Mohamed,+Zachary

Zachary Mohamed Edgemont 2016 Harvard 2020

Edited February 2017

I don't have strong ideological preferences and I believe that argumentative flexibility is valuable. I've read pretty much everything across the ideological spectrum from big stick heg affs to 1ACs with 5 minutes of narratives/poems and three cards to high theory args.The distinction between K and policy debate is primarily one centered on differences in argument structure rather than argument content. If you can step outside of those structures and provide a way to resolve the central claims in the debate, you're in a good place.

Biases-- --Uniqueness questions tend to be under-debated, but it's a useful way to frame arguments, especially in close debates. I tend to think about uniqueness when debates become very close. --Tech precedes truth (excepting arguments that are harmful/offensive to marginalized groups). Indicating that an argument was dropped is sufficient for me to characterize that argument as dropped if the argument has been explained before. --I have a much lower threshold than most on questions of risk or presumption - you don't necessarily need to do an onerous amount of work to win that an argument has "zero risk." Dropped pieces of defense are glaring take-outs for cases, provided they are framed as such. --Many policy vs. K debates revolve around a central tension between competing theories of the world - I think it's really important to address and somehow resolve this tension. --Theory is a strategic tool. You should tell me what's relevant and what's not.

TKO's are always in play. If at any point before the end of the debate you think you've won the debate beyond a reasonable doubt (if the other team drops a T arg, double turns themselves, etc.) you can stop the debate (invoking a TKO). I'll then evaluate the claim that the team invoking the TKO makes. If that team is right, they'll win and get the highest allowable speaks. The other team will lose. If a team TKO's and is wrong (does not meet the "beyond a reasonable doubt" threshold), you'll lose and likely get low speaker points.