find other ways of making Iran refuse from its nuclear weapon. • Alternative:This is SQUIRREL! IT IS NOT FAIR! However, not to disrupt the round, and being very smart opposition we will be able to prove that Status Quo is SO MUCH BETTER than the plan proposed Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

13. How to cope with close-to-being-unreasonable definitions • Desert Island • Third option • Precaution Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

14. How to cope with close-to-being-unreasonable definitions Motion: This House regrets injustice Definition: Governments of the world should condemn the Holocaust Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

15. How to cope with close-to-being-unreasonable definitions Motion: This House regrets injustice Definition: Governments of the world should condemn the Holocaust DON’T WANT TO LOOK LIKE THAT GUY? Here’s the solution! Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

16. How to cope with close-to-being-unreasonable definitions • Holocaust doesn’t deserve a special status comparing to other genocides that took place in the world and everyone’s trying to forget (Turkey’s policy) • Such action leads to ignoring the genocides of the present day (Rwanda, Sudan) • Makes governments feel good and forget their contribution to Holocaust instead of analysing the policies they have conducted then (US immigration policy in 30s) Motion: This House regrets injustice Definition: Governments of the world should condemn the Holocaust Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

17. Levels of debate (policy) Definition Need for change Plan claim Benefits Argument #2 warrant data Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

18. Need for Change the problem will solve itself only minor action is needed to solve the problem the gov't is blaming the wrong structure ARGUMENTS THAT ATTACK: Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

19. Plan details Plan has “holes” / lacks something “Right place, right idea…Wrong time” “Right time, right idea….Wong place” Too expensive ARGUMENTS THAT ATTACK: Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

20. Benefits they are the short term benefits benefits are hard to reach benefits don’t affect the target group ARGUMENTS THAT ATTACK: Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

21. Disadvantages: Classical arguments Negative effects the international arena Negative effects the state Negative effects the people (either target group or the rest of population) YOUR OWN ARGUMENTS Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

22. Levels of debate (policy) Definition Need for change Plan claim Argument #2 warrant data Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

23. ARGUMENT DATA CLAIM RESERVATION WARRANT BACKING FOR WARRANT Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

24. ARGUMENT The income of Industrial workers Therefore consumption and is higher that a year ago savings have increased Unless it’s wartime economy and goods are not available for consumption Since workers usually spend and save more when they earn more and only when they do so This is asserted in journal X based on Y year study of behavior of industrial workers in Z state Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

25. Some logical fallacies Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

26. Read more on fallacies: • http://datanation.com/fallacies/index.htm Stephen's Guide to the Logical Fallacies • http://users3.ev1.net/~rooftopyawp/loveisafallacy.html Love Is a Fallacy by Max Shulman Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

27. Choose your philosophy • Be consistent • Attack only the necessary parts of case • Use “even if” • Choose your strategy beforehand Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies

28. Thank you for your attention!  Academic Debate Training - Opposition Strategies