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+{"question": "Is ignoring North Korea an effective strategy for resolving conflicts?", "perspectives": ["Ignoring North Korea is an effective strategy for resolving conflicts.", "Ignoring North Korea is not an effective strategy for resolving conflicts."], "docs": ["So far engagement has done little to resolve the situation in North Korea either; the regime is practically immune to pressure from those states that are willing to pressurise it. There are occasional hopes that China will put more pressure on North Korea but so far these have proven to be false hopes, and indeed China is investing heavily in North Korea, for example creating a port at Rason to serve Manchuria. [1] When the Korean question is resolved it will be through the collapse of the regime, something that is as likely to come about through ignoring it as engaging with it.  [1] Bloomberg News, \u2018North Korea Investment Zone Promoted to Chinese as Next Shenzhen\u2019, Bloomberg, 13 September 2012,", "Ignoring North Korea wont resolve the situation  While the great powers can try to keep on with business as usual how will this be helpful? The situation is unstable and needs to be resolved which is something that ignoring the North will not do. Commentators thought that the North would collapse as a result of the withdrawal of support that was given by the USSR in the early 1990s but it did not happen. The regime will likely be able to hang on in the status quo situation pretty much indefinitely.  There is also no reason to believe that the provocations may not become bigger should smaller provocations be ignored. While North Korea can attract the world\u2019s attention with a missile test launch it is likely to keep doing such small and relatively harmless actions. Should such actions fail the regime may resort to bigger incidents such as the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in 2010 which resulted in 46 deaths which may have been an attempt at coercive diplomacy against a regime that was unwilling to engage in negotiations. [1]  [1] Cha, Victor, \u2018The Sinking of the Cheonan\u2019, Center for Strategic & International Studies, 22 April 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "0"}
+{"question": "Is the concept of God, as conventionally understood, logically contradictory?", "perspectives": ["The concept of God, as conventionally understood, is logically contradictory.", "The concept of God, as conventionally understood, is not logically contradictory."], "docs": ["The nature of God as it is conventionally described is logically contradictory:  A creator god is a logical absurdity, as demonstrated by empirical fact and rational reflection. Certainly God cannot exist outside of the Universe, as such a concept is effectively meaningless. In fact, physics explains that when the Universe expanded as an inflating field of space and time as the result of a quantum fluctuation, causality itself arose from the process, making a causative agent \u201cprior\u201d to the Universe not only unnecessary, but also impossible. Furthermore, the idea of an omnipotent God is logically contradictory because if God were omnipotent He would be able to create an entity greater than Himself, yet that is impossible. [1] The very attribute is logically unfounded, making the conventional explanation of God invalid. Thus atheism, the absence of belief in gods, is the only logically justified theological position.  [1] Savage, C. 1967. \"The Paradox of the Stone\". Philosophical Review 76(1).", "Just because God cannot be understood by conventional understandings of physics and logic does not invalidate His existence. In fact, it is unsurprising that trying to discuss the attributes of God would confound human reason. That is why faith is essential to understanding, and why science and reason are limited tools. Thus even if one considers the conventional description of God to be unsatisfactory, it is not sufficient reason to conclude that God does not exist. That is why one should at best adopt a position of agnosticism."], "type": "binary", "id": "1"}
+{"question": "Should the PRC be recognized as the legitimate \"one China\"?", "perspectives": ["The PRC should be recognized as the legitimate \"one China\".", "The PRC should not be recognized as the legitimate \"one China\"."], "docs": ["PRC is clearly the China that matters  The Chinese civil war is over, and it is clear that it is the People\u2019s Republic that has won. The 1992 consensus (though the term was coined later) between Taiwan and the PRC is that there is \u201cone China, Different Interpretations\u201d about who controls that China. [1] If there is only one China then it is clear which of the two China\u2019s that one is. The PRC is 266 times larger than RoC, has 58 times the population, and its economy is 13.7 times bigger (by purchasing power parity). [2] States should be recognising the PRC as the \u201cone China\u201d.  [1] Kan, Shirley A., \u2018China/Taiwan: Evolution of the \u201cOne China\u201d Policy \u2013 Key Statements from Washington, Beijing, and Taipei\u2019, Congressional Research Service, 26 August 2013,  , p.47  [2] All figures from The World Factbook, China and Taiwan pages  ,", "The PRC may be much more powerful, more populous, and bigger, but that does not mean that it is the legitimate government of China. The decision to recognise other countries is a matter for each government and should be based on their perception of the legitimacy of the two contenders and their own national interests not comparisons between the two competing sides."], "type": "binary", "id": "2"}
