Questions
997 questions in the encyclopedia.
Why is the nationalist right hallucinating a ‘communist enemy’?
Why does the nationalist right invoke a 'communist enemy'? This entry maps the explanations — that communism once posed a real threat, that the fear is bound up with antisemitism, and that the right is more prone to conspiracy thinking.
Why is the standard of living in East Germany so much worse than West Germany?
Why does the former East Germany still lag the West in living standards decades after reunification? This entry maps the explanations — that the east is still grappling with its history, that it faces discrimination, and that it remains proud.
Why is there so much poverty in South Africa?
Why does poverty remain so entrenched in South Africa? This entry maps the explanations — extreme inequality, low intergenerational mobility, and the enduring legacy of colonialism and apartheid.
Why is US gun lobby NRA so controversial?
Why is America's National Rifle Association so divisive? This entry maps the explanations — its enormous budget and political influence, its lobbying against all forms of gun control, and its contested claim that more guns make society safer.
Why was Korea divided?
Many people today have only ever known a divided Korea in their life times. North Korea and South Korea, their tensions, politics, and neighbours often fill the news. But why was Korea divided in the first place?
Will 500,000 Hong Kongers really move to 'Nextopolis'?
Could half a million Hong Kongers relocate to a proposed new city, 'Nextopolis'? This entry sets out the two positions on the question — that 500,000 Hong Kongers will move there, and that they will not.
Will a COVID-19 vaccine save us from a permanent new normal?
The Pfizer announcement has renewed hope that the new normal will soon be lifted. Meanwhile, Oxford University says its own vaccine might be ready before the end of the year. What will this mean for 2021? Can we go back to our lives before the pandemic, or are masks and social distancing here to stay?
Will AI take our jobs?
Since the dawn of the information age, society has worried about artificial intelligence replacing human labour. We are now seeing rapid advances being made in this technology that makes the question of critical importance. What will the future of automation look like, and will AI take our jobs?
Will artificial intelligence lead to the end of humankind?
The term artificial intelligence (AI) was coined back in 1956. While science fiction often portrays AI as robots with human-like characteristics, AI can encompass anything from Google’s search algorithms to IBM’s Watson to autonomous weapons, and it's progressing rapidly. AI today is properly known as narrow AI (or weak AI), as it is designed to perform a narrow task (e.g. facial recognition or driving a car). However, the long-term goal of many researchers is to create general AI (AGI or strong AI). While narrow AI may outperform humans specific tasks, AGI would outperform humans at nearly every cognitive task.
Will Boris Johnson or Keir Starmer make the better Prime Minister?
Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer's personalities and styles of management could not be more different. Their politics are miles apart. So who will make the better prime minister?
Will China Become the next Super Power?
There are many factors that contribute the the abilities of a country-technology, people, the power of the government, exports, imports, and so on. America is just one of the countries battling for dominance, and right by their side is China. The question is, who will emerge victorious? Will China become the next superpower?
Will China's rise as a global superpower be peaceful?
China will surpass the United States economically and is making huge military and technological progress. Will China's rise to global superpower status be peaceful? Or will China's rise not be peaceful due to its authoritarianism and territorial disputes?
Will cities survive now that work from home is becoming permanent?
If remote work becomes permanent, the daily commute that filled offices, transit systems and city-centre businesses may not return at its former scale. This entry maps the debate over whether cities can survive that shift, or cannot.
Will coronavirus change the world?
First encountered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the new coronavirus disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and reached many other countries as well. COVID-19 is highly transmissible, with no vaccine or treatment currently available, and on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Will the coronavirus lead to an unprecedented global pandemic, as some experts predict? Or are warnings over the dangers of COVID-19 just fearmongering?
Will coronavirus destroy the global economy?
How will the coronavirus pandemic affect the global economy? The virus is fast spreading across continents, causing major corporations to close their offices and airlines to go bust. Coronavirus has already been blamed for the record-breaking one day fall in the US economy. What's next?
Will coronavirus herald the end of capitalism?
The US is already experiencing record unemployment, and stock markets are crashing all over the world. The economic impact of coronavirus is already huge. Does this mean the end of capitalism? Or are we reading too much into this economic shock? Previous economic crashes, such as 2008, made no change at all to the global capitalist economy, so why would coronavirus?
Will Donald Trump be re-elected?
