Caltech Debate Society

First, we seek a diversity of opinion. We believe that the best way of understanding our own opinions and understanding and persuading others is by listening, questioning, and responding. Toward this end, we believe it is best to invite and engage with as many different opinions as possible. No matter where you stand on any given issue, we invite you to join and participate!

Second, we believe in the importance of respect. Respect isn't fearfulness of engaging with those who we might not agree with (or who might not agree with us), but rather the process by which a participant is free to state their opinions, perspectives, or questions while taking upon themselves the responsibility of listening to other participants in kind. If a given conversation devolves away from respect and civility, a moderator will be on-hand to guide the conversation back to a productive exchange with the goal of continuing, not squelching, the conversation.

Third, we are committed to using this group as a means for members to practice the art of argumentation. Toward this end, we abide by longstanding "Chatham House Rules," which are a standard used to create a "trusted environment to understand and resolve complex problems." Stated simply, "when a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed." More information may be found at https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/chatham-house-rule.

With these guidelines in place, we believe it will be possible to develop a civil discourse where individuals can explore complex issues and gain a substantive understanding of their own and others' points of view.