TXW1 Forums Debate Section Rules and Guidelines

[DeMrTeunio]

We have decided to give users the opportunity to discuss mature subjects in this Debate section. Of course, discussing these mature subjects could lead to big arguments. Therefore, the following rules will apply to the Debate section. Please take these rules in mind so we can have a good discussion without it turning into a big riot.

Rule 1. General TXW1 Forums rules apply to the Debate section.
This first rule should be quite easy to understand. The general forum rules also apply to the Debate section. To find the rules, click the following link: https://thexwalkthrough.forumotion.com/t318-the-new-and-official-txw1-forum-rules. You are still expected to respect your fellow members, refrain from spam and trolling, etc. Infractions will be given to users who break the general rules.

Rule 2. What happens in the Debate section, stays in the Debate section.
This rule is crucial in order to have a civilised debate. It’s important to remember that, no matter how much you disagree with someone, you shouldn’t take their opinion personally and then start an argument in a place other than the thread in which the discussion is taking place. The most important thing about a mature discussion is that, no matter how strongly you disagree with someone, there are no hard feelings outside of the discussion. Because of this, it’s not allowed to continue the discussion in the Chatbox, other sections of the forum, or even different threads within the Debate section.

Rule 3. Make structured posts.
This isn’t as much of a rule as it is a guideline. We encourage you to structure your posts and defend your opinion with arguments. These arguments are basically the reason why you have your opinion. Don’t just post your opinion, try to add why you think that way. NOTE: This does not necessarily mean your posts have to be long! Long posts are definitely not discouraged, but note that it’s also possible to make short posts. If you just post your opinion and a strong argument, it’s possible to make short, yet good and to-the-point posts that truly add to the debate. If an argument you wanted to bring up has been posted already, you can always repeat this argument and say why you think this way.

We’d like to thank you for reading these rules. If you want to join a debate but don’t really know how to get going, these guidelines should be very helpful. Taking part in a debate isn’t hard if you know how to do it.

Guideline 1. Picking a subject.
If you plan on starting a thread yourself, you will need a subject for the discussion. A great place to look for these subjects is the news. There’ll always be some news items that can provide good subjects for a discussion. A good tip to take in mind is to make sure the subject is something people often disagree on. For instance, it would be impossible to have a discussion about the way the jelly is put in donuts, because this subject doesn’t make people disagree as a result of being all fact. Another useful tip is to keep the subject as general as possible. For example, the subject “the position of minorities in society” is a lot more useful than a subject like “the position of the Turkish minority in Belgian society”. The more general your subject is, the more there’ll be to discuss.

Guideline 2. About the structure of your posts.
A post with the structure opinion – argument is a very decent post that’ll contribute to the discussion just fine, but if you really want to make an impressive point it helps to use the following general structure: introduction – core – closing.
- In the introduction, you state your opinion. This is also the part of your post where you give background information about the subject.
- The core is the most important part and it’s also the one that should be the longest. This is where you defend your opinion with your arguments.
- The closing is versatile, you can use it for a number of things. In most cases, you’ll be using it for a short summary of your post in which you repeat your arguments.

Guideline 3. Try not to use fallacies.
Fallacies are basically incorrect arguments. Fallacies aren’t necessarily terrible, but they are rather easy for the other person to counter if they know it’s a fallacy. There are many kinds of fallacies, but here are just a few extremely common fallacies you probably want to avoid:

Generalisation (Secundum quid) – in a generalisation, you use a single situation to explain everything.
Example: “My grandpa has been a heavy smoker for all of his life and has always been healthy. My uncle never even touched a cigarette, but he died of lung cancer. Smoking isn’t that bad for you.”

Begging the question – this is a more complicated kind of fallacy. “Begging the question” basically means that you defend your point by bringing up that very same point as an argument. This may be hard to understand, so here’s an example:
Example: “I’m in charge here, because I make all of the important decisions.”

Straw Man / Aunt Sally – trying to make the other person’s opinion sound ridiculous by pretending like they said something they really didn’t.
Example: “A: I think it’s a bad thing the rainforest is being cut down.” “B: Oh, you like to hug trees in your spare time?”

As said before, there are more kinds of fallacies. These ones are just those that are used most.

Guideline 4. Other tips for arguments.
There are many kinds of arguments you can bring up. The arguments that are by far the hardest to counter are facts and statistics.
It’s also possible to use examples as arguments, and they can make pretty good arguments too, but be careful not to turn them into generalisations.


Thank you for taking these rules and regulations in mind. Have fun with the Debate forum!

~TXW1 Forums Staff.