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Theory Master Toolbox (INCOMPLETE)

This document provides an overview of various theory arguments that could be run in a debate round, organized into different sections. It includes brief descriptions and potential responses to arguments related to fairness, dropping arguments, metatheory frameworks, reciprocity between affirmative and negative, and the role of advocacy and plans in parametric debates. The document serves as a reference for debaters to consult different theory positions and responses that have been proposed on these recurring metatheory topics.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
105 views19 pages

Theory Master Toolbox (INCOMPLETE)

This document provides an overview of various theory arguments that could be run in a debate round, organized into different sections. It includes brief descriptions and potential responses to arguments related to fairness, dropping arguments, metatheory frameworks, reciprocity between affirmative and negative, and the role of advocacy and plans in parametric debates. The document serves as a reference for debaters to consult different theory positions and responses that have been proposed on these recurring metatheory topics.

Uploaded by

ninja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

THE VALUE CRITERION

THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX


**FILE GUIDE**.................................................................................................................6
**THEORY – MAIN FILE**.................................................................................................7
**VOTERS**......................................................................................................................8
ADVOCACY SKILLS....................................................................................................................................9
DEEP LEARNING......................................................................................................................................10
MORAL EDUCATION.................................................................................................................................11
A2 Other learning important....................................................................................................12
EDUCATION [GENERIC]...........................................................................................................................14
FAIRNESS [SHORT]..................................................................................................................................16
FAIRNESS [STRUCTURAL].......................................................................................................................17
FAIRNESS > EDUCATION/OTHER VOTERS..............................................................................................18
A2 Schools won’t fund debate without education!!!...............................................................19
A2 FAIRNESS IS NOT A VOTER...............................................................................................................20
A2 Text precedes fairness...................................................................................................... 21
A2 Fairness is subjective........................................................................................................ 22
A2 No brightline to fairness.................................................................................................... 23
A2 Ex post facto rule............................................................................................................... 24
A2 Establishing rules in debate in unfair................................................................................25
FAIRNESS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT.................................................................................................26

**THEORY FRAMEWORK**.............................................................................................27
DROP THE DEBATER [SHORT].................................................................................................................28
DROP THE DEBATER [GAME THEORY]....................................................................................................28
A2 Dropping the argument still deters....................................................................................30
DROP THE ARGUMENT............................................................................................................................31
A2 Deterrence.......................................................................................................................... 32
METATHEORY COMES FIRST..................................................................................................................34
METATHEORY DOESN’T COME FIRST.....................................................................................................35
A2 Skews judge’s evaluation.................................................................................................. 36
A2 Better norms....................................................................................................................... 37
COMPETING INTERPRETATIONS............................................................................................................38
REASONABILITY GOOD...........................................................................................................................39
Prefer reasonability – education/general reasons..................................................................40
Prefer reasonability – fairness reasons.................................................................................. 41
A2 Reasonability is arbitrary................................................................................................... 42
A2 Reasonability creates a race to the bottom..................................................................... 43
A2 Reasonability doesn’t set the best norms.........................................................................44
A2 Reasonability collapses into competing interps...............................................................45
A2 Risk of abuse...................................................................................................................... 46
A2 Competing Interps dump.................................................................................................... 47
RVI GOOD [AFF]....................................................................................................................................... 48
General..................................................................................................................................... 49
A2 You can run theory on me too so it’s reciprocal...............................................................50
A2 Don’t punish me for being fair............................................................................................51

INDEX
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

RVI GOOD [GENERAL]..............................................................................................................................52


