Debating, Friday December 7

[certaintrouble.livejournal.com]

Chuck strolled into class, rather unfashionably late.


He set his briefcase down and wrote the lesson subject on the board.

“Appeal to probability.” He underlined it. “This is the idea that if something could happen, it will happen. It’s usually employed to teach caution. Take for example:

Dogs have been known to bite, so if you get a dog, it will bite you.

Now, some people will try to argue with you, saying that the dog biting is only a probability, and that there are more factors involved in whether or not your particular dog turns out well or not. But you must all remember the biggest rule in debating, the one that should be familiar to you by now: Simplify. Don’t let people add a bunch of irrelevant information. We’ve seen that there are times where it’s necessary to create a massive, long and artistic argument. However, those should all be made of simple, little steps. In no way should you ever take a long time deciding your next step. This is something to keep in mind, as we’ll be having a practice session for the final next week. But remember to focus on today lesson today. Now go!”


[OOC: Just a minute…okay!]

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Lecture

[certaintrouble.livejournal.com]

Take notes, pass them, ask questions, stare unnervingly at Chuck for no apparent reason.

Re: Lecture

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

It was probable that Jim wasn't going to actually take notes.

So Jim DEFINITELY didn't take notes.

Maybe there was something to this one.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[certaintrouble.livejournal.com]

If you debate, Chuck might like you better.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

Jim was probably ready to debate.

Therefore, Jim was DEFINITELY ready to debate.

He was really getting the hang of this.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"I usually win these debates," Naminé said with a light smile. "Therefore, I will certainly be winning today, and there's no need for us to bother having the debate itself."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

"Things are often unpredictable. Thus this debate is definitely unpredictable. Which proves your point wrong right away and that means I win. Wow. Fastest win ever."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"You have been wrong in the past," Naminé said. "Therefore you're wrong this time. Which means I will be winning, after all."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

"Except that I've also been right in the past, which means that I'm right this time as well. That counters this argument and the original argument is still crushed, so it looks like I still win."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Ah, yes, but the past several rounds, I was winning," she said solemnly. "Therefore, I'm still winning now, though you may think you are."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

"No, you were winning then, so you were DEFINITELY winning then. But you're losing now so you're definitely going to lose," Jim pointed out.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

Naminé considered that one for a minute. "You've lied in the past," she said finally. "And so you must be lying now, about winning."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

Jeff was a wobbly pile of nerves.

What else was new.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Charlie gave Jeff a dismayed look, and said, "We don't have to talk about dogs, you know."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

Jeff's head swivveled around. Girlfriend's best friend! His gaze landed over her shoulder again. "But we are!" he declared, sort of actually adhering to the assignment this time.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Jeff never got less weird. "No, we're not. We're talking about what we're not talking about, and we don't have to talk about it. Them." Charlie frowned. "But that's up to you?"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"There was a probability of us talking about dogs," Jeff pointed out to the invisible cloud over Charlie's shoulder, "So we're talking about dogs."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"A probability isn't a certainty," Charlie argued, not even thinking about the assignment, just dealing with Jeff as usual. "So, yeah. Nana doesn't have to be addressed."

Then she realized what she'd just said, and facepalmed.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"Of COURSE we have to talk about Nana!" Jeff argued, "Are you saying we can't address Nana? How do you think she feels?"

He may have actually been paying attention in class. This was not a good thing.

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"I have no idea! She's a dog, she eats your jeans, she's weird, how would I know how she feels?" Charlie flailed. "And don't get wound up! We can talk about, about, I don't know, Turtle! Right over there! Much better topic!"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"Oh god!" This was going very bad very quickly, and Jeff flailed a little. "Now you've got the probability of talking about TURTLE stuck in my head!"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Wait, what? No! We don't have to talk about her either, if that upsets you!" Charlie was just about ready to headdesk. "Although why it should-- we both think she's cool, so..."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"But what if we accidentally stumble onto the wrong topic?!" Yes, this was a concern. "What if her breasts end up in the equation? I can't talk to her best friend about her breasts, she might..." Pause. "Know about it!"

Another pause. "Oh god," he repeated, "Now I've got Turtle's bodyparts multiplying in my head."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Gah!" Yeah, that was worth a headdesk and arm-flail, as Charlie tried to disassociate herself from that part of the conversation. "Okay! Okay! We can't talk about Turtle at all! Ever!"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"You've put them in there!" Jeff flailed, "Now they won't come out!"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Oh my god, you are *such* a guy," Charlie realized. "Stop it! Stop thinking about body parts and Turtle and God, I don't want to even know what else could make this worse!"

[and sadly, must crash. woe!]

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"We could have started talking about other people's breasts. Or thighs," Jeff offered. Then paused again. "Oh god."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Totally," Charlie agreed, voice muffled in her hands. "Let's talk about dogs! You can win! Just stop talking about body parts that aren't for normal conversations with me!"

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

Caught between thighs and the dawning realisation he could actually win an argument, Jeff let go of a tiny whimpering noise before establishing firmly, "This conversation is about thighs." Pause. "Dogs! Dogs."

Re: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Woof," Charlie agreed hopelessly.

After class

[certaintrouble.livejournal.com]

He's still here.

OOC

[certaintrouble.livejournal.com]

So the post doesn't fall off. ^_^