Positions

This position holds that weight loss does not come from counting and measuring nutrients. It argues there are many ways to lose weight that do not rest on nutritional metrics at all, pointing to approaches such as the raw food diet and the alkaline diet as alternatives.

This position holds that Western liberalism is not obsolete but under serious threat. It argues that liberalism is in decline and at risk of being wiped out — pressured by authoritarian leaders who call for its end — even though liberal societies tend to be the wealthiest and freest.

This position reframes the debate by first asking what a 'good' argument even is — for instance, whether it means a convincing or persuasive one. It suggests that, however the term is defined, a good argument may not be a necessary condition for a message to go viral.

The value of a university education depends on several factors including the financial assistance available, the field of study and the higher educational institution.

This position holds that whether it is okay to punch Nazis cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. It argues that any justification for violence must always be contextualised — the appropriateness of the act depending on the actual circumstances rather than a blanket rule.

This position holds that whether quarantine harms mental health depends on other factors. It argues that the outcome of prolonged isolation is not fixed but shaped by circumstances — among them a person's external stressors and the strength of the public health systems around them.

As Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, notes: Trump "confers privilege in exchange for constant loyalty at the ballot box, no matter what he does.” His stance on many key policy areas now reflects that of the Evangelical Christian lobby.

This position argues that Eminem's popularity shows white audiences accept political rap more readily when a white artist delivers it. It holds that, with most of his listeners white suburban teenagers, his success reflects comfort with messages that don't truly challenge the status quo.

This position holds that white supremacy is embedded in mainstream veganism. Its arguments say prominent white advocates speak from unexamined privilege, appropriate non-Western food cultures without credit, centre white beauty standards, and overlook Indigenous food rights.

This position questions why it matters whether Taylor Swift is a gay icon. It argues her loyal fans will follow whatever cause she backs, that real icons come from within the LGBTQ+ community, and that celebrity activism can be misinformed and even harmful.

This position holds that who Greta Thunberg is matters far less than what she achieves. It argues that the only thing that counts is her effect — mobilising people and getting the world to take note of the climate crisis — making debates about her person beside the point.

This position holds that it scarcely matters who James Bond is. It argues that the character is no longer culturally relevant — that 'James Bond' is merely a code name passed between agents, and that the franchise persists chiefly as a commercial cash cow rather than a figure worth analysing.

This position dismisses the question of whether schools favour girls over boys as unimportant. It argues any system inevitably benefits one group more than another, so someone will always do better—and that a school's real function is simply to impart knowledge, not to balance outcomes.

This is a very general diet which includes every food group. In this diet, you only eat whole foods, which are foods that are unprocessed and in their natural state. Minimally processed foods are fine. This diet excludes all processed foods. People are encouraged to eat what is local, seasonal, and organically grown.

The whole-foods, plant-based diet (WFPB diet) focuses on eating whole (unprocessed or minimally processed) foods, especially whole plant foods. It limits or excludes animal products. It excludes refined foods. Studies show that a WFPB diet can prevent, treat, and even reverse major diseases like heart disease.

With the invention of the printing press, many new ideas about the catholic church spread amongst the general populace. The English Bible, translated by William Tyndale was particularly revolutionary. The church was seen as corrupt, hypocritical, and not in alignment with scripture. The bottom-up school of thought sees the Reformation as a widespread ground-swell of anti-Catholic ideas.

This position advances the contested theory that Shakespeare was in fact a woman. It points to readings of 'him' as an 'excellent gentlewoman,' supposed hidden codes, and a plausible motive, making the case for candidates such as the poet Emilia Bassano.

This position holds that 'Shakespeare' was really a collective rather than a single author. It argues that while William Shakespeare may have contributed to the works, he did not write them single-handedly, noting that several of the plays are known collaborative efforts.

Willie Mays (the "Say Hey Kid") redefined the meaning of versatility in baseball. Not only was Mays a phenomenal athlete and a historically elite hitter, his extraordinary defensive performance vaults him to the title of greatest center fielder, and overall baseball player, to ever live.