In 2016, billionaire realtor Donald Trump won the US Presidential election, confounding polling forecasts, expert opinion, and mainstream press predictions. In the intervening four years, Trump's leadership has divided the nation. His critics blame Trump for deepening social cleavages, and say he has legitimised racism, deepened economic inequality, and reversed crucial climate change legislation. Others support his re-election, citing his economic record and calling his America First policy vital in the age of uncertainty. So, will Donald Trump be re-elected?
Will Donald Trump concede the 2020 Presidential election to Joe Biden?
After Joe Biden's decisive win in the 2020 Presidential Election, Donald Trump and many of his supporters continued to claim victory in the election, as well as accuse the Democratic Party of using voter fraud to illegitimately steal the election.
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for criminal justice?
The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. As riots have blazed across the country in response to police brutality, the ways presidential candidates approach criminal justice are increasingly coming under scrutiny. Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for criminal justice?
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for healthcare?
As the only developed nation without universal healthcare, the US is often criticised for not providing enough support for its citizens. The global pandemic has highlighted how problematic this has the potential to be. So, will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for healthcare?
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for race relations?
Racial tensions have existed in the United States for centuries. 2020 has seen unprecedented protests under the Black Lives Matter banner and race has been the centre of clashes between protesters, militias and the police. With tensions so high, will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for race relations?
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for the coronavirus pandemic?
The coronavirus pandemic has become the worst global health crisis in more than a century and has taken an unprecedented toll on the United States. The 2020 US election will hinge on how the candidates respond to the virus. Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for the coronavirus pandemic?
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for the environment?
Climate change poses an existential threat to the world. The 2020 United States Presidential candidates are in a position to make or break the future of this planet. Each candidate takes a starkly different stance on the environment and its intersection with the economy, trade, and scientific fact.
Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for the US economy?
As the 2020 US election approaches, the candidates' approach to key policy areas is coming under scrutiny. Their plans for the economy are especially important in the wake of the coronavirus and subsequent soaring unemployment rates and economic recession. Will Donald Trump or Joe Biden be better for the US economy?
Will Germany become the new finance hub after Brexit?
Would Frankfurt inherit London's financial crown after Brexit? This entry sets out the two positions on the question — that Germany will become a new finance hub after Brexit, and that it will not.
Will Joe Biden ban fracking?
Joe Biden had a wavering stance on fracking prior to his election. He said that he would ban it, but reversed his stance in the debate. Many still wonder what will happen with this policy and worry about its environmental impacts. Let's break it down.
Will Keir Starmer's "new management" cost Labour minority votes?
Will Keir Starmer's 'new management' of the Labour Party cost it support among minority voters? This entry sets out the positions on the question — yes, no, and that it depends on how it is handled.
Will life change after the pandemic?
Right now, the world is stuck in a state of uncertainty. Will citizens have jobs? Will students go back to school? Will the value of money change? It seems impossible to answer these questions as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. So-will the pandemic change the world as we know it?
Will Mandarin Chinese replace English as the next world language?
English became the world’s international language through British colonization in the 17th-18th centuries, the growth of science and technology through Britain’s Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, and the rise of the United States as a leader in economic, political, cultural, and scientific power in the 20th-21st centuries. Today, English (and its many varieties) has the greatest number of speakers in the world (1,268 million), followed closely by Mandarin Chinese (1,120 million). Yet, with the rise of the People’s Republic of China as a global economic superpower, many speculate that Mandarin Chinese (China’s official language) will soon replace English as the language of international affairs.
Will Medicare for All work?
Medicare is currently a program that provides healthcare support for millions of Americans. It is seen by many as a vehicle that could be expanded to help extend coverage to all Americans. But should this be done?
Will polar bears become extinct in the future?
Polar bears live in Antarctica and artic regions. Their fur coats keep them warm in these frigid areas. This means they can only function in those areas. But their habitat is threatened by global warming. Global warming is melting the glaciers and ice plains, minimizing the amount of territory polar bears and their prey’s territory. At this rate, will polar bears be extinct in the future?
Will private firms win the race to Venus?
Will private companies be first to reach Venus? This entry sets out the positions on whether private firms will win the race to the planet, against the view that they will not, as commercial spaceflight expands.
Will the Black Lives matter movement create lasting change?
There’s no question that the wave of protests against police violence and racial injustice across the country has had a tremendous impact. “It’s different this time” has been a frequent sentiment among historians, activists and other experts. Is it too early to tell?
