The Bad Debating Game (BDG)

Apologies for the double thread, there was an error when creating it.

I think it's time for another game in the Pointless Argument Game mould. The rules are as follows:

1. The scorer (me to start with) proposes a topic to be debated.
2. Points are scored for each distinct example of faulty reasoning, with one caveat: your argument must conceivably be sincere, ie a reasonable person might make the mistake you make without noticing. No points are awarded for completely ridiculous fallacies. Off-topic debating is allowed and to be encuraged, but again must be realistic.
3. Highest score wins.

The topic is: "Is there a God?"

We dont know because we have no proof of eather.

Oh dear. Just time for a little check then it's back out for me, so:

Ivanhoe believes in God. Because Ivanhoe has shown in other posts that he does good research and is well-read, his opinion is very likely valuable, so I conclude that it's very likely God exists. Besides, if god didn't exist, why would we have thought of it anyway?

This looks fun; I'll be back for more later.

Hi! I'm Dan Rather. I now am willing to admit that the papers are forged. But the bigger issue remains to be challenged. Even though the only issue is contained in the forged documents, ie, that W failed to take the physical.

<for the record, the papers assigning W to alabama guard, and allowing early exit to attend Yale law school state "Further requirements as to maintaining flight status and/or combat readiness are so waived..." Signed by company commander, Texas ANG. They pre-date the forgeries by two months>

Since a conditional with a true hypothesis and a true conclusion is true, the assertion that ''0.9 rec = 1 and Iraq has no WMD implies God exists'' is true. Since from other threads we know that 0.9 rec = 1 and that Iraq has no WMD, it follows that God exists. Since I have two bits of evidence, my conclusion is very strong indeed.

Originally posted by royalchicken
Since a conditional with a true hypothesis and a true conclusion is true, the assertion that ''0.9 rec = 1 and Iraq has no WMD implies God exists'' is true. Since from other threads we know that 0.9 rec = 1 and that Iraq has no WM ...[text shortened]... I have two bits of evidence, my conclusion is very strong indeed.

Hi,

I'm your friendly award-winning columnist from the washington post. I won all kinds of awards writing about "watergate". Wherein a person tried to cover up criminal acts.

I am now on the circuit making sure everyone knows that CBS is innocent. They are only covering up felonious conduct because they must protect their source. It is a matter of protecting the first amendment.

Carl Bernstein


<note. "Forgery and any act of felonious deceipt in the attemt to influence or determine any election within the borders and bounds of the US is hereby defined as a class three felonious act, and shall be subject to the same and summary judgement as any and all such acts"

Originally posted by StarValleyWy
Grin.

Excellent. Two points, if I count them correctly.

How about "Since there are and never were any WMD, the US and all of it's allies are evil because Saddam was really no threat to anyone".

Edit... ignore his use of chemicals against his foes. Please. Else I get no points.?!

Originally posted by StarValleyWy
Hi! I'm Dan Rather. I now am willing to admit that the papers are forged. But the bigger issue remains to be challenged. Even though the only issue is contained in the forged documents, ie, that W failed to take the physical.

<for the record, the papers assigning W to alabama guard, and allowing early exit to attend Yale law school state "Further r ...[text shortened]... aived..." Signed by company commander, Texas ANG. They pre-date the forgeries by two months>

Originally posted by Acolyte
Outstanding! Five points for this post alone (pleading, misunderstanding of rules, circular reasoning, non sequitur, self-contradiction).

Originally posted by Acolyte
Sorry, but you have to pretend that you think these are good arguments. Drop 'Even though the only issue is', and you'd have got a point.

Current scores:
RC 4
SVW 9 (but try not to borrow the poor arguments of others)

Well I had a near death experience once, i was driving down a country lane which was quite dark because of the trees on both sides, as I turned the corner to exit the small glade. The sun glare was so bright that I couldn't see properly but an animal quickly darted across the road. I slammed on my brakes and skidded to a halt in a ditch, my car crumpled against a tree. Fortunately there was a air bag on the car and I was unhurt. I climbed out of the car to see if I hit anything, there lying on the road was red squirrel. Now those of you who know about red squirrels is that they are in fact quite rare in the UK, having been pushed out of there natural habitat by there larger grey squirrel cousins. I scoped up the squirrel and flunge it in the ditch by the side of the road. When I told our local vicar about it later that week, he said that I should thank god because it was lucky that it wasn't a red deer ,which is also rare, but would have probably killed me as it would have gone through the window screen. I was lucky to be alive so you see god does exist.

Originally posted by Jay Peatea
Well I had a near death experience once, i was driving down a country lane which was quite dark because of the trees on both sides, as I turned the corner to exit the small glade. The sun glare was so bright that I couldn't see properly but an animal quickly darted across the road. I slammed on my brakes and skidded to a halt in a ditch, my car crumpled ...[text shortened]... would have gone through the window screen. I was lucky to be alive so you see god does exist.

Every so often our garbage cans are tipped over and some of the bags ripped open. I'm pretty sure one of our neighbors has a dog!