The Instigator
desk19
Con (against)
desk19
Losing
15 Points
The Contender
geekygator
Pro (for)
geekygator
Winning
18 Points

Christopher Columbus discovered America

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Voting Style: Open Point System: 7 Point
Started: 2/12/2008 Category: Education
Updated: 14 years ago Status: Voting Period
Viewed: 6,823 times Debate No: 2588
Debate Rounds (2)
Comments (2)
Votes (11)

 

desk19

Con

I will let my opponent start with the debate because I would like to see what I have to argue with. thank you
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geekygator

Pro

I argue that Columbus, though he was not the FIRST to discover America, did indeed discover it.

It is widely accepted that Columbus did indeed travel to America in 1492, and set foot on the New World, etc. It is similarly widely accepted that various Vikings from Scandinavia ventured to the New World well before Columbus did, possibly as early as the 900's. Further evidence may suggest that the Chineese discovered the new world at some other time.

Hence, you say, how can Columbus have discovered America? Because although with hindsight we know he was not the first to find it, in his time and world he was. Prior to his voyage, none or very very few of the Europeans in his society knew of America, and he brought this knowledge to them first. Even if the Vikings did discover America before him, they did not manage to widely distribute this knowledge, and the people of Columbus' time did not know of it. Hence, Columbus did not know of America and found it, so he discovered it.

This is similar to two people inventing the same device independently- one may in fact invent his device a day before the other, but they still both invented it, since they both went through the process and work and made the device independent of the other.
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 Debate Round No. 1
desk19

Con

What you have just said is false, Discovering and finding are very different and if he did as you say "discover" America when someone had already discovered it, it would be called Re-discoving. You can Find you missing shoe but you are unable to discover you missing shoe.
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geekygator

Pro

No, you sir are incorrect. A quick search on the definition of "Discover" brings up the following:

"to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge"

None of that mentions a requisite of being the first to find something. Discovering does not necessitate being the first (See above). Hence, Columbus did indeed "...get knowledge of, learn of, find,.." America, and hence discovered it.
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 Debate Round No. 2
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2 comments have been posted on this debate. Showing 1 through 2 records.
Posted by geekygator 14 years ago
geekygator
Looks like it :) Good debate, in any case.
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Posted by desk19 14 years ago
desk19
ha ha ha i think i lose whatever though
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11 votes have been placed for this debate. Showing 1 through 10 records.
Vote Placed by johnwooding1 14 years ago
johnwooding1
desk19geekygatorTied
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Vote Placed by philadam 14 years ago
philadam
desk19geekygatorTied
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Vote Placed by Pricetag 14 years ago
Pricetag
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Vote Placed by SchinkBR 14 years ago
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Vote Placed by Egleriel 14 years ago
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Vote Placed by bluemooncowza 14 years ago
bluemooncowza
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Vote Placed by Tatarize 14 years ago
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Vote Placed by desk19 14 years ago
desk19
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Vote Placed by Araku 14 years ago
Araku
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Vote Placed by FunkeeMonk91 14 years ago
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