What is Parliamentary Debate?
According to dictionary.com, the verb, ‘to debate’ means “to engage in argument by discussing opposing points.” Within the context of this definition, academic debate reigns supreme within the hallowed confines of Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus. From CC to Quantum Mechanics, Columbia academics debate a variety of pertinent issues each day of their intellectual lives. Naturally, arising from this community of thoughtful academic discourse, has come a variety of debating teams. These teams and organizations standardize the rules of debate and allow for intercollegiate competition. Our team competes in three forms of debate: American, Canadian and British Parliamentary styles. Tournaments sanctioned by the American Parliamentary Debate Association use our national style. Parliamentary debate is an off-topic, extemporaneous form of competitive debate which stresses rigorous argumentation, logical analysis, quick thinking, breadth of knowledge, and rhetorical ability over preparation
