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Debate1v1 (2v1 or 2v2 at some tournaments)
Big Questions Debate
One-on-one debate over deep questions where science, philosophy, and religion intersect. Built for lay judges, with a season-long resolution.
Time
5 min constructives · 4 min rebuttals · 3 min closing speeches
Prep
3 minutes per debater
Format
1v1 (2v1 or 2v2 at some tournaments)
Round structure
Constructives (5 min each)
Aff then Neg present prepared cases — definitions, framework, and core contentions.
Question segments (3 min × 2)
Both debaters alternate asking and answering — once after constructives, once after rebuttals.
Rebuttals (4 min each)
Direct clash on the central disagreements.
Consolidation & Rationale (3 min each)
Collapse to the core question, weigh worldviews, and give the judge a reason to circle your side.
What judges look for
- Clear engagement with the actual big question
- Arguments a non-specialist can follow
- Honest treatment of scientific and philosophical sources
- Direct clash instead of parallel lectures
- Composure and clarity in question segments
Ballot criteria
ArgumentationCritical
Quality of reasoning on the core question.
ClashCritical
Direct engagement and weighing of worldviews.
AccessibilityHigh
Clarity for a lay judge; jargon translated.
Question segmentsMedium
Pointed questions, composed answers.
Practice tips
- Steelman the other side's best argument and answer it in your case.
- Translate every technical concept into a one-sentence plain explanation.
- Drill question segments — asking pointed questions is a skill of its own.
- Collect concrete examples (experiments, history, thought experiments) for both sides.
Common mistakes
- Reciting philosophy names instead of making arguments
- Ignoring the question segment as 'dead time'
- New arguments in consolidation or rationale
- Debating definitions all round instead of substance
Sample topics / sparks
- Resolved: Objective morality exists.
- Resolved: Humans are primarily driven by self-interest.
- Resolved: Mathematics was discovered, not invented.
Drills for this event
First principlesPhilosophy of scienceAccessible clashQ&A