RVI BAD....................................................................................................................................................53
General reasons....................................................................................................................... 54
Education reasons................................................................................................................... 55
A2 Time skew.......................................................................................................................... 56
A2 Your fault for initiating theory........................................................................................... 57
A2 Reciprocity......................................................................................................................... 58
A2 Minimize frivolous theory................................................................................................... 59
SPIKES OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................................60
SPIRIT > SEMANTICS...............................................................................................................................61
A2 Needs to be clear what the rule is.................................................................................... 62
A2 I don’t know whether I meet or not/judge intervention....................................................63
Rebuttal weighing.................................................................................................................... 64
**METATHEORY SHELLS**............................................................................................65
MULTIPLE THEORY SPIKES BAD............................................................................................................66
NEGATIVELY WORDED INTERPS GOOD..................................................................................................67
A2 You don’t tell me what I can do.........................................................................................68
RVI FOR NEG IF RVI FOR AFF..................................................................................................................69
Substantive reasons................................................................................................................ 70
**POLICY ARGUMENTS**...............................................................................................71
A-SPEC GOOD...........................................................................................................................................72
A-SPEC BAD............................................................................................................................................. 73
AFF ADVOCACY MUST HAVE A TEXT.....................................................................................................74
AFF ADVOCACY DOESN’T NEED A TEXT.................................................................................................75
AFF MUST RUN A PLAN IF THEY PARAMETRICIZE................................................................................76
AFF MAY PARAMETRICIZE W/O RUNNING A PLAN.................................................................................78
REFLEXIVE FIAT BAD..............................................................................................................................80
UTOPIAN FIAT GOOD...............................................................................................................................82
UTOPIAN FIAT BAD..................................................................................................................................84
ALTERNATE AGENT FIAT GOOD.............................................................................................................85
ALTERNATE AGENT FIAT BAD................................................................................................................87
INTERNATIONAL FIAT GOOD..................................................................................................................88
INTERNATIONAL FIAT BAD.....................................................................................................................90
DURABLE FIAT GOOD..............................................................................................................................92
MULTI-ACTOR FIAT BAD..........................................................................................................................96
OBJECT FIAT GOOD.................................................................................................................................98
OBJECT FIAT BAD................................................................................................................................. 100
PRIVATE ACTOR FIAT GOOD.................................................................................................................102
PRIVATE ACTOR FIAT BAD....................................................................................................................103
DELAY COUNTER-PLANS BAD...............................................................................................................104
CONSULT COUNTER-PLANS BAD..........................................................................................................106
TOPICAL COUNTER-PLANS GOOD.........................................................................................................108
TOPICAL COUNTER-PLANS BAD...........................................................................................................110

2
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

CONDITIONAL COUNTER-PLANS GOOD................................................................................................114


CONDITIONAL COUNTER-PLANS BAD...................................................................................................115
PICS GOOD.............................................................................................................................................117
PICS BAD [SOLVENCY ADVOCATE SHELL]...........................................................................................119
PICS BAD [GENERIC SHELL]..................................................................................................................121
WORD PICS BAD [GENERIC SHELL]......................................................................................................123
WORD PICS BAD [TEXTUAL COMPETITION].........................................................................................124
WORD PICS BAD.....................................................................................................................................126
Interp + standards frontlines.................................................................................................128
A2 Education answers........................................................................................................... 130
A2: Advocacy skills first........................................................................................................ 132
A2: Advocacy skills > fairness.............................................................................................. 133
A2: Drop the argument.......................................................................................................... 134
INTRINSIC PERMS BAD..........................................................................................................................135
SEVERANCE BAD...................................................................................................................................136

**KRITIKS**..................................................................................................................137
KRITIKS NEED AN ALT..........................................................................................................................138
KRITIK ALTS CANNOT BE REJECTION.................................................................................................139
KRITIKS NEED AN ALT TEXT................................................................................................................140
A2 CX checks......................................................................................................................... 142
KRITIKS CANNOT HAVE PRE-FIAT AND POST-FIAT IMPACTS.............................................................143
KRITIKS MUST SPECIFY A PLAUSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION.................................................................144
Frontlines............................................................................................................................... 147
1AR ALTS GOOD.................................................................................................................................... 149
PRE-FIAT ALTS BAD...............................................................................................................................150

**TRUTH-TESTING POSITIONS**.................................................................................152
MULTIPLE A PRIORIS BAD.....................................................................................................................153
ONE A PRIORI BAD.................................................................................................................................154
CONTINGENT STANDARDS BAD............................................................................................................155
CONTRADICTIONS BAD.........................................................................................................................156
EVALUATIVE INDICTS OF OWN FRAMEWORK BAD..............................................................................157
NIBS GOOD.............................................................................................................................................159
NIBS BAD............................................................................................................................................... 161
A2 You can run NIBs too....................................................................................................... 162
A2 Theory is also a NIB......................................................................................................... 163
A2 NIBs are real world.......................................................................................................... 164
SKEPTICISM BAD [EDUCATION – GENERAL]........................................................................................165
SKEPTICISM BAD [FAIRNESS – GENERAL]...........................................................................................166
SKEPTICISM BAD [TRIGGERS]..............................................................................................................168
SKEPTICISM BAD [UNDER A FRAMEWORK]..........................................................................................170
A2 I meets.............................................................................................................................. 171
A2 Skep is not a NIB.............................................................................................................. 172
A2 You can run it too............................................................................................................. 173

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THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

A2 Theory is also a NIB......................................................................................................... 174