Will the coronavirus make outside learning impossible in the future?
The coronavirus has made learning opportunities very difficult these past several months. Schools have closed and become online. Although this is a great solution, there are concerns about not fulfilling the benefits of an in-person class. One concern is how the coronavirus will affect environmental classes, especially for young children. Is it still possible to somehow incorporate learning about nature while everything is online or is it impossible?
Will the future of transportation be electric?
There is a push towards the usage of electrically powered cars. A few governments envision in the coming year to prohibit sell or even circulation of thermal cars. However electric car still is a niche market Will ti ever become viable
Will the public trust a Covid-19 vaccine?
Vaccines have generally been proven safe over decades of use, however doubts persist among some groups. With unprecedented speed of development and importance to world health how will the public respond to the current Covid-19 vaccine?
Will the UK move away from a two party system?
British politics continues to be dominated by the Conservative and Labour Party, but with the emergence of smaller 'protest' parties and the dominance of the Scottish Nationalist Party in recent General Elections, is it realistic to believe that two party politics has a future in the UK?
Will there be enough water in 2050?
Will the world have enough fresh water by 2050? This entry sets out the two positions on the question — that there will be enough water in 2050, and that there will not — amid rising demand and mounting climate pressures.
Would a Mars colony need a fixed government?
Advanced Space capabilities are in all likelihood coming rather soon, with SpaceX’s next generation rockets at the forefront. However, exploration of how a colony will fit into the global stage has only been explored by fiction authors thus-far and not decision - makers.
Would Britain become chaotic if biscuit production stopped?
A few years ago, the McVities biscuit factories were flooded in the wakes of Storms Desmond and Eva, and biscuit production in the UK was halted. Great Britain had to have emergency biscuit supplies flown in from the EU. What would happen if this happened again after a hard No Deal Brexit? Would Britain descend into chaos without biscuits?
Would human extinction be a tragedy?
Would it be a tragedy if humans were wiped out? Would it be a cause for celebration given the environmental destruction we have caused? Maybe it would be neither?
Would Joe Biden be a good President?
As the 2020 election approaches, many question what America would look like with seasoned politician, centrist, Democrat candidate Joe Biden at the helm. Would Joe Biden be a good President?
Would the world be better without gender?
Would society be better off without the concept of gender? This entry sets out the two positions on the question — that the world would be better without gender, and that it would not.
リーダーという仕事は、オンラインで完結できるだろうか？ Can the role of leader be completed online?
DIAMONDハーバード・ビジネス・レビュー（DHBR）2020年7月号（以下、今月号）の特集は『リーダーという仕事』。コミュニケーションのあり方が変わろうとしている現状において、自分の関心は「リーダーという仕事は、オンラインで完結できるだろうか」にある。今月号を読みながら、この問いを考えてみたい。(ブログ：https://wp.me/p1ggRB-NO を参照）
実験する文化の肝は何か？ What is the most important to build a culture of experimentation?
Harverd Business Review March–April 2020の特集は”Creating a Culture of Experimentation: Good tools aren’t enough. You need a total change in attitude.”となっており、つまりは文化を特集していた。この文脈から、実験する文化の肝を改めて問うことで、本質理解につなげたい。
実験の民主化に何が必要か？ What is needed to democratize experimentation?
科学的検証に実験的手法は欠かせない。どれだけ正論的アプローチが幅をきかせていても、実験的アプローチが皆無な組織はまずないだろう。一部の部署が仮説検証を繰り返し、そこで作られた手順などを他の部署がオペレーションとして回すような構造は、以前の環境下では強みであったが今では弱みになりつつある。この点はハーバード・ビジネス・レビュー（DHBR）2020年6月号の『日本企業が「実験する組織」に変わる方法』で、特にP73において強く記述されているところ。本稿で提言されている「実験する組織」に変貌するには「実験の民主化」は欠かせない。では、実験の民主化に何が必要なのだろうか？
組織は環境という外部性をどのように内部に取り込むべきか How should organizations internalize the externalities like environment?
DIAMONDハーバード・ビジネス・レビュー（DHBR）2020年8月号の特集は『気候変動』。今まで組織の外の課題として扱われていた「環境」が、かなりの程度、組織の課題として見られるようになってきた。どうしてそうなったのか、現在の構図と対応策を今月号から読み解いてみたい。(参考ブログ：https://toshimitsuhara.wordpress.com/ ）