+{"question": "Should skin whitening creams be banned due to their potential racial overtones?", "perspectives": ["Skin whitening creams should be banned due to their potential racial overtones.", "Skin whitening creams should not be banned due to their potential racial overtones."], "docs": ["They fuel colourism in society  Allowing the use of racial overtones \u2013 the perception that a product will bring a person towards a \u201cwhite ideal\u201d is harmful for several reasons. It could cause communities to generate a form of inferiority complex, and it reinforces the structural difference rather than aiming to minimize it. While it may sound absurd, in the US darker-skinned African Americans (and darker skinned latinos) are less well educated and have lower incomes [1] . Elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere, such as in Brazil, race is seen as an issue of colour and socio-economic background, not ancestry highlighting a much more obvious link between whitening creams and racism [2] .  Is it not the role of the state to reduce that discrimination, not to fuel it? Banning such creams would help prevent such harmful effects by discouraging the notion that people should aim to make themselves lighter skinned.  [1] Hunter, Margaret L., \u201cIf you\u2019re light you\u2019re alright: light skin color as social capital for women of color\u201d, Gender and Society, 2002,  , p.35  [2] Telles, Edward, Race in Another America: The Significance of Skin Colour in Brazil, 2004, online sample chapter,", "Banning skin whitening on such a basis also requires the acceptance of the racial overtones. Some form of tan is popular in many societies of people of European ethnic origins \u2013 that is not a racial matter, it is more based on economic social perceptions (that of holidays to warmer climates). Ascribing a racial element to everything to do with skin tone is at best a lazy analysis.  Irrespective of issues of race and perceptions of ethnic origins, and its intersection with beauty standards, some people will be given advantages in life due to their appearance. Banning a certain form of cosmetic, even if it can have some racial and ethnic undertones, won\u2019t change that."], "type": "binary", "id": "3"}
+{"question": "Does an increase in choice lead to unhappiness and stress?", "perspectives": ["An increase in choice leads to unhappiness and stress.", "An increase in choice does not lead to unhappiness and stress."], "docs": ["People are given too much choice, which makes them less happy.  Advertising leads to many people being overwhelmed by the endless need to decide between competing demands on their attention \u2013 this is known as the tyranny of choice or choice overload. Recent research suggests that people are on average less happy than they were 30 years ago - despite being better off and having much more choice of things to spend their money on1. The claims of adverts crowd in on people, raising expectations about a product and leading to inevitable disappointment after it is bought. A recent advertisement for make-up was banned in Britain due to the company presenting its product as being more effective than it actually was2. Shoppers feel that a poor purchase is their fault for not choosing more wisely, and regret not choosing something else instead. Some people are so overwhelmed that they cannot choose at all.  1Schwartz, The Tyranny of Choice, 2004.  2 Kekeh , Too Beautiful? British MP Draws Line in Sand for Cosmetic Ads , 2011.", "People are unhappy because they can't have everything, not because they are given too much choice and find it stressful. In fact, advertisements play a crucial role in ensuring that what money people have, they spend on the most appropriate product for themselves. If advertisements were not permitted, people would waste money on an initial product when, given the choice, they clearly would go for another.  A meta-analysis incorporating research from 50 independent studies found no meaningful connection between choice and anxiety, but speculated that the variance in the studies left open the possibility that choice overload could be tied to certain highly specific and as yet poorly understood pre-conditions1.  1 ^ Scheibehenne, Benjamin; Greifeneder, R. & Todd, P. M. (2010). \"Can There Ever be Too Many Options? A Meta-Analytic Review of Choice Overload\" . Journal of Consumer Research 37: 409-425."], "type": "binary", "id": "4"}
