How well debate works in practice depends on the audience. If the audience have good epistemology, why would they be fooled by cheap tricks?
Debate is part of our best epistemological practices. Science is based on empiricism and a bunch of other things, including debate. If someone publishes a paper, and someone
else responds with a critical paper ,arguing the opposite view, that’s a debate. And one that’s judged by a sophisticated audience.
You have an objection to the rule that debaters should only argue one side. One sidedness is a bad thing for individual rationality, but debate isn’t individual rationality...it involves at least two, and often an audience. Each of two debaters will hear the other side:s view, and the audience will hear both.
Representatives in a trial are required to argue from one side only. This is not considered inimical to truth seeking, because it is the court that is seeking the truth, as a whole. If you create a “shoulder” prosecutor and defender to argue each side of a question, is that not rationality?
How well debate works in practice depends on the audience. If the audience have good epistemology, why would they be fooled by cheap tricks?
Debate is part of our best epistemological practices. Science is based on empiricism and a bunch of other things, including debate. If someone publishes a paper, and someone else responds with a critical paper ,arguing the opposite view, that’s a debate. And one that’s judged by a sophisticated audience.
You have an objection to the rule that debaters should only argue one side. One sidedness is a bad thing for individual rationality, but debate isn’t individual rationality...it involves at least two, and often an audience. Each of two debaters will hear the other side:s view, and the audience will hear both.
Representatives in a trial are required to argue from one side only. This is not considered inimical to truth seeking, because it is the court that is seeking the truth, as a whole. If you create a “shoulder” prosecutor and defender to argue each side of a question, is that not rationality?