Positions

This position holds that manned space flight is not worth pursuing because its complexity and cost are too high. It argues that crewed expeditions are not economically viable, and that too many technical and practical obstacles remain unresolved to justify sending humans into space.

This position holds that humans lack free will, arguing our actions are predetermined rather than freely chosen. It points to neuroscientific research said to undercut the notion of conscious choice and to the idea that fate ultimately cannot be escaped.

As soon as Covid-19 goes away and life gets back to normal again, 'hybrid work' will no longer be necessary. It is not within human nature to sit inside all day; we need to go out, move around, and socialize for the sake of our mental and physical health. 'Hybrid work' may still exist, but it will not become the way of the future because it promotes an unhealthy, sedentary way of life.

This position holds that Lolita does not glorify paedophilia. It argues the narrator, Humbert Humbert, is no hero and his actions are never praised, and that Nabokov's aim was to expose the destructiveness of obsession rather than to celebrate or endorse it.

"Pure evil" is an imaginary concept created by humans.

There is no strong scientific evidence which clearly shows that 5G technology is harmful for humans. The frequency of 5G waves is safe for human exposure. And, on the contrary, 5G technology offers individuals and society many significant benefits and solutions.

This position holds that theodicies fail because a truly good God would not allow evil. It argues the coexistence of God and evil can only be explained by another potent spiritual force—a Satan—that creates evil, or else by concluding that God is not wholly benevolent after all.

This position holds that a hot dog is not a sandwich. It argues that hot dogs occupy their own category on menus, distinct from sandwiches, and that a true sandwich requires two separate pieces of bread — whereas a hot dog sits in a single, specially shaped roll.

Consciousness is an organic, biological function of the brain that can't be replicated by machines. Brains and computers do not work in the same way; computers take in information from their environment passively and stores it in blocks, while brains actively take in information from the environment and process it with complex neural connections. A machine can't replicate these neural connections, so a machine can't be conscious.

This position holds that affirmative action is not racist. It argues the policy is about diversity and inclusion rather than racial bias, that it compensates for existing privilege, and notes that it does not even protect all minority groups equally.

School detention is one of the only tactics teachers have as a disciplinary method, and it acts as an important time occupant for kids who may otherwise misuse their free time. It supplements education and prevents misbehavior, making it an effective punishment.

This position holds that alien life does not exist anywhere else in the universe. It argues that no extraterrestrial life — not even simple microbial life — exists or will ever exist beyond Earth, making humanity and terrestrial life unique in the cosmos.

Linguistic complexity is difficult to define and measure, yet all languages are complex in their own way. There is no language that is objectively the hardest to learn. The ease of learning a second language just depends on one’s first language. An alien coming to Earth could pick any two languages and have an equally difficult time mastering them.

All Lives Matter is a movement to distract attention from inequalities faced by blacks. As UC Irvine Anthropology Professor Theo Goldberg explains: "The universalizing politics of “All lives matter” is one of racial dismissal, ignoring, and denial."

This position holds that not all philosophical questions can be answered. It argues that philosophy is the broad foundation of other disciplines rather than a field that yields definite answers of its own, and that many of its questions can only ever be resolved through personal experience.

This position holds that alternative medicine is not effective. It argues that it has no proven effect beyond the placebo response, and that the point is self-proving: any alternative treatment that genuinely worked would, once demonstrated, simply become accepted orthodox medicine.

This position holds that the United States is not exceptional. It argues that American exceptionalism is a national myth, inconsistent with the reality of world history, and that American history is best understood within a global context rather than as a unique story standing apart.

This position holds that an unamendable constitution can be democratic. It argues fixed provisions reduce division, that voters keep the power to draft a wholly new constitution, and that — since democracy is about protecting rights, not just process — unamendability guards against a tyrant.

The language that is claimed to be androcentric is historically gender-neutral, and any attempts to eradicate this language is wasted effort at best and oppressive at worst.

