Podcasts by Whats the Res?

What's the Res - 3X19 - End of an Era: Show Finale from 2021-05-05T05:35:37

Ethan is graduating, Josh has moved into more administrative responsibilities, and this is the finale episode. What's the Res? has, Ethan and Josh conclude, been a great success. They reflect on...

What's the Res - 3x18 - March PF: Space Force! from 2021-03-16T18:51:57

Josh and Ethan go back and forth about the March PF resolution: Resolved: On balance, the benefits of creating the United States Space Force outweigh the harms. Enjoy!

What's the Res - 3x17 - LD March/April - Resolved: The United.States ought to Guarantee.Universal Child Care from 2021-03-02T12:55:35

Ethan and Josh cover resolution analysis, definition of terms, key arguments, strategy suggestions, and value premises on the March/April resolution dealing with universal child care. Let us kno...

What's the Res - 3x16 - February PF Expert Interview: Urbanization and City Planning with Luke Juday from 2021-01-29T08:43:50

Josh interviews Luke Juday, an old friend who is now a city planner for Waynesboro, VA. They talk about Luke's debate story (NCFCA and then captain of Grove City College's debate team), and move...

What's the Res - 3x15 - February PF - On Balance, the Benefits of Urbanization in West Africa Outweigh the Harms - Res Analysis with Josh and Ethan from 2021-01-16T10:30:04

Ethan and Josh discuss the February Public Forum resolution - "On balance, the benefits of urbanization in West Africa outweigh the harms." They discuss urbanization, problems and potential gain...

What's the Res - 3x14 - Jan/Feb 2021 LD - States ought to Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons - Full Analysis with Josh and Ethan from 2021-01-02T08:38:46

Ethan and Josh go in depth with this resolution, discussing the Department of Defense's definition of LAWs Listen

What's the Res -3x13 - Coaching and an MFA in Debate and Communication: A Conversation with Adam Key from 2020-12-10T05:46:52

Josh interview Adam Key, Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, about the new Master's in Fine Arts in Debate and Communication he is launching. They d...

What's the Res - 3x12 - LD Jan/Feb 21 - Killer Robots! or, States ought to ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons from 2020-12-02T08:57:57

Josh and Ethan give a very quick first impression (5 minute episode) on the Jan/Feb 2021 LD resolution - States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons.

*Apology - we misspoke the resoluti...

What's the Res - 3x11 - Nov/Dec PF Res Analysis - "The United States should adopt a declaratory nuclear policy of no first use." from 2020-11-16T09:01:31

Josh and Ethan provide resolution analysis and commentary on the Nov/Dec PF resolution - "The United States should adopt a declaratory nuclear policy of no first use." They offer framing advice,...

What's the Res - 3x10 -LD Nov/Dec: The United States ought to have a Federal jobs Guarantee with Dr. Mark Paul from 2020-11-10T04:52:36

Josh and Ethan interview Dr. Mark Paul, economist, professor at New College Florida, and author of several papers on a Federal Jobs Guarantee (including from 2020-10-29T08:51:54

Josh interviews Tyler O'Neil, Senior Editor for PJMedia and a friend from Hillsdale College days, about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the affect this legislation has on social m...

What's the Res - 3x8 - "The United States Ought to Provide a Federal Jobs Guarantee": Ethan and Josh on the Nov/Dec 2020 LD Resolution from 2020-10-26T04:58:29

Ethan and Josh discuss resolution analysis, pragmatic and philosophical approaches to the resolution, and both traditional values and plan-based case strategies. This episode is their first one ...

What'S The Res - 3x7 - Debate Spaces: A Conversation with Matt Summers and Tessa Holzman about Middle School Debate, Access, and Community from 2020-10-14T21:03:46

Ethan and Josh interview Matt Summers and Tessa Holtzman about their non-profit, Debate Spaces. They discuss the story of Debate Spaces, the way that Matt and Tessa's international experiences l...

What's the Res - 3x6 - Increasing Access: A Conversation with Amisha Mody Mehta and Stefan Bauschard, co-directors of the NYC Urban Debate League from 2020-10-06T05:46:58

Josh and Ethan interview the co-executive directors of the New York City Urban Debate League, Amisha Mody Mehta and Stefan Bauschard; they discuss Amisha and Stefan's debate stories, the work of...

