Mezacapa,+Victor

Name: Victor A. Mezacapa IV Affiliation: University School (OH)


 * Biography**: I debated Lincoln-Douglas for University School from 2011 - 2014, when I graduated. I was coached by James Lewis and Peter Paik, who formed my opinions on how Lincoln-Douglas ought to be debated. I now study Classical Languages & Literatures at Harvard College in Cambridge, MA. I also study history and political philosophy.


 * Judgment**: You will persuade me from the top down. Establish first what I care about in the debate by means of winning the framework arguments. That means you prove that something matters, morally, not that something is the case in the world. Then, make arguments about the world in the contentions. That means you tell me why your side of the debate better serves what we care about, namely the value. In short, I want debaters to write my reason for decision in their case and rebuttals: in everything you say, you should construct (little by little) an answer to the yes-or-no question corresponding to the resolution. Any argument which dodges that question, or takes issue with it in some way, shirks the burden you have as a debater in the round. Any argument which may be clever or interesting, or which I otherwise enjoy hearing, but which does not import to the question essential to the round, will not help you win. (Although it might earn you a high speaker-point loss, if you like to collect those.) Any argument which does concern that question, as it is viewed through the framework established, will help decide a winner.