The new Debate Forum - Calling all Fighters

Anytime you are ready!

a reply to: SayonaraJupiter

It looks as though we have a small bit of life back in the debate forums.

Been quite some time since I participated in a debate....anyone interested?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Sometimes?

Depends what you wish to debate about. We could take turns at being William Lane Craig and Richard Dawkins.

a reply to: Pinke

I haven't thought of a specific topic yet. Perhaps something that is currently relevant or controversial?

By the way, good to see you again Pinke!

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Hiya too!

I'm not 100% sure on controversial topics. Suspect the nature of the judging here on ATS might favor the person defending the least controversial side of the argument (ATS wise) and also suspect most of the usual controversial topics have been hit on already.

Still fun though.

Vague brain storming below. Feel free to grab a few things that jump out at you or add your own. Maybe list what side of the debate you might take too and we can just fire them back and forth till we find something fun.

Have piles of other thoughts but I suspect most of them belong in the research forum haha

Big pharma and mass killings
File sharing vs theft / damage to industry
Peaceful past (modern civilization is bad or something like that)
Prison (punishment vs rehab?)
Scientology (legislating religion?)
Feminism (still required? I suspect someone will get an instant loss here haha)
Lads Mags (Should lads mags be covered up / banned from shop shelves or not?)
The basis of gender
Democracy, countries and autonomy (Should countries be able to run how they feel like running?)
Moral relativism / can non-religious persons have a basis for morals etc / do objective values exist blah blah
Could we live without poverty? (Maybe makes us lazy / no one has to work)
Should we have the right to hate? (Maybe another instant win one)
Violence in the world (getting better or worse?)
Jesus (divine or not?)
Psychology (science or not?)
Anything related to racism is normally controversial
The plot of Batman: Dark Knight Rises makes sense? (ahaha)
Would uploading our conciousness into machines be good?
Movie ratings are effective yes/no?
Jesus, historical figure or prophet? Would the resurrection prove divinity? etc...
Media (good or bad?)

On a side note, there is a part of me that would like to have more of a discursive debate. The debates I've watched elsewhere have been best when towards the end of the debate there is some back and forth discussion with single questions and some interjection by both speakers. Usually it has a moderator of some kind / a few persons asking questions to both sides with shorter answers.

I realize this is hard to model online, but could it be something worth trying? Even if it just means handling our Socratic questions separately somewhat I think it might help keep the debate a bit more organized and not trying to cram everything into one post.

It's also potentially a terrible idea though haha

a reply to: Pinke

Hmmm, I like the idea of the prison debate...but I would probably fall on the same side as you and it would be hard to defend the opposing side.

Here are the other topics you listed that I liked:

Feminism
Should we have the right to hate?
Jesus - Maybe a "man or myth" sort of debate...did he exist or not?
Would uploading our consciousness into machines be good?
Moral relativism / can non-religious persons have a basis for morals etc / do objective values exist

The right to hate topic really sticks out to me. Thoughts?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Moral relativism / can non-religious persons have a basis for morals etc / do objective values exist

You and I had that debate a long time ago. And I lost, in what I think was a completely biased judgement, lol

originally posted by: adjensen
a reply to: sheepslayer247
You and I had that debate a long time ago. And I lost, in what I think was a completely biased judgement, lol

It was a ... ... ... relativist ... ... ... judgement?

I feel disappointed in my self.

Sheepslayer:

Just my thoughts ...

Feminism I can argue from either side, but it would be nice to have an issue to frame it with. Elliot Rodgers would be the controversial one, but there are probably some better ones.

Historical Jesus is the same, I can argue either side.

I suppose we will skip the morals debate, not just because its already happened but I feel that morals and potentially the right to hate might be a bit too wordy. Whoever is on the con of 'the right to hate' will ultimately be at a disadvantage given the number of concepts the person has to introduce perhaps to build an argument?

We could try it though.

Note: I'll always be responding but it will be every few days to a week due to work etc ... so don't think I've run off. I prefer to take it a bit easy with the debate forum. One, it means we don't treat it as a chore or get burnt out. Two, I'd rather we can take our time over posts and bring our well written A-game, and it's not like we have a large audience with our thread on auto-refresh desperately waiting.

a reply to: adjensen

I do apologize.....haven't been paying attention to this thread.

Yes, I do believe I won that debate and it was a complete shock to me.....considering you're way with words.

a reply to: sheepslayer247

If this forum ever gets going again (we need Hefficide or Skyfloating back to get us on track,) I'll have a go at you again and spank you like a red headed step child

Just kidding… I would probably lose again

a reply to: adjensen

Knowing you better now than I did then, I doubt that. We all get lucky once in a while.

Pinke and I are talking about a debate again, but I can swing another debate as well.

Any ideas?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Any ideas?

I've been watching a bunch of Thunderf00t's anti-feminism videos lately, that might be interesting, but seriously, let's wait until we have active moderation… I'm STILL waiting for this debate to be judged, and my opponent was banned a year ago!

a reply to: adjensen

Well, you have a point.

So who do we need to rough up around here to get some attention?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

If you want to beat up on Skyfloating, I think he's our best chance.

I have no pull -- he's still mad that I beat him in a debate

Would ATS moderator persons have any issue if some users took over / kick started this forum again?

Does it actually need a person with moderator rights?

a reply to: Skyfloating

Lol.

originally posted by: Pinke
Would ATS moderator persons have any issue if some users took over / kick started this forum again?

Does it actually need a person with moderator rights?

I think that the members were handling the forum before it went to sleep. I can't see an issue with reinvigorating it. I'd be up for it.

I'd have to knock a bit of rust off of things - but I'm good with reviving things if y'all are interested.

a reply to: Hefficide

Wanna go? How about the Fairness Doctrine? I'd argue either side.

a reply to: intrepid

Sounds good!

I'll need to sit down later today and figure out a restructured means of judging debates - as our old way required having a lot of active fighters in the forum - and even then it was difficult.

Having said that - I don't think coming up with a more streamlined approach will be that difficult.