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Feb 20, 2023Liked by Eddie Speir

Thank you ! Expertly described and definitely important . Formal Debate has essentially ceased to exist on any level except well regarded teams in both high schools and colleges nationally. Such a debate team should be encouraged to exist in all Florida high schools as well as of course colleges. New College with its population always scoring in the top percentiles on standardized tests could put those quick minds to the test were they trained in presenting one side or the other in formal debate situations. Tarpon Springs high school in the 1990’s had a nationally ranked debate team. I have no idea if this part of the canon of greatness has survived the Woke Revolution that cancels by design perceiving the point of view of an opposing theory. Therefore yes, bring true debate to New College.

Debate is a well traversed form of discussion - much like Castiglione’s “The Book of the Courtier” which teaches the art of conversation as a graceful exchange of perspectives, or perhaps the study of the childhood and youth of Niels Bohr ( where he heard brilliant discussions from a variety of perspectives) - such unappreciated awareness of speech as style could have an immense influence on youth allowing the most brilliant of youth ( the type scoring high on SAT tests like New College students ) to recognize and acquire methodologies preventing life inside a lonely, Cyclopian cave which echoes only the voice of untrained, narcissistic selfishness - their own.

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You do know who Socrates is, right? Arrested by authoritative citizens of Athens on trumped-up charges of corrupting the youth? There is a specific kind of irony called Socratic Irony.

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Missed the board meeting. Did they pass this?

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Why are you intent on budgeting so much for speaking fees and Corcoran’s golden parachute when B Dorm has leaded water?

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