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Great American Think-Off Solicits Questions for Anniversary Debate
New York Mills, MN—November 18, 2016—2017 is the 25th anniversary of the Great American Think-Off, which is a philosophy competition hosted by the Cultural Center in New York Mills. After 25 years of debating controversial philosophies, the Center is turning to the general public for question ideas. Submissions must be received by December 1 to be considered.
The Think-Off Committee solicits questions for the 2017 Great Debate. Past questions have included, “Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?” (1998), “Which is More Dangerous — Science or Religion?” (1999), and “Love or Fear: Which Motivates us More?” (2014). For a full list of past questions, visit www.think-off.org/history.
As an exhibition of civil disagreement, the Great American Think-Off aims to take philosophy out of the ivory towers of academia and gives voice to the everyday, armchair philosopher.
The first debate, held in 1993, ended undecided, but every year since then four finalists have traveled to New York Mills to clash over contested ideas, with the audience voting to award one of the four the title of America’s Greatest Thinker.
The question is released annually on January 1, with an essay deadline of April 1. Winners are announced May 1and the 25th annual debate will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017 in New York Mills, MN.
Submit question ideas and suggestions to [email protected] or mail them to PO Box 26, New York Mills, MN 56567 by December 1, 2016 to be considered.
For more information please call the Cultural Center at (218) 385-3339 or visit the Center’s website at www.kulcher.org or the Think-Off website at www.think-off.org.