BIRT: WE DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH OH NO WE DONT!

We don’t know too much

FIRST SPEAKER

Too many unsolved problems (X)

–          Very basically and simply we do not know too much because there are far too many unsolved problems in our world.  Logically, the way to solve a problem is to know HOW to solve the problem…knowing HOW to do something is a form of knowledge and so if we knew too much surely we wouldn’t have these very basic and yet pressing issues left unsolved.

• Aids
  • 40.3 million ppl living with aids (according to WHO)
    • First, they are not a cure for HIV/AIDS although for a time they do manage to put the disease into remission. Eventually the virus develops resistance to these drugs and renews its assault on the immune system. Doctors in Canada and the U.S. are afraid that as a result of this resistance, deaths due to AIDS will begin to increase.
      The second issue is that treatment regimens are complex and have unpleasant side effects. Finally, the drugs are expensive and this is why deaths due to AIDS have not decreased in many parts of the world

– In Canada 33 per cent the number of HIV-positive Canadians who don’t know they are infected

Progress comes through knowledge (X)

–          Education.  It is the key to progress…we look back on slavery (ended around 1865) and are appalled…we think it was a barbaric view point but we must ask ourselves why do we think this way?  It is because we have been educated; we have acquired the knowledge to recognize that slavery is unjust.

• If we know too much that means that we have reached the ideal society…because our society has progressed as much as it possibly can and so I ask you the question with 180 000 ppl being killed in the Sudan, Women having to cover themselves simply because they are women and capital punishment still occurring in the United States a supposedly extremely developed country is this your ideal society?
  • (Human Development Reports) ranked illiteracy of countries and surprisingly enough the least developed nations were the ones with the highest illiteracy rates and of course we know reading is a form of acquiring knowledge
    • is it a coincidence that the least developed nations are those who cannot acquire knowledge as easily as others?

–          Our civilization as been around for about 6000 years (The Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer officially began at around 4000-3500 BCE, and ended at 2334 BCE with the rise of Assyria. It was the world’s first civilization..wikipedia)  We are at the beginning not the end our society will continue to progress as we acquire knowledge and as

• boozorgmehr persian philosopher and politician in the fifth century said , “everything is known by all people however all people have yet to be born”

people have much more to offer their society and so we have yet to know too much we are still simply learning how to walk.

By saying you know too much you know nothing; Leads to arrogance (X)

-“All I know is that I know nothing”- Socrates

Knowledge is the key to technological advances (Y)

Knowledge comes in different forms (Y)

Mind is limitless (Y)

SECOND SPEAKER

Good Morning honorable judges, worthy opponents, and fellow classmates. Today we the opposition have recognized a need in our society. One that has always been there and always will, which is the need to consistently learn. Today the affirmative are trying to suffocate part of the essence of man under the preposterous belief, BIRT we know too much. It would be complete sophistry for one to present the idea that we have a sufficient amount of knowledge, therefore this resolution must fall and we will show this today in no uncertain terms. Through my arguments that knowledge creates necessary advances, it can appear in many forms, and how the mind has no limitations. And through the arguments my esteemed colleague will present we urge you to reject the resolution and join with us over the celebration of a consistently progressing self and society.

1) Knowledge creates required technological advances

• Our global community strives on the concept of constantly progressing, and discovering new technological means to make society more efficient, and concrete.
• Most of the problems that our society is entrenched with presently, our issues that can be solved through the means of technological advances.
• Researchers funded by The Foundation are developing a gene therapy for Usher 1B syndrome, the most common form of combined blindness and deafness.
• A hundred years ago doctors would have apologized and left these blind patients to rot, but since society had agreed that we do not know too much, and are consistently procuring experiments to develop solutions to current issues to better our society.
• If Steve Jobs just deemed technology to be too threatening after the bombings in Hiroshima, where would technology be today? Our homework would consist of looking threw card catalogues, and yes, you can say bye bye msn.
• The fact is, throughout many problems we face today the solution is technology. By deeming we know too much we end advancements in technology and continue to sit by and watch as out problems escalade.
• So ladies and gentlemen, I will allow you to be the judge chose to be sloth like and shrug your shoulders and say eh we know too much, or continue to strive to find all solutions, and all advancements.

2) Knowledge takes many essential forms

• Knowledge comes in two parts : the ability to invent and discover, and the ability to know what to do with these findings.
• Knowledge does not simply relate to the courses we are taught in school, therefore when my opposition brings forth arguments outlining corruption, and sinful acts being produced my members of society. It simply proves the point that we do not have enough knowledge. If we did so we would be living in a utopian society
• When you hear of 52 gun related homicides in Toronto in 2005, whom do you blame the gun, or the man or woman pulling the trigger.
• The fact that in Toronto in 2005 there were a total of 78 homicides, shows that we cannot possibly know to much. If we did everyone would fully understand morality, and the grave effects of their actions, and if we had “sufficient” knowledge, this would stop them from procuring these acts.
• Before we can retire on our journey through knowledge we need to start from square one and learn the fundamentals. The fact that evils and injustices are present in out world show that people are not educated in their actions, and if we were a truly knowledgeable society no one would be doing them.

3) The mind is limitless

• Ever since the creation of man, one archetypal desire present has been the need to constantly invent and discover. Since the Neanderthals created a stone wheel, or started fire, modern man too has a strong desire to discover new knowledge.
• One cannot suffocate this urge simply because a bunch of tenth graders feel we have already enquire a “sufficient” amount of information
• Just as though Tennyson stated “to strive, to seek, to fight, and not to yield” in his famous poem Ulysses,  we cannot give up on our everlasting journey of knowledge; since not only is that arrogant; quite frankly, it is down right stupid.
• “I think therefore I am” Decarte. What distinguishes humanity from any other creature is our ability to think. We only use 10% of our brains, this means scientifically we are limited to what we can achieve.
• Why would we try to limit our progression and desires,  based on a resolution that does nothing but attempt to end the development of society?
• To fulfill our personal desires, man will always have to keep on educating themselves. Therefore when it comes to man’s knowledge there is never too much.

In conclusion we the opposition wants to emphasize the power of knowledge. Through its power to help those in desperate need, and frankly make our society an easier place to live in . Therefore you must savor the consistent growth of the minds of society by rejecting this resolution. Through my points that it creates necessary advances, it takes many essential forms, and that our minds are limitless, and through the arguments of my esteemed partner. We urge you to reject the resolution and expand your knowledge, because knowledge simply is power, the power to do good in our world.