2008 Woodie Awards
Up for debate
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Affirmative Action; Greek Life; a staged photo of defecation; banned books: All topics of debate that have peppered the Trinitonian's pages this year. As the Trinity debate team makes its come back after a year without any advisor on staff, we are all reminded of the challenge and talent necessary to make a well argued case for one's position.
Yesterday, the Debate Program hosted two of the world's premier debaters for a spirited performance, but above all, a show of professional and seasoned ability. These young men are traveling the United States, visiting almost three dozen universities and colleges to take on a wide variety of challengers and topics.
As we are constantly confronted with new ideas and viewpoints in the college environment and in this changing world, the necessity of being able to argue a position competently and without deteriorating into stubborn emotion is a vital one. These men arrived at Trinity without prior knowledge of the topic and prepared in a few short hours to debate a policy which we, as Americans, have been coping with for the last five years and are still debating on talk radio, op-ed pages and at the table in full fury.
The art of formal debate demonstrates quintessentially the possibility for polar opposite opinions to exist simlutaneously. Yet when given a topic and a position, both Trinity and their competitors capably argued their stance, proving that, with the right choice of diction and confidence, many angles can be defendable.
Unlike formal debate, though, no panel of judges exists to decide a clear-cut winner in questions of domestic and international politics, religion and economy. In this realm we face opponents who hold opinions as tightly as we do our own. Though it may seem difficult to get your point across, understanding it yourself is an important first step and respecting your opponent's a close second.
Yesterday, the Debate Program hosted two of the world's premier debaters for a spirited performance, but above all, a show of professional and seasoned ability. These young men are traveling the United States, visiting almost three dozen universities and colleges to take on a wide variety of challengers and topics.
As we are constantly confronted with new ideas and viewpoints in the college environment and in this changing world, the necessity of being able to argue a position competently and without deteriorating into stubborn emotion is a vital one. These men arrived at Trinity without prior knowledge of the topic and prepared in a few short hours to debate a policy which we, as Americans, have been coping with for the last five years and are still debating on talk radio, op-ed pages and at the table in full fury.
The art of formal debate demonstrates quintessentially the possibility for polar opposite opinions to exist simlutaneously. Yet when given a topic and a position, both Trinity and their competitors capably argued their stance, proving that, with the right choice of diction and confidence, many angles can be defendable.
Unlike formal debate, though, no panel of judges exists to decide a clear-cut winner in questions of domestic and international politics, religion and economy. In this realm we face opponents who hold opinions as tightly as we do our own. Though it may seem difficult to get your point across, understanding it yourself is an important first step and respecting your opponent's a close second.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Student
posted 10/28/07 @ 2:10 AM CST
Although I don't want to go against this article I feel the need to point out that the topic was given to Trinity by the ESU debaters and there was no formal judge at this debate either. (Continued…)
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