Positions

By the early 5th century many independent groups were at Rome’s gates simultaneously. The mishandling of the early Gothic invasions led to a multi-faceted military disaster. The approach of multiple invading armies was a catastrophic event that would have been difficult for any empire to handle.

Military intervention in foreign conflict may sometimes help, but there have been to many instances of failure. Instead of rolling the dice, we should use other means of aid and diplomacy to help.

This position takes a middle view: animal milk can be healthy, but only sometimes and for some people. It argues that milk offers genuine nutritional value in certain cases, while not being absolutely necessary to a healthy diet, so its benefit depends on circumstance.

This position offers the tongue-in-cheek explanation that Settlers of Catan appeals to millennials because they are lazy. It argues that the game lets a supposedly work-shy generation with short attention spans 'take over the world' and achieve big ambitions with minimal effort.

This position offers the explanation that Settlers of Catan suits millennials because they would rather stay in than party. It argues that the generation is increasingly home-based and sociable in quieter ways — making a strategic board game a natural fit for a night in with friends.

This position presents the dualist answer to the mind-body problem: that a person is made of two distinct parts, a physical body and a non-physical mind. It draws on the knowledge argument about qualia, first-person authority over one's experience, and the existence of free will.

This position presents functionalism as an answer to the mind-body problem. It holds that mental states can be reduced to functional responses to stimuli—Putnam likened the mind and body to a computer—offering an alternative to the perceived weaknesses of materialism.

This position presents the idealist answer to the mind-body problem: that only the mind truly exists, and the physical world we perceive is a composition of mental experience. It draws on cases such as hemiplegic stroke victims to argue for the primacy of mind over matter.

This position presents the materialist answer to the mind-body problem: that humans are purely physical matter, mind included. It argues physical explanation is simplest (Occam's razor), that mental states arose through physical evolution, and that beliefs reduce to physical experience.

The final book in the Hunger Games series is set apart from the first and second novels. It delves into the revolution that has been building up since the first book. The novel showcases immense character development as Katniss becomes the face of the revolution.

In Model United Nations, participants are placed in the position of delegates or ambassadors in a committee of different countries. They are forced to collaborate to resolve a variety of international issues.

Rather than a binary disagreement that deficits are good or bad, it is reasonable to conclude that small deficits are irrelevant to the broad economy, and only high deficits financed by central bank accommodation create inflation

This position holds that modern students should read modern literature. It argues contemporary works address today's issues and let students relate to what they read, while classic literature often lacks diversity and feels remote from their lives.

Modernist voices care less about society, and other people, instead honing in on the individual perspective. In this way, they reject national values and ‘the greater good’ by manifesting the cynicism and uncertainty of a new generation trying to make sense of the world.

New writing techniques captured the spirit of rebellion and the need to rip apart, rearrange, and reappropriate language structure. But far from taking an ‘anything goes’ approach, Modernists were disciplined and rigorous, carving a niche and marking their territory on the literary landscape.

The human experience is confused, wild, jumbled, and completely subjective. There is a belief that people cannot fully know themselves, so their understanding of the world is bound to be piecemeal and full of contradictions. So, Modernist literature asserts that everything is relative.

As a conscious break from established political, religious, and social views, Modernist writing aims to challenge its reader’s perceptions. It is critical of history yet often takes a playful and creative approach in making sense of it.

Monarchy, or rule by one person, has been the most common form of government in history. Monarchies are better than republics for numerous reasons. Monarchs exist on a station beyond politics since they unite people in a way democratically elected leaders cannot. They attain their position by birth, not through the help of a political party, money, or media.

This position holds that the board game Monopoly destroys families because money is divisive. It argues that few things in life cause more conflict than money — and that Monopoly's overzealous, luck-driven competition over cash brings that divisiveness straight to the family table.

This position holds that money is what makes star quality. It argues that many celebrities were born into wealthy families whose fortunes propelled them to fame — pointing to figures like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, whose money opened the road to stardom.

This position holds that monopolies are damaging to economies. It argues that competition is central to a healthy economy, and that monopolies choke it — reducing innovation and entrepreneurship, suppressing workers' wages, and driving prices higher for consumers.

This position holds that monopolies can be good for the economy. It argues that their scale and profits provide the capital and incentives to fund research and development, driving innovation and stimulating capitalism in ways smaller firms cannot.

This position holds that the board game Monopoly destroys families by surfacing latent rivalries. It argues that the competitive, money-driven setting drags long-buried tensions — sibling rivalry, favouritism, unresolved family grievances — into the open, where they erupt.

Competition is competition. Whether you're playing against a beloved auntie, or a professional nemesis - winning is everything. And some people are just bad losers.

This position names Montague John Druitt as Jack the Ripper. It argues that Druitt was a leading suspect at the time—some senior police believed him guilty—and that the Whitechapel murders stopped abruptly after his suicide in late 1888, pointing to him as the killer.

This position holds that mood and mental-health skills are the most useful to learn while social distancing. It argues that staying calm amid uncertainty matters more than ever, recommending practices such as meditation and mindfulness to steady the mind.

Expanding early and postal voting opportunities enables Covid-secure voting. And ensures those unable to attend a polling station on election day are not excluded from the electoral process. Giving voters more control over how they vote means more Americans can vote, strengthening democracy in the US.

Several companies and specialized workers allow the American healthcare system to provide exceptional care. This large number of players, combined with a for-profit type economic model, challenges the healthcare industry to provide the best standards of service. But this system also makes the healthcare system more expensive by adding extra capital and human costs to the process.

Ian McKellen as a retired Sherlock Holmes. Directed by Bill Condon.

This position names Mstislav Rostropovich the greatest cellist of all time. It argues the Russian master brought new technical expertise and musicality to the instrument, expanded its repertoire, and famously premiered Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1.

This position holds that much of what most people know about Freud's theories comes from popular culture rather than his actual work. It argues that Freud survives as an influential trope — filtered through films, television, and everyday words and sayings he bequeathed.

This position holds that multicultural literature belongs in the high-school curriculum because it teaches students about their world. It argues that stories and poems from diverse cultures help young people understand others and learn how to live in a varied society.

This position traces the origins of '420' to music. It notes that figures from Bob Marley to John Lennon were famously open about cannabis, and explores claims crediting the term to musicians such as Bob Dylan or the Grateful Dead and their devoted following.

Following a great deal of negative publicity after the 2009 VMAs, Kanye West set out to win back approval with his magnum opus, the sprawling My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.