Science Debate Topics for Students — page 2

1,043 debate topics, students. Debatable motions with arguments for and against. Open the arguments below, pick one at random, or present them full-screen.

StudentsDebatePage 2 of 21

51.
Evolution is the only viable explanation for species' origins
For
I accept the challenge. I pray my opponent will not forfeit many rounds. Before we begin, however, I'd like to lay out a groundwork for this debate so that it will not be a total train wreck. First of all, I'm only going to use round one for definitions and acceptance, in the…
I guess I win...
Against
BoP lies on Pro, who has courageously challenged me to defend this statement.
I am not sure where Pro got the idea that there is such a thing as a four paragraph definition not where he got the notion that Wikipedia is a reliable source for one but alas, I shall continue this debate using his definition.I shall explain to you beyond any reasonable doubt…
52.
Abiogenesis is the most probable explanation for life's origin
For
All points and sources extended. _______________________________________________________________________ "My opponent did exactly as I thought he would do. He searches for information on the internet and plagiarizes someone else's knowledge as if he knows something about the…
"From what I gathered, there are people on this planet who don't want to believe that a Master Designer is responsible for putting together a universe that most human beings can see." Actually, people want to know the truth. There is no evidence for a "Master designer". "Since…
Against
My opponent is like anyone else who has the ability to punch a few buttons on a computer and finding information that he BELIEVES has something to do with the origin of life. There are many theories of the origin of life and the one he's describing is just another educated…
My opponent did exactly as I thought he would do. He searches for information on the internet and plagiarizes someone else's knowledge as if he knows something about the origin of life. I don't have to do that since I was taught everything about the origin of life by the…
53.
Evolution should be taught in public schools as a supported theory
For
nAH MAN. REALLY? COME ON M8 GET ON MY LVL FGT
Actually, many scholars and senators agree that evolution is an supported theory.
Against
ill bash ye fookin ed in I swear on me mum.
What does a scholars opinion mean? It should be backed by COLD HARD FACTS. U JUST GOT WREKD KID.
54.
The Earth is more than 10,000 years old
For
1. Radiometric dating Con cites the University of North Carolina as claiming that K-Ar dating is unreliable, and making other extraordinary claims. It's not UNC, the claims are made in web pages posted under the disclaimer: "This material does not necessarily represent any…
1. Radiometric dating Con cited precisely one case of error in potassium-argon dating and claimed in was typical, and he cited on case of error in radiocarbon dating and claimed that was typical. His two claimed examples were presented by Andrew Snelling in creationist…
Against
Radiometric Dating Dr. Plaisted Pro's right: David Plaisted doesn't necessarily represent UNC. But Pro doesn't point out a single instance where Plaisted is wrong, and it's not enough to discredit my source by just pitting Henke's word against Plaisted's, when neither are…
Radiometric Dating Potassium-Argon According to the University of North Carolina, "K-Ar dating is not very reliable, [yet] most of the geological time scale is based on K-Ar dating"(16) Referring to my Mt. Ngauruhoe & wood examples, Pro says I cited only two instances of…
55.
Life can arise naturally from non-living matter
For
My opponent continues to rely on erroneous probability calculations and incorrect assumptions on how life first began on Earth. For example, first off, my opponent claims that I was simply explaining the abiogenesis theory in round 2. What I actually did was give an account of…
Almost all of my opponent's entire argument is predictated on the use of odds to make his argument. Unfortuntely for him, these arguments are fundamentally flawed. Here is a quote that explains the basis of this argument: 1) They calculate the probability of the formation of a…
Against
Round-3 was supposed to be a rebuttal to the first argument. My main argument was the probability argument. In order to refute my argument, you'll have to show me exactly where I went wrong. What you have done was to provide another alternative probability calculation (Your…
This will be short. When Abiogenesis is presented to me as a theory, I have nothing against it. What I'm against is the possibility of the theory to manifest itself in real life driven only by the laws of nature. The pro argument presented in round 2 was more explaining what…
56.
IQ tests accurately measure intelligence
For
1. You did not refute the existence of sexual intelligence so my point still stands. You can broaden the concept of intelligence as you would like and by doing so dilute the subset of abilities that IQ test originally set to measure. 2. If religion is pure opposite of logic and…
1. Your argument seemed to be: There are things that IQ does not correlate with . TrueYou can broaden the scope of the word "intelligence" by introducing various intelligences and by doing so reduce the set of skills that IQ test correlates with. How about religious…
Against
I don't think sexual intelligence exists, and unless these religious people have evidence to support there conclusions besides "we don't know therefore god" then it isn't a valid standing point and often times get refuted, also if the IQ test simply tests your ability to gain…
Well for one there is no such thing as religious intelligence mainly because religion is the pure opposite of logic and reason, secondly you seem confused on the second part, i was refering that the test doesnt exactly take in account how you use your knowlege, sure the test…
57.
