Last changed on
Thu December 6, 2018 at 5:27 AM CDT
I am an ordained Episcopal priest and I teach elementary religion. I have a B.A. in history and an Mdiv. in theological studies and study mostly classical and patristic theology. I also study classical philosophy.
This is my second year judging and coaching debate.
Lincoln Douglas
Spreading: No. this is Lincoln Douglas, I want to hear it all.
The most important aspect to winning my ballot is threefold:
Clash: I enjoy and appreciate the clash of debate (who doesn’t). I am pretty tolerant of debates getting heated, but my patience runs thin when one debater is arrogant to another. Keep it civil, but engage each other in some way. The debater that engages the clash first and most will tend to get my ballot. I do not appreciate tricks, so you will want to stay away from them.
Clarity: I heard a judge say last year, “I prefer quality over quantity.” This is where I stand. If I cannot understand or follow your argument, I will struggle to judge you and you will lose the ballot.
Evidence & Philosophy: I prefer clear, concise evidence and sourcework. Don’t bring up evidence you can not support with documents, you will lose my ballot. This poses an ethical dilemma. I am an Aristotelianite. I find Aristotle's philosophy a breath of fresh air, as I prefer logic and reason in arguments. Do you have to argue Aristotelian philosophy to win my ballot? Of course not. Adding philosophical discourse will help your ballot.
Finally, Respect is key. That includes perceived arrogance and inappropriate comments or body language. Keeping under control is part of the civil debate process.
Policy
Spreading: YES for 1 & 2 AC and 1 & 2 NC. NO for CX, 1 & 2 AR and 1 & 2 NR. Add me to the email-chain if you are sending (Jay.Angerer@stmsaints.com)
I like and appreciate creativity in policy argument. Please have your evidence ready and back up what you say.
I take notes, but not flow. The better I understand, the better I can judge.
So, classically, I'm a hybrid of Tabula rasa (Blank slate) and Policymaker (Whatever is the better policy will win). Keep this in mind when choosing cards and setting your framework.
PF
Spreading: No. (PF needs clash more than Lincoln Douglas!)
Most importantly, keep the arrogance to a minimum, no disrespect and any inappropriate comments or behavior (including facial expression) will automatically lose speaker points.
Point out to me clearly why your case should win, why the other should lose and a clear framework is very helpful on both sides. If you can not show your cards (evidence) then all case work based off that card will be dropped.