What's the Res - 3x5 - Compulsory Voting in a Democracy: A Conversation with Dr. Jason Brennan from 2020-09-26T13:53:49

Ethan and Josh interview Georgetown University professor Dr. Jason Brennan on the topic of the Sept/Oct 2020 LD resolution, "In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory." They discuss Dr. Bren...

What's the Res - 3x4 - Compulsory Voting in a Democracy - A Conversation with Dr. Coyle Neal (LD Sept/Oct) from 2020-09-04T14:55:27

Ethan and Josh interview Dr. Coyle Neal of Southwest Baptist University; Dr. Neal is a political scientist who teaches on American institutions. They discuss the nature of democracy, arguments p...

What's the Res - 3x3 - "Resolved: The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019" - PF Sept/Oct 2020 Resolution Analysis from 2020-08-29T19:28:13

Josh and Ethan discuss the Sept/Oct 2020 PF resolution, "The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019." They discuss Bernie Sanders, some nuances of this bi...

What's the Res - 3x2 - "Resolved: In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory" - Varsity LD Sept/Oct 2020 from 2020-08-18T19:01:08

Josh and Ethan discuss the first varsity LD resolution of the year: "In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory." They go over definitions, background on the resolution, and a series of Aff a...

What's the Res - 3x1 - New Season, New Plan from 2020-08-04T03:27:57

Josh and Ethan discuss the high points of season 2, the purposes of What's the Res, and lay out a plan for how often they will publish episodes this season. This episode also includes shoutouts ...

What's the Res? Summer 2020 (E4) - Is Silence Violence? A Conversation with Tori Petersen from 2020-07-19T13:11:26

Josh interviews Tori Hope Peterson, social media influencer, foster care advocate, and Hillsdale College alumna, about her blog post " from 2020-07-08T12:54:22

Josh and Ethan welcome Dr. Ben Voth to the show. Dr. Voth directs the Southern Methodist University debate program, and he teaches in their communications department. Dr. Voth is a longtime lead...

What's the Res - Summer 2020 (E2) - Rule of Law, Race Riots, and Debate as a Solution: A Conversation with Dr. Nick Higgins from 2020-06-29T13:47:15

Dr. Nick Higgins, associate professor and department chair of the department of politics, government, and criminal justice at North Greenville University, joins Josh and Ethan for a discussion a...

What's the Res - Summer 2020 (E1) - George Floyd, Riots, Revolution, and the 2020 Summer Series from 2020-06-18T07:18:23

Josh and Ethan discuss the death of George Floyd, the protests and their relationship to riots, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s approach to nonviolent protest contrasted with Malcolm X's desire for...

Season 2, Episode 54 - ISD Advice on Nats 2020 LD - Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy from 2020-06-10T08:29:18

Ethan attended an Institute for Speech and Debate (ISD) webinar with Crawford Leavoy on the NSDA Nats 2020 LD resolution, Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical t...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 53 - "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy" Part 2 - Aff and Neg Arguments from 2020-05-25T06:22:28

Josh and Ethan continue their discussion of the LD NSDA Nationals resolution, "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy." They cover Aff and Neg argume...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 52 - "Resolved: On balance, charter schools are beneficial to the quality of education in the United States"- A Conversation with Dr. Robert Jackson from 2020-05-18T05:17:14

Earlier this year, Josh interviewed Dr. Robert Jackson, Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies, about the 2020 Nationals PF Resolution, "Resolved: On balance, charter schools are bene...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 51 - Congressional Debate, NatCirc Competition, and Identity: A Conversation with Adam Jacobi from 2020-05-09T21:53:45

Josh interviews Adam Jacobi about his work with Wisconsin Speech and Debate, the NSDA, and the Harvard Debate Council. Their conversation roams across Adam's career, work in Congressional Debate...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 50 - "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy" - NSDA Nats 2020 LD Topic and Resolution Analysis from 2020-05-03T09:15:23

Josh and Ethan discuss the 2020 NSDA Nationals LD resolution, "Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy." They cover terms, values, and the big ideas b...

