Why time control is the best super power.

Curreylo’s arguments seem to rely on the idea that ‘time control’ is the ‘best’ super power due to it’s ability to prevent bodily harm to yourself and it’s ability to give the person who has the power the time to do an infinite number of things. My argument against this will rely on two key points. First, how do we measure what is the ‘best’ of anything. Secondly, how do we measure ‘safety.’ Once I examine these two standards, I will demonstrate that Curreylo’s concept of ‘time control’ does not meet either one. That alone will meet my burden of proof for this debate. But, I will go one step further and propose an alternative super power which is superior to Curreylo’s ‘time control’ in both aspects. 1. How we measure what is ‘best.’ Best is defined as, “of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.[2]” This of course forces us to ask, what is the quality which is most desirable in a super power? We must keep in mind when considering this that we are discussing super powers in and of themselves. The resolution that pro is arguing is that ‘time control’ is the best and safest super power of all. He has made no qualifications as to WHO holds this power, and so we must judge the super power outside of the context of the person who may hold it. This means that we must consider the inherent potential of the super power in question. For this reason, I argue that the ‘best’ super power is the one which maximizes human well-being while causing the least amount of harm. Maximizing human well-being is the only reliable standard by which to judge powers when we do not know who will wield them. Otherwise, these powers could be used for evil, and I can’t imagine my opponent want to argue that evil is ‘the most desirable quality’ we are looking for. I do not expect Curreylo to have a problem with this standard of measurement. As you can see, this definition encapsulates everything Curreylo mentioned in his previous argument (preventing bodily harm, learning skills, knowledge, etc). All of those factors can easily fall under the umbrella of ‘maximizing human well-being.’ 2. How we measure ‘safety.’ As I mentioned in Round 1, safety is taken to mean, “that which is most likely to be protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury.” More succinctly, I would say that which is ‘safest’ is that which causes the least amount of harm. So, you will notice that my definition of ‘best’ already encapsulates the concept of ‘safety.’ This is as it should be, because the ‘best’ super power would be the safest if, in fact, it caused the least amount of harm. Therefore, having folded ‘safety’ into our definition, and keeping in mind that we are discussing super powers in and of themselves, we can agree that the ‘best’ super power would inherently meet both of the following criteria: 1. maximize human well-being 2. cause the least amount of harm 3. 'Time Control' does not maximize human well-being. Our world is a complex web of interactions, of cause and effect. Everything we do sets off any innumerable effects, which in turn affect other people’s lives. Their actions in turn affect even more people’s lives. Therefore, when someone travels back in time and changes the course of events in their own life, they are changing the lives of countless other people as well. I argue that ‘time control,’ by its very nature, takes away other people’s free will by changing the course of their lives without their consent. Clearly, taking away choices made by free will is not maximizing human well-being. 4. 'Time Control' does not cause the least amount of harm. As stated above, our world is a complex web of cause and effect. Going back in time to change an event has the potential to create what is possibly the greatest harm imaginable. Cause and effect, by the limits of our universe, are bound by time. Cause precedes effect every time. However, by going back in time to change an event, the relationship between cause and effect is inverted. Going back in time becomes a cause for an event the has already occurred. This has two possible outcomes: 1. The time traveler is forced into a repetitive loop of time. 2. Our entire universe could collapse in a paradox of time. For example, if Curreylo were to go back in time one week and change an event, it is quite possible one week later he would need to go back in time again in order to put that same effect into motion. This of it like this : POINT (X) in time -----(one week)----Point (Y) in time. At (X) Curreylo committed an action in his life. A week later, at (Y) he travels back in time, going back to (X) and changes his action. As he explained in Round 1, the moment he went back in time, he took with him all the knowledge he had up to that moment. In fact, it is only because of this knowledge that he has decided to go back to (X) and change his action. By doing that, he broke the chain of cause and effect and made a new decision at (X) based on knowledge he had gained at (Y). This now means that (X) can and will only happen if (Y) happens. This requires that Curreylo travel back in time to (X) every time he reaches (Y). He must do it, like the characters on Lost who had to continually punch the numbers in the hatch [3], otherwise his past even will never happen, which means his present would not exist. Clearly being trapped in a loop of time is not causing the least amount of harm. The alternative is that he not continue in this loop, in which case his present would cease to exist and the entire fabric of time may unravel on itself. I cannot imagine that anyone would argue that any supper power capable of destroying time itself is either the ‘best’ or ‘safest’ super power possible. 5. ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL As an alternative I propose the super power of healing.Healing, by it’s very nature, works against harm. I would go so far as to say that I require no argument to state that healing maximizes human well-being while causing the least amount of harm. More so, with the power to heal oneself you could be virtually immortal, giving you the time to do exactly what my opponent claimed as a benefit, “read as many books as you wanted and practice whatever skill you wanted for as long as you wanted.” The power of healing does more, inherently, to maximize human well-being as well as cause the least amount of harm. It is clearly a ‘better’ and ‘safer’ super power than ‘time control.’ I look forward to my Curreylo’s response. (though I’ve already read it, and so this argument contains all rebuttals to it). [2] http://www.oxforddictionaries.com... [3] http://lostpedia.wikia.com...