A2 Reasonability.................................................................................................................... 175
A2 Philosophy Education....................................................................................................... 176
A2 Skep precedes theory...................................................................................................... 177
A2 Skep can be true and the judge can still have an obligation to vote on it....................179
A2 You can garner offense off of presumption arguments..................................................180
**MISCELLANEOUS**...................................................................................................181
ACTIVIST POSITIONS BAD....................................................................................................................182
AFFIRMATIVE FRAMEWORK CHOICE (AFC) BAD..................................................................................183
A2 Solves time skew............................................................................................................. 185
A2 Neg can read preclusive frameworks..............................................................................186
A2 Neg can pick and choose.................................................................................................187
A2 AFC as long as framework is fair.....................................................................................188
A2 Learn how to debate under multiple frameworks...........................................................189
A2 Better topical education.................................................................................................. 190
A2 Some people wouldn’t run it so it’s not that bad............................................................191
PERFORMANCE KRITIKS/ NARRATIVES BAD........................................................................................192
COUNTERFACTUALS BAD.....................................................................................................................195
DISCLOSURE NOT NECESSARY............................................................................................................196
DISCLOSURE BAD..................................................................................................................................198
MISCUT EVIDENCE BAD........................................................................................................................201
STRAIGHT REF OKAY/ NEG MAY CONCEDE AFF FW............................................................................202
A2 Strat Skew........................................................................................................................ 203
A2 Philosophy education....................................................................................................... 204
TWO VIOLATION TRIGGERS PERMISSIBILTY BAD...............................................................................205
A2 KRITIK OF THEORY..........................................................................................................................207
A2 Discursive kritiks of theory (Butler, Delgado, etc.).........................................................208
A2 Only tournament rules are valid...................................................................................... 209
A2 Only judge can create rules............................................................................................. 210
A2 Theory sucks discursively and it disadvantages kid who can’t go to debate camp.....211
A2 Polarizes the community by creating different hostile camps and prevents norm
creation.................................................................................................................................. 212
A2 KRITIK OF TOPICALITY....................................................................................................................213
A2 Bleiker/Hirsch (exclude minority voices)........................................................................214
A2 Derrida.............................................................................................................................. 215
A2 We need to protect discourse..........................................................................................216
A2 Topicality non-falsifiable..................................................................................................217
A2 Topicality is non-topical...................................................................................................218
A2 No way to look to the best definition..............................................................................219
A2 Drop my opponent because they read a sheet of paper.................................................220
**THEORY – SPIKES (MODULAR FILE)**......................................................................221

4
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

**AFF**..........................................................................................................................222
PRESUME AFF........................................................................................................................................223
RVIS........................................................................................................................................................224
COMPARATIVE WORLDS........................................................................................................................225
REASONABLE AFF INTERPS..................................................................................................................226
NEG MUST DEFEND SQUO.....................................................................................................................227
NEG MUST DEFEND CONVERSE............................................................................................................228
NEG MUST NOT DEFEND CONVERSE....................................................................................................229
NO NEG COUNTERPLANS......................................................................................................................230
NO REZ K’S............................................................................................................................................ 231
AFF ETHICAL FRAMEWORK CHOICE.....................................................................................................232
ROLEPLAYING GOOD.............................................................................................................................233
REASONABILITY....................................................................................................................................234
CX CHECKS............................................................................................................................................235

**NEG**.........................................................................................................................236
SPIKES OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................237
A2 CX CHECKS.......................................................................................................................................238
A2 RVI.................................................................................................................................................... 239
PRESUME NEG - STRUCTURAL.............................................................................................................240
PRESUME NEG - SUBSTANTIVE............................................................................................................241
A2 AFF TIME SKEW................................................................................................................................242

**THEORY SHELL GENERATOR**................................................................................243


A) INTERPRETATION.............................................................................................................................244
B) VIOLATION........................................................................................................................................ 244
C) STANDARDS/REASONS TO PREFER..................................................................................................245
D) Voter..................................................................................................................................................246

5
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

**VOTERS**

6
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

DEEP LEARNING

Deep learning re-organizes values by rigorously comparing them, leading to practical


problem solving skills that transcend any individual situation. Portable knowledge
outweighs. LOMBARDO:

Tom Lombardo [Professor Emeritus, Director of Center for Future Consciousness] – Ethical Character
Development and Personal and Academic Excellence. 2011. Center for Future Consciousness.
Accessed through the Wisdom Page. “Deep learning involves… associated with wisdom (Bransford,
Brown, and Cocking, 2000; Lombardo, 2006c).”