What's the Res - Bonus Episode: RIP, Sir Roger Scruton: A Conversation with Nick Kennicott, Landon Loftin, and Josh Herring from 2020-04-25T14:50:23

On January 12, 2020, a giant in contemporary philosophy passed into eternity. This episode is a memorial to the work of Sir Roger Scruton. Josh is a student in the Faulkner University Great Book...

What's the Res - Bonus Episode - Fear and Trembling: Ethan, Patrick, and Josh discuss Soren Kierkegaard, Epistemology, and Metaphysics from 2020-04-16T07:03:08

A few months ago, Josh suggested to Ethan and Patrick that we three read Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, and then have a discussion about it. Here is that conversation! We describe the book, a...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 49 - Mapping the Debate World: An Interview with Crawford Leavoy of Durham Academy from 2020-04-08T17:00:34

Josh interviews Crawford Leavoy, director of debate for Durham Academy, about his speech and debate journey, his role in directing DA's program, and the various organizations that make up compet...

What's the Res - Bonus Episode - Economics in the era of COVID19: A Conversation with Dr. Paul Mueller of The King's College (NYC) from 2020-04-01T09:56:08

Josh interviews Dr. Paul Mueller, assistant economics professor at The King's College in New York City, about the effects of the CARES Act (stimulus bill) on the United States and global economy...

What's the Res? Season 2, Episode 48 - Ethics in the Time of COVID19: A Conversation with Blake Faulkner from 2020-03-25T07:49:20

How do ethics relate to real life? Nothing brings out real ethical convictions like a global pandemic. Josh Herring and Blake Faulkner discuss from 2020-03-18T17:04:27

Josh and Ethan rehash the DNC presidential nominee debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. They talk about the coronavirus, the economic recession, political maneuvering of CNN through mani...

What's the Res? Season 2, Episode 47 - Nietzsche and the Kritikal Mindset from 2020-03-16T20:24:27

With tournaments on hold for the time being, Josh and Ethan discuss their recent readings in Friedrich Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals and the relevance Nietzsche has for modernity and debate. C...

What's the Res? Season 2, Episode 46: March PF - "Resolved: The United States should Increase its use of Nuclear Energy for Commercial Energy Production" - A Conversation with Dr. Spence Spencer from 2020-03-09T16:36:31

Josh interviews Dr. Andrew "Spence" Spencer about the nuances of commercial nuclear power. Dr. Spencer's career path combines several years in US Navy (nuclear submarines), a PhD focused on theo...

It's a Big World out There: Reflections on a Small School going to the 46th Annual Harvard Forensics Tournament from 2020-03-02T05:53:21

Josh and Ethan think through their experiences at Harvard, and what they learned. We encountered NatCirc debating in LD and PF, and we're learning how to be more competitive next year! Let us kn...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 44 - March/April LD - "Predictive Policing is Unjust" (AKA: What do Charles Murray, Michel Foucault, and Predpol have in common?) from 2020-02-22T11:33:30

Josh and Ethan discuss the March/April NSDA LD resolution, "Predictive policing is unjust." They discuss this from 2020-02-15T09:19:57

Ethan and Josh discuss kritiks, a debate tactic they've been working in preparation for competing at the 46th Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament (@harvardhsdebate). The Kritik is a div...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 42 - Comprehending the Welfare State: February 2020 PF with Elliot Gaiser from 2020-02-07T05:54:12

Josh interviews Elliot Gaiser to build a well rounded perspective on means-tested welfare for the February 2020 PF resolution, "The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs wit...

What's the Res - Season 2 - Episode 41 - Medicare for All (Coolidge March 7) from 2020-01-28T04:52:13

Josh and Ethan analyze the Coolidge Foundation's March 7 resolution, "Resolved: The United States should adopt Medicare For All, thus instituting a single-payer system of healthcare." This resol...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 40 (The Big 100) - Means-Tested Welfare vs. a UBI - February PF (NSDA) from 2020-01-20T15:25:10

Josh and Ethan celebrate audience growth, and also provide analysis for the March 7, 2020 Coolidge resolution, "Resolved: The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs with a un...

Season 2, Episode 39 - Res Analysis: Venezuela Sanctions January 2020 PF Debate from 2020-01-13T11:00

Josh and Ethan walk through the January 2020 PF resolution, "Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela." They focus on the historical narrative of Venezuela...

