Foundations of the Modern Age
Fall Semester 1999

Debates


Rules

There are four participants on each team. The debate proceeds in the following order.

Pro team opening argument, 3 minutes
Con team cross-examination, 1 minute
Pro team rebuttal, 5 minutes
Con team rebuttal, 5 minutes

Pro team closing argument, 5 minutes
Con team closing argument, 5 minutes

Pro and Con teams leave the room
Jury (the rest of the class) deliberates and votes.

Schedule

September 16: Civilization, Imperialism, and Relativism
September 23: Absolutism and Constitutionalism: Hobbes and Locke
October 14: The French Revolution
October 28: Liberalism and Marxism
November 18: The Russian Revolution
December 2: The Cold War


September 16: Civilization, Imperialism, and Relativism

Resolved: Because truth and morality are relative, no civilization has the right to criticize (or interfere with) another civilization.

Notes: You are not limited to debating Montaigne's perspective or the sixteenth-century perspective. You may introduce modern examples and modern perspectives to argue the case.

Team 1 -- Pro
1. Lindsay Page
2. Michael Wee
3. Christian Binger
4. Jay Jackson

Team 2 -- Con
5. Andrew Potter
6. Josh Fee
7. Jeni Wischmeyer
8. Colin Bright


September 23: Absolutism and Constitutionalism: Hobbes and Locke

Resolved: Locke's argument is more logical and persuasive than Hobbes's argument. A careful consideration of human nature, the state of nature, and the law of nature naturally leads one to conclude that humans must form a social contract creating a government based on popular consent, protection of individual rights, and clear limits to the powers of government.

Team 1 -- Pro
1. Lisa Groet
2. Ryan File
3. Erin Nelson
4. Kristen Kendrick

Team 2 -- Con
5. John Resig
6. Andrew Potter
7. Kirstie Kleopfer
8. Jay Jackson


October 14: The French Revolution

Question: Was the French Revolution was a necessary and beneficial revolution?

Paine Team
1. Michael Wee
2. Lisa Tipton
3. Jonathan Williams
4. Steve Beyl

Burke Team
5. Lisa Groet
6. Josh Fee
7. Kirstie Kleopfer
8. Colin Bright


October 28: Liberalism and Marxism

Question: Are capitalism and liberal constitutional government good for society?
The setting is 1848, the date of the publication of the Communist Manifesto. The groundrule in this debate is that you are not to introduce evidence from a later time period (e.g. Communism as it was practiced in the Soviet Union).

Liberal Side
1. Lindsey Page
2. Lisa Tipton
3. Johathan Williams
4. Christian Binger

Marxist Side
5. Ryan File
6. Chu-Yung Lin
7. Ryan Ray
8. Adam Smith


December 2: The Cold War

Resolved: Soviet aggression was responsible for the Cold War. While the Soviet Union sought to impose Communism on other societies around the world, the United States sought to defend itself and its allies against Communist aggression and to uphold the principle of national self-determination around the world.

Team 1 -- Pro
1. Jeni Wischmeyer
2. Erin Nelson
3. Kristen Kendrick
4. Laura Wellbery

Team 2 -- Con
5. Ryan Ray
6. Steve Beyl
7. Chu-Yung Lin
8. John Resig



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