Human reproductive cloning should be legal in the US
For
I will start by defending my case, then I will debate my opponents contentions, and finally discuss voting. My opponent states that I have no evidence for my claims of "human cloning will surely become more efficient" and "There is still much that is left to be explored, and…
My opponent has stated that human cloning is unsafe and almost always fails to work properly. It is true that cloning can cause harm to embryos, and lead to various health disorders. I acknowledge the fact that in some ways cloning can be unsafe, but I would like to point out…
Against
I will begin this round by defending my own case, then I will move on to my opponent's contentions, and conclude with voting issues. My opponent claims that there is still much left to be explored, and many improvements can be made in the science of cloning, because it is only…
I would like to begin by offering a brief roadmap. I will begin by refuting my opponent's contentions and then I will return to my own case. I will begin with my opponent's first contention which states that if a patient at a hospital needs an organ donor, a cloning of that…
58.
Evolution is true and biblical creation is false
For
At this point it would appear that Con has either given up or will not be on by the end of this debate. I can't say for sure, but I see no reason to post an argument for this.
As you forfeited Round #2, I'm assuming unintentionally, I will simply make a couple small points I realized I missed in my Round #2 argument. For your Round #3, just refute my Round #2 and Round #3. Now into the rebuttles. "We have not been able to create one species from…
Against
I would like to start off my debate with a few points for Pro to consider..... Pro will have Bop in this debate. Does good evidence exist for creationism? Can that evidence for creationism be classified as very good evidence? If so, what is the very best evidence for…
59.
Evolution is a defensible scientific theory
For
Actually, Evolution can be true even if abiogenesis is false. An god could have created that first living molecule 3.5 - 4 billions years and start observing the earth, knowing that millions (if not billions) of species would exist then eventually go extinct, due to evolution.…
Firstly ,I should thank you for accepting this challenge. The first argument is attacking abiogenesis, which is not what the debate is about, nor is it relevant to evolution. I provide an link if you do not know what abiogenesis is. http://en.wikipedia.org... The second…
Against
No, evolution needs abiogenesis, because either the first living organisms came from non-living material, or it came out of nothing - which is called creationism. Either you can prove beyond all doubt that abiogenesis is a fact, or you have to admit that there is a hole in the…
I accept the challenge, with those rules. Also, please excuse me if my English is broken, it isn't my first language. First of all, I would like to complete the definition, by saying that this theory includes the idea that all the living organism on Earth share a common…
60.
Genius is strongly linked to mental illness
For
However, you said that schizophrenia is a disease and you are quite right, but I already mentioned that schizophrenia could be acquired over time because of overloading the brain, in conclusion the diagnosis could be - schizophrenia ( kind of disease). I joined a site that you…
Beethoven, Da Vinci, Einstein, Socrates, Schumann, Gogol, etc. Found that these geniuses were schizophrenics (Lomborzo Turin, 1860). Greatness is not inherited, it appears unexpectedly. I believe that most of geniuses in our world were schizophrenic. Because their mind is…
Against
Firsly I would like to say that there is no connection between children of geniuses and geniuses themselves. Shyzophrenia is a disputable illness. Scientists do not exactly know why it appears, but I have already written that it is mostly because DNA. I have seen "Beautiful…
Hello, Zhibek! Firstly, I am glad that I have the opportunity to debate with you. You wrote that most of geniuses are shyzophrenics and gave some examples. In my point of view it is just coincidence, because shyzophrenia is hereditary disease(http://health.mail.ru...).
61.
Creationism is more logical than the theory of evolution
For
I am not quitting, but due to my busy schedule I have to skip this round. Hopefully I can fit everything into the next round.
I will start out by addressing a few things that Con said. In round two Con said "In the next round, I would like Pro to tell us what criteria he has for establishing the proof of anything." I'm not really sure what this means, but I know that I do provide scientific proof to…
Against
Thanks, debater12332. I've asked Pro to tell us what he believes qualifies something as legitimate, scientific evidence. He claims he "doesn't know what this means," yet goes on to insist that he has provided scientific evidence. Well, so have I. What makes his evidence…
Unfortunately I have just 1 hour to write my response. I will elaborate more in future rounds. My opponent begins by pointing out that the "criteria of scientific theory" does not prove evolution. In the next round, I would like Pro to tell us what criteria he has for…
62.