Season 2, Episode 38 - Nuclear Arsenals and International Relations: A Conversation with Dr. Nathan Orlando from 2020-01-06T10:59:58

Dr. Orlando comes back on the show to discuss the Jan/Feb 2020 LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." Josh and Nathan discuss which countries have nukes, bo...

Crime, Corruption, and Crisis: Interview with Tom Darin Liskey on the Jan PF Resolution "The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela." from 2019-12-31T08:12:46

Tom Darin Liskey is a journalist and photographer who spent a decade living in Latin America, including time in Venezuela. In this episode, he shares stories of his time living there and his per...

Season 2, Episode 36 - LD Jan/Feb 2020 - Can States Eliminate their Nuclear Arsenals? A Conversation with Dr. Robert Spalding from 2019-12-24T06:50:33

Ethan interviews Dr. Robert Spalding, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and experienced military strategist, for the January/February LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate thei...

Season 2, Episode 35 - Where do Debaters go after Competition? A Conversation with Brad Birzer about Beyond Tenebrae from 2019-12-17T13:08:47

Josh interview Hillsdale College history professor Dr. Brad Birzer about his high school debate career, the ways debate has impacted his life, and his most recent book, Beyond Tenebrae. Click Listen

Season 2, Episode 34 - PF January 2020: "The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela" - A Conversation with Analicia Vaamonde-Stolz from 2019-12-13T04:48:13

Josh interviews Analicia, a Venezuelan lawyer now working in Washington D.C. For 25 years, Analicia lived in Venezuela. She describes growing up during the Chavez years, the route to Venezuela's...

Season 2, Episode 33 - LD Jan/Feb 2020 - "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." from 2019-12-10T07:56:28

Josh and Ethan analyze the January/February LD resolution, "Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals." They focus on the nine countries with nuclear arsenals, the history of th...

Season 2, Episode 32: LD Paradigm - The Categorical Imperative from 2019-12-02T04:19:04

Josh and Ethan discuss one of the most commonly used yet least understood philosophical paradigms (value or value criterion) in Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative. B...

Season 2, Episode 31 - Bonus: Math Ethnic Studies Framework Faculty Roundtable from 2019-11-25T06:32:09

Josh and Ethan host Alexis Franco, Will Begley, and Tyler Bonin for a conversation about Seattle Public School's Digital Barriers and frequent contributor to Forbes...

Season 2, episode 29 - Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Negative Strategy for Nov/Dec 2019 LD: An Interview with David Deavel from 2019-11-12T08:02:17

David Deavel, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas and economics contributo...

Season 2, Episode 28 - Harms and Benefits to Offensive Cyber Operations: Public Forum Nov/Dec 2019 from 2019-11-04T03:18:46

Josh and Ethan discuss the Nov/Dec 2019 Public Forum resolution, "Resolved: The benefits of the United States federal government’s use of offensive cyber operations outweigh the harms." They rec...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 27 - Fossil Fuel, Climate Change, and Subsidizing Pollution: An Interview with Dr. Joseph Aldy, Professor of the Practice of Public Policy at Harvard University from 2019-10-28T02:21:50

Josh and Ethan interview Dr. Joseph Aldy, Professor of the Practice of Public Policy at Harvard University' Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Aldy's research combines environmental management wi...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 26 - Charter Schools, Education, and Great Hearts Academies: An Interview with Robert Jackson from 2019-10-22T06:53:53

Josh interviews Dr. Robert Jackson, Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies. They discuss charter schools, charter management organiza...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 25 - Policy Debate from Two Debaters' Perspectives: An Interview with Nate and Ruth from 2019-10-14T05:04:10

Ethan interviews Nate and Ruth, two policy debaters in Texas about their experiences in debate! Check it out, and let us know what you think!

