reflection
The intelligence squared project started with everyone in both classes gaining information about the Middle East, Islam, and current events happening in relation to those topics. We then got assigned to groups each of which had been given a more specific topic to research and form an opinion on. We spent quite a bit of time researching the different details and viewpoints of these topics and what all the arguments represented were. We then were given our resolution and chose which side we wanted to debate. We took time to get evidence, collaborate with our teammates and practice giving our debates. Finally we came together and presented our debates to the class and a few visitors.
This project taught me a lot about current issues and how complicated seemingly black and white issues actually are. In the beginning of this project I thought I'd be able to choose a side pretty easily on each of the topics presented. On the contrary though it was quite difficult when each topic had so much gray area. For example in the enhanced interrogation debate, one side argued that enhanced interrogation is torture by definition while the other side argued that it is not because it is used in training military. Just trying to decide for myself what I though on the topic was quite difficult. Nearly all the debates had some sort of argument presented like this. After hearing a few debates I came to the realization that gray areas are a very common occurrence in topics like these.
During this project I gained the argumentative ability to argue a side that I didn't particularly agree with. When we were picking a side to argue after researching I didn't put my preference in right away and I was open to debating either side, since I knew arguing a side I didn't agree with was a skill I needed to develop further. When I started further researching on my own I soon realized not many people agree with the side I would be arguing, so finding solid evidence was difficult and time consuming. Presenting my argument in a convincing way also proved difficult. After the fact I did feel like I did fairly well and I was happy with my debate. Learning to push myself through making myself argue a side with little personal conviction has been a good learning experience and I feel like it improved my skills at debating in my work in this project overall.
This project taught me a lot about current issues and how complicated seemingly black and white issues actually are. In the beginning of this project I thought I'd be able to choose a side pretty easily on each of the topics presented. On the contrary though it was quite difficult when each topic had so much gray area. For example in the enhanced interrogation debate, one side argued that enhanced interrogation is torture by definition while the other side argued that it is not because it is used in training military. Just trying to decide for myself what I though on the topic was quite difficult. Nearly all the debates had some sort of argument presented like this. After hearing a few debates I came to the realization that gray areas are a very common occurrence in topics like these.
During this project I gained the argumentative ability to argue a side that I didn't particularly agree with. When we were picking a side to argue after researching I didn't put my preference in right away and I was open to debating either side, since I knew arguing a side I didn't agree with was a skill I needed to develop further. When I started further researching on my own I soon realized not many people agree with the side I would be arguing, so finding solid evidence was difficult and time consuming. Presenting my argument in a convincing way also proved difficult. After the fact I did feel like I did fairly well and I was happy with my debate. Learning to push myself through making myself argue a side with little personal conviction has been a good learning experience and I feel like it improved my skills at debating in my work in this project overall.
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