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Because debate motions are so diverse, appropriate fundamental questions are also quite diverse. However, most debate motions tend to be about public policy issues, and there are some common fundamental questions that can often be asked that either are appropriate as they are stated here, or, are likely to point you toward the fundamental questions that would be appropriate in a particular debate.
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Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, the following questions are often relevant:
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· Will this plan achieve its goal (eliminate or significantly reduce the harm in the status quo)?
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· What is the purpose of … (whatever kind of thing is relevant to the plan)?
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￭ What is the purpose of government?
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￭ What is the function of public education?
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￭ What is the proper goal of doctors?
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￭ What are the legitimate ends of foreign intervention?
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￭ What is the purpose of punishing criminals?
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· How do we determine when an action of this type (e.g., paternalism) is warranted?
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· What will happen if we do nothing?
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· Who is the best actor to address this problem?
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· Which are greater, the advantages of the plan or the disadvantages?
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Some questions tend to be more appropriate when defending the Government’s position, because they are typically proposing a change in the status quo. Some examples of those questions are:
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· Are we obliged to take action?
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· Is reducing harms important even if those harms can’t be completely eliminated?
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· Is causing some harms worthwhile given a necessity to eliminate greater harms?
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Similarly, some questions tend to be more appropriate when arguing for the Opposition, such as:
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· Do better ways exist to achieve this goal?
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· Should a different method be used?
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· Does the plan violate any important rights?
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The questions listed above can be useful as a starting point for those unfamiliar with how to formulate fundamental questions, but most of the questions would sound much too generic if they were used verbatim because Whip speakers offer fundamental questions in a context where at least six people have just spoken on a particular topic and have presumably said some interesting things. Ideally, at least some of the fundamental questions will be pertinent to the arguments that have been made.
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Of course, there are exceptions. Some fundamental questions will come up regularly, such as the question, “What is the purpose of government?” Because debates are often about what the government should do, and because controversial positions about that often depend on different theories of what government should do, the question is a very common fundamental one in debates. So, you should be familiar with the range of plausible answers to that question, and with the strengths and weaknesses of the following answers:
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· Government exists to maintain order and security.
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· Government exists to protect the rights of individuals.
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