Email - from 2019-10-11T04:21:11

Josh and Ethan discuss the Nov/Dec 2019 Lincoln Douglas resolution - "Resolved: The United States ought to eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels." They go over definitions, strategies, a couple o...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 23 - Bonus: Should Vaping be Banned? from 2019-10-07T07:14:38

Josh and Ethan discuss the implications of a vape ban, reasons for an against such a ban, and recent articles arguing for banning vape/e-cigarettes for those under 18. Josh maintains that a cons...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 22: Bonus Philosophical Conversation from 2019-09-30T16:08:51

In this episode, Ethan interviews Patrick, who runs a philosophy memepage on Instagram (@memes.philosophy). They have a conversation about the nature of reality and reason, and whether or not li...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 21 - An Introduction to Policy Debate: An Interview with Bryan Brooks from 2019-09-27T12:58:59

Josh interviews Bryan Brooks, debate coach for Grace Academy in Georgetown, Texas. They discuss the unique format of policy debate, the kinds of analysis pertinent to this debate, k-debate, spre...

What's the Res - Bonus Episode - Classical Literature, Science Fiction, and Clear Communication: An Interview with Christopher Ruocchio from 2019-09-25T06:32:42

In early September, Josh found two new books to read at the Knightdale Public Library - Empire of Silence and The Howling Dark, each by Christopher Ruocchio. Christopher graduated from North Car...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 20 - Reason in a Postmodern Age: An Interview with Dr. Kelly Burton from 2019-09-23T13:30:48

Dr. Kelly Fitzsimmons Burton is a philosophy professor at Paradise Valley Community College, and the founder of both the Public Philosophy Society and Public Philosophy Press. She is a graduate ...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 19 - Shop Talk with Ethan and Josh from 2019-09-20T09:14:33

Ethan and Josh take an episode to think back on What's the Res?, think about what's worked and what they've changed, favorite interviews, and funny moments. Tune in to hear some of the behind th...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 18 - LD Paradigm: Teleology from 2019-09-18T07:47:26

Josh describes the philosophical framework, first articulated by Aristotle, called teleology. This framework looks at the nature of a thing, and from that nature derives a purpose; that purpose ...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 17 - Worlds School Debate Format (NSDA): An Introductory Conversation from 2019-09-16T06:29:56

Josh and Ethan discuss the exciting new format their team is exploring this years, Worlds Schools Debate! Modeled on British parliamentary debate, Worlds format is an international way of debati...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 16 - Is the Adversity Score Really Gone? And what's Happening with Equity in the New York City Public School System? An Update for Sept/Oct LD from 2019-09-11T07:31:49

For Sept/Oct 2019, the NSDA LD resolution reads, "In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions." In this episode, J...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 15 - Tax Policy, Charter Schools, and Policy Debate: An Interview with Donald Bryson, President and CEO of the Civitas Institute from 2019-09-09T04:34:23

Ethan interviews Donald Bryson, president and CEO of the Civitas Institute, a Raleigh-based state level policy think tank. Donald was the Content Lecture...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 14 - The Sept/Oct 2019 Varsity LD Resolution from an Admissions Counselor's Perspective from 2019-09-06T05:27:48

Josh interviews Thomas Starchia to get the college admissions perspective on the 2019 Sept/Oct LD resolution, "Resolved: In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standa...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 13 - Claim, Warrant, Impact Argument Structure from 2019-08-30T04:49:20

In this episode, Josh goes over one way to structure an argument. This episode will be a helpful review to varsity debaters, and a good introduction to the Toulmin model of argumentation for nov...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 12: LD Paradigm - Rule of Law from 2019-08-28T18:30:22

Why do we follow laws? What moral imperative do we have to obey laws, just or unjust? These questions and more are the subject of this episode, where Josh discusses the development of the princi...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 11 - Sept/Oct Public Forum Resolution Analysis: "Resolved: The European Union should join the Belt and Road Initiative." from 2019-08-26T07:33

Should the EU join the Belt and Road Initiative? That's the question Josh and Ethan analyze in this episode. They focus on major studies, articles, and resources for both Pro and Con. Pro's case...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 10 - LD Paradigm: Personalism from 2019-08-23T07:29:26

Personalism is a 20th-21st century philosophy grounded in the axiomatic dignity of the human person. Articulated in the aftermath of the horrors of WWII, Personalism seeks to help form a society...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 9 - Sept/Oct LD Varsity Supplement - Interview with Courtney van Kleeck, College Admissions Specialist from 2019-08-21T07:16:06