+{"question": "Would a unified Europe be more influential in international organizations?", "perspectives": ["A unified Europe would be more influential in international organizations.", "A unified Europe would not be more influential in international organizations."], "docs": ["A federal Europe will be a stronger international actor  A federal Europe will be better equipped to promote the interests of its citizens in the world, carrying more influence in the UN, WTO, IMF and other intergovernmental and treaty organisations than its individual states do now. Furthermore, Europe has a lot to contribute to the world in terms of its liberal traditions and political culture, providing both a partner and a necessary balance to the USA in global affairs.  Once unified, Europe will become an (even more) important negotiating and trading partner \u2013 one of the biggest economies in the world. It will have a population of 450 million \u2013 more than the United States and Russia combined. It will be the world\u2019s biggest trader and generate one quarter of global wealth. It presently gives more aid to poor countries than any other donor. Its currency, the euro, comes second only to the US dollar in international financial markets. France, Germany, Poland - these countries can hardly ever negotiate something with giants such as the US or China. Europe as one country stands a better chance of putting its message across effectively.", "Actually if the EU became a unified state, there would be s loss of UN Seats - a major democratic, liberal voting block in international institutions such as the UN would be lost, in return for one vote (for an incredibly powerful state). Due to the UK and France, both EU members and also UN Security Council permanent members (UNSC P5 - along with the US, China and Russia), and with Germany (G4 - along with India, Japan and Brazil) hopeful to gain a seat in the future, removal of these nations from the UNSC would leave it open to greater sway by American, Russian or Chinese influence. As it is, the UK and France provide a powerful voting bloc in the SC. (Italy has offered the plan of a revolving seat for EU member states.). Therefore countries from the EU are powerful enough as it is and creating only 1 country can result in the exact opposite situation.  None of the benefits, listed in the Proposition argument are actually benefits of a federal Europe. They all have been achieved via the EU. This means that the EU itself is strong and influential enough. There is no need for deeper development as it will only bring disadvantages. \u201cIn these days of renewed gloom about the future of Europe, a quick test is in order. Who has the world\u2019s biggest economy? [...] Who has the most Fortune 500 companies? [...] Who attracts most U.S. investment? [...] The correct answer in each case is Europe, short for the 27-member European Union (EU), a region with 500 million citizens. They produce an economy almost as large as the United States and China combined\u201d. [1]  [1] Debismann, \u2018Who wins in U.S. vs Europe contest?\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "5"}
+{"question": "Will the environmental efforts and usage of efficient technologies in developing countries counterbalance their increased GHG emissions?", "perspectives": ["The environmental efforts and usage of efficient technologies in developing countries will counterbalance their increased GHG emissions.", "The environmental efforts and usage of efficient technologies in developing countries will not counterbalance their increased GHG emissions."], "docs": ["Rising countries, such as India, China, and Brazil, are adopting more efficient technologies than are currently in use in much of the world. While the developing world is contributing to net GHG emission growth, their GHG per person is still far below that of a developed country. And, as a result of the adoption of newer technologies, it is unlikely that their GHG per person will ever equal that found in the developed world. If reductions can be made in the developed world, where it is a fact that the economic resources exist to do so, then net emissions can be stabilized even while emissions in the developing world continue to grow.", "Developing world  Developing countries such as China and India are growing rapidly and causing massive increases in global GHG emissions through fossil fuel use and deforestation. It took developed countries 100s of years to create a standard of living high enough for an environmental movement to develop. It is more likely than not that developing countries will continue to increase their annual emissions for decades, greatly eclipsing any potential reductions in the developed world. According to Joseph Romm, former US assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, \"China's growth in emissions could erode all other countries' efforts to stabilize the world's temperature\" 1. As a result, atmospheric GHGs will continue to increase, causing greater climate change.  1. Romm, Joseph, 'How Copenhagen can succeed where Kyoto failed', Foreign Policy, June 18, 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "6"}
