What's the Res?

Ethan is graduating, Josh has moved into more administrative responsibilities, and this is the finale episode. What's the Res? has, Ethan and Josh conclude, been a great success. They reflect on lessons learned, tips for new podcasters, and the overall value of debate as an academic activity. Please do comment on the episode or shoot us an email if this show has been a help to you! Thank you for listening over these last three years! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/WhatsTheRes 

Josh and Ethan go back and forth about the March PF resolution: Resolved: On balance, the benefits of creating the United States Space Force outweigh the harms. Enjoy!

Ethan and Josh cover resolution analysis, definition of terms, key arguments, strategy suggestions, and value premises on the March/April resolution dealing with universal child care. Let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Luke Juday, an old friend who is now a city planner for Waynesboro, VA. They talk about Luke's debate story (NCFCA and then captain of Grove City College's debate team), and move into a discussion of urbanization, city planning, and the way pros and cons of rapid urban growth. Luke offers suggestions for research, and mentions several seminal works in the field of Urban Planning.They briefly discuss African population patterns, and close with suggestions of Pro and Con strategy.  Let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Ethan and Josh discuss the February Public Forum resolution - "On balance, the benefits of urbanization in West Africa outweigh the harms." They discuss urbanization, problems and potential gains from rapid population expansion, unique problems in African politics, and pro and con arguments. Let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Reddit/Instagram - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/WhatsTheRes

Ethan and Josh go in depth with this resolution, discussing the Department of Defense's definition of LAWs, framing possibilities on both aff and neg from both Kantian and Util perspectives, and argument strategies. Happy New Year - let's talk about killer robots! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interview Adam Key, Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, about the new Master's in Fine Arts in Debate and Communication he is launching. They discuss Adam's debate story, coaching experience, and Adam's desire to build this program. You can find all the program details here; let us know what you think of this episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Reddit/Instagram - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres  

Josh and Ethan give a very quick first impression (5 minute episode) on the Jan/Feb 2021 LD resolution - States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons. *Apology - we misspoke the resolution; it is States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons., not "The USFG...". Let us know what you think! And come back in a week or two for a full, educated breakdown on the resolution! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram/Twitter/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan provide resolution analysis and commentary on the Nov/Dec PF resolution - "The United States should adopt a declaratory nuclear policy of no first use." They offer framing advice, contention suggestions, and more. Let us know what you think of the episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Facebook/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan interview Dr. Mark Paul, economist, professor at New College Florida, and author of several papers on a Federal Jobs Guarantee (including this one, which includes a specific policy proposal with costs worked out). Along the way, Dr. Paul explains the history behind the FJG and the Civil Rights Movement, the Keynesian economic framework the FJG operates within, and addresses the ways an FJG program would solve for economic disparities Enjoy! And let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Tyler O'Neil, Senior Editor for PJMedia and a friend from Hillsdale College days, about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the affect this legislation has on social media, and the ways it has been interpreted over the past 24 years. This episode is intended to help students prepare for the 11/14 Coolidge Debate League at Luddy Schools tournament hosted by Thales Academy Apex JH/HS. See this website for all the details about this league and this specific tournament!

Ethan and Josh discuss resolution analysis, pragmatic and philosophical approaches to the resolution, and both traditional values and plan-based case strategies. This episode is their first one on the Nov/Dec LD resolution - Resolved: The United States ought to provide a federal jobs guarantee - be sure to check back next week for an expert interview with economist Dr. Mark Paul!Let us know what you think of the episode!Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.comTwitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Ethan and Josh interview Matt Summers and Tessa Holtzman about their non-profit, Debate Spaces. They discuss the story of Debate Spaces, the way that Matt and Tessa's international experiences led them to start the organization, and the ways that debate enables student participation in democracy and a unique kind of friendship. Matt and Tessa are both graduate students at Harvard University, and they close out the episode with advice for high school debaters. Enjoy! Check out their website - https://www.debatespaces.org/. Let us know what you think of the episode!Email - What'sTheRes@gmail.comInstagram/Reddit/Twitter - @Whatstheres_Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan interview the co-executive directors of the New York City Urban Debate League, Amisha Mody Mehta and Stefan Bauschard; they discuss Amisha and Stefan's debate stories, the work of the NYC UDL, the story behind the Classrooms.Cloud, and more! Check it out - and if you want to support the work of the NYC UDL, visit their website: https://debate.nyc/ Let us know what you think of this episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres

Ethan and Josh interview Georgetown University professor Dr. Jason Brennan on the topic of the Sept/Oct 2020 LD resolution, "In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory." They discuss Dr. Brennan's recent book "Compulsory Voting: For and Against," his research interests, and his view of a democracy. They discuss arguments heard at the Duke Invitational, and potential responses. Dr. Brennan offers an alternative to route to solve voting barriers, and concludes the episode with advice about choosing college. Enjoy! And let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Ethan and Josh interview Dr. Coyle Neal of Southwest Baptist University; Dr. Neal is a political scientist who teaches on American institutions. They discuss the nature of democracy, arguments pro and con on the resolution "In a democracy. voting ought to be compulsory," and barriers to voting. Enjoy! Also - Dr. Neal is the host of the City of Man Podcast - be sure to check out his show! Let us know what you think of this episode: Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the Sept/Oct 2020 PF resolution, "The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019." They discuss Bernie Sanders, some nuances of this bill, Pro arguments, Con arguments, and the general flaws in socialistic programs. They also discuss the free market, inelastic demand, and Adam Smith. Enjoy! And let us know what you think of the episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com instagram/Reddit/Twitter - @Whatsteres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the first varsity LD resolution of the year: "In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory." They go over definitions, background on the resolution, and a series of Aff and Neg arguments. Enjoy! Let us know what you think of the episode: Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Reddit/Instagram - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the high points of season 2, the purposes of What's the Res, and lay out a plan for how often they will publish episodes this season. This episode also includes shoutouts to many of our season 2 guests, and call backs to episodes in our first season. Enjoy - and be on the lookout for our first resolution analysis episodes in a couple of weeks (after the NSDA releases LD and PF on 8/8). Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Tori Hope Peterson, social media influencer, foster care advocate, and Hillsdale College alumna, about her blog post "Dear Hillsdale College" and the responses to it. As she and Josh discuss the blog post they cover a variety of topics: sports and college, African Americans in the foster care system, and different kinds of advocacy. Tori's website can be found here - check out the interview, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram/Reddit/Twitter - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan welcome Dr. Ben Voth to the show. Dr. Voth directs the Southern Methodist University debate program, and he teaches in their communications department. Dr. Voth is a longtime leader in the debate community, and he is a partner with the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation in running the Coolidge Cup tournament. He is also a scholar of the Civil Rights Movement (here is a link to his Amazon Author page). In this episode, Dr. Voth weighs in with his thoughts about policing, race riots, the 2020-2021 policy resolution, and a comparison between two different frameworks: Afro-pessimism and Afro-idealism. Let us know what you think! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Dr. Nick Higgins, associate professor and department chair of the department of politics, government, and criminal justice at North Greenville University, joins Josh and Ethan for a discussion about justice, rule of law, and what Aristotle and Plato contribute to our current cultural moment. Along the way, Josh is reminded that Dr. Higgins is a former policy debater, and Dr. Higgins provides his thoughts on the 2020-2021 Policy resolution (Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing).   Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the death of George Floyd, the protests and their relationship to riots, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s approach to nonviolent protest contrasted with Malcolm X's desire for radical revolution. We also outline the summer series of episodes focusing on race riots, rule of law, and prison reform as related to the 2020-2021 Policy Debate resolution, "Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing."  Enjoy the summer, and use the time well to prep for next season! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres  

Ethan attended an Institute for Speech and Debate (ISD) webinar with Crawford Leavoy on the NSDA Nats 2020 LD resolution, Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy. This episode is the high points from that webinar. Good luck to everyone who is competing! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter, Reddit, Instagram - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan continue their discussion of the LD NSDA Nationals resolution, "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy." They cover Aff and Neg arguments, and Josh goes on a rant defending traditional property rights (with shout outs to Russell Kirk, Richard Weaver, and Alex de Toqueville).We also answer a question one debater wrote in to us - feel free to send your thoughts and questions, and we'll respond on a future episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram, Reddit, Twitter - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Earlier this year, Josh interviewed Dr. Robert Jackson, Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies, about the 2020 Nationals PF Resolution, "Resolved: On balance, charter schools are beneficial to the quality of education in the United States." They discuss the nature of charter schools, some of the big charter networks nationwide, and ways charter schools benefit and harm educational quality in the United States. Check it out, and let us know if this episode is helpful as you write your cases! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter, Instagram, Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Adam Jacobi about his work with Wisconsin Speech and Debate, the NSDA, and the Harvard Debate Council. Their conversation roams across Adam's career, work in Congressional Debate, and contains equal parts advice, event distinctions, and resolution analysis. Enjoy! And let us know what you think! Email - WhatsThe Res@gmail.com Instagram/Twitter/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the 2020 NSDA Nationals LD resolution, "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy." They cover terms, values, and the big ideas behind this resolution with reference to several articles on the topic. Next time, they'll cover aff and neg arguments. Enjoy! And let us know if this is helpful for your preparation! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Reddit/Instagram/Twitter - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres  