The theory of evolution is correct
For
:If you believe evolution is based on science, it is you who does not understand science Me and the actual scientists doing the actual science. I repeat: ToE is the mainstream, consensus, foundational theory of modern Biology. You cannot accept science and reject ToE, unless…
:It is amusing that every time I challenge an evolutionist , they ALWAYS say I don't understand science. Then my advice to you is to learn more about science, in particular, the theory you are trying to debate. The reason people say that you don't understand science is that you…
Against
>>Then my advice to you is to learn more about science, in particular, the theory you are trying to debate. The reason people say that you don't understand science is that you betray your ignorance by, for example, asking for proof, or using a term like "evolutionist." I am not…
Thank you, I look forward to reviewing the science with you. Good. >>Your opening argument, unfortunately, reveals a lack of familiarity with science, which makes me wonder if you know what the actual Theory of Evolution (ToE) says.<< It is amusing that every time I challenge…
63.
Embryonic stem cell research should be permitted
For
A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.
Bird is the word.
Against
i'm doing a research about this topic and came with a clonclusion do do this poll on my side im totally against this. because no matter how old you are you should get an oppurtinity
64.
Vestigial structures provide valid evidence of evolution
For
Con is correct in saying that he must prove that the human body has at least one vestigial part to win the debate. As for wisdom teeth: First off, I would like to say that not everyone has their wisdom teeth taken out. I, personally have not had mine taken out. These teeth are…
Definition of Vestigial Parts (for the sake of this argument): Any human body part not beneficial anymore. Good luck :)
Against
Thanks Pro It should be noted by Pro that he set this debate up to discuss " human body part(s) (that are) not beneficial anymore." So, for this debate he must refute that the vestigial parts I list are still useful as of today. Additionally, evolution itself is irrelevant to…
I accept. I look forward to seeing pro prove the benefits of some of the most commonly thought to be vestigial human parts. For some reason I feel like the burden is on me, even though Pro is making the claim. Either way, I will start by listing several parts of the human body…
65.
Modern science has debunked biblical creationism
For
I understand what you are saying. One side often does not give merit to the other but I feel apart from the very few areas of total unknowns such as what happened before the Big Bang none of them do have merit. I would argue that everything else has a better scientific…
I am of the belief that Creationism has been comprehensively debunked by modern science and that all evidence for it has been misinterprated, based on ignorance or comes from intellectualy biased sources. Evolutionary biology and other areas of science have given us enough of…
Against
A very well thought out and expressed argument. However, there are a few points here. 1. There is the hangup on the term "day". The Bible is a translation from the original Hebrew. For example, Hell in the Bible is a translation of the word "Gehenna". Gehenna has a few other…
Accepted. I thank you for presenting a great topic for debate. The debate of Evolution vs. Creation is a tough one for either side to debate. How does one prove or disprove the other? While my opponent has provided a very valid thesis upon which to debate, they provide only the…
66.
Science cannot explain happiness
For
hey. sorry i took so long. i'm so occupied with school and work barely have time for me. Anyways, i was very interested in what you came up with. but really you jump over some major obs tickles. i took some time to go over this page you are getting your information from. i was…
Well i hope this goes well. i will be arguing that happiness can not be explain through science, and science along. i want to break down the meaning or purpose of science that convince me of this thinking. science - systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained…
Against
Extend. Yay science!
Thanks for the response Pro. Pro tries to cite my article saying: "so far all study that are conducted to get some reading of happiness are all opinions base of survey done with random volunteers." About this, Pro mentioned: "yes even the the source you used against me prove…
67.
Evolution is a fallacy
For
he Fallacies of Evolution The evolutionary philosophy has made a permanent mark in our American way of life. This philosophic system is based on several false assumptions. These fallacies will be exposed in this workshop. One will see the very apparent weaknesses of an…
Against
Unfortunate, Pro was spamming debate comments with creationist propaganda but when given a chance to actually debate, they decline.
Note the argument from Pro is simply verbatim C&P of the article "The Fallacies of Evolution" [1], the debating limit was intentionally set to 4000 characters to avoid this exact type of argument, known commonly as the "Gish Gallop"[2] As Con, the parts relevant to the…
68.
Genetic engineering in agriculture should be widely adopted
For
As pro in this argument I took the stance that GM foods are safe for human consumption, reduce pesticide, increase yield and decrease cost, combat global warming an diseases that attack crops. This was an ambitious load, and each topic would deserve a debate on it's own, as in…
Con's first rebuttal seems to state that we are not using less pesticide, only that they've changed. Both statements are however true. Plant's have been engineered to produce their own insecticide, and applied pesticides and herbicides have become considerably safer. The most…
Against
For this specific debate - I believe my work schedule should receive the 'assist' in keeping me from responding. No excuses, I'll do what I can with the time remaining for R2 - I am very sorry that you've had to wait this long for a response. Pro's R1 Argument Ideal - Genetic…
For the sake of delivering you a return for your efforts - I am new to this site, yet feel an opportunity to "pay if forward" and take the opposing stance to somebody who has a yearn to debate a certain topic. I pride myself in having an ability to discuss any topic man can…
69.
