Open this link and scroll down to the bottom where you will find a video on 12 different debate topics. If you are one of the first half of the class to respond to the blog, you may choose a topic and make a position statement on the topic of your choice. If you are blog poster #4, #5 or #6, you will have to respond to a position statement already posted. Only one response per debate topic, so we will end up having a pro and a con argument for three different topics. IF YOU ARE A LATECOMER, you must take what is left. Only three topics can be discussed.
For your comments, you are to:
1. write a rebuttal to your partners position statement.(under their original post)
2. Respond to your partners rebuttal of your argument (under your original post)
3. Write a position summary(Under their original post)
Your blog response should be posted separately even if you are responding to a topic already posted, but you should begin the blog by stating your subject and position in all caps.
For example
COUNTRY LIFE IS BETTER THAN CITY LIFE-PRO
(Then continue your argument here).
There are 7 students on the blog, so IF YOU ARE THE LAST ONE TO POST, you are in charge of reading all of the posts and deciding who the winner is for each. You must also give a reason for your choice and be prepared to defend it.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteALIENS PROBABLY EXIST—PRO
ReplyDeleteThe immensity existing in the contrast between the stark blackness of a night sky and the saturation of starlight on its surface is more than we could ever truly hope to imagine. The expansive nature of that which is truly enigmatic exists beyond the grasp of the human mind and abilities of perception. Space is this unknowable ‘forever’ dotted with stars and planets. It contains all within the universe and all that can and has ever physically existed. Because it is so impossible to determine what could possibly exist in an interstellar field as vast as the universe, it would not necessarily be ridiculous to entertain the notion that life could exist elsewhere within its domain.
Alien life has been a subject of interest for decades and not without good reason. Life exists in many forms. As it exists on Earth, life spans from single-celled organisms such as bacteria and viruses to more complex beings such as plants, animals, and humans. Because it is so intrinsic to that which surrounds us, it is so faultlessly intriguing to consider the prospect that life could exist beyond this earth. We are drawn in by the familiar concepts to be found in foreign life. Perhaps it is for this reason that we are so dedicated to the future of space traveling technologies. But does space travel really have much to do with the question of space exploration and the discovery of life? Science seems to be in constant pursuit of planets beside our own capable of sustaining life of any sort. However, most of the planets identified that would be capable of providing such sustenance exist so far from our own that they would be impossible to reach given current technologies in the areas of space travel. Instead, these identified planets seem to be the result of failed searches for life elsewhere. There is also the question of what constitutes “alien life.” As was previously stated, on Earth life exists in many forms, and it can be deduced that should life exist elsewhere in the universe, the same would most likely be true there as well. “Alien life”, therefore, would not be a term limited to foreign creatures with human dispositions, and could instead be used to identify smaller organisms such as bacterium-like beings. For these reasons, it would seem very probable that, given the vastness of the universe and the number of identified planets capable of sustaining life as well as the broad definition of life, alien life may exist.
There is no evidence to support alien life. Through the years people have made conspiracy theories trying to turn different events into their own stories about aliens, but where’s the proof. My opponent is correct space is very vast and may go on forever in directions we may never explore but who’s to say there’s actually something out there? We describe aliens to be superior to us most of the time but if they are so advanced why haven’t they found us through the millions of years that the world has been in existence? If it would take millions of years for us to find them the same would go for them to find us, right? We have no evidence to support the existence of alien life forms so why should we waste our time talking about their existence?
DeleteAlien life forms are not necessarily higher life forms. Existence is not inherently linked to intelligence or communicative abilities. You are correct in saying that there is no proof that aliens have ever made contact with humans. However, this does not disprove the existence of aliens. It seems that we believe that in order for aliens to exist they would have to make contact with us. This is not necessarily true. For aliens to make contact with us, they would have to be superior in the areas of technology and evolution. They have never made contact with us, but that does not negate the possibility of their existence. As I said previously, the existence of life forms on planets other than our own is probable. Alien life forms do not have to be the evolutionary equivalent of humans, however, to exist.
DeleteDogs are greater pets than cats.
ReplyDeleteMan’s best friend has been the pet of choice for thousands of years. Dogs have many significant qualities that make them better than cats. There is very little that a cat can do that a dog cannot. Cats kill birds and rodents and if the owner is lucky they will be a cat that likes to cuddle. However, dogs do so much more! Especially considering that there are so much more breeds of dogs than there is cats. If an intruder comes into the house the dog will act as an alarm and may even try to bite the intruder when a cat would just sit there. Dogs also have been used by the eskimos as their means of travel by pulling sleds, try having a cat pull a sled. Dogs can be trained in rescue, sniffing out bombs and drugs, finding antlers, and hunting. When the police officers come onto the scene they never have a cat will them, they always have a DOG such as a German Shepard. With having a cat comes the responsibility of cleaning up the litter box every so often. Dogs to not require that responsibility of cleaning the litter box. Dogs also can fit to their owner better in terms of their size. If someone wants a small dog, they can get a small dog, if someone wants a a large dog, go ahead and get a large dog, and if someone wants a medium sized dog, go ahead and get a medium sized dog. Cats are very generic and are all pretty similar in terms to there size. A better relationship is built with a dog. With a dog, you groom them, walk them, play fetch and other games with them. A cat does not like to go on walks and very few are even capable of learning what fetch is. My last argument is that dogs enjoy change and adapt to it much better than cats do. If the owners go to the beach they can leave the dog behind or take it. No one takes their cat on vacation with them if they go somewhere they just leave t behind and most of the time they do not realize the occurrence. Dogs are much better pets than cats due to the relationships that can be built, their potential, and the variety of dogs there is so they can beat for the owner.
