Debate should be a required subject in High School

Good Afternoon, First, my apologies for seemingly muddying the waters. It was not my intent to equivocate on the definition of "debate" nor did I intend to ignore my previous argument regarding the requirement of debate in school. I do maintain that Debate as a subject, should be a required addition to educational programs. Next, I contend that my argument regarding LOGIC is relevant for the following reasons: One, While "debate" is separate from "logic" what you suggest in your quote about debate provides ample support for my argument and surpasses what I initially brought to the table. You contend that "Though logical consistency, factual accuracy as well as some emotional appeal to audience are important elements of the art of persuasion, in debating, one side often prevails over the other side by presenting superior "context" and/or framework of the issue, which is far more subtle and strategic." http://en.wikipedia.org.... I wholeheartedly agree! My counter to you though, is that the pretext to being successful at debating, requires the advanced study of several topics which would enhance the educational atmosphere of all students. Your definition which supports that successful debating requires presenting superior "context" and/or framework of the issue, and the strategy of constructing such arguments is underpinned by the assumption that an individual must have a vast understanding of the subject, and of effective ways to present it in context, in order to debate it. The strategy you refer to could also be defined as the preparation of the argument. In fact there are numerous debate sources which examine in explicit detail the use of logic in debate. http://www.csun.edu... http://www.fallacyfiles.org... http://en.wikipedia.org... (which even provides debate techniques for arguing around each type of fallacy) http://communicationexchange.blogspot.com... http://www.fallacies.info... (how to use logical fallacies to win debates) Further, from one of the above websites; Debate is, fortunately or not, an exercise in persuasion, wit, and rhetoric, not just logic. In a debate format that limits each debater's speaking time, it is simply not reasonable to expect every proposition or conclusion to follow precisely and rigorously from a clear set of premises stated at the outset. Instead, debaters have to bring together various facts, insights, and values that others share or can be persuaded to accept, and then show that those ideas lead more or less plausibly to a conclusion. Logic is a useful tool in this process, but it is not the only tool -- after all, "plausibility" is a fairly subjective matter that does not follow strict logical rules. From http://www.csun.edu... I am fairly confident that I have shown that LOGIC is in fact an integral part of debate and brought sources to back that opinion. A Google search of "Debate and logical fallacies" returns in excess of 263,000 hits. While debate may be far more than just logic as my opponent points out, it does involve logic inherently. If logic is a necessary in debate, then my original argument regarding the usefulness of studying debate goes unchallenged, and remains a valid argument. Now to the crux of the argument which my opponent points out in his reply to round two. Why should debate be a required course, as compared to an elective. Academic Standards according to the Pennsylvania Code (I apologize for localizing the argument, I am assuming that all of the states have similar standards. I am most familiar with PA.) ï¿½ 4.12. (a) School entities may develop, expand or improve existing academic standards in the following content areas: (1) Science and technology. Study of the natural world and facts, principles, theories and laws in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences. Technology is the application of science to enable societal development, including food and fiber production, manufacturing, building, transportation and communication. Science and technology share the use of the senses, science processes, inquiry, investigation, analysis and problem solving strategies. (2) Environment and ecology. Understanding the components of ecological systems and their interrelationships with social systems and technologies. These components incorporate the disciplines of resource management, agricultural diversity, government and the impact of human actions on natural systems. This interaction leads to the study of watersheds, threatened and endangered species, pest management and the development of laws and regulations. (3) Social studies. (i) History. Study of the record of human experience including important events; interactions of culture, race and ideas; the nature of prejudice; change and continuity in political systems; effects of technology; importance of global-international perspectives; and the integration of geography, economics and civics studies on major developments in the history of the Commonwealth, the United States and the world. (ii) Geography. Study of relationships among people, places and environments, of geographic tools and methods, characteristics of place, concept of region and physical processes. (iii) Civics and government. Study of United States constitutional democracy, its values and principles, study of the Constitution of the Commonwealth and government including the study of principles, operations and documents of government, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, how governments work and international relations. (iv) Economics. Study of how individuals and societies choose to use resources to produce, distribute and consume goods and services. Knowledge of how economies work, economic reasoning and basic economic concepts, economic decision making, economic systems, the Commonwealth and the United States economy and international trade. (4) Arts and humanities. Study of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, language and literature including forms of expression, historical and cultural context, critical and aesthetic judgment and production, performance or exhibition of work. (5) Career education and work. Understanding career options in relationship to individual interests, aptitudes and skills (6) Health, safety and physical education. (7) Family and consumer science. Understanding the role of consumers as a foundation for managing available resources to provide for personal and family needs and to provide basic knowledge of child health and child care skills. (8) Reading, writing, speaking and listening. (i) Reading. (ii) Writing. Narrative, informational and persuasive formal writing for an audience, including spelling and editing skills; and informal writing to capture and organize information for individual use. (iii) Speaking and listening. All of these already required standards would be enhanced by applying principles of logic and debate. As my opponent so aptly points out, debate requires "logical consistency, factual accuracy as well as some emotional appeal to audience are important elements of the art of persuasion, in debating, one side often prevails over the other side by presenting superior "context" and/or framework of the issue." The ability to put the above standards for education into context would enhance the learning process. Finally, the argument that we are failing to educate many students so we should set the bar lower and only require the basics, leaves us with reducing education to the least common denominator. Standards are already in place as referenced above, Debate as a required course would satisfy the Speaking requirement of sec. 4.12 (a)(8)(iii) while at the same time enhancing all of the other subjects. I look forward to your response.