# Request a Debate
**URL:** https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946
**Category:** Debate
**Created:** [August 4, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946 "2024-08-04T20:17:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Elliot](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Elliot)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/1 "2024-08-04T20:17:04Z")
Post here to request a debate. Debates should attempt to be _rational_ and _organized_.
**Briefly say the topic you want to debate, your initial position, and how much time you want to spend on the debate.** You may want to say how confident you are, your history or expertise with the topic, or why you want to debate it.
If you want to use any rationality methods or CF methods, specify those. Or if you’re open to them if the other person suggests them, say that.
If you want a format other than a written forum topic, such as a real time voice call debate, specify that.
Say if there are restrictions like you only want to debate Elliot. If you believe you have an important error correction for Elliot, say so and summarize it.
If you’re not a paid forum member but want to debate, you can email Elliot and ask for a debate-only membership. Create a free account and include your username in the email. In general, if you don’t care enough to pay $20, Elliot doesn’t want to spend his time on you, but exceptions could be made if you give a reason.
Don’t create a topic for your debate until after you find a debate partner.
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### Author:  [@Eternity](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Eternity)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/2 "2026-09-16T20:21:47Z")
> [@Elliot](#):
>
> **Briefly say the topic you want to debate, your initial position, and how much time you want to spend on the debate.** You may want to say how confident you are, your history or expertise with the topic, or why you want to debate it.
I’m looking to debate anyone on pretty much anything. I haven’t _really_ debated anyone in years (school I did a fair amount, but in my adult life I’ve avoided it for the most part). My main goal is to get some debate practice in (and to learn about any debate skill issues I have). In addition it would be nice to learn about any flaws, major or minor, I have in my various positions.
I’m open to spending a lot of time (up to weeks if need be) on any debate (how much I can spend on any given day is the real issue).
Some topics and my initial position (most are political, idk what other things to debate about):
- Goal(?) of the justice system - I think the goal of the legal/justice system should primarily be defense (this is inspired(?) by the conversations in the [Comments on The Boyfriend's Introduction to Feminism](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/comments-on-the-boyfriends-introduction-to-feminism/2108/) thread. (@Neo , I’m willing to do a more formal debate around this topic if you’d want to. Could be some debate practice for you too.)
- Abortion vs Pro-Life - I’m pro-abortion. Not a topic I’ve given much thought outside of some writings of Miss Rand.
- Gun Control - I’m not that concerned with it. I think a certain level of gun control is fine. I don’t see a reason to have nukes (or mini-guns in a more realistic scenario).
- Climate change isn’t a real issue - this is an opinion I’m very open to changing. it is what i’ve thought for the longest time because of stuff I’ve read and been told (nothing too in-depth). i’m now less sure, but still haven’t updated my position with better facts
- Hmm. Ohh something not political: competition is something i’m not a fan of. whenever i hear of sports and e-sports and stuff i feel like its kinda toxic. maybe the approach is toxic and competition is fine, but idk. I think I’m inspired(?) by Rand here when she talked about how a creative man doesn’t compete
> [@Elliot](#):
>
> If you want to use any rationality methods or CF methods, specify those. Or if you’re open to them if the other person suggests them, say that.
I’m open to any rationality or CF methods.
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### Author:  [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 3:26am UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/3 "2026-09-17T03:26:02Z")
> [@Eternity](#):
>
> - Hmm. Ohh something not political: competition is something i’m not a fan of.
Im interested in debating about competition. I think I disagree if you say competition is bad. I just dont have much experience debating tho. I mostly watched some.
I think we might not have that much of a difference of opinion like about the toxicity or agreeing about what Ayn Rand said.
> [@Eternity](#):
>
> > [@Elliot](#):
> >
> > If you want to use any rationality methods or CF methods, specify those. Or if you’re open to them if the other person suggests them, say that.
>
> I’m open to any rationality or CF methods.
Debate trees or postmortems might be good. I dont have much experience with either tho. I mostly read about postmortems.
I’ll mostly use sentence analysis.
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### Author:  [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2026, 4:03am UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/4 "2026-09-17T04:03:56Z")
I don’t usually debate, I’m interested in finding errors and learning. I dont know how long I want to debate. Maybe for a few weeks. I mostly want to try one out
Edit: there should be a “but” in the middle of the first sentence.
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### Author:  [@Eternity](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Eternity)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/5 "2026-09-18T20:07:51Z")
> [@Dface](#):
>
> Im interested in debating about competition. I think I disagree if you say competition is bad. I just dont have much experience debating tho. I mostly watched some.
Sure! i think there may be some merits to competition (especially in the economic sense ig) but overall I’m not a fan. Maybe this is a case where criticizing is easier but we’ll see.
> [@Dface](#):
>
> I think we might not have that much of a difference of opinion like about the toxicity or agreeing about what Ayn Rand said.
mmm probably not we’ll see
> [@Dface](#):
>
> I’ll mostly use sentence analysis
like grammar trees and stuff?
im gonna try and use a debate tree but otherwise i wanna keep it simple.
* * *
> [@Dface](#):
>
> I don’t usually debate, I’m interested in finding errors and learning. I dont know how long I want to debate. Maybe for a few weeks. I mostly want to try one out
sure. i dont think it’ll take that long. imma make a topic soon for the debate and explain myself in more detail.
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### Author:  [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/6 "2026-09-18T21:27:57Z")
> [@Eternity](#):
>
> i think there may be some merits to competition (especially in the economic sense ig) but overall I’m not a fan.
Ok, i dont think I understand the merits in the economic sense. Like, how is it a competition and is it good?
> [@Eternity](#):
>
> > [@Dface](#):
> >
> > I’ll mostly use sentence analysis
>
> like grammar trees and stuff?
>
> im gonna try and use a debate tree but otherwise i wanna keep it simple.
Thats a good question. I usually write about sentences and what they mean. Sometimes it’s about grammar. Not too sure if that counts as sentence analysis actually. I do some grammar tree work but in my head. Maybe it’ll be good to make a tree?
Id like to try debate trees too but I forget how hard they are. Like, are they easy to start? I’ll look them up
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### Author:  [@Dface](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/u/Dface)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2026, 9:22am UTC](https://discuss.criticalfallibilism.com/t/request-a-debate/1946/7 "2026-09-20T09:22:17Z")
> [@Eternity](#):
>
> Sure! i think there may be some merits to competition (especially in the economic sense ig) but overall I’m not a fan. Maybe this is a case where criticizing is easier but we’ll see.
I dont think I stated my position so I should just write it. I think competition is good cuz you can use it to practice and get better at problem solving.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong when competing in like a chess match. If you’re competing against someone in like [chess.com](http://chess.com) then i dont think there’s something inherently wrong there. Like, even if you lose, I think you dont actually lose something of value. Here, I’m recalling Ayn Rand’s quote about rational men interacting with each other. I dont remember but something about there being no loss between them.