Governments should substantially fund asteroid mining
For
Sorry for the ruined debate. Please vote for Con. I'm sorry for the forfeit but I have to juggle summer homework, work, and ROTC. I hope we can debate again sometime soon.
"Substantially increase government funding."The US federal government will reallocate $10 billion dollars inorder to mine astriods. It costs $2.6 to mine the actuall astriod, but the rest is to figure the cost refining the ore and in case something goes wrong.…
Against
Extend all arguments.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I hope to explain to you why the additional subsidies and funding towards the pipe dream of asteroid mining is unjust, and something we should be strongly opposed. My opponent affirms the aid by the government to prop up industry in…
70.
Private investment in human spaceflight is preferable to public investment
For
Ready when you are.
Against
After given three days to make an argument my opponent neglected the opportunity to do so. with that my arguments have gone without argument from the Pro, and therefore I win this debate.
After given three days to make an argument my opponent neglected the opportunity to do so. with that my arguments have gone without argument from the Pro, and therefore I win this debate.
71.
The theory of evolution is well established
For
Thank you Jellon for a rich opening statement. You quote some quality papers. Whether these actually support your arguments is another matter entirely.In my opening statment, I pointed to the genetic code as the support for random variation in organisms. I proceeded to state…
Thank you Jellon for taking the time to debate me on this issue. I hope this debate will be stimulating for the both of us!"Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution" -Theodosius DobzhanskyThe theory of evolution by natural selection is now well…
Against
Given the space constraints of my rebuttal, I intend to minimize my objections to Pro's rebuttal. This is not because I can't elaborate, but because I have not yet met my BoP and need to produce additional arguments. Pro continues to affirm universal genetic code as evidence…
Evidence from Genetics Proponents of evolution claim that the universal genetic code is evidence for evolution. This isn't the case at all! Even pro-evolution sources admit this [1]. The very same aticle also points out there are actually exceptions to the universal genetic…
72.
The multiverse theory cannot be proven true or false
For
Abortion basically is the act of terminating the life of a developing fetus/embryo/baby. http://www.merriam-webster.com... Anyone who says abortion is murder, in reality is using the word incorrectly depending on where they live and what they believe. If they were to say that…
Post your argument whenever you want, I just want to discuss the topic of the mainstream Multiverse Theory which should not be regarded as fact. The challenger may propose their argument for why and I shall post a rebuttal to their argument in the next round.
Against
Well that was interesting huh. I will not post an argument because that would give me an unfair advantage so back over to you Ramos.
I look forward to debating this topic with you. Good Luck! The universe we live in may not be the only one out there. In fact, our universe could be just one of an infinite number of universes making up a "multiverse." Though the concept may stretch credulity, there's good…
73.
The universe is fully deterministic
For
RebuttalsFirstly, I have to point out that the first part of Con's argument is totally invalid. Using different definitions for the same concept is a fallacy. Con stated that "There is no room for free will under determinism", but, as you can read in round 1: "concerning…
I don't have anything to ad to my argument and since CON forfeited I can't rebut either.Hope next time CON doesn't forfeit!
Against
Thanks to Condeelmaster for the debate. I'm going to have to change up the formatting a bit for this round. (1) DefinitionsPro has objectively lost the definitions debate. Determinism mandates that *everything* which happens is fully determined by its antecedent conditions,…
Sorry for forfeiting the past 2 rounds. Remember that the burden of proof is on Pro to show that determinism is true. I'll still provide arguments against determinism, but as long as Pro's affirmative arguments are refuted, I win the debate. Unfortunately, most of Pro's round…
74.
Louis Pasteur was a fraud
For
The etiquette for debating and voting is listed in the forum. PRO has done 49 debates on this site. PRO's profile states, "I can't wait till my ranking gets to zero." I trusted the debate.org community to hold PRO to the same standards as everyone else. I debated this issue on…
As per normal debate etiquette PRO is going against 200 years of established scientific consensus the burden of proof is on PRO. CONS burden of proof is not in proving germ theory; but in showing PRO as not meet their burden of proof.Immediately, my opponent shows his bullying…
Against
Immediately, my opponent shows his bullying nature. He wants to dictate the terms of the debate and tell me what I have to do. Now, it is obvious that my opponent is a total control freak and can't stand any situation that might be democratic and fair for both parties.The…
As per normal debate etiquette PRO is going against 200 years of established scientific consensus the burden of proof is on PRO. CONS burden of proof is not in proving germ theory; but in showing PRO as not meet their burden of proof.1. Germ Theory has never been proven to be a…
75.
