Tag Archives: Debate

Questions for Political Candidates

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

These are questions I’d ask Presidential candidates if I were to moderate a debate: 1.  Do you know the oath of office for President?  If not, I’d recite it. 2,  What purpose do you believe the Constitution serves? 3.  How … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Government, Questions for Politicians | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Debate formats

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

They irritate me. Debate formats do very little to expand the viewers’ knowledge of the participants’ actual ideas and why they think they are good. It’s a circus.  Participants take pot shots at each other.  For example, Michelle Bachman’s characterization … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Debate, Experimentation, Government, Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

No argument from Hoffa

Posted on September 9, 2011 by

W.E Heasley makes a great observation on his blog, The Last Embassy.  He points out that in Jimmy Hoffa’s now infamous speech, no arguments were actually made.  From his post: “We got to keep an eye on the battle that … Continue reading →

Posted in Changing Minds, Critical Thinking, Debate, Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Grade Redistribution and Discussion Tips

Posted on May 1, 2011 by

Thanks to Aaron at the Idiots Collective blog for pointing me to the following video (see his post on it here). The video is meant to show natural inconsistencies in our thinking.  In it, students are asked to support a … Continue reading →

Posted in Changing Minds, Debate, Economics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“Delight in Losing Arguments”

Posted on September 21, 2010 by

In his book The Big Questions, Steven Landsburg offers valuable advice (p. 235): Argue passionately for your beliefs; listen intently to your adversaries, and root for yourself to lose.  When you lose, you’ve learned something. Rooting for yourself to lose … Continue reading →

Posted in Changing Minds, Critical Thinking, Debate, Feedback, Trial and Error | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Emotional Pleas

Posted on April 17, 2010 by

This letter to the editor was printed in the Kansas City Star today: Frank Schwendeman whines about liberals forcing him to buy health insurance (4/2, Letters). What about states forcing people to buy car insurance? Obviously with your wealth you … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Government, Health Care, Liberty, Trade Offs | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are you progressive?

Posted on March 20, 2010 by

A regular commenter on Cafe Hayek, vidoyhs, made this comment to this post: Every time some one near you speaks up publicly or to you personally and labels themselves as a “progressive”, challenge them by asking, “excuse me, in what … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Debate, Economics, Health Care | Tagged , , | Leave a comment