ninjafaery
I Want to Learn to Debate
Posted on: 04/16/2010 13:03
Something I've been pondering lately is the fact that I'm a timid debater.
It's not that I don't have anything to say, or have opinions that are as important as the next person's, it's just that I'm not good at answering very muscular and assertive statements. I've seen others on Wondercafe who do it very well and knowledgably and others who, well, don't.
I tend to avoid what I view as conflict and I"d like to change that. I'm getting that it helps to work within a topic that I either find easy, or am willing to research. It's also necessary to learn by doing and to be graceful if I flounder.
Anyway, I'm opening it up. Does anyone else feel the same way and have a desire to become a better debater? Do you think you could come up with some really easy topics to start with?
I found this article that outlines the logical fallacies to recognize and avoid. I vaguely remember them from school, but I need to study them again.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html
So what's the first topic? Debate -- ....................?
Comments
Elanorgold
Posted on: 04/17/2010 10:50
Well, I'm not a good debater. I can't come up with good points off the cuff, and I hate loosing. I'm also afraid of hurting people's feelings.
I don't think it's bad to avoid conflict. I think it takes delicacy and wisdom to know what to say and when. I think it is also wise to say nothing sometimes and keep views to oneself.
Northwind
Posted on: 04/24/2010 13:00
It depends on the topic and venue for me. I have little interest in getting involved with "pissing matches", so will back down when I smell one coming. I find too that sometimes people in online discussions seem to want academic level writing and research. While I am probably fully capable of this, I am not interested half the time.
At the same time, I do enjoy the discussions that happen online. I suppose the ones I enjoy the most would not be considered debates. I have learned a lot from some of them, even discussions of politics with Americans!
I suppose I am not so good at actual debate per se........
Elanorgold
Posted on: 05/10/2010 23:23
Whoa! You should see the people on the atheist and humanist forums I was on a year or so ago! They were so academic! They made me wonder if it was a group for university profs or something! Just poseurs though I think! Wondercafe was like a sigh of relief to come back to! Though they can edge towards that here too, but not as much thankfully!