Requesting Resources and Instructions

[lpmalakye]

Hello Everyone,

I am not sure how to ask this in a way that is concise and make sense but here I go...

I have found that I have a real interest in debating, furthering my knowledge in my areas of study, want to learn how to debate properly etc etc...but I am very unorganized, have little to no resources (other than the internet) and definitely don't know how to take proper notes and use them efficiently. Does anyone know of any programs (for cellphone or pc) that can help me take notes (preferably one with voice to text) organize my notes and use them to the best of my ability...also any suggestions on how I could learn to debate properly, how to construct a debate etc...Any sources, videos, documents or even just from your own words. Any help would be appreciated.

While I would love to take classes in these areas of study there are reasons I cannot due to medical, financial etc etc...So anything that could help me in these areas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ^_^

[Alex K]

Hi there!

I believe a phone software is a bit too slow and cumbersome to efficiently take notes for debates . Practising with legal pad and a few sheets of paper seems more useful to me. For doing more elaborate research, your PC should already have everything you need to get organized. Make a nice directory structure

C:\Documents\debates\NuclearPower\arguments_for.doc
C:\Documents\debates\NuclearPower\materials\

etc.

As for training, I think doing actual debating is best for learning it. Maybe there is a debate club near you.

Watch many good debaters online and take notes what they do, how they approach the arguments. Which issues do they raise, how do they group their arguments. You can basically watch a debate and take a blank piece of paper and write down summaries of the respective arguments and rebuttals given in the various blocks, and link them with lines.

You can watch a debate between, e.g. William Lane Craig and someone else, and try to write your own rebuttals to what WLC says.
Exercise 1: In each segment of WLC, point out 3 informal logical fallacies or cheap rhetorical sleights-of-hand

No, seriously, get acquainted with the informal logical fallacies, and try to identify them in what people in online or TV debates say.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Learn the Socratic method.

[Alex K]

Learn the Socratic method.

I'd start by reading Euthyphro.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Also, please take note of the following mustache:




Study it closely. There will be a quiz.

[Alex K]

Also, please take note of the following mustache:




Study it closely. There will be a quiz.

You know what he said about staring too long into the mustache!

[ApeNotKillApe]

Remind me to give you a bag of money.

[lpmalakye]

Thank you everyone for the information you have provided so far ^_^ VERY useful! Please keep it coming if you have anymore suggestions.

As I said before, I have not had any previous education in this are of study...everything I know is from watching debates on youtube, doing some google research on the topics I am interested in and pretty much just winging it. I want to be more knowledgeable and understand, learn, share etc...as much as I can while I have the desire to do so.

Just to give you a bit of an idea of what I am currently (may broaden my horizons in the future) dealing with now...I am the only Atheist and non-republican within my family, I only recently (4 years maybe) had come to think and believe this way and am very much a beginner in defending my views. Most of my family is very "passionate" about their views (as anyone defending their ideas and beliefs should be imo) My mother especially...and I just want to be able to challenge them without it starting off as an argument. Inevitably it usually ends up as one but I believe that if I could get my point across effectively and properly I might be able to at least have them listen instead of immediately going on the offensive. That is my main area of concentration atm but I do like to also get into Social Media and forum debates as well and would like to able to present my argument properly...I hope I am not going in circles lol

Please keep the resources, help etc coming ^_^

[Jackalope]

Learn the Socratic method.

Why might someone want to do that?

[Alex K]

Learn the Socratic method.

Why might someone want to do that?

It is not my place to question someone as respected and knowledgeable about debates such as you. I can only hope to learn from you, my friend, why the Socratic method is not important.