Argument Impact Drill

IMPACT DRILL
Alfred Snider. University of Vermont

IMPACT FACTORS:
• Bigger number
• Each incident is very important
• Probability
• Short term vs. long term
• Voluntary vs. involuntary risk
• Reversible vs. not reversible
• Not unique: it is going to happen anyway
• Try or die: we have to try, even if we may well fail, because the consequences are apocalyptic.
• Morally required no matter what

DRILL:
You are assigned one of these sides. You have two minutes to argue that your side is more important that the other side. Focus on the comparison.

THW ban the clear cutting of old growth forests
Prop: Old growth forests are an important ecosystem.
Opp: Old growth forest harvesting creates needed jobs

THW ban women from electing to have home births.
Prop: Home births can be more dangerous to the mother and child.
Opp: Women should have the right to give birth in a way they choose.

THW allow Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine to secede from that nation and join Russia.
Prop: Self-determination on the part of the people is important
Opp: Such an act of self-determination might spark conflict between Russia and Ukraine

THBT celebrity right to privacy is more important that the public’s right to know.
Prop: Right to privacy is important
Opp: Public has a right to know personal information about celebrities.

THBT Canada tar sands should be exploited.
Prop: Using Canada tar sands can provide a secure energy supply.
Opp: Using Canada tar sands means more greenhouse gases, increases harms of global warming.

THW stop using fossil fuels as soon as possible.
Prop: Long-term climate change is a huge risk.
Opp: Without oil revenues, major oil producing nations will be destabilized leading to conflict (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, Russia).