Government funding for space exploration should increase
For
Sorry I don't have time to complete this. Since my opponent forfeited as well, voters please ignore this.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth's mesosphere.Rules:First round is for acceptance only. Clarifications and negotiations should be made in the comments before…
Against
Contrary to what my opponent would have you believe, I have not forfeited this debate. Without a rebuttal to my previous argument, there is nothing to add for me to add.
It is the case, currently, that the United States government operates at a net budget deficit [1]. Therefore, in order to balance said budget, the Federal government needs to cut spending and raise taxes. At the current juncture, the most effective solution to allowing space…
76.
Horoscopes are not accurate predictors of life events
For
In his last argument he said "According to which law do horoscopes abide by? ", then moves on to say that horoscopes have no basis in science. I conceded all these arguments. All his arguments are true, but they do not prove that horoscopes are false. I totally agree that…
I agree with almost everything my opponent says, however, I don't think that he is proving that all horoscopes are false. He is only proving that horoscopes are false much of the time, but not all of the time. He says: "if you debate that horoscope are sometimes true and…
Against
My debating statement is that horoscopes are false and that it does not represent the fate or definition of a personality. One day I had found myself exploring this mysterious world of astrology where the stars, moon, and sun meet or sit in certain points in space claiming to…
According to which law do horoscopes abide by? Man, in our limited knowledge have setup horoscopes to give a perception that you can predict the future or judge someone according to their birth date. However it has been made up based on no reliable source. Nor is horoscopes…
77.
Genetically modified food should be labeled
For
Every one has the right to know what is in their food or how it was made. There are those who practice a certain religion or are vegans and vegetarians and need to know where their food came from and how it was made. Especially if GMOs use animal dna at times. Even if you are…
Every one has the right to know what is in their food or how it was made. There are those who practice a certain religion or are vegans and vegetarians and need to know where their food came from and how it was made. Especially if GMOs use animal dna at times. Even if you are…
Against
Industries, factories, and any other company that manufactures GMO products could lose money and go out of business by consumers not buying their products (1). There are other individuals that cannot tell nor define what a GMO is and still consume the items that are GMO. The…
Industries, factories, and any other companies that manufacture GMO products could lose money and go out of business by consumers not buying their products (1). There are other individuals that cannot tell nor define what a GMO is and still consume items that are GMO and are…
78.
Evolution is a sound scientific explanation for life
For
Sure. In the future.
Hey I just met you. And you're forfeiting like crazy! You've seen my arguments! So rebut them maybe?
Against
Sorry I missed everything, I was without the Internet. If you want, we can re debate on your terms.
Thank you for taking me up on the debate. Let me start right off. Fossils You claim that different levels are different ages, however, there is a problem with this. There have been many trees that are fossilized through multiple layers of rock. This shows that the layers could…
79.
GMO foods should not be required to be labeled
For
okie dokie time for my final point as to why gmo containing foods should not be required to be labeled.Lets just assume that gmo's are as harmful as proposed, what are the claimed health effects?the 2 main claims are that glyphosates cause cancer or change our dna. theses are…
"even if they're wrong they still have a right to know"-people have the right to choose what they eat. But it's no ones responsibility to help them make that choice. That is like a group of right wing Christians requiring any food made by homosexuals to be labeled because they…
Against
GMOWe need to label them because, hey, it's just a label, why the fuckk, not? Assuming Gimos are good they freak a lot of people the fvuck out. Some people think there bad and even if they are wrong they should still have a choice in eating them or not.Furthreless, GMOS have…
.
80.
Evolution is well supported by scientific evidence
For
I have challenged jh1234lnew to this debate after reading a forum post by him denouncing evolution as a legitimate scientific theory. I would like to debate him on the topic.
I have nothing further to add.
Against
There are many reasons to not believe in evolution: it its a pseudoscience and is not supported by any evidence whatsoever and is a complete lie. 1. No transitional fossilsPremise 1: In order for evolution to be true, transitional fossils must existPremise 2: No transitional…
1. All of the alleged transitional fossils are of dubious reliability. For example, dinosaur fossils that are allegedly "bird-dinosaurs" have fluff that can be mistaken for feathers, but they are actually collagen found within dinosaur skin. (1)Another example is the nebraska…
81.
The standard Big Bang model entails a contradiction
For
It is possible that there exist other dimensions. However, this response to my argument is what we call a red-herring in logic; it is a fallacy. "It is a fallacy of distraction, and is committed when a listener tries to divert and arguer from his argument by introducing another…
Unfortunately, his comments miss the mark completely. ---Leaving Out Time--- Con claims that my whole argument assumes only spatial dimensions and leaves out the time dimension. This is false, I clearly acknowledge the time dimension as I quoted Quentin Smith who clearly…
Against
It is impossible for us to grasp a space of zero dimensions. Even when we imagine a singularity we picture space around it. The fact is that 3 dimensional space existed within the singularity. The reason I used the example of flatland was to show how impossible it was for 2…
I'm not talking about time. I apologise if I did not make this clear in my previous response. The reason I excluded time is because time is not a spacial dimension. My claim is that it's possible more than 3 spacial demensions exist but us 3 dimensional beings can not percieve…
82.
