Agora Debate Club London
Agora Debate Club London is a debate society in central London for the honest sharing of opinions.
welfare state debate at the Agora:
Tickets are going fast, so secure yours now. The ticket includes a free welcome drink. BOOK HERE
You can give your opinion or ask a question during the Q&A
said about Agora Debate Club London:
Feedback from guests
" What a cracking discussion! Congratulations, we all really enjoyed it."
- Guest ASC
"Thanks very much to you, your co-founder and committee, for organising Monday’s event. I don’t like debates as ‘blood-sport’, but I love them when I learn, laugh, change my mind or deepen my understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of words, slogans or positions on values. Well done, I want to attend further Agoras."
- Guest SB
"Magnificent, take a bow! Thank you for your hard work delivering last night’s event, which was superb! Please thank the excellent speakers, who, clearly, had put much thought and hard work into their communication. They delivered their important points powerfully and with style. A thought-provoking session. I nearly didn’t attend. I was tired. But, for all sorts of reasons, I am so pleased that I did."
- Guest KC
"It was great to attend the Agora Panel Discussion with Baroness Fox and others, and I look forward to attending the next regular Agora debate."
- Guest RA
THE REALLY PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DEBATING
"THE AIM OF ARGUMENT SHOULD NOT BE VICTORY, BUT PROGRESS" – karl popper
In this book, debate coach, author, former politician, and co-founder of the Agora Debate Club London, William Hagerup, takes you on a really practical path to building a strong argument, how to deliver it well and what logical fallacies to look out for.
This is not a book about how to win competitions (hence the subtitle) but how to debate in good faith in order to explore different arguments and viewpoints in an open, rational and honest way. In a society where cancel culture, trolling and even political violence seem increasingly present, this book shows the way forward for both the young student trying out debating for the first time, the adult professional who wants to build stronger arguments at work or elsewhere, and for anyone who wishes to engage with one another in a way that is appropriate for rational people in a civilised society: not by violence and sectarianism, but by persuasion and dialogue.
Get your e-book or hardback copy HERE
Agora Debate Club London
Welcome to Agora Debate Club
Agora Debate Club is a unique debate club in London that allows you to debate on the side you feel most strongly in favour of. Unlike other debate clubs, we do not assign you a side, instead you choose the side and you argue your own case without the need to coordinate your argument with the other debaters on your side.
Votes will be taken before and after debates, and the side with the greatest swing in its favour, is declared the winner.
Formality and ceremony are central to our debates to engender respect for opponents and audience as well as to provide a framework for true passion.
We aim to meet six times a year for debates on current or philosophical issues.
The name "Agora" comes from the ancient Greek word for the marketplace and town square where debates were held. A debate is an expression of the marketplace of ideas, and as we believe in the free trade of ideas, the name Agora Debate Club perfectly expresses what we are all about.
Our logo has three pillars, each representing one of the basic values the club is based on: Reason, Logic and Free Speech.
Each pillar has two ends, six in all, representing the six gatherings we aim to have per year.
Join us and experience the thrill of rational Enlightenment discourse in the heart of legal London.