LincolnDouglass Debate

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Lincoln-Douglass Debate

• a.k.a. LD

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Basics

• LD is a value debate-in other words you are
  arguing what SHOULD be right not what necessarily
  is right
• Started by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglass
  to debate slavery in the elections of 1860
• Use three constructives
• Flow EVERYTHING!!!!!

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Constructing a Case

• Intro
• catch judges attention
• should lend emotional or logical support to your
  stance
• should directly tie to a point or thesis
• always state for this reasons and those that
  follow, I stand firmly in support/negation of
  today's resolution that.

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Definitions

• These are central them of LD
• Use definitions that best suit the topic and
  makes the most sense!
• Primary source is Blacks Law Dictionary but any
  will work
• Define almost every word in the resolutions-even
  words like is can be twisted by an opponent
• Ex in LD debate the entire argument was whether
  or not slaves were DEFINED as human beings

5
Value

• Value
• LD is a value debate so this is most important
  part of round!
• Common Values are Freedom, Utilitarianism,
  Quality of Life, Life, Individualism, etc
• Everything in the case should SUPPORT the VALUE
• Value Justification
• Justification of why your value is important
• Use logic and/or Great Philosopher/Historian

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Criterion

• How your value will be achieved
• This is the measurement of your values success
• Can be more specific value that is part of the
  larger value
• This is oft-times the voting issue for judges
• You MUST make the relationship between your case,
  your value and your criterion make sense in short
  summary

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Common Values and/or Criterions

• Individualism the value of the individual, the
  growth of the individual
• Utilitarianism greatest good for the greatest
  number of people
• Life refers to life itself, with inherent value
  REGARDLESS of quality of life
• Quality of Life condition of living
• Freedom traditional American value that can be
  interpreted to be just about anything
• Civilization a society that has reached a high
  measure of development or a society acquainted
  with both pragmatic and idealistic methods of
  operation

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More Values/Criterions

• Progress Development or improvement in knowledge
  or skill
• Quality of the Future either 1-doing not
  necessarily whats best for now but best for the
  future or 2-concern for quality of Life from this
  second on
• Future Same as Q of F but more generally hoping
  we all have one
• Global Security not blowing up the world, the US
  not be invaded
• Justice Use of authority to uphold what is
  correct or true

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More Values/Criterions

• Truth inherent value, some religious
  associations, conformity of fact
• Human Dignity the individual ethics which make
  us human and not animals nor slaves, adherence to
  personal ethics
• Social Contract agreement between a citizen and
  his government
• Dignity Human dignityjustifiable pride in a
  country/nation
• Potential judgment not by what something DOING
  but what it could do
• Potential Good the good something could be doing

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Points/Contentions (Constructives)

• You should have at least 3 but no more than 5
• Usually statements of opinion (stated as fact)
  backed by facts!
• Remember 2nd best first, worst 2nd and best
  contention last
• Evidence is important but NOT the focus of LD
• Try to always use IMPORTANT historical figures

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Conclusion

• Should emphasize the main point of your case AND
  your value
• Should bring closure to your case
• SUMMARIZE your value and criterion and make the
  clear connection one more time!

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Basic Structure

• 1AC 6 minutes
• CX 3 minutes
• 1NC/R 7 minutes
• CX 3 minutes
• 1AR 4 minutes
• 2NR 6 minutes
• 2AR 3 minutes
• Notice that the AFF always gets 3 speeches but
  the NEG has more time for individual speeches

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A few words to know

• Utilitarianism the greatest good for the
  greatest amount of people
• Pragmatic practical, real-world scenario
• Ideal Opposite of pragmatic, what we would LIKE
  to have happen
• Inherent inevitably and originally part of
  something
• Intrinsic something that has value in and of
  itself
• Extrinsic opposite of intrinsic, has value
  because of what it does or causes
• Social Contract agreement between people and
  their government

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A few more ideas to know.

• Locke Social Contract
• Humans are evil by nature and government/social
  contract is all that kept humans from becoming
  animals
• Hobbes Social Contract
• Similar to Locke but way more vehement
• Would NOT agree with Rousseaus second purpose of
  Social Contract
• Rousseau's Social Contract
• People are basically good and government exists
  to improve life for everyone by protecting its
  people and IF people are secure to provide
  services for people

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Even more things to know.

• Maslows Hierarchy this is NOT a ranking of
  values-really it says that without food, air and
  shelter humans will not think about anything but
  being safe so humanity wont feel emotion or look
  for value/moral decisions
• Maslow believes in self-actualization that is
  only achieved when basic survival needs are met

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Things to Remember

• FLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Spend the majority of your time on your
  Value/Criterion and making sure your contentions
  support them!
• Ask for the Judges Paradigm
• Have at least 10 constructives to choose from in
  each round (both AFF and NEG) so that you never
  run the exact same case twice!

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Resolved A just society ought not use the death
penalty as a form of punishment