Debate.org: Debates in the Debating Period

The continuation of current U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America will do more harm than good.

2013-05-18T12:12:13-08:00

(Debating Period)

This is for Penn's tournament.

Resolved: The continuation of current U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America will do more harm than good.

To clarify: I am supporting the policies, Contra is attacking them.

Due to laziness and the fact that rules aren't really neccessary, I think we can just start the debate.

Good luck to both of us; first round is acceptance.

There Are Good Secular Reasons to Disallow Same-Sex Marriage

2013-05-18T03:54:51-08:00

(Debating Period)

HonestDiscussioner and I have agreed on terms. I will launch immediately into my opening statement.

~

The state regulates marriage for a reason. It dispenses benefits for a reason. Understanding what this reason is will tell us what criteria are and are not relevant to marriage, and thus whether any rights are being denied. If the state excludes same-sex couples from entering into legal marriages on the basis of criteria relevant to the public purpose of marriage, then it is clear that no rights or benefits are being denied to them; for it is not unjust to deny a group a right that they do not deserve. Our answer to questions relating to the level of scrutiny, suspect classification, and fundamental rights will depend on what this reason is, as it provides a standard from which the debate can be framed.

This reason, whatever it is, must advance a public purpose. Social institutions are afforded l

Tap water (Pro) Bottled water (con)

2013-05-18T23:11:14-08:00

(Debating Period)

Burden of proof is shared. First round will be arguments, the following rounds will be rebuttals.

Some definitions:

Bottled water: Drinking water packaged in plastic or glass and sold as a commodity

Tap water: Potable water supplied to taps

1. Carbon footprint

1/5 of plastic bottles from the bottled water do not get recycled. [1] To manufacture these bottles, 47 million gallons of oil are used per year. [2] Even more fuel are needed to send them from the manufacturing plant to the town you live in, and still more to move them from the warehouse to your local grocery store.

Using tap water means less demand for non-reusable bottles, which means that less bott

Homeschooling is better than Public or Private School

2013-05-18T17:17:23-08:00

(Debating Period)

Now, I must say something up front, I will not be on this site from Monday till' Friday. So as odd as it sounds, a round will be forfeited by both sides to let me get back from being a State Page where I will not have regular internet access.

So, here are the basic rules:

Stay Civil

Use Spell-Check (please)

Use sources/logic/experience to back up your claims and/or contentions

Wikipedia is not, I repeat, not a source.

Experience should be a secondary, if not last, resort as support for a claim/contention. It should be used more as a way to give examples and illustrations.

Round 1 is acceptance

A round will be forfeited at no expense to either side (Must be the same round for both parties and AFTER round 1 and 2).

'Nuff said.

Children's rights and their obligations should be respected.

2013-05-18T16:05:12-08:00

(Debating Period) Hi, this is my first debate so I would probably be bad at it so please have pacience with me. Children's rights and obligations should be respected because like the human rights say we are all equal. children should not be hit by their parents (for example) or harmed in any other way, since children are the future of our world. Children would be the future Prime Ministers, Presidents, Kings, Queens... And if children learn to treat others bad,fight and be bad leaders the world as we know it now would be completely destroyed. Thanks.

Islamic Socialism Is Superior To Atheistic Socialism

2013-05-17T16:49:23-08:00

(Debating Period)

This is not a theological debate but the merits of Islamic Socialism and Atheistic Socialism in political theory and application.

1st round is for acceptance.
Open to anyone.

Jim Carrey is better than Adam Sander

2013-05-17T13:54:38-08:00

(Debating Period)

In this debate I will be affirming the resolution.
Resolved: Jim Carrey is better than Adam Sander
This is a debate for entertainment, so at least pretend to have fun!

RULES OF THIS DEBATE:

One video or link must be posted eve

Deep Space Nine was the best star Trek show.