Although cats may not be able to do as much as dogs, they are still good companions and they don’t cost nearly as much as dogs do. Dogs tend to be bigger most of the time and require more basic needs, such as food and they also need more attention which include toys and supplies. For dogs you need leashes, collars and crates but you don’t need any of those things for a cat. Cats don’t require any training either, which could cost money for dogs unless you can train the dog on your own. Another upside of having a cat is that they don’t make nearly as much of a mess as dogs potentially could. Cats aren’t nearly as needy as dogs, therefore they are better and more cost efficient.
DeleteNolan although your thoughts are true many cats also shed and their litter box tend to smell. Most cats do not even listen! Some do but the high majority will not sit if you ask them to unlike dogs.
DeleteCOUNTRY LIFE IS BETTER THAN CITY LIFE-PRO
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in a small town is something we have all grown accustom to, so the obvious stance to take is that country life is better than city life. But there are more reasons than just growing up in a place like this to why it is so much better. For example, I feel that city people take some things for granted. People from Erie have a mall, “beach”, amusement park, and a lot of places where they can go hang out and spend time. Yet, I’ve heard many of my friends from Erie say, “There’s nothing to do here.” Here in St. Marys we don’t have many of those things to keep us entertained, but we find a way to make our own. People go fishing, have fires, go to the movies, and the list continues. We have less places where we can go to do activities, but we have found a way to make the most of what we have around us. A brain study done has also shown that people in country areas handle stress better than those living in a city. Without the hustle and bustle and “go go go” lifestyle all around us, it is easier for people in rural areas to slow down and focus on their tasks without getting stressed over them. So when two people are put in a stressful situation, the country lived will get stressed, while the city lived will get really stressed. Not only can they encounter more stress, but also more mental diseases. City dwellers have a 21% increased chance of anxiety, 39% more chance of mood disorders, and are two times more likely to develop schizophrenia. It is thought that these chances are heightened because of the crowded population and added stress. The basic concept is that the constant presence of so many people gives the brain a sense of no control. This lack of control can affect the brain in many ways, from the thought of having nothing to do to developing schizophrenia. The risks outweigh the benefits, country living is better than city living.
You say that people in the city take advantage of the luxuries of city life, but don’t we do the same? Being able to know everyone, get places on time, and being able to participate in school sports without tryouts are all things that we, as a small community, take advantage of. I also think that it is wrong to compare the stress level of the people of our different “worlds”. The stress’ of country life and city life are completely different, so how can we compare?
DeleteI’m not saying that the type of stress is better or worse, but rather how people deal with it. The environment people are in is why it’s worse. They can’t handle their stress so they develop disorders that make it even worse.
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ReplyDeleteALIENS PROBABLY EXIST CON
ReplyDeleteOn April 12, 1961 America launched their first shuttle into space. Since then the whole world including the U.S have launched numerous shuttles into space and humans have started to go up as well. They have never encounter any evidence that an alien has ever been to Mars or the Moon at anytime through out history. Why should we believe there is actually someone or something out there without probable cause of thinking so. I understand that space is large and it may take millions of years to travel to a certain point but the earth and the rest of the solar system has been in existence for millions of years therefore we should have met an alien by now.
There is no evidence to support alien life. Through the years people have made conspiracy theories trying to turn different events into their own stories about aliens, but where’s the proof. My opponent is correct space is very vast and may go on forever in directions we may never explore but who’s to say there’s actually something out there? We describe aliens to be superior to us most of the time but if they are so advanced why haven’t they found us through the millions of years that the world has been in existence? If it would take millions of years for us to find them the same would go for them to find us, right? We have no evidence to support the existence of alien life forms so why should we waste our time talking about their existence.
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DeleteIs it logical to say that just because we have never encountered an alien that they cannot exist? It is true; we have never encountered alien life. But how does that negate the probability of its existence? Do aliens have to be superior to us in order for them to exist? Bacteria exist, and yet they are not superior to us. They are still considered ‘life’, so why wouldn’t we consider an alien equivalent of bacteria to be alien life? If aliens did exist, why do you believe that we would have encountered them by now? Planets and stars are constantly exploding and reforming. Who is to say that another planet in another solar system in another time, past or future, did not develop in such a way that it would be capable of sustaining life? Simply, we cannot rule out the possibility of alien life despite our inability to search all time and space for proof of it.