Selective breeding of dog pedigrees is a form of eugenics
For
Eugenics is a dirty word which most sane, morally upright people have long dispensed with. No one is better or worse than anyone else and thankfully, ideas of 'blood purity' and superficial distinctions that once rendered one race superior to another have long been void of…
Against
I can't resist at least a brief summary of this non-debate. Whilst I agree that selective breeding of dogs has severely negative aspects that require careful moral consideration, I think that it's simply rhetorical device to compare it to eugenics; eugenics is a complex…
In the spirit of a fair debate, I shall not steal this opportunity to have more of a say!
83.
Humans have not made a single original invention since prehistory
For
Wikipedias definition of original is: Originality is the aspect of created or invented works as being new or novel, and thus can be distinguished from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or derivative works. A word we need to pay particular attention to: derivative. Which comes…
Oh my friend, it is not hard at all to connect these objects. Your first set of devices I will clump into: sports gear. Well, this is easy. As you know, males primarily like sports. Why? Because males are the competative sex, what with testoserone and hormones and what not.…
Against
Well, not much left to say here with no rebuttal from my opponent. If no invention is original, you'd better shut down patent offices around the world as they no longer serve any purpose other than to waste tax payer money ;-).
OK, you are making arguments of semantics based on a wiki definition of the word original and then a definition of the word derivative based on the wiki article? The dictionary.com definition of the word original that most closely associates to invention: "8. an original work,…
84.
Albert Einstein's theories were wrong
For
First, I will apologize to my opponent for my mental shortcomings. Second, I will point out that I never agreed that appealing to General Relativity would be a forfeit. That's a rule my opponent made up out of nowhere, and that I never agreed to, which is why I ignored…
I appreciate the effort my opponent has put into his response, but I guarantee that nobody, not even himself, can make sense of what he just said. Let me demonstrate one of the biggest fallacies of his self-contradictory, convoluted argument.He begins by quoting this from my…
Against
"I appreciate the effort my opponent has put into his response, but I guarantee that nobody, not even himself, can make sense of what he just said."My opponent generalizes from his own intellectual shortcomings to the general public. But we have several rounds to fill, so here…
First, allow me to point out that my opponent's own source presents a solution to the alleged "paradox" and unmasks it as a straw man argument designed to make Relativity appear faulted:"The twin paradox uses the symmetry of time dilation to produce a situation that seems…
85.
The hockey stick temperature graph is largely accurate
For
Thanks to Con for the sportsmanlike gesture.
That's too bad. There's plenty to refute in Con's argument, particularly the relative value of McIntyre & McKitrick and the consipiratorial steam rising off that sideshow. Alas, I expect that rebuttals would be a waste of time in view of Con's forfeit. Continue my arguments…
Against
I ask my opponent simply doesn't post rebuttals last round, but he can summarize his arguments. Instead of a rebuttal I will simply write my case. The "issue" of the MWP Between 1995 and 2001, there was a complete revision on how the IPCC looked upon paleoclimate…
You know, guys, I didn't know they extended the argument length characters. I have been gone for a while. In this debate we will be arguing whether or not the famous hockey stick graph is likely (greater than 50%) correct. Definitions: Hockey Stick: The Hockey Stick graph is…
86.
Humans should stop space travel to protect extraterrestrial life
For
PrefaceSince this is such a specific resolution that hasn't been done before, there are not many arguments I will be bringing up. I am arguing that humans should discontinue exploring space in order to prevent harming alien life. Since this is a normative topic, both sides…
This debate assumes that extraterrestrial beings exist, and merely have yet to be discovered. Full Resolution Humans Should Discontinue Space Exploration in order to Prevent Harming Extraterrestrial Life Definitions Extraterrestrial life-any living organism that originated…
Against
I Accept and I look for forward to a wonderful debate!
87.
The Big Bang theory is probably true
For
I. Correlation Without Causation Before I go into my opponent's arguments themselves, I'd like to mention two things. One, my opponent can't decide which arguments I use. He can argue against them, but he can not ban their usage. I haven't banned my opponent from using the…
I am going to have an unusual argument structure in this round, considering the scientific and philosophical inaccuracies con makes, answering any of con's remaining relevant questions, and finally, drawing it all together. Scientific Errors There are a large number of…
Against
The Surrenderhttp://www.youtube.com...Chosen: Thou Subutai, please accept my surrender Subutai: Chosen, the Japanese show no mercyChosen: But SUBUTAI, Russia will serve you faithfullySubutai: Thou shall face blades end*sepoku*
I. Correlation without CausationMy opponent was required to bring forward a comphrehensive case for why the BBT is true for his opening arguments. All he did was bring up 4 observations, that don't prove in the slightest that the BBT is true. The BOP is already negated by this…
88.