+{"question": "Is the African Union effectively managing and preventing conflicts?", "perspectives": ["The African Union is effectively managing and preventing conflicts.", "The African Union is not effectively managing and preventing conflicts."], "docs": ["The Solemn Declaration  The Solemn Declaration did not just highlight the goal but also that it would be achieved through three techniques: by 1, addressing the causes of conflicts \u2013 economic and social disparities, strengthening judicial systems to ensure accountability, and reaffirming collective responsibility, 2, preventing emerging sources of conflict such as piracy getting a foothold, and 3, engaging in conflict prevention. [1]  Africa has been building the African Peace and Security Architecture to address these causes of conflict. It has created the Peace and Security Council that facilitates the AU\u2019s response to crises; it can engage in actions from humanitarian assistance to military intervention if there are particularly grave circumstances such as genocide. [2] When it does authorise action, this action is coordinated by the AU commission. When it comes to peaceful resolution of conflict, the AU has a \u2018Panel of the Wise\u2019 made up of former presidents and others with lots of influence and moral authority who use preventative diplomacy to try to resolve conflicts. [3]  [1] African Union, 2013, p.5  [2] Williams, Paul D., \u2018The African Union\u2019s Conflict Management Capabilities\u2019, Council on Foreign Relations, October 2011,  , p.7  [3] Ibid, p.12", "Having a system is useless if it is not sufficiently funded to fulfil its objectives, at the moment the AU does not provide sufficient funding for peacekeeping. [1]  Moreover, reaction does not prevent war - just shortens it and reduces the intensity. The Panel of the Wise is one method of attempting to stop conflict before it becomes really violent but external mediators can only do so much in preventing conflict; most needs to come from the parties in conflict.  [1] Williams, 2011, p.12"], "type": "binary", "id": "7"}
+{"question": "Is unrestricted access to birth control beneficial for society?", "perspectives": ["Unrestricted access to birth control is beneficial for society.", "Unrestricted access to birth control is not beneficial for society."], "docs": ["Any body of values that claims to respect the rights of the individual must recognise the right of a woman to choose  Even the doctrines of the Church accepts that pregnancy is not, in and of itself, a virtue \u2013 there is no compulsion to maximise the number of pregnancies; there is simply a disagreement about how they should be avoided. The Church recommends that couples may minimise the chance without ever making it impossible through a chemical or physical barrier.  In some parts of the world a pregnancy, even one that is not planned, is seen as a time for joy \u2013 a blessing for the family that will lead to a new and happy life bringing pleasure to both parents, their society and the child. That ideal is very far from the experience of much of the world where a child is another mouth to feed on impossibly little income. For all too much of the world, that life will be cruel, nasty and short. In slums, favellas and barren wastes that life is likely to be one marked more by dysentery or diarrhea, malnutrition and misery than by the sanitised, idealised image promoted in the West. That is, of course, not to say that children everywhere cannot be a cause for joy, of course they can. Indeed even within the poorest of situations, a new child can be the focus of great joy in an otherwise hard life.  However, if that is to be the case, that child must be planned and prepared for. Overwhelmingly, the mother is likely to have paramount responsibility for the child; so that planning and preparation needs to be theirs. It is difficult to imagine the scenario that would reach the objective observer to reach the conclusion that the right group of individuals to reach that decision were a group of celibate men who had never met the parents and would take to role in the care or support of the child. Yet that, astonishingly, is what Proposition would like us to believe.", "It is difficult to see how the life of anyone is improved by reducing sex to a cheap form of entertainment. Certainly not the unborn children and not the objectified women. Proposition is more than happy for women to take control of their own fertility \u2013 indeed we would go further and suggest that their boyfriends and husbands should do so as well. Recreational sex, within wedlock and during times of infertility removes all of these problems; a little planning and restraint achieves that aim. It also means that both parents need to show that they are responsible for the results; Op seems happy to say that people are uncontrollable beasts with no control over their desires \u2013 hardly an edifying concept."], "type": "binary", "id": "8"}