This position names Wilt Chamberlain the best basketball player of all time. It argues Chamberlain set some of the most incredible records in the sport's history—including his 100-point game—feats widely regarded as untouchable and unlikely ever to be broken.

This position holds that woke culture is being misrepresented to sustain systemic injustice. It argues the right has co-opted 'woke' as an insult to discredit movements against inequality, weaponising the term to dismiss legitimate concerns and defend existing structural violence.

This position holds that woke culture is being weaponised to undermine the political right. It argues left-leaning activists use 'wokeness' to attack those who disagree with them, casting it as a dangerous form of censorship, a marker of elitism, and ultimately a class issue.

This position holds that, while its cause is noble, woke culture is flawed in its approach and structure. It argues that wokeness's binary, us-versus-them view of injustice ultimately undermines the very cause it champions, alienating potential allies and oversimplifying complex issues.

This position frames 'woke' positively, as an awareness of privilege and structural inequality. It argues that wokeness stays true to its origins in the American Civil Rights Movement — making people conscious of inequalities — though it notes the counter-view that it expresses white guilt.

This position holds that women live longer than men because of better medical and social behaviour. It argues women tend to address health problems early and quickly, whereas men more often engage in reckless behaviour and delay seeking care until issues grow serious.

Joe Biden has been a consistent supporter of women's rights and will structure his administration to ensure women's issues remain at the forefront of US policy.

Trump has provided hundreds of women the opportunity to serve in his administration. He is a strong leader, and will make decisions in the best interest of women and their families.

This position holds that work on HS2 should stop immediately. It argues the line will never be carbon neutral, that it destroys irreplaceable ancient woodland, that the money would be better spent upgrading existing railways, and that its costs have spiralled beyond justification.

The Americans elected Trump to best represent their interests. He may be a major player on the world stage, but that shouldn't detract from his purpose: to do what's best for US citizens, and no one else.

This position holds that writing skills are among the most useful to learn while social distancing. It argues that sharing one's experiences matters more than ever, and suggests outlets such as writing a short story, starting a blog, or reviving one's correspondence.

This position holds that, for better or worse, VAR is now part of football. It argues FIFA had little choice but to adopt video review as other sports embraced technology and tolerance of refereeing errors faded — while acknowledging the system remains an imperfect work in progress.

This position names Yeezus Kanye West's best album. Though his most jarring work sonically and lyrically, it argues the record was his boldest commercial gamble, confronted racial issues with rare urgency, and deliberately challenges the listener throughout.

This position holds that ending climate change means ending capitalism, which it deems intrinsically unsustainable. It argues that capitalism's core drives — endless growth and accumulation — are incompatible with a finite planet, so that a no-growth economy is required to avert catastrophe.

This position holds that we should stop eating meat to protect the environment. It argues that livestock production drives deforestation, releases polluting greenhouse gases, fuels antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and causes irreversible water pollution through eutrophication.

Colleges should reopen their doors in the fall and allow students to come back to campus. Nothing can beat the on-campus experience, and students deserve the opportunity to experience this.

Modern chatbots measurably improve productivity in coding, writing and customer-facing work, and put once-expensive expert advice — medical, legal, educational — within reach of anyone with an internet connection. The aggregate gains outweigh the cost of their flaws.

This position holds that alien life exists beyond Earth. Its arguments range from the claim that aliens have already visited us, to scientific accounts of how life could arise independently elsewhere or be seeded across worlds through natural or accidental panspermia.

With or without the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was already starting to hybridize workspaces because technology has advanced to the point to where we can do so. From video meetings to virtual filesharing, technology has long been paving the way for virtual workspaces to become a reality, and millions of people already worked from home before Covid-19 was even a thing.

This position holds that Lolita does glorify paedophilia. It argues that whatever points Nabokov makes about social hypocrisy come only through the exploitation of child sexual abuse, and that the young Dolores is presented throughout solely as a sexual object.

"Pure evil" is part of our reality as human beings