This is a really neat idea. I used to debate a lot during my undergrad, and while I have quite a lot of negative feelings towards the sport from my own experience, I do agree that debaters are a very receptive audience for EA ideas for the reasons you mention.
One major challenge I see is getting debaters to take more than a superficial interest in ideas that sound interesting. Debates about AI, global health, animal rights and many other EA issues were fairly popular motions when I debated, but didn’t necessarily lead to deeper consideration than simply asking “how can I win a debate about this issue?”
Obviously, the lecture series was useful for introducing people to EA who were unfamiliar, but hopefully, it also prompted participants to think about the issues in a deeper way—not just in the context of debating the topics. I think combining debate with these additional engagement resources is a smart way to run these kinds of events going forward.
P.S. Hi Dan, I think I adjudicated a final with you back in Belgrade 2016 - very cool to see an old familiar name on here.
Thanks! The indicators we have are quite positive on whether people took a more profound interest than purely trying to win, and we are trying to figure ways to further deepen the engagement.
It is also great to hear from you Billy, we should definitely schedule a catch up!
This is a really neat idea. I used to debate a lot during my undergrad, and while I have quite a lot of negative feelings towards the sport from my own experience, I do agree that debaters are a very receptive audience for EA ideas for the reasons you mention.
One major challenge I see is getting debaters to take more than a superficial interest in ideas that sound interesting. Debates about AI, global health, animal rights and many other EA issues were fairly popular motions when I debated, but didn’t necessarily lead to deeper consideration than simply asking “how can I win a debate about this issue?”
Obviously, the lecture series was useful for introducing people to EA who were unfamiliar, but hopefully, it also prompted participants to think about the issues in a deeper way—not just in the context of debating the topics. I think combining debate with these additional engagement resources is a smart way to run these kinds of events going forward.
P.S. Hi Dan, I think I adjudicated a final with you back in Belgrade 2016 - very cool to see an old familiar name on here.
Thanks! The indicators we have are quite positive on whether people took a more profound interest than purely trying to win, and we are trying to figure ways to further deepen the engagement.
It is also great to hear from you Billy, we should definitely schedule a catch up!