+{"question": "Do Israeli settlements hinder the peace process with Palestinians?", "perspectives": ["Israeli settlements hinder the peace process with Palestinians.", "Israeli settlements do not hinder the peace process with Palestinians."], "docs": ["The Settlements are seen by Palestinians as a sign of bad faith on the part of Israel, and therefore weaken the hand of Pro-Peace elements  As important as the existence of the settlements themselves is their continued growth. The very fact that Israel has continued to ostensibly negotiate for the independence of a Palestinian state in the West Bank on one hand while rapidly expanding the population and the size of Israeli settlements can be interpreted as a sign of bad faith.  For one thing, it raises questions of the seriousness with which Israel is attempting to reach an agreement. Even if the programs of Settlement expansion are intended as a temporary policy in lieu of a settlement, the very fact that Israel\u2019s plan B is arguably as popular as peace, and being pursued with far more vigour could lead many Palestinians to conclude that Israel is attempting to run out the clock.  The consequences of this are inauspicious for the Peace Process. As Palestinian faith in the prospect of peaceful negotiations falters, groups like Hamas are likely to find an increasingly receptive audience for their view that only force will compel Israel to negotiate seriously. This in turn will make compromise all the more difficult to achieve.", "The settlements at the current time occupy less than 3% of the West Bank, [1] and even if one were to take into account the land needed for their security in any settlement, most have predicted that at most 9-11% of the region would be affected, much less than the area currently controlled by the settlements, [2] and this would be subject to compensation elsewhere.  The vast majority of this growth is taking place existing settlements or adjacent to them, so even large amounts of proportional growth are not shifting the percentages sharply.  Furthermore, a time factor is far from a uniform negative. A large portion of the Palestinian strategy from the mid-1990s onwards has arguably been to drag out negotiations while hoping that a better international climate would lead other countries to exert pressure on Israel for concessions. This strategy has seen their negotiating position deteriorate and undermined support for an agreement within Israel.  By adding a time element, it incentives the Palestinians to think seriously about pressing for an agreement now, rather than looking to fantasy solutions like potential UN recognition that would do nothing to alter the fundamental fact that any possible agreement will have to be made with, and therefore be acceptable to, Israel.  [1] Fleischer, Tzvi, \u2018How much land do West Bank settlements take up?\u2019, Australian/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council,   [2] CBS News, \u2018Group: Israel Controls 42% of West Bank\u2019, 6 July 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "9"}
+{"question": "Can fining individuals proportionately to income ensure equal impact of punishment?", "perspectives": ["Fining individuals proportionately to income can ensure equal impact of punishment.", "Fining individuals proportionately to income cannot ensure equal impact of punishment."], "docs": ["Rich and poor now face equality of impact of punishment  The purpose of a fine is to ensure that the offender faces the consequences of their actions. The extent to which a financial penalty feels like a negative consequence is relative to the amount of income someone has, not to the simple amount that the fine is. That is, if someone earning \u00a3200 per week is fined \u00a3100, that will feel more severe than a \u00a3100 fine would feel to someone earning \u00a32000 per week.  Therefore, if you make fines proportional to the income someone has, all people feel the impact of the punishment equally, rather than the poor facing a punishment with a harsher impact on them than on the rich.", "Even if a fine is made proportional to income, you will not get the equality of impact you desire. This is because the impact is not proportional simply to income, but must take into account a number of other factors. For example, someone supporting a family will face a greater impact than someone who is not, because they have a smaller disposable income. Further, a fine based on income ignores overall wealth (i.e. how much money someone actually has: someone might have a lot of assets but not have a high income).  The proposition does not cater for these inequalities, which may well have a much greater skewing effect, and therefore the argument is being applied inconsistently."], "type": "binary", "id": "10"}