The Sept/Oct 2019 resolution for varsity LD reads, "In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions." In this episode,...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 8 - Sept/Oct LD Resolution Analysis: "In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions." from 2019-08-19T07:07:34

Josh and Ethan analyze the 2019 Varsity LD resolution; they offer definition thoughts, strategy suggestions, and contenders for value/value criterion combinations for both Aff and Neg cases. Sho...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 7 - Coolidge Analysis: “North Carolina should offer targeted tax incentives to businesses that relocate major parts of their operations to North Carolina." from 2019-08-16T07:17:32

Josh and Ethan discuss the resolution for the first Luddy Debate League tournament of the 2019-2020 season - Resolved: The state of North Carolina should offer targeted tax incentives to busines...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 6 - Debate Techniques: Flowing, and Burdens from 2019-08-14T07:13:01

Josh describes "flowing," the debater method of taking notes in a round. While there are lots of modifications and advanced ways to flow, the basics are simple and described in this episode. Jos...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 5 - China's Belt and Road Initiative: An Interview with Tyler Bonin from 2019-08-12T07:19:52

Tyler Bonin (@tylermbonin) returns to What's the Res to help with the NSDA Public Forum Sept/Oct resolution - "The EU should join the Belt and Road Initiative." What exactly is the Belt and Road...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 4 - Interview with Bob Luddy, Business and Educational Entrepreneur from 2019-08-09T04:41:14

Bob Luddy is the founder and president of Captivaire, and the educational entrepreneur behind St. Thomas More Academy<...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 3: Types of Debate - PF/LD/Coolidge Formats from 2019-08-07T06:15:13

In this episode, Ethan breaks down three debate formats, and discusses the nuances of each style. If you are having trouble choosing a format, this episode should help out! Enjoy!

Email: ...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 2 - NSDA LD Novice: "Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified" (Resolution Analysis) from 2019-08-05T14:39:41

Ethan and Josh describe Lincoln-Douglas debate, discuss traditional vs. progressive debate, value and value criterion elements of the LD case, and then launch into resolution analysis. They brea...

What's the Res - Season 2, Episode 1 - Trade, Immigration, NAFTA, Economics: An Interview with Dr. Roberto Salinas-Leon from 2019-08-02T03:42:26

Josh and Ethan interview Dr. Roberto Salinas-Leon, the President of the Mexico Business Forum and the Alamos Alliance; he is also the Director of the Center for Latin America with the Atlas Netw...

What's the Res - Summer 10 - Res: Religion does more Harm than Good (Sample of Premium Debates) from 2019-07-22T04:45:40

This episode is a sample of our Premium Debates - if you like it, check out https://whatstheres.podbean.com/premium for seven more debate ep...

What's the Res - Summer 9 - Debate Jargon: Terms, Techniques, and the National Circuit - A Conversation with Matthew Tweeden from 2019-07-19T03:56:20

Josh and Ethan interview Matthew Tweden, a high school debater from Texas, about debate jargon. Matthew competes in various national tournaments (most recently, the Coolidge Cup and the NSDA), a...

What's the Res - Summer 8 - Gender Bias in Public Forum: A Female Debater's Perspective from 2019-07-08T16:16:39

At NSDA Nationals 2019, one female debater held up a sign indicating that 2/28 finalists on stage were female; this image reignited an ongoing discussion amongst coaches, debaters, and the commu...

What's the Res? - Summer 7 - Progressive vs. Traditional Debate (Interview: David Parau) from 2019-07-05T05:21:41

In this episode, Ethan sits down with David Parau, a debater with experience in both traditional and progressive debate environments, to discern the similarities and differences between the two ...

What's the Res - Announcing What's the Res: Premium Debates! from 2019-07-01T05:37:32

Over the past six weeks, we've been developing a series of premium episodes featuring real people holding real debates! We have seven episodes ready for Launch Day (July 1, 2019) and are thrille...

What's the Res - Summer 6 - Democratic Primary Debates, Round 1: Analysis and Commentary from 2019-06-27T15:32:05

Josh and Ethan rehash the first Democratic primary debate from 6/26. Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker, and Julian Castro are the major players, and the debate focuses on economic iss...

