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In an effort to kick things off, I'd like to express my interest in a challenge match. Topics can be decided on here or u2u.

reply to post by AshleyD

I'd like to express my interest in a challenge match

I'll throw may hat in the ring.

If you'd like a match let me know.

Hi just found this thread from AshleyD's link from the home away from home, Wheuu! Great thread, flagged!

Got the eggs in the water and going to enjoy the Easter Holiday before I come back for some much needed debate experience.

Thanks AshleyD!

reply to post by visible_villain


Oops. What I meant to say was 'I'd like to express my interest in a challenge match with someone who wouldn't wipe the debate room floor with me.'



Seriously though, I've seen your participation so far and you are definitely the worthy adversary! We can do this. I believe we're trying to get the forum back to more serious subjects that are related to ATS topics. I'll be thinking of some potential topics that would be along those lines and will u2u you!

Since it's Easter Weekend, I won't be able to start until Monday but will be thinking of some topics and please feel free to let me know if there is something in particular you'd like to debate. Picking the topics has never been my strong point. lol

reply to post by AshleyD

Hi Ashley

'Serious,' eh ?

I don't know - 'things' seem to be serious enough as they are ...

Please 'think it over,' and if you have a topic you feel would be good for you, then it probably should be ok for me too.

Else, I have one or two 'quasi-serious' topics 'up my sleeve' in case they might be needed.

Let's decide on Monday, ok ?

OK i want to debate someone about something

sadly it would have to be like real soon maybe in the next few days preferably. so sunday would be an awesome date for me.

ANY SUBJECT aswell

So yes the newboy is challenging anyone and everyone






[edit on 10-4-2009 by Username:Unknown]

Originally posted by visible_villain
Else, I have one or two 'quasi-serious' topics 'up my sleeve' in case they might be needed.

Sure- spit them out. Quasi-serious topics could be well to ease us into a new transition. Again, I'm terrible at topic picking so toss your ideas out there. Conspiracies, social issues, etc. Something that is at least somehow related to something that would be suitable for ATS discussion.

reply to post by AshleyD

Sure- spit them out.

Well, I don't know if these were ever 'treated' before here in debates, but a couple which immediately come to mind are -

1. Science is the 'official' state religion.
2. 'Beauty' is in the 'eye' of the beholder.

Originally posted by visible_villain
1. Science is the 'official' state religion.
2. 'Beauty' is in the 'eye' of the beholder.

I think those both could make excellent topics, although you might want to tighten up the phrasing a bit so that the entire debate doesn't get stuck in semantics (in my opinion).

I'm not sure that I see anything "quasi-" about them either, and I'd really like clarification on that if other people think they aren't serious topics. Certainly the question of whether the state elevates science or scientific thought to the status of a religion is a good solid ATS topic (Creationism forum, Controversies in Religion forum, Metaphysics forum). And depending on how you treat the beauty topic, I can see it belonging in Medical Conspiracies, Metaphysics, or even Ancient Civilizations.

reply to post by americandingbat

Certainly the question of whether the state elevates science or scientific thought to the status of a religion is a good solid ATS topic (Creationism forum, Controversies in Religion forum, Metaphysics forum). And depending on how you treat the beauty topic, I can see it belonging in Medical Conspiracies, Metaphysics, or even Ancient Civilizations.

Yikes !!

I had no idea !!

reply to post by visible_villain


Those both look acceptable to me. I'd have to pass on the Science is the official state religion after becoming exhausted with the topic. Darn good topic but I'm just burned out with that subject.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder would be a good one. Has a psychological feel to it and I know of some scientific studies to back up both sides of the debate. We'd need to narrow the scope down to a particular aspect though. We'd end up talking about art, human faces and bodies, design and architecture, landscapes, etc. It would get pretty broad if we don't narrow it down.

Were you wanting to go for pro or con in that debate and how would you like to narrow down the topic? Human physical appearance? I'd like to throw my hat into the ring for pro if you'd agree to that. If not, we can agree on a topic where we'd both have a topic and position that makes us happy.

