The Art of Debate

by Jarrod Atchison

11 hours and 43 minutes

If you're like many people, you might associate debate with a high school or college club, or perhaps a TV political debate that features two or more candidates talking over each other. But if these are your only associations with debating, you're missing out on an exhilarating intellectual pursuit that can help you in all aspects of your daily life. The ability to debate - to present persuasive arguments, pierce the logic of others, and turn the tables against withering cross-examinations - is one of the truest tests of one's intellectual capacity.

The Art of Debate offers you the ultimate how-to guide for anyone interested in learning this powerful skill. Taught by acclaimed Professor Jarrod Atchison of Wake Forest University, these 24 stimulating lectures will help you develop your command of logic, construct clear and concise arguments, recognize the fallacies in others' reasoning, and sharpen your strategic thinking skills. Through a series of well-structured lectures that proceed logically through each formal element of a debate, Professor Atchison shows you how to build and defend an argument, sharpening your critical thinking skills so that you come away from the course well prepared for any kind of debate.

While Professor Atchison provides you an abundance of insight into the formal elements of debate, the focus of this course is on applied debating - developing skills that you can apply to the real world to help you think through complex issues and arrive at better decisions. Imagine you are a manager faced with a difficult dilemma: should you repair some of your manufacturing equipment, or invest in new equipment? What do you do?

Whether you are trying to make a tough business decision or lead a lively discussion at the dinner table, this course will elevate your strategic thinking, providing insight not only into how to win arguments, but how to present ideas more generally.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Audiobook, Self Help

12 pages, Audible Audio

Published March 3, 2017

Reviews

[Titus Hjelm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a complete miss for me. I thought I was buying a course on argumentation, but ended up listening to hours of formal debate competition rules and techniques--something completely alien to most Europeans. Some of it was interesting, but the real life applications were limited to business coaching. Indeed, at times the course sounded like a hyper-extended ad for the speaker's consultancy.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It kept a good balance of practical debate (when the goal is better decision making) and competitive debate (how to win a debate, when winning is the sole focus). The pace changes throughout the lectures, but the author does a good job of repeating the key ideas so I could catch up.

Side note: I noticed in some of the audible reviews that people were frustrated that the author was taking a side. Ironically, some said he was too liberal, while others were too conservative. I actually really appreciated the exposure to competing views on somewhat controversial topics. And I personally couldn't find a bias one way or the other.

PS. Full disclosure-- I'm the author's younger brother, so I'm pretty biased here.

[Elwin Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun Great Course.

My wife and I actually do this quite often at the breakfast table, in which we discuss controversial topics such as white privilege, employment decisions based on sex or race (hiring a X, over someone who is more qualified), gun rights, religious debate, etc. etc.. We don't always agree and I enjoy the back and forth, attacking ideas and not the person and at the end of the day respecting each other. Of course in my mind I am always right and win, that goes both ways though I am sure, ha.

This book breaks down these types of intellectually stimulating discussions in the form of actual collegic debate competition way of thinking.

Big takeaways I've learned is my way is the one who goes for the kill with empirical data... aka statistics. I always question the ethics of the study, who funded it, how the control groups were selected, and the integrity and ethical reporting of the overall numbers. It is absolutely common practice to manipulate a study to be expressed in the form of a graph, chart, or percentage towards the favor and/or agenda of a particular point of view.

This Great Course also highlighted my debate style favoring the narrative approach, where I utilize historic examples, analogies, making alignments through short stories to drive my point home with the subject at hand. Apparently according to the author this is the most effective path, but care must be taken to not lose the judge/audience with getting off track or being too long winded and/or failure to deliver an effective punch line at the end.

Very, very enjoyable Great Course. I couldn't quite give it a 5/5, but I would say a rock solid 4 to 4.5.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are an excellent set of lectures giving principles and examples of how to deploy evidence in order to persuade. Too often we think the data just speaks for itself. I appreciated the idea of how to listen and take notes for flow of arguments and want to try it out. I also enjoyed the final chapter that responsibly instructs how to not become the annoyingly argumentative loudmouth at social functions after learning the mechanics of these techniques.

[Adam Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

I went into this looking forward to a lecture series on the art of debate. Instead I found a progressive propaganda course on how to argue against Republican/Conservative ideals. Every example had the right’s arguments in the negative, and the progressive arguments in the positive. It really was sad to hear the “professor” so proud of himself that he’s crafted the impenetrable arguments to defeat the facts that the right brings up. Don’t waste your time if you want to learn how to debate.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on debate. The author discusses how to create and to refute arguments. The only thing I disliked was that he felt it necessary to orient the book to people in the business world. I found that a major distraction!

[John Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series of lectures that steps through the process of debate. Very well done but too much information to absorb it in one listen.
Rule is if I will listen again, it deserves 5 stars.

[Amber Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting lectures. I would always like to see more examples of the format and techniques using different topics. I also appreciated the section about 'debating' outside formal settings.

[Sally Kintz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good. I think I need to listen to it a few times before it really sinks in, but I've already added some tools to my thinking process when debating or discussing an idea.

[Joseph L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watch a detailed review along with my favorite ideas and takeaways at:
https://youtu.be/rS62g6PTcTs

[Mike Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only take the course. If you are using it for good and not for bad things.

If you liked debate classes in high school/College this is a course for you.

[Michael Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably too much for most readers, but highlights the science behind debating

[Petr Meissner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helps to prepare for an important debate
How to create arguments, structure the debate and fight opponent's fallacies to persuade an audience to adopt your point of view.
Kind of systematic approach that helps when the debating parties respect at least basic rules: a topic to debate and equal time to talk.
The biggest value is it helps to prepare a strategy and potential reactions to typical situations that happen in the debate.

[AttackGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Presentation. I read it last year but needed a reminder. I watched the Great Courses Plus on The Art of Debate and appreciated the examples and walk through processes. I now wonder if my school had a debate class which I wish now I could go back and take. I would love to see free- return to high school courses offered for all the ones I never got a chance or had an understanding to take. Instead it was only the counselors who set my path and now just like my desire for maths, chemistry, debate, etc...
So books lIke this I completely enjoy and imagine a more extensive program available. I will go look. Meanwhile I recommend this reading so people can discuss things politely and openly without personal attacks to help us all understand different points of view for surely doesn’t that help us all grow.

[Devin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, as an individual who has used similar communication skills in selling, and fundraising these lectures were very informative in ways to become an even more successful person. I discovered that I already use some of these skills, but I learned many new ones as well - and the terms for communication skills I already practice. These lectures will be reviewed many times over the course of my life. Thank you for your contribution.