I was doing some web surfing today and came across something called Intelligence Squared. It is important to keep in mind that there is intelligencesquaredus.org and intelligencesquared.com . The first website is the U.S. version. This is what their website says:
| IQ2US marks the launch of Oxford-style debating — one motion, one moderator, two to three advocates for the motion, two to three against — in New York City. Each evening begins at 6:00P with a complimentary wine reception. Before the debate starts, you cast your vote for or against the evening’s motion. Those results are displayed midway through the debate as each side makes its statements. After the panelists’ opening remarks, the audience has a chance to ask the speakers questions. The question-and-answer period is followed by brief summations from the panelists and a final audience vote. The votes are then tallied and a winning side is declared. |
The Program: A series of ten provocative and informative live debates, five in the fall, five in the spring, on the hot-button concerns of the day. Distributed nationally by NPR®, National Public Radio®, the programs reach a wide audience and attract as speakers the top experts, specialists and passionate advocates for both sides of each issue.
The Goal: To raise the level of public discourse on our most challenging issues. To provide a new forum for intelligent discussion, grounded in facts and informed by reasoned analysis. To transcend the toxically emotional and the reflexively ideological. To encourage recognition that the opposing side has intellectually respectable views. To engage the live audience as active participants who will ask questions and decide which speakers have carried the day by voting on the motions both before and after the debate.
The Approach: To take the traditional “grammar” of Oxford-style debate seriously, with one side proposing and the other side opposing a sharply-framed motion. Leading thinkers and authorities on the issues argue on each side of the motion. After the formal arguments, the debate is thrown open to the floor for questions, triggering a lively interchange among the speakers and audience members. A moderator keeps the proceedings orderly. Each side attempts to persuade the audience to vote their way. This adversarial context is electric, adding drama and excitement. The live audience will vote on the motion both before and after hearing the arguments, so there is a clear measure of how far people have actually been swayed.
The Where and When: The debates are held at Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, New York University, located at 566 LaGuardia Place (at Washington Square South). Evenings begin at 6:00 p.m. with an aperitif on us; the debate begins at 6:45 p.m. and ends promptly at 8:30 p.m. The live audience, including leaders of New York’s media, policy, and business worlds, often choose to continue the discussion at some of the fine local restaurants.
The Background: IQ2US is an initiative of The Rosenkranz Foundation. Building on a sold-out inaugural season last year, IQ2US is based on the highly successful debate program, Intelligence Squared, which began in 2002 in London. It is the brainchild of John Gordon, media entrepreneur, and Jeremy O’Grady, editor-in-chief of The Week. On both sides of the Atlantic, Intelligence Squared attracts a sell-out crowd of opinion leaders to each event
The second website is for the original idea of Intelligence Squared. It takes place in England. It seems like a great way to get information rather than listening to the news every night. I recommend watching the debate about catholicism on the England website.
If you don’t want to watch the videos, you can listen to it on the npr website.
Here are some videos from the US: Do guns reduce crime? Obviously this topic is near and dear to my heart since I’m studying criminology. Check out an intelligent debate below.
