Sunday, June 21, 2009

Debate: A lost Art

I have a Confession - I love Debates.

Currently I am averaging about 4 a week on a wide varaity of subjects, including, Atheism, Unitartianism (The Trinity), Morality, The Bible, and others... I have to say that there is something amazing about the entire debate process. They contain an opening, which is basically a very specific short (15-30 min) lecture. Continuing to Rebutlal, and Cross-Examination (direct questions) and if you're lucky, these will be repeated, and then there is a closing statement. I have to say that this process allows a person to truly understand ( in a good debate) both sides of an issue, and which is superior. There seems to be no better way to understand any issue then to watch to experts debate it, in a polite, academic manner.

However, it seems to me that many people today dislike debate. Moreover, it seems that they think that debate is nothing more then argument. I think that this is a gross misuderstanding that is perpetuated by CNN style political debate; which is nothing more then logical fallacy after fallacy, meant to discredit an opponient via fallacy, which is why everyone thinks that they learn nothing from these debates, and that they do not truly address the issues in a direct way.

To that end, I would like to challange you to do 2 things - 1) If you have never listened to a debate, find on and listen. 2) List on here you favorite debate and why it is your favorite, so that we can all listen to what are quality debates.