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the purpose of debate is not to discover the truth, it is to win an argument. … If you don't like it, you don't have to play.

This isn't a particularly good defense if the opposition to this sort of thing is that it teaches students to favor winning arguments over being right (meaning everyone who didn't participate still has to live in a culture built on that preference).

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Everyone in debate knows they're just there to win rounds. People often argue ridiculous things (e.g. "your plan to explore space should be rejected because it reifies western colonialism") just for a kick. If you asked them whether they believe what they say, I predict 90% would say "no, not really".

After a while, it gets boring. That's why I quit. But the activity actually gave me a great appreciation for the limits of my knowledge and the relationship of words to truth. Once you realize that a good argument can be made for almost anything, you start questioning the default rationalizations we all grow up with.

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