Engaging discussions transform into thoughtful debates: As the era grows contentious, the 'Ethics Bowl' presents a more amicable platform for students.
High school debate tournaments and Ethics Bowls: Two sides of the same coin, or two drastically different approaches to education?
At a speech and debate tournament, two students square off like gladiators, each armed with a well-prepared argument and a sharp tongue—one advocating for a right to secede, the other tearing that argument apart. It's a battle to the death, with points, not blood, as the prize.
Fast forward to the National High School Ethics Bowl Finals, where two teams gather in the hallowed halls of the University of North Carolina. This time, there's no assigned battles. Instead, they engage in thought-provoking discussions around the ethics of public figures, the boundaries of discourse, and controversial topics like cloning pets.
In a world where people are increasingly divided, the Ethics Bowl offers a glimmer of hope for constructive discourse. Teams aren't cycled through a carousel of controversial topics, instead, they're given cases to discuss on their own terms. Understanding, collaborative discussions lead the way—not aggressive debates designed to pulverize an opponent.
At its core, the Ethics Bowl is about fostering an understanding of differing viewpoints. Robert Ladenson, the brainchild behind the Ethics Bowl, describes an ethical understanding as the ability to look inside another's perspective and truly comprehend it. It's about more than just understanding their words or being able to counter their arguments; it's about trying to view the world from their perspective.
Consider the case of "See Spot Clone," a discussion on the ethics of cloning pets. Harpeth Hall from Nashville presents their argument, focusing on the ethics of adoption, the non-consent of pets, and potential health risks for the cloned pet. Miami's Archimedean Upper Conservatory doesn't attack—they push the boundaries of the conversation by questioning the importance of self-serving happiness, the ethical continuum of pet breeders, and challenging the notion that all selfish pursuits are inherently wrong.
The Ethics Bowl is a refreshing breath of fresh air in a world dominated by shortcuts and simple solutions. The process of conversation is as important as the outcome, and subtlety matters. Good Ethics Bowl cases generate discussions where "well-meaning individuals could take in the same facts and information and come to diametrically opposite answers," as Alex Richardson, former National Bowl director, describes.
The real-life scenarios discussed in the Ethics Bowl cover a wide range of topics, from the infamous, like the lack of respect shown towards murder victims, to the philosophical, such as the pursuit of immortality, and even the everyday, like whether silence on social media about a hate crime makes one complicit.
Participants in the Ethics Bowl aren't just competing to win; they're collaborating to learn. Teams wrestle with cases for weeks before the competition, but they never know which question will be read when it's game time. When the question is finally revealed, their best competition comes from themselves as they scramble to formulate a cohesive response.
In the end, the Ethics Bowl is not just about winning and losing, but about personal growth and mutual respect. Lizzie Lyman, a midtown high school student who lost in the semifinals, puts it best: "It's not about beating people. When it's about constructively answering a question and engaging in an interesting conversation, that's where you get to have some amazing discussions."
The Ethics Bowl may be a relatively young competition compared to speeches and debates, but it's evident that there's a thirst for this kind of education. With over 550 teams competing in regional bowls in 2022, it's clear that principled, respectful disagreements are an essential part of our future—and the Ethics Bowl is helping to cultivate them.
- In the realm of Ethics Bowls, debaters engage in thought-provoking discussions rather than ruthless debates, fostering an understanding of differing viewpoints.
- One particular case, "See Spot Clone," delves into the ethics of cloning pets, encouraging debaters to consider various aspects like the ethics of adoption, the non-consent of pets, and the implications for health risks.
- Archimedean Upper Conservatory, in their argument, questions the importance of self-serving happiness, challenging the ethical continuum of pet breeders and suggesting that all selfish pursuits may not be inherently wrong.
- In the government of the Ethics Bowl, contestants aren't assigned battles but are instead given cases to discuss on their own terms, encouraging collaboration and constructive dialogue rather than ruthless attack.
- The Ethics Bowl stands as a refreshing alternative in a world dominated by shortcuts and simple solutions, with conversations being as important as the outcome and subtlety mattering.
- Participants in the Ethics Bowl aren't just competing to win; they're working together to learn, wrestling with cases for weeks and striving for cohesive responses even when they don't know the question in advance.
- In Illinois, Miami, Nashville, Seattle, or any other city hosting a regional Ethics Bowl, students are not merely learning about education and self-development, but also about lifestyle, entertainment, and the proper etiquette for debates on social media, where discussions on controversial topics like crime and the ethics of public figures take place.