This position holds that animated films should not compete for the Best Picture Oscar. It argues animation differs too fundamentally from live action to be judged fairly alongside it — in its demands on acting, its production process, and its distinct purpose of escapism.

Anime is much more than mere cartoons; they are complex storytelling mediums with their own distinct styles and tropes, which are separate from the styles and tropes of traditional cartoons.

This position holds that anime should not be adapted into live-action films. It argues that such adaptations carry too many drawbacks — they often amount to improper cultural appropriation, are made chiefly to turn a quick profit, and frequently end up being poor-quality films.

Art and literature should not be moralizing because that is not the goal of the medium. Additionally, they usually fail to be moralizing for every viewer or reader. The viewer often ignores the artist's intentions.

This position holds that artificial intelligence will not bring about the end of humankind. It argues that a true superintelligence cannot actually be achieved, and that AI — however capable at narrow tasks — lacks the genuine intelligence and consciousness of a human being.

This position holds that the state should not control social-network activity. It argues that handing government such power risks repressive censorship that unfairly curtails citizens' rights, and that the surveillance involved is readily abused to profile and target people.

This position holds that asexual people should not be included in the LGBTQ+ community. It argues that an absence of attraction is not a sexual orientation like the acronym's identities, and that asexual people have not faced the systematic oppression that binds the community together.

This position holds that astrology does not work. Its argument is that horoscopes and star-sign readings rely on vague, flattering generalities broad enough to fit almost anyone, so the recognition readers feel reflects the universality of the language rather than any genuine predictive power.

Aside from kneeling being incredibly disrespectful to all the veterans and security officers who have sacrificed to make the country better, the sports field is also not the right place or situation to stage a protest.

While different, barefoot running is not superior to running with shoes. barefoot running creates its own kind of injuries, and studies show it doesn't actually improve performance.

Although BDS is against the state of Israel, it is not an antisemetic movement. BDS rejects zionism and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, but is not against Judaism. BDS openly condemns all forms of discrimination and advocates for equality and justice.

Beauty is objective and exists independently of any subject. While variations in aesthetic judgment lead us to believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, this is a misguided way of thinking.

Sexual assault is an incredibly traumatic experience that will scar the victims for life, and not something to be lightly dismissed simply because the art is good. Someone who used their position of prominence and power to commit such atrocious actions should never be respected.

Given that art is an expression of one's inner thoughts and feelings, an artist who has pedophilic tendencies probably reflects those emotions in their art as well. A consumer who is really into the artist could be influenced by their twisted minds.

This position holds that birth control should not be free. It argues the issue is more complex than cost, that free provision would be too expensive and could encourage risky sexual behaviour, reduce incentives to develop safer methods, and force religious objectors to pay.

This position argues that bisexuality does not exist as a distinct orientation. It holds that those who identify as bisexual are really another sexuality—claiming the label masks homosexuality or seeks attention—a view widely rejected by researchers and LGBTQ advocates.

Bitcoin lacks many of the characteristics necessary for a currency to function. It holds no inherent value, offers no stability as a savings tool, and has no liquidity for use as a purchasing vehicle.

This position holds that British colonial powers did not invent India's caste system. It argues that caste long predates colonial rule — the idea is found in Indian scripture and Hindu tradition dating back some two millennia — so the British inherited it rather than creating it.

Bullfighting is a time-honored tradition and an important part of Spanish culture and identity. The bulls used in bullfighting are generally treated better than bulls raised for meat, and are respected in the bullfighting community. Matadors also know the risks involved in bullfighting, just as in any sport. It is not as inhumane as it is made out to be. Bullfighting should not be banned.

This position holds that cannabis should be restricted to medical use, not legalised recreationally. It argues that the drug offers society no value beyond medicine — that it has negative health effects, can act as a gateway to harder drugs, and that legalisation would even feed the black market.

Income inequality is a byproduct of every society, no matter what economic system under which that society functions. Capitalism, by nature, does not encourage or catalyze the inequality already in place.