Instigator / Pro
14
1762
rating
45
debates
88.89%
won
Topic
#2352

Resolved: On balance, cell phones pose little health risk.

Status
Finished

The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.

Winner & statistics
Better arguments
6
0
Better sources
4
4
Better legibility
2
2
Better conduct
2
2

After 2 votes and with 6 points ahead, the winner is...

MisterChris
Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
3
Time for argument
One week
Max argument characters
10,000
Voting period
One week
Point system
Multiple criterions
Voting system
Open
Contender / Con
8
1581
rating
38
debates
64.47%
won
Description

I, PRO, believe that cell phones pose little health risk. As CON, you believe the opposite.
BoP is on PRO to prove cell phones pose little tangible harm to our health. CON must disprove or discredit PRO's claims.
DEFINITIONS:
On balance: "after considering the power or influence of both sides of a question"
Cell phones: "a phone with access to a cellular radio system so it can be used over a wide area, without a physical connection to a network; a mobile phone."
Little: "a small quantity or degree/insignificant"
Radio waves: "Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum longer than infrared light."
STRUCTURE:
R1- Constructive & First Rebuttal. PRO will give a constructive, however CON will attempt to rebut PRO's case.
R2-3- Fluid attack/defense. No set structure here.
RULESET:
1. No new arguments made in final round
2. No trolling
3. You must follow the debate structure
4. No plagiarism
5. Must follow debate definitions.
RULESET PENALTY:
If the ruleset is broken, the penalty will be the loss of a conduct point. By accepting the debate, the contender accepts the RULESET and the RULESET PENALTY.

Bump for votes

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@Barney

Thank you for the prompt vote!

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@K_Michael

It was a good debate anyway, good luck with the classes!

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@MisterChris

I have returned from camping, but have too much homework to invest any substantial amount of time in this debate in the next two days.

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@K_Michael

No worries if you can't get to it. It was a fun debate either way!

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@MisterChris

I will be going camping for the next couple days so I may not be able to make the deadline, but I will make every effort to try and get something out before my time runs out.

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@K_Michael

Thanks for replying instead of forfeiting, it's no fun unless we actually finish! Too many users accept my debates and forfeit half the rounds.

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@seldiora

I have watched Dr. Stone, but that was not the motivation behind my debate. It's one of my favorite animes though.

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@K_Michael

Oho. I'm impressed. Have you watched Dr. Stone? The main character notes that Cell Phone is the most powerful weapon, right next to gunpowder.

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@Intelligence_06

Whoops, I'll update that.

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@Intelligence_06

Looks like Spongebob to me :P

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@K_Michael

"My current profile pic is Spongebob"

That didn't age well at all.

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@K_Michael

Alright, I'm looking forward to a good debate

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@seldiora

it is not a characteristic of the phones themselves... only irresponsible drivers. The same problem could be true of any potential driving activity... If it's not paying attention, you probably shouldn't be doing it while driving.

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@MisterChris

I'm wiling to play Devil's Advocate.

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@MisterChris

how do you counter texting and driving? There's little health benefit other than being able to call the hospital willy nilly...

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@Intelligence_06

"Resolved: On balance, cell phones pose little health risk."

PRO is arguing that cell phones pose less than or equal to "little" health risk.
Ergo, "no risk" falls under the "little risk" category, and PRO still wins semantically.

Now, if the resolution was "Resolved: On balance, cell phones pose a little health risk."
You would be correct.

In this case, PRO would be arguing that cell phones pose at LEAST a little bit or greater of health risk.

That small addition of the word "a" in the resolution completely flips its meaning. Neat, isn't it?

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@Intelligence_06

I thought it was self-evident... But if it helps, I'll add it.

Con will possibly have 2 stances. One is that phones are 100% harmless and the other is that phones are very bad. Conspiracy theorists like Crossed could potentially take this debate.

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@MisterChris

no put it in the desc

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@Intelligence_06

insignificant.

Define little

There. First one wasn't controversial enough apparently. This one should do it.

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@Sum1hugme

Hmmm... Maybe I should make this something more controversial, such as "Resolved: On balance, cell phones pose little health risk?"

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@MisterChris

Lol nah I agree with the resolve

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@Sum1hugme

If you think so, feel free to accept

nah bro, its boiling our cells, cant u feel it?

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@seldiora

I’ve seen people make solid health and environmental arguments... Just not convincing enough for me though.

I don't think even Whiteflame could win this one. Mikal might've been able to eek out a Nihilism or "in the broad scope of humanity" or future implications of a dystopia, but even he would've been dancing circles around 5g itself.

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@Intelligence_06

? No. It's not trapping or baiting if they take it of their own free will. If I'm honest, I just love debating 5G topics

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@MisterChris

so noob trapping?

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@Intelligence_06

I would, but he frankly may be one of the only ones who would take this.

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@MisterChris

Put the rating on 1440. All Crossed does is weak gish gallop

Resurrecting this one... let's see if we have any takers.