Introduction to the Kritik

Dallas Urban Debate Alliance

Critical Thinking Game

A sailor sailed his boat North. The sailor died.

A man on got a plan and saw an old friend. The flight marshall immediately arrested him.

Role of the Judge

The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.

If the affirmative team asks the judge to vote for them, what are they saying the role of the judge is? In other words, how are they saying the judge should decide?

The Dallas UDA should provide more educational opportunities for DISD students.

If the affirmative team asks the judge to vote for them, what are they saying the role of the judge is? In other words, how are they saying the judge should decide?

Kritiks

Kritiks – What it is

Like a CP, but instead of a different plan its another way of looking at or describing the problem/the world

They might explain how the role of the judge is different than what we assume

Should be read in the 1nc

Structure of A Kritik

Link

Impact

Alternative

Types (based off of link)

Assumption based

Rhetorical or Language

Representations

Different Style of Debate

Example There is quiet a bit of literature that blames

not individual policies but security logic itself for warfare. These authors call for complete pacifism. Here is how that might look: Link: The plan is used as a means to make us

more secure and supposedly prevent war. Impact: The quest for international security is

the root cause of warfare—we will never be truly secure and will wage terrible wars trying to get there.

Alternative: Endorse pacifism as a means of escaping the security trap.

More Examples There is a philosopher named Foucault who argued that

it is dangerous when the government gains knowledge over people as it is the same thing as having more power. His basic argument is that governments surveillance is like a prison guard’s surveillance over a prisoner (the panopticon) This disciplinary Power (or power/knowledge) to create what the government decides is order allows the government to destroy disorder Link: The plan expands government control over the

population by allowing more surveillance. Impact: this knowledge/power causes extinction. Alternative: Reject the bio-political control of the

affirmative case as a means of resisting government oppression.

Panopticum

Even MORE Examples

Imagine that the 1AC is full of heart-wrenching stories about military crimes—people starving or dying. Some people criticize such literature by pointing out that it frames foreigners as total victims—people who are incapable of thinking or acting for themselves. Link: The 1AC depicts foreigners at hopeless victims. Impact: This dehumanizing imagery makes us feel

like saviors and keeps us from experiencing true empathy that could challenge the root cause of military action.

Alternative: Pass the plan but without the 1AC rhetoric of victimhood.

Are there common threads between critiques?

Although critiques can be from any political perspective, many of them are from the far left and are characterized by: Skepticism towards absolute truth claims Doubts about the ability of government to

effectively manage programs (international or domestic)

An emphasis on identity politics An emphasis on the significance of language

choices An emphasis on encouraging people to question

every day assumptions about the world

AnsweringKritiks

Structure of a DAParts of a DA in 1NC 2ac answers to a DA

Uniqueness 1. Non-unique

Link 2. No link

Internal Link 3. No internal link

Impact 4. No impact

5. TURN a. link turnb. Impact turn

6. Case outweighs

Structure of a CPParts of a CP in 1NC 2ac answers to a CP

The TEXT of the CP 1. permutation

SOLVENCY 2. No solvency

3. turn

“Net BENEFIT” 4. Answer the net benefit

Okay, so remember how the kritik is just

a CP and a DA?

CP & DA KRITIK

STRUCTURE OF A DA

Uniqueness

Link LINK

Internal Link

Impact IMPACT

STRUCTURE OF A CP

The TEXT of the CP ALTERNATIVE

Competition

SOLVENCY

So if a Kritik is a DA and CP, then the

answers should be a combination of the

answers we make to a DA and CP

CP & DA KRITIK

DA Uniqueness 1. Non-unique

Link 2. No link LINK

Internal Link 3. No internal link

Impact 4. No impact IMPACT

5. TURN a. link turnb. Impact turn

6. Case outweighs

CP The TEXT of the CP

ALTERNATIVE

Competition 1. permutation

SOLVENCY 2. No solvency

3. turn

CP & DA KRITIK

DA Uniqueness 1. Non-unique xxxxxxxx

Link 2. No link LINK No link

Internal Link 3. No internal link

Impact 4. No impact IMPACT No impact

5. TURN a. link turnb. Impact turn

TURN a. link turnb. Impact turn

6. Case outweighs

Case outweighs

CP The TEXT of the CP

Competition 1. permutation ALTERNATIVE

permutation

SOLVENCY 2. No solvency No solvency

3. turn turn

Structure of a Kritik

Parts of a Kritik in 1NC 2ac answers to a DA

LINK 1. No link

IMPACT 2. No impact

3. TURN a. link turnb. Impact turn

4. Case outweighs

ALTERNATIVE 5. permutation

6. No solvency

7. turn

Few Nicole Rants Kritiks are BEST and MOST strategic when

you can prove a link of the 1AC that is physically written down – so you could hold a card or a plan up in a 2NR to show the link

Kritiks are MOST WINABLE if you EXPLAIN why the affirmative can not solve their advantages as well as why it causes other bad stuff.

In the NEG Block make sure you talk about the

Few Nicole Rants for Answering the

Kritik Don’t let Negs win on any one of the “kritik

stock issues” Aff authors are biased - Aff Advantages are a

lie Kritik is the ROOT CAUSE of the aff impacts The Aff’s world means there is no “value to

life”

Link Turns do not win debates – Alternative TURNS win debates.