Life arises entirely from chemical reactions
For
The condition of being alive results from chemical reactions only.
I was stoned out of my brain and thought I was changing the number of words, not the number of characters. You were going to lose the debate anyway, so don't be upset.
Against
Great...
Fail. >.<
89.
Scientific theories can never be proven
For
Hi. I'm Justin. I'll be representing the negative side of this argument. (Or Con) I will be arguing that nothing in science is ever proven. My opponent's position, while quite fascinating and actually certainly thought-provoking, has not done something. It hasn't proven my…
First, I will quickly and concisely refute my opponent's final arguments, as he has graciously allowed me to do. Although he dropped most of my arguments from the last speech I gave, my opponent stated that, in order for something to be considered possible, it must have a…
Against
C1: What I have done is demonstrated that according to its own logic, the contention cannot be considered true. Thus, I have proven that it should be considered false. As for my existence, I can prove it. My evidence is that I perceive reality, therefore I am conscious,…
The dominant philosophy of scientific knowledge is that nothing is ever proven, and claims can only be considered false vs. less false. I will present the con argument, my opponent will present pro. I will be adding new arguments as I continue, but I will open with this one:…
90.
Radiometric dating is not a reliable method
For
The following information is cited at length from the book "Evolution: Its Collapse In View?by Henry HiebertPages 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32Carbon 14 (radioactive carbon) forms in the upper atmosphere at a constant rate, through the action of sunlight (cosmic rays) upon ozone.…
The one undeniable FACT with ALL radiometric dates is that they are all based on unprovable assumptions about the past. Any date can be selected depending on the assumptions that are made. This is what geologist do. They make up an assumed geological history for a rock…
Against
In this debate, pro should provide evidence that radiometric dating is unreliable, while I try to refute them. BOP is on pro. Pro should start on the first round and only post a conclusion in the last round.The "conclusion" for this debate is how you would vote if you were a…
The arguments regarding contaminations have been refuted in the last round. The others are arguments done by ThePipes and is not an accurate source. Therefore they are baseless.Therefore I'll refute the ones that are not things I already refuted or arguments of someone…
91.
Violent video games cause desensitization in players
For
If the army doesn't use video games to desensitize soldiers, why did the army put 50 million dollars into research for video games? You said video games aren't used to get soldiers used to killing, but it teaches them what to expect. It doesn't help them get over killing, but…
The Journal of the American Medical Association claims that if, hypothetically, television technology had never been developed, there would be today 10,000 fewer homicides this year, and 700,000 fewer injurious assaults. Soldiers in the army play violent video games to get over…
Against
Once again you've provided no support for your claims. It is possible for the military to use video games for training reasons and not be possible that it desensitization towards killing. The virtual reality training allowed by video games creates a possibility at more cost…
Hope my opponent returns.
92.
Climate models are as unreliable as weather forecasts
For
What? I can't hear you.
In ancient times, like when subways were invented, the idea was to allow freedom of movement even when there was a big snowstorm. Why did the subways get closed, and the streets and sidewalks have marshal law imposed for a small snow storm? Keep trusting the climatologists, as…
Against
What does subways have to do with climate change? Even though the idea of subways was to allow freedom of movement at all times, it is still a idea or vision for the subway and that does not mean it works in practice. Putting the subways aside; no it is not always that the…
Enviomentalism is a religion not climate change. We do not have to live eternally to see the effects of global warming. Of course we can not predict the outcome of the global warming other than we know it has happened frequently in the past. The climate has a cycle where ice…
93.
Evolution is an accurate account of life's history
For
*facepalm*
Extend arguments.
Against
Thank you for keeping it short. I appreciate that! 1. Mutations "Con claims that mutations can only cause a loss of information, not a gain. That is blatantly false." Can mutations create new information? Yes, depending on what you mean by'information'. It seems we need to…
For this debate we will refer to the 'General Theory of Evolution' as defined by Kerkut, "all the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic form."[1] 1. Mutations There are many types of mutations. In essence, mutations are…
94.
The Big Bang is a plausible origin of the universe
For
the big bang theory may not have started out of nothing couldn't there have been things before the big bang theory things could have just had gravity act on the until everything came together into the singularity and rapidly expanded when it reached the minimum amount of space…
Against
I have promised to waive my last round. Thank you con for the eventful debate.
