Final VI Torneo Escolar de Debate Comunidad de Madrid 2015

Key Concepts

• Torneo de Debate Escolar: A school debate competition organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of the Community of Madrid.
• Conocimiento vs. Éxito: The central debate topic: whether knowledge or success is more important.
• Argumentos: The structured points presented by each team to support their stance.
• Democracia: The role of knowledge in informed citizenship and democratic participation.
• Autorrealización: The concept of personal fulfillment and self-development through knowledge.
• Necesidad: The idea of what is essential for a dignified life.
• Retroalimentación (Win-Win Effect): The concept that success breeds further success.
• Beneficio Personal: The positive psychological and biological effects of success.
• Beneficio Socioeconómico: The broader societal and economic advantages derived from success.
• Sofomanía: A mental disorder characterized by an excessive obsession with knowledge.
• Ignorancia: The lack of culture or knowledge.
• Formación Académica vs. Conocimiento: The distinction between formal education and broader knowledge acquisition.

Summary of the 6th School Debate Tournament Final

This transcript details the final of the 6th School Debate Tournament, organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of the Community of Madrid. The event was held at the School of Civil Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, with thanks extended to its director, Francisco Javier Martínez Carrasco, and subdirector José Miguel Atienza and secretary Pablo de la Fuente Martín for hosting.

The tournament, initiated in 2009, has become a benchmark for other autonomous communities, growing from 18 participating centers and 27 teams in its first year to 52 centers and 91 teams in the current edition, involving approximately 500 students. The Ministry emphasizes that this initiative, alongside others like bilingual programs, teacher training, and programming classes, aims to enhance students' skills for their academic, professional, and personal lives. Key skills developed include research, documentation, argumentation, creativity, persuasion, and public speaking.

Debate Topic: Knowledge vs. Success

The final debate centered on the question: "Is it more important to have knowledge or to have success?"

Team Summer Calasanz: Knowledge is More Important

Represented by Carlota, Miguel Ángel, Lucía, Alberto, and Sandra, this team argued that knowledge is paramount. Their arguments were structured around three key points:

1. Argument of Democracy:

   • Key Point: True democracy requires informed citizens. Without knowledge, individuals are susceptible to manipulation, rendering democratic rights meaningless.
   • Supporting Evidence: Article 20 of the Spanish Constitution, which protects freedom of thought and expression, is contingent on freedom of thought, which in turn requires knowledge. Intellectuals like José Luis San Pedro and Fernando are cited.
   • Technical Term: Legitima nuestra capacidad crítica (legitimizes our critical capacity) – Knowledge provides the foundation for critical evaluation.

2. Argument of Self-Realization:

   • Key Point: Humans naturally strive for knowledge, and developing this capacity leads to greater personal fulfillment and a better understanding of oneself and the world.
   • Supporting Evidence: Aristotle's assertion that all men naturally tend towards knowing. Philosophers like Kant and Hegel are mentioned, who view history as a progression of knowledge that enhances human existence.
   • Concept: Autorrealización (Self-realization) – The process of fulfilling one's potential.

3. Argument of Necessity:

   • Key Point: Knowledge is essential for a dignified life, providing truth, science, bioethics, medical and technological advancements, philosophy, and the ability to critique societal norms. Without it, individuals are enslaved by ignorance, unable to combat injustice, prejudice, xenophobia, racism, or any form of slavery.
   • Supporting Evidence: The tragic assassination of Federico García Lorca is used as an example of how knowledge (his voice against injustice) is a powerful weapon against prejudice and fanaticism.
   • Quote: Federico García Lorca: "Yo si tuviera hambre y estuviera desvalido en la calle no pediría un pan sino que pediría medio pan y un libro." (If I were hungry and helpless in the street, I would not ask for bread, but for half a loaf and a book.)

Team Montpellier: Success is More Important

Represented by Lidia Rincón, Elan Marx, Sandra, Ana Portero, and Laura Vicoso, this team argued that success is more important. Their arguments were:

1. Argument of Feedback (Win-Win Effect):

   • Key Point: Success generates further success. Achieving a goal creates ambition for new challenges, benefiting both the individual and society through progress.
   • Supporting Evidence: Ian Robertson's "Winner Effect" hypothesis, which explains how success motivates individuals to pursue more success.
   • Concept: Retroalimentación (Feedback/Reinforcement) – The cyclical nature of success.

2. Argument of Personal Benefit:

   • Key Point: Success leads to personal happiness through biological and psychological processes, including the secretion of hormones like testosterone and dopamine, which create a sense of well-being.
   • Supporting Evidence: Biological evidence of hormone secretion (dopamine and testosterone) linked to happiness, as mentioned by Néstor Braidot.
   • Concept: Beneficio Personal (Personal Benefit) – The positive impact of success on an individual's well-being.

