UNIV 1212: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Fall 2013
Learning Log
Name:Maram Alghamdi
Section:203
ID#: 201202367
Date:
Date Due: Post on BlackBoard before 11:59 PM on December 17, 2013.
Topical debate Groups and Topics can be found on the sign-up Wiki page in Blackboard.
Complete the following questions for 3 debates (not your own):
Debate 1
1. The issue PE
2. Reasons for the issue
a. Physical health makes student’s function well in classes.
b. It will decrease the number of obesity.
3. Reasons against the issue
a. Students may need more time to work on other courses. So PE classes will take more
time.
b. There will be many students that get injured since they are weak to begin with. Also,
since there are few educated trainers in Saudi, there won’t be anyone who can
actually help.
4. Which side won the debate? Why? (4 lines)
The side that won is for PE classes in public schools. It is better to have it as a must
because it help obese kids, and decrease the rate of diseases people get as a result of
obesity. Also, regular exercises will make the students concentrate better inside the
class. Another great reason is because it makes the students have a better self esteem,
and teamwork.
5. What are 3 other reasons the losing side could have given to strengthen their
argument? (4 lines)
Teachers always pressure students to do sports during PE class, but some can’t really
handle the pressure because their bodies is too weak. It does not increase self esteem
because some kids will be better than others at it. Those kids who aren’t good enough
will feel embarrassed because they might not be able to run as fast as their other
friends, or can’t play football well. Also, PE class should not be in schools because it
is not needed in our future life. We don’t need PE to do our jobs later on, and it won’t
make us any money if we know how to play a certain game.
Debate 2
6. The issue Driving in Saudi
7. Reasons for the issue
a. It is too hard for women to depend on a man to drive her every time she want to go out.
b. Families might experience financial problems from the ban because most families
depend on a driver.
8. Reasons against the issue
a. Driving will open a door to prostitution, and there will be less virgin girls since a
barrier has been lifted.
b. In Saudi culture, a women should stay at home, and not go outside. So driving will be
against Saudi’s culture.
9. Which side won the debate? Why? (4 lines)
Women should drive (For) because it is inconvenient for females since they need to
depend on a man to drive them everywhere. Also many females work these days, and
there will be more in the future since more girls are studying. So it will be very hard
for them to move from their house to their work everyday. Also it might cause some
families a big financial problem since they need a driver.
10. What are 3 other reasons the losing side could have given to strengthen their
argument? (4 lines)
The losing side should point out other problems that are visible for everyone. For
example, it will be hard for women to drive because the traffic in Saudi is very bad as it
is. If women started driving, the traffic will increase more, which isn’t a good thing.
Women aren’t supposed to get into a lot of contact with men in Islam, so it should
have been pointed out that there should be women working in the police to get any
female driver who did a mistake on the road. Of course, there aren’t any female police
officers now.
The accidents rate is very high in Saudi, so it will be dangerous for women to drive. It
will also a big problem if a women got into an accident because Saudi women refuse to
let strange men touch them as it is forbidden. So if anything happened to the women, it
will be hard for any man to help her.
Debate 3
11. The issue Sport Centers for Women in Saudi Arabia
12. Reasons for the issue
a. Women need it to decrease the high rate of obesity.
b. Sports decrease the possibilities of getting breast cancer. So, if women had sport
centers around, women will be healthier.
13. Reasons against the issue
a. Saudi women aren’t interested in playing sports, so the sport centers won’t be a good
business.
b. There are many different reason of gaining weight, and eating might not be the only
reason for it. Being stressed, pregnant, or lack of sleep is all factors of gaining weight.
So even if women attended sport centers, it doesn’t mean they will lose weight.
14. Which side won the debate? Why? (4 lines)
Women need sport centers because the obesity rate is high. It will also decrease the
factors of getting diseases like breast cancer. Sports give the body a lot of energy and
since there are few sport centers in Saudi, women can’t go to them daily, or weekly
since there aren’t transportation.
15. What are 3 other reasons the losing side could have given to have strengthened
their argument? (4 lines)
Although sports do help the body, it might not be good in this case. The few sport
centers in Saudi doesn’t actually require a paper from the doctor. So if anyone who
has diabetes has low blood sugar, the workers won’t know what to do with the
women because they have no information about her medical condition. Another case
is there are few educated trainer in Saudi, let alone women, so they won’t be able to
guide the customers correctly.