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here - College of Arts & Sciences - Bethel University

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Whitsitt, Travis<br />

The Colorado <strong>College</strong><br />

Background <strong>of</strong> the critic:<br />

I did 4 years <strong>of</strong> parli at Colorado <strong>College</strong>, 3 years under Bonnie Stapleton and my senior<br />

year under Chris Shaw.<br />

Approach <strong>of</strong> the critic to decision-making (for example, ad<strong>here</strong>nce to the trichotomy,<br />

stock-issues, policymaker, tabula rasa, etc.):<br />

I view debate as a competitive game, nothing more. The game does have certain rules,<br />

but I will listen to arguments about why those rules are illegitimate if you care to present<br />

them. I will vote on anything as long as you give me clear reasons why I should.<br />

I hate to say I have zero tolerance for anything, but I will have a lot <strong>of</strong> trouble evaluating<br />

a fact debate. Unless you can provide me with a co<strong>here</strong>nt framework for evaluating such<br />

a debate, I think fact debates default to counting examples or warrants, which is not a<br />

productive use <strong>of</strong> anyone's time. However, if you think you have the fact framework that<br />

is objective and usable, then feel free.<br />

Relative importance <strong>of</strong> presentation/communication skills to the critic in decision-making<br />

:<br />

I try to stick to the flow. If someone tells me the sky is green, I treat it as gospel until you<br />

tell me something else. I think I'm pretty good, but I'll yell "clear" if I can't understand<br />

you.<br />

Relative importance <strong>of</strong> on-case argumentation to the critic in decision-making:<br />

For the love, though, weigh impacts. Really. Please. Otherwise, I do it for you, and<br />

someone gets very angry that I didn't do it their way.<br />

Have fun, be rude or cordial, I don't care. Just win and be smart.<br />

Openness to critical/performative styles <strong>of</strong> debating:<br />

My conservative politics will not play into my evaluation <strong>of</strong> your arguments, so run<br />

whatever you like. I will be pleased if you bother to warrant leftist arguments rather than<br />

assuming their intuitive truth like you can with many judges, but I won't punish you for<br />

not doing so (unless, <strong>of</strong> course, your lack <strong>of</strong> warrants allows the other team to beat your<br />

arguments).<br />

Any additional comments:<br />

193

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