2013-05-17T04:30:19-08:00

(Debating Period) I will be arguing that overall, Deep Space Nine (from now on abbreviated as DS9) was the best Star Trek. My opponent may argue that any of the others were better but cannot rely solely on one movie (for example using Wrath of Khan to prove the original series was the best). The first round is for acceptance. Good luck and may the best nerd win.

Song Debate

2013-05-17T00:07:03-08:00

(Debating Period)

1st round is acceptance. In rounds 2 through 5, each debater will post songs and lyrics. Voters are to vote on who posted the songs they liked the best.

Ontological and teleological arguments cannot accurately tell us whether God exists

2013-05-19T00:08:02-08:00

(Debating Period)

Why this debate? Promenent theist apologists like William Lane Craig have spent tremendous amounts of effort polishing Ontological and Teleological arguments. I'd like to stop and ask the question - whether valid or not, does this type of argument reliably lead us to true conclusions and accurate knowledge in the first place?

Resolved: Ontological and teleological arguments cannot accurately inform humans as to whether God exists

First Round is for acceptance.
Second round opening statements.
Third and fourth round are for rebuttals.
No new arguments introduced in fourth round.

Parties agree to use definitions as they appear in Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Where there is

Is Illuminati a real organization?

2013-05-18T18:13:24-08:00

(Debating Period) I think, Illuminati is real. They're in everywhere! The world is controlling by this organization. They want to control our brains with some subliminal messages. The nuclear power, money, international companies, banks, wars (for example: September 11)....

Is it the society that creates a terrorist?

2013-05-17T23:29:08-08:00

(Debating Period) it is not the society that creates a terrorist.

Iron man is way better than batman.

2013-05-17T18:14:37-08:00

(Debating Period) Batman sucks. Your move.

Random Freestyle Writing

2013-05-17T10:28:47-08:00

(Debating Period) I'd say that I'm pretty creative. Let's see if anyone thinks they can be more creative than I.

Basketball is a better sport than hockey.

2013-05-17T08:55:36-08:00

(Debating Period) I believe basketball is a far better winter sport than hockey. If you believe that hockey is better than basketball then you are a dumbass.

God is not real.

2013-05-17T08:26:45-08:00

(Debating Period) God is not real. If he was real, one: why would he ask us to worship him? If we are all his children and he loves us all then why do I have to spend my whole life worshiping him? Two: God is supposed to have created everything. that is the worst argument I have ever heard. he made everything perfect just for us, right? no, there are billions of other galaxies that could have been shaped like this. only us humans that trample anything in our path could believe that there is some mystical being that watches me and protects me, because humans are the perfect creature. How did god make the universe? did he sprinkle some magic dust and poof all this up? third, God is a dictator. if you don't worship him, you go to hell. if you don't like him, you go to hell. also, hell and heaven are made up. hell is a combination of what we don't like, and heaven is the opposite. In the end, god is a fake individual who was made up by humans so that they could explain what they did

LA Lakers is the best NBA team in the history.

2013-05-17T06:03:20-08:00

(Debating Period) I personally is a big fan of LA Lakers.

Believing in a religion is illogical

2013-05-18T20:06:39-08:00

(Debating Period) There are no good reasons to believe in a religion. I am letting the opponent begin the debate.

Splitting of the USA

2013-05-18T19:56:21-08:00

(Debating Period) I believe that everything from GA to Texas should break away including Oklahoma and everything up to Kentucky. This would be called Dixie. I believe that I should be the Commander of Dixie. My opponent may choose which topics he would like to discuss. (We will assume that a peace treaty between Dixie and the Yankees is in effect. War betweeen the nations is not an issue that I would like to be included.) Any issue, but war between the nations, will be considered.

Lebron James is better than Kobe Bryant

2013-05-18T17:18:08-08:00

(Debating Period) This is something I always felt like I needed to solve. Yes both are great players but I have an urge to know who is better personally I feel like Lebron I'd better but I'm willing to argue this with some who begs to differ: Rules: -no swearing - legitimate facts - somebody who actually knows basketball - don't just debate using the fact that Kobe has 5 to Lebron 1 I mean you can use it but it can't be your sole argument