DeleteAliens likely exist. While there is nothing to prove their existence, there is also nothing to disprove their existence. Due to the immensity of both space and time, there is no reason that alien life cannot exist. Furthermore, a closer look at the definition of alien life would be necessary in order to further explore this debate.
Delete
ReplyDeleteCity life is better than country life
Although I have never lived in a city, I think I can safely say I would rather live in a city. There is nothing to do around here. This statement is said by almost everyone, everywhere. The people who live around here actually know that to be true. We have a river, a movie theater, and some stores. In the city they have actual places to go to get a job, to be entertained, and to live with the hustle and bustle of a city. I HAVE lived in the city before. I have been on numerous trips to New York and other cities throughout my life. In the city people are cultured. Blacks, whites, Asians, and all other races of people are so in-Sync that they do not even look a different way when someone talks to them. I’m our town, you could wear a lipstick that doesn’t look good on you and every in Elk County will be talking about it. The city is full of amazing opportunities to become more enhanced as a human being. I’m sure that when Our parents moved here, or grandparents, they didn’t intend for us to be as closed minded as we have become.
You say that people in the city take advantage of the luxuries of city life, but don’t we do the same? Being able to know everyone, get places on time, and being able to participate in school sports without tryouts are all things that we, as a small community, take advantage of. I also think that it is wrong to compare the stress level of the people of our different “worlds”. The stress’ of country life and city life are completely different, so how can we compare?
I don’t find it to be fair in saying that people in a country are small minded. Not all county lifestyles and areas are like those in Elk County. Who’s to say that people in a rural town can’t be used to seeing people of all colors and sizes? While you aren’t wrong in saying that we in Elk County see less of it, you can’t speak for everywhere. Many small towns may see people who are black or white.
ReplyDeleteWhile there are a faults in both sides I find that city life can be worse. The health benefits of country living may outweigh city living.
DeleteCATS ARE GREATER PETS THAN DOGS
ReplyDeleteCats generally have a more low-maintenance lifestyle than dogs and they tend to be very independent. They aren’t as much of a friend to the owner as a dog is, but they are more of a companion. Instead of having a dog and having to tend to it 24/7, cats are more self reliant as long as you can give them their basic needs. All you really need for cats are less food and water than that you would need for a dog, a litter box and a place to sleep (which is anywhere for a cat). Cats are more for people who just enjoy the presence of an animal, rather than for a dog the owner would need to be with the dog a lot of the time, walk the dog for the dogs well being, and play with the dog so it doesn’t become lonely. Dogs are pack animals, so when they are taken away from other people or other dogs, they become lonely and suffer just as people do. Cats are the exact opposite, they do not need as much interaction with other people or animals and they can go on without any interaction for quite a bit of time. At a certain point though, cats do need interaction, but not anywhere near as much as dogs do. Cats can self groom too, so they don’t make a very distinct odor in your house, but dogs however do not self groom and they tend to make a very distinct odor. The only way you can get rid of this, is if you groom the dog yourself or have someone groom it for you. This will either take money to have it done, or money to buy the supplies to do it yourself. One final upside to having a cat is that they are less of a bother, they don’t bark at the mailman at the door or bark at any kind of noise that they heard. Cats will very infrequently meow, but only if they need something. It is much easier to understand a cats needs than it is to understand a dogs.
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ReplyDeleteWINNERS:
ReplyDeleteOn "the extistance of aliens," Anna
Anna's argument is irrefutable. Just because aliens have never made contact with Earth, "that does not negate the possibility of their existence." Simply denying the posibility is unreasonable. Shannon attempts to mask this underlying fact by citing "conspiracy theorists" and posing the question: "shouldn't we have made contact with them by now?" Anna dispells these unfounded claims by addressing how conspiracy theorists - although do not necessarily prove the existence of alien life - simply attempt to prove it, just as opponents of the notion of alien life attempt to prove otherwise. There is a back-and-forth logic here, there is the possibility that either Anna or Shannon are right, but Anna is the only one to address such possibility. Therefore, Anna wins.
On "cats and dogs," Nick
In this sparring debate, Nolan and Nick go head-to-head on the classic debate between cats and dogs. Nick outlines a very compelling argument, concluding that although cats are easier to manage, that does not necessarily make them better pets. Nolan suggests that this very fact makes cats "better pets." Clearly, there is a disconnect here between Nick's definition of a "good pet" and Nolan's definition. Because there is no clear consensus on what qualities make "better pets," both their arguments are valid. Nick, however, cites important facts such as the social qualities dogs possess, as well as their history with man. This is where the tables shift in Nick's favor. Nick wins this debate.
On "country life and city life," Rena
Madison suggests that city people take things for granted more than "country" people; the thing is, we're all people. As Rena puts in, just as we all take things for granted, we all have the same basic desires and ideals. Living in a city versus living in the country are not significantly different. You will encounter more people, more housing, more infastrucutre which is, for the most part, a good thing. The argument here mostly rests on preference, Rena outlines her preference, and so does Madison. Determining a winner is not easy, but it is my belief that Rena's argument reflects majority opinion; therefore, the award goes to Rena.