How about a debate on vigilantism? And whether or not it is acceptable in some circumstances? Just an idea. That might tie in to some current events.

I found a wonderful site that has a plethora of wonderful topics to debate.

It's also in intrest of full disclosure that I present where I got the idea for the challenge match subject between myself and SemperParatusRJCC from.

www.idebate.org...

reply to post by whatukno


Thank you WUK - a wonderful resource.

I'm still waiting for trep to come back to me regarding our "football" debate, but I will defintely reference that in future.

In the meantime, would anyone else be up for a US sport vs UK sport debate?

reply to post by budski


I would if thats alright ofcourse

i assume you want the UK sports side which would suit me just fine.

reply to post by Username:Unknown


No problem

First you have to contact one of the debate forum moderators to give you fighter status.

Then we can get the debate set up.

Debates are usually in this format:

opening statement

3 posts of rebuttall and making of your own case

Closing statement.

Making 5 in all, with a character limit of 10,000 characters per post.

typically they take between 5 and 10 days, with judging to follow.

This is not for the faint hearted and requires quite a high level of commitment - have a read of some of the debates here and see what you think.

Are you still in?

If so, contact Memoryshock or Semperfortis via u2u



[edit on 10/4/2009 by budski]

reply to post by budski


Don’t worry man I’ve been there and done that



Ye but is there any chance at all we can kick this thing off maybe midday Saturday or early Sunday since I got work.

So just to clarify

Date: tomorrow or day after
Subject: US sports (me) vs. UK sports (you)

reply to post by Username:Unknown


I would only be able to start on tuesday.

Easter weekend and all that....

reply to post by budski


I'll go for that but finishing the debate may be a bit difficult.

But yes i'll go for it anyway and do as much as possible. (Y)

Tuesday it is

reply to post by AshleyD

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder would be a good one. Has a psychological feel to it and I know of some scientific studies to back up both sides of the debate. We'd need to narrow the scope down to a particular aspect though. We'd end up talking about art, human faces and bodies, design and architecture, landscapes, etc. It would get pretty broad if we don't narrow it down.

Well, I was coming at the subject more from a philosophical angle -

Platonic epistemology

Platonic epistemology holds that knowledge is innate, so that learning is the development of ideas buried deep in the soul, often under the mid-wife-like guidance of an interrogator. Plato believed that each soul existed before birth with "The Form of the Good" and a perfect knowledge of everything. Thus, when something is "learned" it is actually just "recalled."

Plato drew a sharp distinction between knowledge, which is certain, and mere opinion, which is not certain. Opinions derive from the shifting world of sensation; knowledge derives from the world of timeless forms, or essences. In the Republic, these concepts were illustrated using the metaphor of the sun, the divided line, and the allegory of the cave.

Source : Wikipedia

Beauty

Beauty, according to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.E.), is the most accessible of the Forms. Forms are transcendent sources of the essential qualities of things, the qualities that make things what they are. The proper relation among these qualities, their harmony, is what makes a thing beautiful. We are naturally drawn to beautiful things, wanting to possess them and to perpetuate their beauty in creations of our own. Our love of beauty leads us to seek it in increasingly more enduring forms of enjoyment and creation: from particular physical objects to friends and children, to public institutions and societal laws, to scientific theories and philosophical systems, and finally to Beauty itself. Thus Beauty is the harmonizing structure that give things their integrity, we desire it above all else, and in its presence we are able to create things of enduring worth. It is both the measure of our good and the enkindling agent for its accomplishment. Western notions of beauty since Plato are but a series of footnotes to these linked notions.

Source : Encyclopedia of Science and Religion

So, maybe this is 'too much' ...

Anyway, 'vigilantism' sounds interesting.

What did you have in mind ? Vigilantism 'at large' in the 'world,' or something 'more restricted,' such as, 'social site vigilantism,' for instance ?