3. Argument of Socioeconomic Benefit:

   • Key Point: The benefits of success extend beyond the individual to society, driving economic progress and creating jobs.
   • Supporting Evidence: Examples like Inditex, whose success provides employment for thousands, and the Spanish national football team ("La Roja"), whose World Cup victory boosted economic activity for companies like Adidas.
   • Quote: Steve Jobs: "Aquí y ahora es uno de los momentos a los que estamos influyendo en el futuro." (Here and now is one of the moments in which we are influencing the future.)

Rebuttals and Counter-Arguments

Throughout the debate, teams engaged in rebuttals:

• Summer Calasanz (Knowledge) vs. Montpellier (Success):

  • On Retroalimentación: Summer Calasanz argued that Ian Robertson's "Winner Effect" also highlights negative effects of success, such as increased egocentrism and decreased empathy, akin to drug addiction. They questioned if negative consequences make success less important than knowledge.
  • On Personal Benefit: They countered that the societal pursuit of success leads to loneliness and boredom, citing Bertrand Russell's "The Conquest of Happiness," which suggests basic well-being, not necessarily success, leads to happiness.
  • On Socioeconomic Benefit: They argued that economic success requires a foundation of knowledge, citing that 84.7% of companies provide training to their workers. Amancio Ortega's issues with illegal workers in Zara factories were presented as an example of the problems caused by ignorance. The case of AIDS prevention was used to show how knowledge, not just success, benefits society by combating prejudice.
  • On Democracy: They argued that individuals can think for themselves without extensive knowledge, and that the debate is about knowledge vs. success, not thought vs. success.
  • On Self-Realization: They stated that while philosophers value knowledge, ordinary people prioritize success in their daily lives.
  • On Necessity: They argued that negative behaviors like racism are rejected by human instinct, not solely by knowledge. They questioned if ignorance necessarily leads to a bad life, as individuals possess basic knowledge.
  • On Ignorance: They defined ignorance as a lack of culture or knowledge, thus directly linking it to knowledge. They also pointed out that Amancio Ortega's scholarship program demonstrates a commitment to knowledge.
  • On Statistics: They argued that the INE statistics on satisfaction and employment for those with higher education demonstrate the importance of knowledge, not just academic formation.

• Montpellier (Success) vs. Summer Calasanz (Knowledge):

  • On Knowledge as Foundation: They argued that knowledge is merely a means to achieve success, and its value is less than that of success. They used the analogy of equations where success is the ultimate goal (e.g., reaching '5').
  • On Negative Effects of Knowledge: They countered that knowledge, in excess, can lead to "sofomanía" (an obsession with knowledge), which is also detrimental. They urged focusing on the core debate rather than extremes.
  • On Societal Stability: They questioned if knowledge truly leads to a more stable society, citing a study by Dr. Kirsten Krueger suggesting technological and scientific advancements contribute to uncertainty and fragility in financial and commercial markets.
  • On Defining Success: They urged the opposing team to define success accurately, distinguishing it from mere fame. They also broadened the definition of knowledge to include life experiences, not just academic instruction.
  • On Progress: They asserted that societal progress is driven by the economy, which is fueled by success, not knowledge. They cited significant figures for Inditex's tax contributions and sales.
  • On Knowledge as a Tool for Success: They argued that success is the key that unlocks the door to knowledge and allows individuals to discover their inner potential.
  • On the "Five" Analogy: They reiterated that while knowledge might be a path (e.g., 4+1), success is the ultimate destination, and the value of the path is less than the destination.
  • On Einstein's Quote: They referenced Einstein's equation for life (A = X + Y + Z, where X is work, Y is pleasure, and Z is keeping quiet), noting that knowledge (A) is not explicitly mentioned as the primary driver.

Conclusion and Awards

The debate concluded with the jury acknowledging the exceptionally high level of all participants. The awards ceremony included:

• Five Special Mentions (200€ each for the center and 200€ for the teacher):

  • Colegio Fundación Caldeiro (Team 1)
  • Colegio Obispo Perelló (Team 2)
  • Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Team 2)
  • Centro Educativo Fenana (Team 2)
  • Colegio Retamar (Team 1)

• Numerous Prizes (1000€ for each teacher preparer):

  • Fourth Prize (500€): Instituto El Burgo de las Rozas
  • Third Prize (850€): Colegio Retamar (Team 2)
  • Second Prize (1000€): Colegio Montpellier
  • First Prize (2000€): Colegio Samer Calasanz

The event highlighted the importance of debate as a tool for developing critical thinking and communication skills, and it officially opened the preparation period for the seventh edition of the tournament.