Debate

Debate, also Debating outside the USA and Canada, is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. Rules governing debate allow groups and individuals to discuss and decide issues and differences. Debate is a common process in deliberative bodies such as parliaments, legislative assemblies, and meetings of all sorts. Outcomes of debates may be decided by voting, by judges, or by combination of both.

Debate and Argumentation Theory

All forms of debate, whether consciously or not, make certain assumptions about argumentation theory. The core concept of argumentation theory is the notion of advocacy. In most cases, at least one side in a debate needs to maintain the 'truth' of some proposition or advocate some sort of personal or political change or action. A debate could also potentially be between two or more competing propositions or actions. Or debate could also be a purely performative exercise of charisma and emotion with no assumption of fixed advocacy, but it would possibly lose much of its coherence and educational value. On the other hand, evolving and changing advocacies or no advocacies at all might be liberating and permit true advancement and understanding through debate. The variety of different debate forms and activities have different understandings about the nature and limits of advocacy, and different activities have different expectations about whether argumentation theory in relation to advocacy can be challenged within a competitive debate.

Related Topics:
Argumentation theory - Advocacy

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