# Quick philosophy or rhetoric question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 15, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063 "2025-09-15T17:04:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063/21 "2025-09-16T16:14:55Z")

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> [@MrAtoz](#):
>
> Exactly. I did debate all four years of high school. In competition, whether you argued the affirmative or negative side of the topic was determined by a coin flip in each round. You were expected to be able to defend either side.

Same here. But even if you are assigned a side before the debate, you need to prepare by developing an argument for the other side so you can both understand it and be able to refute it.

I even personally switched sides on one topic after preparing the argument for the side I hadn’t supported.

But I’m not aware of someone actually arguing both sides in a debate or other format.

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**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063/22 "2025-09-16T18:52:50Z")

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Man, I should know this. It clearly says “Rhetoric” on my diploma. Then again, that diploma is over 40 years old, so I’ve forgotten a lot!

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**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063/23 "2025-09-16T18:58:15Z")

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It says “Roderick” on Rod Stewart’s birth certificate

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**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063/24 "2025-09-17T15:00:57Z")

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So Rhett Butler is the man we want.

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**Author:** ![Nightaudit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightaudit/32/17181_2.png) [@Nightaudit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightaudit)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-philosophy-or-rhetoric-question/1023063/25 "2025-09-17T17:40:41Z")

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🤣 that’s what I thought of too “Jesuit Mind-trick.”

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