Deep learning involves getting the big picture—a synthesized and comprehensive
understanding of a domain of study, rather than simple surface learning of a set of
disconnected facts. Whereas surface learning never penetrates to the core ideas of a
learner, deep learning penetrates and affects the learner’s fundamental values and beliefs. Deep learning

involves [through] conceptual re-organization; in surface learning nothing of importance in the learner’s mind changes. Deep

learning is carried into the future and affect[ing]s decisions and problem solving; deep learning transfers from the

original learning situation to new situations. Surface learning is the opposite—it doesn’t transfer. Deep learning empowers the individual.
Deep learning is achieved through thinking about the subject matter; surface learning involves rote memorization. In fact, deep learning means that a person

can think about the new ideas learned and can think with these ideas— [so] the new knowledge becomes operational; it is
active and useable knowledge. Surface learning is inert, floating on the surface of the mind, and a person’s thinking processes and problem
solving do not incorporate the new knowledge. Hence, deep learning creates practical knowledge —

knowledge that can be used—whereas surface learning is the accumulation of trivia. Deep learning also
connects with self-awareness, reflection, and meta-cognition: when individuals engage in deep learning, they think about their own thinking processes and

beliefs. Surface learning occurs without self-reflection. Finally, deep learning is usually associated with an intrinsic motivation to learn
and the associated emotional affect is positive. Surface learning is extrinsically motivated (e.g., to pass a test) and the associated emotional affect is
frequently negative, involving anxiety, fear, and stress. Deep learning is an active and exhilarating process; surface learning is more passive and often felt as
mere drudgery. All these qualities of deep learning apply to the type of knowledge associated with wisdom (Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, 2000; Lombardo,
2006c).

The evaluation of these arguments is the same as the evaluation of any other theory
voter. I am just contextualizing what type of education is most valuable.

[Thus, fairness is not the most important.]

7
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

EDUCATION [GENERIC]

1. The only lasting benefit from debate is education. It is the reason why many
people join the event, so assuring it isn’t destroyed is key.
2. Schools are funded by educational programs, so it is only logical that the event
stays educational.
3. Education is inherently important to debate because it gives debaters skills
that can be utilized outside of rounds. Strait and Wallace explain,

L. Paul Strait (George Mason University) and Brett Wallace (George Washington University). “The Scope of Negative
Fiat and the Logic of Decision Making.” WFU Debater’s Research Guide.2007.

Education is the most important thing any debater will receive from the
activity. Regardless of rounds won or lost, knowledge gained from years of
researching and arguing about different issues will give individuals a great
deal of information. Debate also educates students about how to properly
construct arguments, how to speak in public, how to analyze arguments and
quickly think of substantive responses, all of which are tools that can be
applied in any aspect of life outside of debate. The more debaters who think they can win
rounds by avoiding the topic, the less educational value received in each round and in the activity as a whole.

Education is more important than Fairness because: [SEE FULL FILE]

8
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

**THEORY FRAMEWORK**

9
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

DROP THE DEBATER [GAME THEORY]

Game theory models show that punishment creates a fairer game overall, especially
when replicated.

H. Brandt, C. Hauert, and K. Sigmund. "Punishment and Reputation in Spatial Public Goods Games." Proceedings of the Royal
Society of London - Biological Sciences. 2003. 270 (1099-1104).

The previous scenarios assumed players operating under full anonymity. However, in more realistic scenarios relating to higher organisms and in particular to
humans, players may accumulate information about their environment and specifically about potential future interaction partners. Similar to the conditioning of

player[s] may then condition his cooperative effort on the punishing


the punishment activity, each

behaviour of his fellows in other interactions. In particular, [A] cooperator who knows he is matched with
two non-punishers could be tempted to take advantage of the situation by temporarily switching to defection

without having to fear punishment. In that sense, all players carry some sort of
reputation reflecting their strategic character. Through observations of third-party interactions and gossip, a
player’s reputation may become known to others. Therefore, we assume that, with a probability m, a cooperator learns about the punishing behaviour of its co-
players and at the same time succumbs to the temptation when faced with two non-punishers. In well-mixed populations with random encounters, reputation

can promote and stabilize the social strategy G1 (Sigmund et al. 2001; Hauert et al. 2003). A complementary case occurs if, with a probability n,

