Big Questions Debate

Big Questions Debate (often abbreviated BQ) is a competitive debate event launched by the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) with funding from the John Templeton Foundation. It pits two debaters against each other on resolutions that intentionally cross disciplinary boundaries, typically engaging questions at the intersection of science, philosophy, and religion — for example, whether humans are fundamentally rational, whether objective morality exists, or whether science and religion are compatible.

The format is structured for accessibility to newer debaters while still rewarding rigorous argumentation. A round consists of constructive speeches, rebuttals, a consolidation speech, and cross-examination periods, with each debater given roughly equal speaking time. Unlike Policy or Lincoln-Douglas debate, BQ resolutions remain the same for an entire competitive season rather than rotating by topic cycle, which encourages deeper research and refinement of cases over months.

Judging criteria emphasize clarity, logical reasoning, and engagement with the opponent's arguments rather than rapid delivery ("spreading") or heavy reliance on debate jargon. Evidence is permitted and encouraged, but the event is designed so that lay judges can follow the substance. This makes BQ a common entry point for novices and for schools building debate programs in regions without established circuits.

Big Questions is offered at NSDA-sanctioned tournaments, including the NSDA National Tournament, where it has been a championship event since 2014. The Templeton Foundation's involvement reflects its broader mission of funding inquiry into fundamental questions about human existence, and the event is sometimes paired with cash awards or scholarships funded through that partnership.

For IR students and Model UN delegates, BQ is useful primarily as a training ground in philosophical framing, value clash, and persuasive argumentation before generalist audiences — skills transferable to committee debate, position-paper writing, and crisis arbitration, even though the subject matter is not policy-focused.