THE VALUE &

THE VALUE CRITERION

Debating Lincoln Douglas

The Resolutions

Corporations ought to value their

responsibility to shareholders over the
public interest when the two conflict.
Countries ought to prohibit the
production of nuclear power.
Democracies ought to incorporate
provisions for legal secession into
their national constitutions.
Immigration ought to be
recognized as a human right.
In the United States, campaigns
that support candidates for public
office ought to be financed exclusively
by public funds.

In the United States criminal justice

system, jury nullification ought to be used
in the face of perceived injustice.
In the United States, private ownership
of handguns ought to be banned.
The privatization of civil services
undermines democracy.
The United States ought to adopt
carbon pricing.
The United States ought to promote
democracy in the Middle East.

SETTING UP YOUR
FRAMEWORK
A value is defined by Websters Dictionary as a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or
desirable.
a value debate is a debate between conflicting
principles, standards and qualities considered as desirable.
How do you decide the conflict between two different principles?
Answer: you decide upon standards to weigh the two values.
First, you need to identify what you are trying to evaluate, or what is sometimes called the evaluative term.
In the resolution, Corporations ought to value their responsibility to shareholders over the public interest when the two conflict the
evaluative term is valueover So, in this resolution you want to use a criteria that weighs responsibility to shareholders and public
interest.
Then we need to use a value premise to identify the most important element of the evaluative term:
For example, the corporations resolution. It can be said that corporations have an obligation to shareholders, since they are financially
invested in the company. Therefore, a value of Duty could apply for the Affirmative. (Justice could apply as well)

Then we need to determine a value criteria to identify, define and measure the standards that you need to meet in order to
achieve the value premise.
For our example, we can say the protection of property rights is a value criteria that would best achieve justice or duty the best.
Specifically we should be able to achieve our value criteria (which is kind of like our impact) through affirming or negating the
resolution. Immanuel Kant talks about the institutionalization of provisional property.

I. The Resolution provides a conflict

between two different values
II. We identify the evaluative terms that
show what burden we must meet in the
resolution.
III. We then use a value premise to identify
the most important element of the
evaluative term.
IV. Value criteria identify, define and
measure the standards that you need to
meet in order to
achieve the value premise.

Corporations ought to value their responsibility to shareholders over the public interest
when the two conflict.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

ValueOver

Justice

Protection of
Provisional
Property

Countries ought to prohibit the production of nuclear power.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

Ought to

Democracies ought to incorporate provisions for legal secession into their national
constitutions.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

Immigration ought to be recognized as a human right.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

In the United States, campaigns that support candidates for public office ought to be
financed exclusively by public funds.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

In the United States criminal justice system, jury nullification ought to be used in the face of
perceived injustice.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

In the United States, private ownership of handguns ought to be banned.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

The privatization of civil services undermines democracy.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

The United States ought to adopt carbon pricing.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion

Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.

Evaluative Term(s) Value (Premise) Value Criterion