defectors who learn that they are up against [will be] punishe[d]rs are sufficiently intimidated and
cooperate. We shall not consider this effect here, because it turns out to be less important. For m > 0, interactions between G1 and G4 are no longer
neutral. Indeed, G4 performs worse because any G1 or G4 player matched with two G4 players will occasionally defect and this lowers the overall score of G4
players. Reputation preserves the bistability introduced by punishment and further increases the range of r feasible for cooperation by slightly lowering the
threshold to rc < 1.25 (see figure 3). As before, the paradoxical G2 strategy quickly vanishes and, for r in the vicinity of rc, the time evolution sensitively depends
on the initial configuration, i.e. on the presence of a sufficiently large G1 cluster. Actually, the value of rc is essentially determined by the performance of G1
against G3 . Reputation strengthens the position of G1 because these players now occasionally refrain from cooperation when matched with two G3s. In

Reputation clearly [ensures] promotes the


contrast to these minor changes near rc, significant changes are observed for higher r.

social strategy G1 and reduces the mild players to a small minority, so that invading defectors are reliably punished
and quickly eliminated.

Prefer this argument for four reasons: [SEE FULL FILE]

10
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

RVI GOOD [GENERAL]

Short version: If I win offensive reasons for why I’m winning theory I should win the
round - not because I’m following the rules but rather that a) I’m advancing the best
interpretation for debate and b) I was forced to waste my time engaging the theory
debate instead of defending my offense. Theory cannot be a no risk issue for
debaters or they would simply run it to waste their opponent’s time and always have
a structural advantage in that they could not lose on it. The structure of competing
interpretations necessarily demands that theory be a time suck, even if they didn’t
intend it.

Shell:

A. Interpretation: If debaters run theory and I meet the interpretation or gain offense
on theory then I should win the round.

B. I meet.

C. Standards.

[SEE FULL FILE]

11
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

**POLICY ARGUMENTS**

12
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

50 STATE COUNTERPLAN GOOD

A. Counter-interpretation: If the affirmative debater fiats that the USFG do the


resolutional action, the negative debater may fiat that the 50 states do the
resolutional action as opposed to the USFG

B. I meet.

C. Standards:

1. Real world applicability:

The current political tides are shifting towards state rights. It is more realistic to
consider policy implementation through the lens of individual state implementation
rather than federal implementation. The United Press International illustrates this
with the example of the Supreme Court,

UPI - 2011,
Supreme Court Sets New Federalism Boundary, June 16
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/06/16/Supreme-Court-sets-new-federalism-
boundary/UPI-45321308241642/?spt=hs&or=tn

The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday ruled unanimously a defendant can use state
sovereignty to challenge a federal conviction when it involves her own rights .
When Carol Anne Bond, of the Philadelphia area, found out her close friend was pregnant by Bond's boyfriend, she began harassing the woman, court records
say. The other woman suffered a minor burn when Bond put caustic substances on objects the woman was likely to touch. Bond was indicted under a federal
law that bans "knowing possession or use, for non-peaceful purposes, of a chemical that 'can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to
humans'" -- part of a federal act implementing a chemical weapons treaty ratified by the United States." A federal judge refused Bond's motion to dismiss the
federal charges on the grounds that the statute exceeded Congress' constitutional authority. Bond entered a "conditional" guilty plea, reserving the right to

Supreme Court, in
appeal.A federal appeals court in Philadelphia rejected Bond's 10th Amendment claim, saying she had no standing. But the

a unanimous opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, said [the defendant]


Bond "ha[d]s standing to challenge the federal statute on grounds that the

measure interferes with the powers reserved to states. ... (A lawyer appointed to defend the law, once
the administration withdrew) contends that for Bond to argue the national government has interfered with

state sovereignty in violation of the 10th Amendment is to assert only a state's


legal rights and interests. But in arguing that the government has acted in
excess of the authority that federalism defines, Bond seeks to vindicate her
own constitutional interests."

13
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

Real world applicability is key to civic education because it ensures we


contextualize our policy making to how we can realistically participate in politics and
express our voices. This is also key to education derived from critical thinking
because learning about politics forces us to consider the best ways to pursue the
passage of plans.

2. Turn ground:

Multi-state fiat increases aff turn ground by providing the aff with fifty unique places
to turn. Each state would implement the policy individually so there would be greater
opportunities to generate offense. Federal government fiat is uniform and does not
provide these opportunities. This is key to fairness because my interpretation
provides the aff with a huge opportunity to counter-act the aff time disadvantage and
gain new sources of offense to win. Turn ground is also key to education because
debating about all of the different problems with state implementation of policies
forces us to consider how we can participate in state politics and if state
implementation vs. federal implementation is preferable.

