The purpose of this script is to give recommendations, hints and tips for debating applied ethical issues, a highly interesting field in debating. It gives an introduction into ethics and the main theoretical approaches concerning moral philosophy. Beginning from the preparation and organization of a debate to the actual debating and performance of team and individual speakers the procedure and functions of debates are examined. Specific interest is given to rebuttals, points of interests as well as (logical) fallacies of argumentation that may occur during a speech and requires qualities in language and rhetorical skills in general. Individual speaker performance is considered by matter (content), method (strategy) and manner (style). For these areas of debating the paper gives recommendations and provides useful phrases to the student.
Ethics also plays part in all exchanges of opinions, The ethics of debate gives further insight into rules how to behave in a debate and how fruitful debating should be.
The second part considers the evaluation of debates. Usually the performance of teams are assessed and one team may provide better arguments and pursue a better strategy than the other party. General recommendations for adjudicators shall alleviate the process of judgment during the debating process as well as afterwards when the performance of parties is reviewed. The script proposes a possible evaluation scheme and a marking system that considers the individual performance but also recognizes the team strategy when debating applied ethical issues.
Finally a concluding section will summarize the main topics of the script by providing some examples of applied ethical issues.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: The Art of Debating
2. Ethics
3. Debating moral issues
3.1 Debating on Ethics
3.2 Ethics of Debate
4. Evaluation of debates
5. Conclusion: Applied ethical issues
Objectives and Topics
The objective of this script is to provide students with practical recommendations, hints, and useful phrases for engaging in debates, with a specific focus on applied ethical issues. It aims to bridge the gap between theoretical moral philosophy and the practical application of rhetorical skills in a formal debating environment, while also offering a structured approach for adjudicators to assess performance.
- Foundations of moral philosophy and ethical theories.
- Strategic preparation and organization of competitive debates.
- Rhetorical skills, including the use of matter, method, and manner.
- Identification and navigation of logical fallacies.
- Methodologies for fair and comprehensive debate evaluation.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction: The Art of Debating
Debating is a an art. An art that goes back to ancient times. Almost everybody will remember from school or by general knowledge that Greeks and Romans were masterminds of debate, at least their intellectual and political elite. Names like that of Cicero who was probably the greatest orator of his time are connected with debating and rhetorical skills. Rhetoric can be considered as the tool box for debating. Thus, when we talk about debating skills we implicitly refer to rhetoric although rhetoric skills are useful in other contexts as well, be it a sales presentation or a speech.
The character of a debate comprises of an interaction between two parties who have a different point of view about a specific issue. The focus here is on rhetorical debates rather than written debates which also could be meant by the term. Thus a debate in this paper means “basically, an argument. That is not to say that it is an undisciplined shouting match between parties that passionately believe in a particular point of view. In fact the opposite is true. Debating has strict rules of conduct and quite sophisticated arguing techniques and you will often be in a position where you will have to argue the opposite of what you believe in” (ACT Debating 2011).
Debates about moral issues are definitely a special field of debating. Often we are not conscious about that we are debating on issues which are eventually moral issues. With attributes like good and bad we refer implicitly to ethical or moral or unethical or immoral behavior. Take the example of borrowing 10 € from your best friend and later you forget about it. You may have offended your friend and although you did not want to do something bad to him or her one could argue that actually you did something wrong regardless if it was your intention or not. Hence, you are in the middle of a debate.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The Art of Debating: Provides an overview of the history of debating, defines the nature of formal argumentation, and establishes the importance of rhetoric in navigating moral issues.
2. Ethics: Explores the philosophical foundations of morality, differentiating between epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, while outlining major theoretical approaches such as Consequentialism, Kantian Ethics, and Virtue Ethics.
3. Debating moral issues: Offers practical guidance on preparing for debates, performing as a team, using rebuttals, and identifying logical fallacies, alongside ten ethical rules for maintaining integrity in discourse.
4. Evaluation of debates: Details the criteria and administrative processes for adjudicating debates, including note-taking, observation, and a structured marking scheme for assessing matter, manner, and method.
5. Conclusion: Applied ethical issues: Synthesizes the practical and theoretical aspects of the script by applying ethical reasoning to complex, real-world examples like global hunger and contemporary legal-ethical dilemmas.
Keywords
Debating, Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Rhetoric, Argumentation, Consequentialism, Kantian Ethics, Virtue Ethics, Logical Fallacies, Adjudication, Points of Information, Debate Strategy, Public Speaking, Applied Ethics, Evaluation Scheme
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this script?
The primary purpose is to provide students with a comprehensive guide, including recommendations and phrases, to improve their debating skills specifically when addressing applied ethical issues.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The main themes include the theory of moral philosophy, the structure of formal debates, rhetorical techniques, the identification of logical fallacies, and the standardized evaluation of debating performances.
What is the ultimate goal or research question?
The goal is to move beyond a simple "win-lose" mindset in debates, aiming instead to foster deep understanding, the grasping of truth, and meaningful evaluation of complex ethical arguments.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are used?
The text employs a synthesis of moral philosophy theories (Kantian, Consequentialist, and Virtue Ethics) and practical debate pedagogy derived from recognized international debating standards.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of ethics, the procedural organization of a debate, the roles of speakers, effective rebuttal techniques, and the professional criteria for judging and marking rounds.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include debate, ethics, moral philosophy, rhetorical skills, argumentation, logic, adjudication, and evaluation criteria.
How does the script differentiate between 'matter', 'method', and 'manner'?
Matter refers to the substance of the arguments and evidence, method relates to the structure and strategy of the speech, and manner concerns the rhetorical style, confidence, and presentation of the speaker.
What is the significance of the "ten rules for ethics in debate"?
These rules provide a guideline for maintaining a healthy and constructive debate environment, emphasizing empathy, focus, and truth-seeking over simple competitiveness or intellectual combat.
How should an adjudicator approach the evaluation of a debate?
An adjudicator should take comprehensive notes during the round, observe the conduct of the speakers, weigh the logical development of arguments, and provide constructive feedback that highlights both strengths and weaknesses.
- Citar trabajo
- Martin Kurray (Autor), 2011, Debating on Ethics. Hints, recommendations and evaluation of debating applied ethical issues, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/341391