On January 12, 2020, a giant in contemporary philosophy passed into eternity. This episode is a memorial to the work of Sir Roger Scruton. Josh is a student in the Faulkner University Great Books Honors College doctoral program, and he is joined by two friends in that program, Nick Kennicott and Landon Loftin, as they discuss the philosophy, writings, and significance of Sir Roger Scruton. Nick is a regular co-host on the Wrath and Grace podcast - if you what he says, be sure to check them out here. Enjoy! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

A few months ago, Josh suggested to Ethan and Patrick that we three read Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, and then have a discussion about it. Here is that conversation! We describe the book, and then launch into a running conversation on thoughts inspired by reading the Danish father of existentialism. Fun times ahead - enjoy! Patrick runs the philosophy memes page Philosophy.Memes on Instagram, and always provides good conversation! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram/Reddit/Twitter - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres 

Josh interviews Crawford Leavoy, director of debate for Durham Academy, about his speech and debate journey, his role in directing DA's program, and the various organizations that make up competitive Speech and Debate nationwide. Along the way, they discuss the Wording Committee of the NSDA, responses to COVID19, and advice for novice and varsity competitors. Check it out, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Dr. Paul Mueller, assistant economics professor at The King's College in New York City, about the effects of the CARES Act (stimulus bill) on the United States and global economy, how COVID19 effects to the workforce, and the ways in which human dignity is impacted by shutting down work for a time. Check it out, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

How do ethics relate to real life? Nothing brings out real ethical convictions like a global pandemic. Josh Herring and Blake Faulkner discuss this article in The Atlantic, and then discuss how Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche provide ethical paradigms that may (or may not) be helpful in making life or death decisions. Enjoy! And let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan rehash the DNC presidential nominee debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. They talk about the coronavirus, the economic recession, political maneuvering of CNN through manipulating questions, and the core processes of capitalism. Check it out, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram/Reddit/Twitter - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

With tournaments on hold for the time being, Josh and Ethan discuss their recent readings in Friedrich Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals and the relevance Nietzsche has for modernity and debate. Check it out, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Dr. Andrew "Spence" Spencer about the nuances of commercial nuclear power. Dr. Spencer's career path combines several years in US Navy (nuclear submarines), a PhD focused on theological ethics, and current work as a nuclear engineering supervisor. He is a great voice to help the non-expert understand the world of commercial nuclear power; several of his analysis points lend themselves to climate change impacts of commercial nuclear power. Let us know what you think of the episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/WhatsTheRes

Josh and Ethan think through their experiences at Harvard, and what they learned. We encountered NatCirc debating in LD and PF, and we're learning how to be more competitive next year! Let us know what you think!   Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan discuss the March/April NSDA LD resolution, "Predictive policing is unjust." They discuss this Rand Corporation article (which summarizes the findings of this much longer report), the philosophy behind just policing, the obvious racial argument against predictive policing, and the insights Foucault's Panopticon offers to the Aff framework. Enjoy, and let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Instagram/Twitter/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres  

Ethan and Josh discuss kritiks, a debate tactic they've been working in preparation for competing at the 46th Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament (@harvardhsdebate). The Kritik is a divisive strategy, but common in national Lincoln-Douglas competition. Josh and Ethan provide a loose overview, discussion of the philosophical problems inherent n employing the K, and their attempts to break Ks. Enjoy - and wish us luck at Harvard! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh interviews Elliot Gaiser to build a well rounded perspective on means-tested welfare for the February 2020 PF resolution, "The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs with a universal basic income." They discuss the foundations of welfare, the effectiveness of current programs, and the feasibility of a universal basic income. Elliot debated for the NCFCA and an Ohio-specific debate league in high school, as well as being a Hale Scholar on the Hillsdale College debate team. Since Hillsdale, Elliot has spent time in the think-tank world and has now embarked on a career as a lawyer. Let us know what you think of this conversation! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan analyze the Coolidge Foundation's March 7 resolution, "Resolved: The United States should adopt Medicare For All, thus instituting a single-payer system of healthcare." This resolution will be debated at Thales Academy Rolesville on March 7. The Coolidge Foundation has prepared a research brief for this resolution (located here), and if you want to learn more, click here to learn more about the Coolidge Debate League! This episode goes over terminology, affirmative and negative arguments, and weighs advantages and disadvantages of putting this policy change into effect. Let us know what you think! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Instagram/Twitter/Youtube - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres

