Life Raft Debate
About the Life Raft Debate
In the annual UBCO Society of Scholars Life Raft Debate, we imagine that a catastrophic event has wiped out most of humanity and the survivors (the audience) must sail off to rebuild society.
Only one final seat remains on the life raft. Invited professors will each argue that their discipline is the one indispensable area of study that the new civilization will need to survive.
Finally, one professor will take on the role of devil’s advocate and argue that the survivors should actually choose no one and that their new society will be better off without a professor aboard.
You and the audience decide who, if anyone, gets to take that final seat on the life raft.
If you are interested in being a part of the Life Raft Debate or you have a suggestion for a debater for next year’s event, please contact us at scholars.ok@ubc.ca.
2022 Life Raft Debate
Time Traveller Edition
Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Time: 7 pm
Location: Virtual Zoom event
Early registration bonus: Register by 11:59 pm PT on Friday, January 21 for your chance to win one of ten $10 gift cards to an ice cream shop of your choice.
Humans have pushed the world to the brink of extinction. There is only one chance to reverse this: an experimental time machine capable of sending a single person on a one-way trip through time to the first known human civilization. Without any modern technology, our traveller must influence society to not make the same mistakes in order to prevent our downfall.
Which traveller will be the one to go back and restart our world? Who can convince humanity to be better the second time around? To make a civilized, well-rounded group of people, giving them the knowledge and skills they need to avoid the destruction of our world based on our traveller’s expertise? Is it even worth sending anyone back at all?
Our traveller must assert the importance of their discipline to lead the ancient society, fix the mistakes of the past, and lead us to a brighter, more promising future for the human race.
Presented by the Society of Scholars with support from alumni UBC and the UBCO Ice Cream Club.
OPENING REMARKS
Prof Santa Ono
President & Vice-Chancellor
Debaters
Dr. Tamara Freeman
Chemistry
Dr. Liane Gabora
Psychology
Dr. Vicki Komisar
Engineering
Michael V. Smith
Creative Writing
Tamara Ebl
Management
Devil’s Advocate
Dr. Greg Garrard
English
Host
Dr. Robin Young
Biology
2021 Debater
CLOSING REMARKS
Dr. Lesley Cormack
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal
2021 Debater
Previous debates
2021 Life Raft Debate
Escape to Mars Edition
Presented with support from alumni UBC and the UBCO Ice Cream Club.
Debaters
Dr. Lesley Cormack
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Dr. Greg duManoir
Health and Exercise Sciences
Dr. Sandy Hilton
Management
Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering
2020 Defending Champion
Dr. Robin Young
Biology
Devil’s Advocate
Dr. Bryce Traister
English
Host
Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry
2019 Champion
Winner
2021 Champion: Dr. Ray Taheri
2020 Life Raft Debate
Zombie Apocalypse Edition
Debaters
Dr. Deborah Buszard
University Administration
Dr. Greg duManoir
Human Kinetics
Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry
2019 Defending Champion
Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering
Dr. Bryce Traister
English
Devil’s Advocate
Dr. Jan Cioe
Psychology
Host
Dr. Peter Arthur
Education
Winner
2020 Champion: Dr. Ray Taheri
2019 Life Raft Debate
Debaters
Dr. Denise Kenney
Theatre
Dr. Stephen McNeil
Chemistry
Dr. Christine Schreyer
Anthropology
Dr. Ray Taheri
Engineering
Dr. Michael Woodworth
Psychology
Devil’s Advocate
Dr. Marianne Legault
Languages and World Literatures
Host
Dr. Peter Arthur
Education
2019 Champion: Dr. Stephen McNeil
