Speech

Time

1stAffirmativeConstructive

2mins

1stNegativeConstructive(Lydia)

2mins

2ndAffirmativeConstructive

2mins

2ndNegativeConstructive(Morgan)

2mins

BREAK

3mins

NegativeRebuttal(Lydia)

1min

AffirmativeRebuttal

1min

NegativeSolution(Morgan)

1min

AffirmativeSolution

1min

1stNegativeConstructive(Lydia):
Sportsplayaverybigroleinoursocietytoday,alotofathletesstrugglewithmentalhealth
issues,andmanyarguethatsportsorganizationsneedtodosomethingtohelpsupportathletes
more,butarenttheywealthyenoughtosupportthemselves?TheaverageannualsalaryofanNHL
playeris$2.58million.ForathletesintheNBAtheaveragesalaryis$4.9million,andMLB$3.82
million.Athletesarenotstrugglingfinancially,theyhavethemoneyandtheresourcestofind
treatmentsforthemselves,notrelyongoverningbodiesandsportsorganizations.Another
importantthingtomentionisthatnotallathletesstrugglewithmentalhealthissues,buteven
athleteswhodoordidstrugglewiththeirmentalhealthhavehadenoughmoneytosupport
themselves.Wearenottryingtosaythatmentalhealthisntsomethingtobetakenseriously,but
therearemanypeoplewhosufferwiththesamediseases,buttheydonthavethesameamountof
moneyandresourcesastheseathletesandtheyarenotbeingacknowledged.Accordingtothe
NationalAllianceonMentalIllnessin2015around43.8millionadultAmericanshaveexperiences
withmentalillnessesinayear.Therefore,moretimeandresourcesshouldbegoingtowardshelping
thegeneralpublicratherthanwealthyathletes.ImmanuelKantaGermanphilosophertalkedabout
howhebelievedthatpeopleshouldactwithamotiveofdutyinsteadofamotiveofinclinationor
actingautonomouslyratherthanheteronomously.Actingautonomouslyorwithamoti
XLKDnflWOveofaduty,iswhenyoudosomethingforyourselfwithoutanyoutsidefactors
playingaroleinthedecisionyoumake.Actingwithamotiveofinclinationorheteronomously,is
theoppositeofthis.PoliticusUSASportswroteanarticleabouttheNBAnotgivingenough
attentiontoathleteswithmentalillnesses.DanielCarcillohockeyplayerfortheChicagoBlackhawks
ispracticallybeggingfortheNHLtohaveaprogramthatwillhelpathleteswhoalsosufferfrom
thesediseases,withmanypeopleagreeingwithhim.IftheNBAortheNHLweretoimplement
theseideaswithintheirorganizationstohelpthosewithmentalillnesses,ImmanuelKantwould
arguesaying,ifsomethingisdonetheywouldbeactingheteronomouslybecauseoutsideforceshad
aninfluenceontheoutcome,notbasedonwhattheywantedtodo.


2ndNegativeConstructive(Morgan):

Fromaphilosophicalpointofview,whenapersonchoosestodosomethingtheyare
makingahypotheticalconsent,whichbasicallymeansthatwhenyouchoosetodosomething,like
playasport,youknowtherisksandtermsofwhatyouaregoingtodoandyoustillchoosetoplay.
PlayingfootballinaleaguesuchastheNFLyouhavetosignmultiplecontractsincludingthose
aboutinjury,payment,timeonthatteam,andmore.Notonlydoestheathletesignthephysical
contractsthey,intheirownmind,knowtherisksofplayingasport.Byparticipating,theperson
knowsthatthereisaveryrealriskofinjury.Theyneedtobeawareofthoserisksandmakesurethat
theyarewillingtotakethoserisksbyplayingthesport.Also,bysigningacontracttoplaythesport,
theyknowwhattheyaresigning,andwhattheyareobligatingthemselvestodo.Aphilosophythat
directlyrelatestoinjuriesinsports,islibertarianismwhichsaysthatapersonownsthemselvesandis
freetomaketheirowndiscsions.Soifthatmeansthattheyconsenttoplayasportthentheycan
eventhoughtherisksarestillthere.TheLibertarianphilosophyisinterestinginthewayitclaims
thatweshouldallownourselves.Weshouldalsobeallowedtodoanythingwewant,aslongasno
harmcomestoanotherperson.Forexample,boxingisanextremecontactsport.NewsScientist,a
popularwebsite,wroteanarticlein2013abouthowboxingshouldbebannedoratleastchanged,
andsincethen,manymorehavestartedtoagree.Theybelievethatboxingspurposeistojusthurt
oneanother.Boxersshouldhavethechoicetoparticipateinthesportiftheywantto,becausethey
owntheirbody,andaccordingtoLibertarianphilosophies,peopleshouldntbeabletotellthem
whattheycanandcantdo.Thatwouldmeanthatanathleteshouldbeallowedtoplay,asthey
knowtherisks.Alsoiftheyownthemselvestheyhavetherighttodoso.

NegativeRebuttal(Lydia):
Youvemadeaveryvalidargument,butthereareafewflawswiththosestatements.The
purposeortelosofsportsistoentertainacrowd,showoffyourphysicalability,andtowin.Injury
happenstobeapartofsports,itsincludedandinevitable.Ifanythingweretobedonetotryand
lowertheamountofinjuriesathletesget,thatwouldbealteringthesportthatmanylove,and
essentiallyitwouldntbethesamesportasbefore.ThisissomethingthatAristotleargues,healso
talksabouthonor,andthatrelatestosportsbecause,societyrewardsthestrongestandfastest
athletesfortheirphysicalprowess.Justbecausesomeweakerathletesarebeinginjureddoesntmean
thewholesportneedstochange.Aspecificexampleisfootball,
manyarguethatitisadangerous
sport,butthetelosistobetactical,win,andentertain.Thatswhatfootballdoes,andthenumberof
concussionshasalreadybeendropping,in2012therewere173concussionsduringtheregular
seasonintheNFL,thenumberhassincedecreased,in2013therewere148,in2014,111.Therewas
36%decreaseinconcussionsoverthosethreeyears,andjustthisseasontheratehasgonedownby
25%.Thenumberisalsoprojectedtokeeponlowering.

Rebuttal/Conclusion(Morgan):
Onceagainwewouldliketothankyouforyourargument.YoumentionedJohnRawlsand
theveilofignorance,andhowweasasocietywouldntchoosetoliveinaworldwherepeopleare
sufferingfrombraindamagesandconcussions.YoualsomentionedJuniorSeauasaspecific
example,butifwelookatthelibertarianismphilosophyagain,itsaysthatweownourselves,andwe
shouldbefreetomakeourowndecisions.Ifanathletedoesntwanttoparticipateinasportthey
donthaveto.NoonewasforcingSeautoputonajerseyandplay.Hechosetodothatforhimself.
Athletesareallowedtomaketheirowndecisions,andiftheydecidetoplayprofessionally,they
shouldbeheldaccountableforthatdecision.Statisticshaveshownthatphysicalinjuryandmental
illnessesarenotthebiggestprobleminsportsthesedays.DrugsuseintheNFLandtheMLB,is
actuallyahugeproblem,butisusuallypassedupbymorepopularissues.
AccordingtoForbesasof
November2015,therehavebeen103drugsuspensionsthisseasonalone,becausemanybaseball
playersaretakingPerformanceEnhancingDrugs.Byknowingthis,wecancometoaconclusion
thatthisisabiggerissuethatwemoveourfocustoo,ratherthanphysicalandmentalillnesses.