Replying to Debates

[winstonjen]

I was wondering if replying too soon to an opponent's response could be seen as condescending, especially when they do not reply for about a week. Even if I finish typing my response in, say, an hour, should I save the document and post it a few days later out of respect?

[KnightWhoSaysNi]

Originally posted by winstonjen
I was wondering if replying too soon to an opponent's response could be seen as condescending, especially when they do not reply for about a week. Even if I finish typing my response in, say, an hour, should I save the document and post it a few days later out of respect?

Within the rules, I think it's pretty much fair game when you feel like responding. As long as your next response is within the agreed duration then I don't see any problem, even if a response is made a few hours after his/her opponent goes. Though I can't speak for Tom, so he might feel a bit differently about it.

Jason

[winstonjen]

Originally posted by Nightshade
Within the rules, I think it's pretty much fair game when you feel like responding. As long as your next response is within the agreed duration then I don't see any problem, even if a response is made a few hours after his/her opponent goes. Though I can't speak for Tom, so he might feel a bit differently about it.

Jason

Yeah, but could it be seen as a sign of disrespect (not just to Tom, but anyone in general) if I don't spend the time to think through my response? Regardless of the quality, it could be seen as condescending.

[Silent Dave]

I've read a couple debates where there was a "cool down" period between statements -- that is, each participant had to wait a minimum of, say, six hours after reading his opponent's statement to submit his own. So far as I could tell, this rule did not affect the quality of debate either way.

I agree with Jason. If you feel that you can submit a satisfactory statement so soon after your opponent's, then do so. The same thing happened with me a couple years ago, with a Christian who argued the existence of God, and my performance did not suffer. I simply had no problem answering the other guy's arguments, and everyone who has read the debate agrees that I won it (everyone but the other guy, that is ;)).


Dave

[winstonjen]

Originally posted by Silent Dave
I agree with Jason. If you feel that you can submit a satisfactory statement so soon after your opponent's, then do so. The same thing happened with me a couple years ago, with a Christian who argued the existence of God, and my performance did not suffer. I simply had no problem answering the other guy's arguments, and everyone who has read the debate agrees that I won it (everyone but the other guy, that is ;)).


Dave

Yeah, I suppose. I guess it would have been a case of being exposed to the same arguments so often in the past. Am I correct? That would be the case for me. Then again, I think I used arguments that refute any opposing argument. ;)

[wiploc]

Originally posted by winstonjen
Even if I finish typing my response in, say, an hour, should I save the document and post it a few days later out of respect?

Faster is better. We have long deadlines in case we can't do replies quickly, not because anybody wants the replys to be delayed.
crc

[winstonjen]

Originally posted by wiploc
Faster is better. We have long deadlines in case we can't do replies quickly, not because anybody wants the replys to be delayed.
crc

Cool. I was wondering because my opponent for the euthanasia debate was quite busy, and by replying quickly, I might have made him feel rushed to reply.