Debate - BrainPop UK
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00:00Is there anyone worthy of helping me, the finest debater in school history, practice
00:11for next week's championship?
00:15That's a rhetorical question, Moby.
00:17I know there's no one.
00:22Hello, brother.
00:28Moby, you fiend.
00:34Dear Tim and Moby,
00:37Proceed, sir.
00:39Dear Tim and Moby,
00:41My school is starting a debate team.
00:43Should I join?
00:45What's the point of a debate?
00:47From Chelsea.
00:49The point is to win, Chelsea. Win.
00:54My esteemed colleague is technically correct, but there's a deeper purpose, too.
00:59A debate is basically an argument with rules.
01:02That makes it the perfect forum for practicing rhetoric, the art of effective communication.
01:08It's how we persuade others to see things our way.
01:11Well, Moby.
01:16In most debates, two teams or individuals take opposing sides of an argument.
01:22Often, the subject is revealed right at the beginning, so you have to think on your feet.
01:26Here, if I'm arguing for, I need to explain why cloning is good.
01:31So I might say, cloning crops can end hunger by providing the world with an unlimited food supply.
01:38But I need to support my reasons with facts and examples.
01:41In other words, I have to use logic to build an argument.
01:45So I might add, if one potato plant produces gigantic potatoes,
01:50I can clone it and have a whole field of them.
01:53Come on! Ever heard of a little thing called genetic diversity?
01:57If all potatoes were cloned from the same plant, a single disease could wipe them all out in one shot.
02:05A fine rebuttal.
02:07But no matter how strong your logic, huffing and puffing is no way to debate.
02:12It doesn't strengthen the argument, and your negative attitude might turn off the audience.
02:17What do you know? You're just a silly clone.
02:19Ah, name-calling.
02:21Ad hominem attacks are another big no-no.
02:24Stick to criticizing your opponent's argument, not your opponent.
02:29Fine, I'm listening.
02:31What else do you recommend?
02:33Well, making solid arguments isn't enough.
02:37Charm and good public speaking skills go a long way.
02:41Stand up straight, make eye contact, speak loudly and clearly, and try not to fidget.
02:47Your audience is more likely to agree with someone who's competent and confident.
02:53You can also use rhetorical devices, language tricks, that make the arguments more eloquent.
02:58I won't resort to tricks to win the day.
03:01I will prove that cloning is dangerous, that cloning is untested, and that cloning must
03:05be kept in the laboratory.
03:09Well done. Repetition is a rhetorical device that can drive your point home in a memorable way.
03:15Cloning is the greatest threat to civilization since the atom bomb.
03:19Ah, that's hyperbole, the use of exaggeration for dramatic effect.
03:24That's it, I give up.
03:27Don't do that, Tim.
03:28Can the school afford to lose its star debater?
03:33That was a rhetorical question. Since the answer is implied in the question itself,
03:38it can make your point more persuasive.
03:41You know what?
03:43All these fancy tricks don't change the fact that cloning messes with powerful forces we
03:47don't understand.
03:49There could be unforeseen and dangerous consequences.
03:59I must say, I'm impressed.
04:01You've just demonstrated a classic debate strategy, appealing to emotion.
04:06Creating an emotional reaction in your audience can be an effective way to win them over.
04:12But it can also be a cheap way to cover up the lack of a good argument.
04:16That's why it's important to listen carefully to your opponent.
04:20Does their argument make sense, or merely tug on your heartstrings?
04:24So, you put a good scare into Moby, but where's your evidence?
04:29Well, I, uh...
04:32The fact is, farmers have been practicing a simple form of cloning for thousands of
04:37years.
04:38When they see traits they like, they take a cutting
04:41and plant it somewhere else.
04:45That's cloning, and we're all still here.
04:56Yes!
05:00I am my own worst enemy.