Josh and Ethan celebrate audience growth, and also provide analysis for the March 7, 2020 Coolidge resolution, "Resolved: The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs with a universal basic income." They go over terms, where the UBI has been tried, and initial argument strategies. Thanks for all your support! It's amazing to see what has happened with this podcast over 100 episodes! Enjoy - and let us know what you think! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Reddit/Instagram - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Josh and Ethan walk through the January 2020 PF resolution, "Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela." They focus on the historical narrative of Venezuela's crisis, arguments for the Pro position, and arguments for the Con position. Be sure to check out our earlier interview episodes with Venezuela experts Analicia Vaamonde-Stolz and Tom Darin Liskey, and let us know what you think of this episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres Instagram/Twitter/Reddit - @Whatstheres_

Dr. Orlando comes back on the show to discuss the Jan/Feb 2020 LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." Josh and Nathan discuss which countries have nukes, both officially and unofficially, as well as what it would take to effectively disarm all nuclear states. Nathan outlines three arguments on Aff and three arguments on Neg. He also recommends specific authors that debaters should read for their cases. Enjoy! And let us know what you think of the episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres Instagram/Reddit/Twitter - whatstheres_

Tom Darin Liskey is a journalist and photographer who spent a decade living in Latin America, including time in Venezuela. In this episode, he shares stories of his time living there and his perspective on Chavez, Maduro, and the current economic crisis. He goes into detail about the levels of crime and corruption that have contributed to Venezuelan collapse. You can find Tom's work at https://www.tomdarinphoto.com/. Let us know what you think of the episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres

Ethan interviews Dr. Robert Spalding, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and experienced military strategist, for the January/February LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." They discuss the status of global nuclear arsenals, the feasibility of disarmament, and further resources for both Aff and Neg case prep. Enjoy! And let us know what you think of the interview!  

Josh interview Hillsdale College history professor Dr. Brad Birzer about his high school debate career, the ways debate has impacted his life, and his most recent book, Beyond Tenebrae. Click here to order Beyond Tenebrae on Amazon! Brad is a wonderful teacher, author, and communicator; debate, he explains, got him through high school. Let us know what you think of this episode! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres   Dr. Birzer is also the co-founder of The Imaginative Conservative, an online journal of conservative thought. You can access his work here.

Josh interviews Analicia, a Venezuelan lawyer now working in Washington D.C. For 25 years, Analicia lived in Venezuela. She describes growing up during the Chavez years, the route to Venezuela's current crisis, the results of socialism, and how Venezuela has come to have two governments (Maduro, and Guaido). Analicia provides three solid arguments for the negative; she thinks the sanctions are a sound policy tool. This is a great episode for context on the Venezuelan crisis - let us know if it's helpful! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_  

Josh and Ethan analyze the January/February LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." They focus on the nine countries with nuclear arsenals, the history of the cold war and nuclear proliferation, and value structures that could help with either side. Check it out, and let us know what you think! Email - Whatstheres@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/whatstheres 

Josh and Ethan discuss one of the most commonly used yet least understood philosophical paradigms (value or value criterion) in Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative. Based on Kant's Groundwork for a Metaphysics of Morals, they source the CI, explain how it works, what burdens it carries with it, and how to respond if the CI is used improperly. Let us know if this episode is helpful! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_ Facebook - Facebook.com/Whatstheres Whatstheres.com  

Josh and Ethan host Alexis Franco, Will Begley, and Tyler Bonin for a conversation about Seattle Public School's Math Ethnic Studies Framework. This episode walks through the basics of the framework, and considers practical and theoretical problems with it. By the end, we conclude that there is a legitimate desire behind the framework, but math is not the proper home for it. Let us know what you think! Email - WhatsTheRes@gmail.com Facebook - Facebook.com/WhatsTheRes Twitter/Instagram/Reddit - @Whatstheres_