Junior & Senior Socratic Club Antarctica talk & Debating Competition - 9th March

This weekend we turned to the frozen continent of Antarctica with presentations to both groups from Miss Georgina following her recent expedition there. Both groups raised superb questions from climate change to global warming, rising sea levels and wider points on sustainability for the wildlife there.

It was great to see such engagement on such a very topical issue. Well done all.

We followed each talk with a series of knockout high-speed debates without preparation time for the assigned teams. Teams were also not even given notice on the side they would need to argue in order to keep everyone on their toes. Both our junior and senior members responded with panache and we saw hugely impressive sessions covering three main motions:

(i) 'This House would fly less';

(ii) 'This House believes Zoos should be banned'; &

(iii) 'This House believes tourists should not be allowed to go to Antarctica'. 

In our wider discussion the junior group voted overwhelmingly to keep the frozen continent open to all at both tellings, but with limits and biosecurity measures. The senior group felt that the climate emergency was so imminent and extreme, that only researchers and scientists should be allowed to visit and study there. 

Prizes were awarded across debating techniques/areas including inter alia: Proposition and Opposition speaker, Most original argument, Rhetorical Question, Points of Information and use of Evidence and Emotions. Well done all on such fast paced argumentation. 

Much looking forward to our Socratic sessions next weekend!