When arguing is fun

But the agenda also includes nonsense topics such as the question of whether Uncle Scrooge should take his blundering, perpetually unlucky nephew Donald Duck financially under his wings. For Jonathan Feldstein – a self-confessed fan of stand-up comedy and improvisational theatre – the fun debates are the best training to get a feel for just how much humour and irony a speech can handle: "You should present in an entertaining and lively manner, without overloading your arguments with examples or weakening them through jokes." At the same time, fun topics reveal whether you can build a coherent line of reasoning.

Critical thinking, structured arguments

Most of the students in the club are not there just for the fun of exchanging verbal blows, but rather use the sport of rhetoric as training for key skills. Remaining calm and objective when taking part in and listening to heated discussions, systematically capturing the strengths of different positions and using them to deduce the best arguments for your own position – all of these are important qualities in a future career.

For this reason, the Innovedum fund supports lecturers at ETH Zurich who want to teach their students the art of reflection and argumentation using the latest teaching methods. In addition, one of the goals of the Critical Thinking Initiative is to train ETH Zurich students to think critically and independently and to develop their powers of argumentation.

During the course of their studies, they should not only acquire methodological skills and disciplinary knowledge but also be given opportunities to work on interdisciplinary and system-oriented issues. Taking part in a debating club in which you practise how to speak freely in front of an audience and thoughtfully communicate an opinion is a major bonus.

The career argument is also decisive for Jonathan Feldstein; he is convinced that inspiring candidates with good communication skills have the edge in the professional world over competitors who are untrained in the art of rhetoric. He uses his experience as a debater in his work for the VSETH association "when it comes to representing the students’ interests in front of the Executive Board."

Sportsmanlike rhetoric

"I'm learning how to logically structure topics and ideas, develop oration strategies, establish a position and present it in a comprehensible manner, articulate arguments in a convincing and pointed way, anticipate questions from the plenum and have various responses on hand – all in a short amount of time and without much preparation," says the mechanical engineering student.

The traditional seven-minute speech time-limit trains students to present the pros and cons of a situation in a concise manner. Vague speeches and patchy arguments are quickly exposed by the audience: "You don't win a debate with factual knowledge alone – the logic of the argument is what counts."

Usually a debate participant has no other choice than to rely on his or her common sense, on pathos, ethos and logos. Students are told the topic 15 minutes before the debate begins, and the positions are assigned. In this way, explains Feldstein, you learn to see problems from two sides, broaden your perspectives, and question your own convictions.

Just as Rector Sarah Springman once said regarding the aims of the Critical Thinking Initiative: ETH students should look beyond their own disciplines – and this includes learning to construct skilful arguments, communicate their positions thoughtfully and act responsibly in whatever they do.

Club President Jonathan Feldstein regularly travels with his fellow students to tournaments and championships in Istanbul, Tübingen, Berlin and Vienna. Göttingen, Riga and Moscow are planned for 2016. The exchange with teams from all across Europe is "extremely instructive" for the 20-year old, especially when he acts as a juror, since in addition to critical faculties it is also necessary to learn the basics of criticism and fairness. A debate should also be conducted sportingly.