By: Jerry Chen Fairness: a word we've all heard one time too often in the rounds we've debated or judged. Given the mass proliferation of theory on the national circuit in recent years, it seems like more and more rounds these days are decided on the theory layer, often to the exclusion of substantive and topical debate (although that’s a different issue altogether). Everyone is familiar with the voter of fairness; most judges paradigmatically assume that it is important in some sense- but to what degree? What exactly does it mean to be fair, and what implications does fairness have for debate? Let’s consult our favorite dictionary…
What is Fairness?
What is Fairness?
What is Fairness?
By: Jerry Chen Fairness: a word we've all heard one time too often in the rounds we've debated or judged. Given the mass proliferation of theory on the national circuit in recent years, it seems like more and more rounds these days are decided on the theory layer, often to the exclusion of substantive and topical debate (although that’s a different issue altogether). Everyone is familiar with the voter of fairness; most judges paradigmatically assume that it is important in some sense- but to what degree? What exactly does it mean to be fair, and what implications does fairness have for debate? Let’s consult our favorite dictionary…