**TRUTH-TESTING POSITIONS**

14
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

NIBS BAD

A. Interpretation: Both debaters may only derive offense that proves the truth or
falsity of resolution from a sufficient standard that they advocate or their opponents’
standard. A standard is defined as an ethical theory that can speak to the truth and
falsity of all normative statements without the use of an external decision calculus.
This means no necessary but insufficient burdens.

B. Violation:

C. Standards:

1. Resolvability: Multiple NIBs make the debate irresolvable. If each debater wins
one, you can’t compare the two and they are both a priori reasons to vote, so
there is no link to a decision calculus. Truth is not a decision calculus unless
discussed within a framework, since statements can’t be “a priori” true or false
in a vacuum. Resolvability is the strongest impact back to fairness because
without it, there IS no way to make a decision.

2. Reciprocity: His arguments aren’t quantitatively reciprocal because I have to


win each one decisively before the case debate even matters and they aren’t
qualitatively reciprocal since I can’t turn them, for the converse of the
statement that the resolution is nonsensical is that it is logical, which isn’t
sufficient for me to win. Each NIB gives him a 3 to 1 advantage since he can
win the case, win the NIB, or win both. Reciprocity maintains equal avenues to
access the ballot.

3. [A2 Skep] Ground: To beat his arg, I need 100% defense since there’s no way to
turn “morality doesn’t exist” in a way that would a priori affirm. He’ll always
have a risk of offense since all I can do is play defense, he’ll ALWAYS win.

15
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

A2 YOU CAN RUN NIBS TOO

1. Aff undermining an assumption of negating doesn’t mean you affirm, so NIBs on


the neg are nonsensical.
2. Neg would run theory if I had a prioris or NIBs in the AC, so telling me I could
have been retroactively unfair doesn’t make any sense.
3. Aff can’t anticipate a prioris since they don’t link to the aff standard, whereas
neg can react to them if they’re in the AC, so the abuse is more severe in the
neg world.

16
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

A2 THEORY IS ALSO A NIB

1. [Explain how the interp is specific to substantive offense and why that solves]
2. Arguing for RVIs on theory solves whereas nothing solves against substantive
NIBs since I can’t change the rules of logic to make it no longer insufficient.
3. It’s not my fault. Theory is self-inflicted since they’re the ones being abusive.
4. Theory is evaluated prior to substance, so it doesn’t have to function in the
same way.
5. Theory is reciprocal since both sides have the burden to be fair.

17
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

A2 NIBS ARE REAL WORLD

[The first answer answers non-normative NIBs like skep]

1. The only NIBs that are real world are normative NIBs like deontological and
constitutional constraints. However, these are not unfair because they’re turn-
able insofar as they are normative [you can link turn them or impact turn them].
You can’t turn skep into an offensive reason to vote for you. Non-normative
NIBs like the existence of morality are unfair because of this AND are not real
world because we don't presuppose any metaphysical reality to morality [or
justice, or numbers, etc.] in the real world.
2. In the real world, those concerns are still out-weighable. For example, we can
say that we have to violate a constitutional right to prevent nuclear war. The
way his/her NIB is being articulated isn’t real world because he/she phrases it
as not weighable.

18
THE VALUE CRITERION
THEORY MASTER TOOLBOX

SKEPTICISM BAD [FAIRNESS – GENERAL]

A. Interpretation: Both debaters must concede that some actions are objectively
normatively preferable to others except in cases of presumption.

OR

A. Interpretation: If the aff concedes that some actions are objectively normatively
preferable to others except in cases of presumption, the neg must concede the same.

OR

A. Interpretation: Debaters may not run skepticism if the implication is that nothing is
morally preferable to anything else.

B. Violation:

C. Standards:

1. Strategy skew:

a. Aff offense doesn’t interact because it’s a generic indict independent of specific
arguments I make that functions externally to the framework, forcing a 1AR
restart. Thus, neg has a 13/7 advantage and it’s a no risk issue so I can’t even
strategically use what little time I have left. Skep is also functionally a pic out
of the resolution’s evaluative term, which kills my strat because there are _
words in the resolution that I have to defend whereas I can’t pic out of his
advocacy, giving him a _ to 1 advantage. Just getting rid of the argument
exacerbates the abuse by incentivizing the neg to sit down on substance when
I’ve already lost time. Other impacts don’t matter if I can’t engage in arguments
in the first place because my arguments would be less developed simply as a
function of a lack of time.

[SEE FULL FILE]

19

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