Since my opponent has offered no argument, I have no rebuttals. Please, Con, at least offer something. You have to fall to learn. You have to try to give me something even if I can prove it wrong. That's how you will get better at debating.
95.
The Big Bang theory does not require a singularity
For
An excellent reply, I will begin addressing your claims in the following order: (1) The ontology of nature with respect to natural things within it. (2) The claim that an infinite universe is a tautology. (3) The claim that an infinite universe violates the Second Law of…
Thanks for taking up the debate! I'll get right into addressing your criticisms (written as if to a third party): We see the greatest objection appear to lie in Paradigm's usage of philosophy (specifically ontology), the nature of time, space, and matter. He makes two claims:…
Against
"Paradigm's other philosophical quarrel with an infinite universe is that he feels it is entirely bereft of explanation as to why it should be timeless. I fail to see how the Big Bang model does anything better. Why, for instance, would a universe have, at some arbitrary point,…
Thank you for your prompt and eloquent reply. I see from the likes of your response that I am going to have to really work for this one! "the scope of your argument can thus only fall to things within nature, and not nature itself. That is, while everything within a set obeys a…
96.
Genetically modified food is safe to eat
For
I would like to point out that I provided refutation in R2 as it gives my opponent a chance to defend his arguments. Had I reserved my refutation, my opponent would only be able to refute my arguments and have no chance to defend his own asI would post last. Thus, it was not a…
I would now like to take this time to refute the arguments brought forth by my opponent and introduce my contentions. As my opponent has the majority of the BOP as GM foods are already prevalent, I will only provided one contention (and I don't have too much time on the clock…
Against
It is now time to refute my opponent's argument but before I do that I must recognize to you that my opponent did not follow the rules of the debate. In round two, my opponent was suppose to introduce his argument, but instead, decided to refute my argument at an earlier time.…
Okay. Genetically modified food should be banned because of these four main reasons. 1. GM foods have not been proven safe to eat. In a lab study they did test on rats on the effects of gm food. These were the resullts: Rats fed GM tomatoes developed stomach ulcerations…
97.
Humanity will face civilization-ending catastrophe this century
For
.. .. .. My resolution remains unrefuted. Extend.
It appears my opponent is absent and a forced forfeit was followed through by the system................. I will present my argument anyway......... Ways the World Could End- Asteroid impact - Once a disaster scenario gets the cheesy Hollywood treatment, it's hard to take it…
Against
I myslef very much disagree with the statement of the end of the world is December 21, 2012. I have gone into extensive research looking at this topic and have decided it is all false. My first main argument is that the Mayan calender is just a calender. Nothing more, nothing…
98.
Intelligent life exists beyond Earth
For
Why shouldn't there be alien life in outer space? Once we space travel more often, we are bound to bump into another species of aliens. The probabilities that aliens exist is over the top considering the vastness of our universe. It is sort of arrogant to claim that our Earth…
Thank you Con for being a challenging debater.I respect Con and will stay true to my original resolution. Besides, that's more exciting!…
Against
Again let's review the resolution at hand. The resolution is "Intelligent life exists beyond Earth"I repeatIt is not "There is a high possibility that intelligent life exits beyond Earth"So lets get down to the rebuttals. Deductive Inference and probability. This is my…
Here we goLets review the resolution at hand. My adversary is claiming"Intelligent life exists beyond earth" and clearly is directing this at aliens and other sorts of human like creatures. We can tell this during his R1 statement" The probabilities that aliens exist is over…
99.
Intelligent design is valid and observable science
For
My opponent wrote: "Intelligent Design Science proves conclusively" that all life on the planet was designed by an intelligent agent." That is true, actually: Thank you for your agreement and support, and God bless you! =) I provided conclusive proof for all of my assertions,…
My opponent wrote: "Intelligent Design Science proves conclusively" that all life on the planet was designed by an intelligent agent." That is true, actually: Thank you for your agreement and support, and God bless you! =) I provided conclusive proof for all of my assertions,…
Against
Sorry, but quoting me quoting your arguments is neither a concession nor proof of your own claims.
"Intelligent Design Science proves conclusively" that all life on the planet was designed by an intelligent agent."That is true, actually: Thank you for your agreement and support, and God bless you! =)My opponent is once again attempting deception through the practice of quote…
100.
Genetically engineered organisms should be released into the environment
For
Well if you think about it removing deer from one habitat could disrupt another and completely fistful the balance then you would be in another situation. But yes I think animal testing can be a bit cruel but mice really. Mice actualy cause problems all the time so do rats and…
Now if you think about it GEO'S could possibly interbreed which is a 50-50 out come of good or bad but if you think about it some animals are going extinct. Now if some animals breed that aren't meant to it could possible create a newer more profiting hybrid of the extinct…
Against
I believe i have stated my case clearly.
my opponent forfeited.

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