With the upcoming fall semester, the UW-Madison Ethics Bowl team members are excited about a new year and another chance at regionals. Last year, the team placed 3rd at the Upper Midwest Regional tournament and won a bid to nationals. Considering this was the first time in several years the team had gone to regionals, everyone is ecstatic to take the competition to the next level this semester.
Ethics Bowl is a form of debate that occurs at the high school and collegiate levels. Two teams, each with approximately three to five members, face off against each other in rounds by answering ethical questions related to modern science, technology, politics, and economic issues. Opponents and judges then ask questions of the presenting team, which that team must answer adequately to score well. This type of debate is often more casual and friendly than other forms of debate because there is little use of prepped material and encouragement of camaraderie between opponents. The activity is engaging and satisfying for many members.
Many of the students on the UW team are former high school debaters who were looking for a similar activity with less time commitment. Nevertheless, the team requires no experience to be a part of and many new to the debate world have joined and enjoyed their time on the team. With one practice a week and one major tournament per semester, members rarely feel overwhelmed by this activity. Instead, Ethics Bowl provides a welcoming community for students and discussion of current ethical issues.
With a generous sponsorship from the Holtz Center, the UW-Madison team plans to be at the Org Fair September 12th and 13th, so make sure to stop by the table for more information!
Submitted by Sara Rabon
