Elements of Debating

form. (4) Fair to both sides. 2. Defining the "terms of the question" so that they will be: (1) Clear. (2) Convincing. (3) Consistent with the origin and history of the question. 3. Restating the whole question in the light of the definitions. To debate successMly it is necessary to do three things: 1. To make perfectly clear to your audience what you wish them to believe. 2. To show them why the proof of certain points (called issues) should make them believe the thing you wish them to beh'eve. 3. To prove the issues. Each of these three things is a distinct process, involving several steps. One ig as important as another. It is impossible to prove the issues until we have found them, but equally impossible to show the audience what the issues are until we have shown what the thing is which we wish those issues to support. First, then, let us see what we mean by making perfectly clear what you wish to have the audience believe. Suppose that you should meet a friend who says to you: "I am going to argue with you about examinations." You might naturally reply: "What examinations?" If he should say, "All examinations: the honor system in all examinations," you might very reasonably still be puzzled and ask if by all examinations he meant examinations of every kind in grade school, high school, and college, as well as the civil service examinations, and what was meant by the honor system. He would now probabl...