What's the Res - Summer 5 - Live Debate: "On balance, President Trump has done well in his first term." from 2019-06-26T13:51

The What's the Res team tested out Castbox' Livecast program on 6/26 with a live debate between Ethan and Patrick. This file is the edited version of their live debate (with pauses, table scrapi...

What's the Res - Summer 4 - Christian Multiculturalism and International Refugees: A Conversation with Josh Davis from 2019-06-22T11:57:11

While traveling this summer, Josh Herring met Josh Davis, Executive Director of Proskuneo, a ministry focused on helping churches expand their outreach in mu...

What's the Res - Summer 3 - The Formative Power of Debate in the Life of Russell Kirk: An Interview with Mrs. Annette Kirk from 2019-06-16T08:41:40

In this episode, Josh interviews Mrs. Annette Kirk about the late Dr. Russell Kirk and the way his years debating in high school and college prepared him for his career in the public square. Dr....

What's the Res - Summer 2 - Debate between Conservatives and Progressives through the Common Ground Initiative: An Interview with Gleaves Whitney from 2019-06-15T11:53:55

In this episode, Josh interview Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University. Gleaves explains the history of the Common Ground In...

What's the Res? - Summer 1 - Debate in the Southern Baptist Convention: A Conversation with Phillip Herring (Debate in Public Life) from 2019-06-04T04:22

This episode breaks from our usual pattern of focusing on resolution analysis to consider where debate happens outside of tournament competition. Josh interview his dad, Dr. Phillip Herring, abo...

(E34) What's the Res? - Coolidge Cup 2019 Unilateral Free Trade - Interview with Tyler Bonin (Unilateral Free Trade) from 2019-06-02T20:04

In this episode, Josh and Tyler Bonin go into detail about unilateral free trade, and explain the ins and out as to what this would look like. Tyler Bonin shares his insight on the economics of ...

(E33) What's the Res - Coolidge Cup 2019 Resolution Analysis: Free Trade, Tariffs, and China from 2019-06-01T12:35

In this episode, Ethan and Josh discuss the Coolidge Cup (2019) resolution, and give insight on potential arguments and strategies. They talk about the meaning of "unilateral free trade," the im...

(E32) What's the Res - Debate camps, founding tournaments, and spreading debate: An Interview with Albert Feng from 2019-05-25T20:28

In this episode, Josh interviews Albert Feng, graduate student at Stanford University, on his experience in the debate world, and his current plans on forwarding the practice of competitive deba...

(E31) What's the Res - Technology Giants, Antitrust Laws, and Narrative Arguments: NSDA Nationals 2019 Public Forum (Resolution Analysis) from 2019-05-22T06:05

Josh and Ethan analyze the #Nats19 NSDA Public Forum resolution - "Resolved: The United States federal government should enforce antitrust regulations on technology giants." After a grammatical ...

(E30) What's the Res - Public Speaking, Socratic Pedagogy, and Unfailing Support: A Conversation with Dr. Melissa Edwards from 2019-05-20T21:34

Without administrative support, debate in a school setting could not happen. In this episode, Josh sits down with Dr. Melissa Edwards, Administrator of T...

(E29) - What's the Res - Adversity Scores: Invalidating the SAT? (Bonus) from 2019-05-16T19:32

Josh and Ethan explore the College Board's new Adversity Score system, and argue that it is an unjust system that compromises the objectivity of the SAT. They base their analysis on the Wall Str...

(E28) - What's the Res - International Relations, Obscure Revolutions, and Felt Oppression: A Conversation with Nathan Orlando (NSDA Nats) from 2019-05-15T03:20

Josh interviews Nathan Orlando, an old friend who has gone on to pursue a PhD in International Relations from Baylor University and currently teaches at St. Vincent College. They discuss the #Na...

(E27) - What's the Res - Lazy Rivers, Federal Loans, and the Purposes of College: A Conversation with Dr. Richard Vedder from 2019-05-13T08:22

In this episode, Ethan sits down with Dr. Vedder to get in depth on the current state of the costs and benefits of college, a conversation that has been very popular recently here on What's the Res...

(E26) What's The Res - Trust the Process from 2019-05-10T23:27

In this episode, Ethan describes the debate process, and how that process requires training and ongoing effort. He offers six tips for debate! Another episode of featuring a high school debater spe...