User:Ryanx7/Debate

Debate Terms
NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate National Forensic League National Parliamentary Debate Association Low-Point Win Schematic Resolution constructive Prime Minister Constructive Leader of Opposition Constructive Member of Government Constructive Leader of Opposition Rebuttal Prime Minister Rebuttal Advantage Disadvantage Counterplan -agent counterplan - Kritik

A
Advantage_(debate) The claimed benefits of the affirmative plan. affirmative The side in a debate that supports the resolution. agent counterplan A counterplan that argues that the plan the affirmative implements through one agent of change should instead be implemented through another agent of change. agent of action The persons or institutions responsible for implementation of policy directives. alternate causality A circumstance in which more than a single cause may result in a particular effect.

B
ballot brink: An element of a disadvantage which claims that the policy action of the affirmative plan is a sufficient condition to alter current institutions in a way to produce a dangerous or counterproductive consequence. A brink is the point at which a disadvantage begins to happen: It may be said that the plan would push us "over the brink" into the abyss of the impact. cards : Evidentiary quotations used to support arguments.

Competitiveness An argument for evaluating the legitimacy of a counterplan in formal debate. The presence of the counterplan should force a choice for the decision maker between the policies advocated by the affirmative plan and the counterplan. Competition is the quality of a policy that makes it a reason to reject another policy. Classically, competition was measured solely by means of mutual exclusivity. Now, however, competition is largely defined in terms of net benefits so that when we say a counterplan is competitive or net beneficial, we mean that it is better alone than the plan or any combination of the whole plan and all or part of the counterplan. (See also permutations, net benefits, counterplan, mutual exclusivity.)

Conditional: Arguments advanced in debates that may be dropped at any time without repercussion to their advocates. Usually this phrase is used in the context of conditional counterplans, which can be dropped if undesirable without forfeiture of the debate.

Constructive speeches: The foundational, opening speeches of a formal debate, in which the participants establish the major arguments that will be subject to analysis, refutation, and revision in the debate’s subsequent stages.

consultation counterplan A counterplan that argues that we should consult another relevant actor as to whether or not the proposition team’s plan should be implement- ed. That alternate actor is therefore given a kind of veto power over the adoption of the proposition team’s plan. If the alternate actor says yes, the plan is adopted. If, on the other hand, the alternate actor says no, the plan is not adopted.

counterplan: 1) Noun A policy proposed by the opposition. The policy must offer a reason to reject the affirmative plan in the debate. Generally, the counterplan will either try to solve the affirmative’s harms in a more beneficial way, e.g., by "avoiding" (not linking to) disadvantages accrued by the affirmative plan. Traditionally, it was thought that counterplans had to be both non-topical and competitive. These days, top- ical counterplans are more accepted as the emphasis shifts to net benefits and policy comparison and away from abstract theoretical concerns. Counterplans may also have advantages, which are similar to affirmative advantages in that they are benefits accrued by the counterplan. 2) Verb To run a counterplan.

criteria Methods of decision making in a debate.

cross-examination The question-and-answer period following constructive speeches in formal policy debates.

I
inherency -attitudinal inherency A type of inherency that identifies an unwillingness of those in power in the present system to take corrective measures to solve the affirmative’s harm.