1. BY KENI SABATH FOR NO LIMITS DEBATE CAMP
Refutation basics
BY KENI SABATH FOR NO LIMITS DEBATE CAMP

2. What it is So Refutation is why I don’t lose, why they are wrong.
Offensive arguments v. Defensive arguments
Why I win v. Why I don’t lose
To win a debate, you must show both why you win and why the other team’s arguments don’t mean that you lose.
Speaker 1: Bananas are better than apples because they contain more potassium.
Speaker 2: Circles are better than squares because their shape is more pleasing to the eye.
NO Clash!
So Refutation is why I don’t lose, why they are wrong.

3. ON-CASE REFUTATION (VS. OFF-CASE)
OFFENSE
LINK TURN
IMPACT TURN
CASE TURN
DEFENSE
NO LINK
NO WARRANT
NOT TRUE
ETC…
BE COMPARATIVE

4. BASICALLY… BE SKEPTICAL FOCUS ON ASSUMPTIONS
ASK ABOUT TRICKY DEFINITIONS AND FRAMEWORK ARGUMENTS [VALUE/VC/OBSERVATIONS]
POINT OUT FLAWS
*ARGUE AGAINST WHAT THEY SAID, NOT WHAT THEY MEANT TO SAY
USE CX TO CLARIFY

5. AT: VALUE CRITERION NO BRIGHTLINE NO BRINK TAUTOLOGICAL REASONING
REASONS TO PREFER
PRE-REQUISITE
STRONGER LINK TO VALUE (VIOLATION OR CONTEXT)
AGENT’S OBLIGATION
REAL WORLD
CANNOT MEET

6. AT: CONTENTIONS
NOT TRUE NO SOLVENCY EMPIRICS > ANALYTICS [EMPIRICALLY DENIED] BAD AUTHOR / OUT OF DATE DOES NOT MATTER NON-UNIQUE NOT COMPARATIVE NO LINK TO STANDARD OUTWEIGH * BAD STATISTIC MISSING LINK

7. *WEIGHING
PROBABILITY MAGNITUDE DURATION REVERSIBILITY TIMEFRAME

8. AT: CONTENTIONS LOGICAL FALLACIES
MISSING CLAIM, WARRANT, INTERNAL WARRANT, OR IMPACT
SLIPPERY SLOPE FALLACY
IS-OUGHT FALLACY
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
CORRELATION, NOT CAUSATION

9. 4 Steps of refutation
STEP 1: They say…. Step 2: “But I disagree….” Step 3: “Because ….” Step 4: “Therefore….”

10. eXAMPLE
Nations should open their borders to immigration. Silence means consent. Science is more dangerous than religion.