+{"question": "Is Creationism a valid scientific theory?", "perspectives": ["Creationism is a valid scientific theory.", "Creationism is not a valid scientific theory."], "docs": ["Creationism is as valid a scientific theory as those of evolution and abiogenesis, and should therefore be given equal time in the classroom.  Creationism can be drawn as an entirely reasonable scientific hypothesis, and it forms a coherent theory of the origin and development of life that opposes the naturalist theories of abiogenesis and evolution. Abiogenesis describes the development of life from nonliving materials and evolution seeks to explain the development and diversity of life through a gradual process of mutation and natural selection, yet no one has ever demonstrated either process sufficiently in the laboratory. In the case of abiogenesis, all experiments to create an environment similar to the supposed prebiotic soup whence life first sprang have resulted in no new life forming. In the case of evolution, evolutionists consistently fail to show the development of new kinds of organisms [1] . While there is no doubt that some change occurs within species, such as the breeding of wolves into dogs, it appears to happen only within certain limited bounds. Certainly no experiment or study has shown evolution to be capable of explaining such huge diversity in the world of living things. Creationism, on the other hand, offers the explanation that abiogenesis and evolution cannot. The diversity of life and its origin are rationally explicable as the product of intelligent agency. This is not a statement of religious belief, but of scientific observation. Describing the nature of the designer, however, is another question all together, one that need not be answered in order to accept that there is such a designer.  [1] Wells, Jonathan. 2009. \u201cWhy Darwinism is False\u201d. Discovery Institute.", "Creationism is not science. It makes no predictions that can be tested in the laboratory or field. Adherents of Creationism do not accept it because of evidence, but rather they shape disparate facts to fit their beliefs. That is the opposite of scientific enquiry; Creationism begins with a conclusion and works backward. Furthermore, all evidence does indeed point to a natural origin of life and its diversity. Experiments are getting consistently closer to creating new life, and there are no evident bounds to evolution. The arguments of Creationism are based on gaps in knowledge; rather than trying to find real answers through scientific enquiry, they fill them with \"the designer did it\". Such answers are the refuge of the ignorant."], "type": "binary", "id": "11"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey's integration into the EU beneficial for countering terrorism?", "perspectives": ["Turkey's integration into the EU is beneficial for countering terrorism.", "Turkey's integration into the EU is not beneficial for countering terrorism."], "docs": ["Turkey joining the EU would help the international fight against terrorism  Turkey is a key geo-political strategic ally to the West and should be integrated fully in order to ensure its continued cooperation. \"Turkey is a secular Muslim democracy and a crucial ally for the West. The eastern flank of NATO, straddling Europe and Asia, it played a critical role in containing the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In the 1990s, it helped monitor Saddam Hussein and protect Iraqi Kurds by permitting U.S. warplanes to use its bases. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, it became a staging area for coalition forces in Afghanistan, where Turkish forces eventually assumed overall command of the International Stabilization Force. Turkey continues to be a pivotal partner in the fight against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, despite attacks by radical Islamists at home.\" [1]  [1]  \u2018Turkey\u2019s Dreams of Accession\u2019 by David Phillips, Foreign Affairs September/October 2004", "There are fears that Turkey joining the EU would create the possibility of a \u2018single market\u2019 in terrorism. \"Turkey will not be admitted to the E.U. It will not be admitted because, at this point, given the behaviour mainly of Arab Muslims (for does anyone doubt that it was the Arab influence that caused some Chechens to embrace not only the idea of Jihad, but all of the current methods being used to further it), Europeans have lost their stomach for parroting phrases about the religion of \"peace\" and \"tolerance.\" They do not want to admit a country of 70 million Muslims, who would then move freely about Europe. They do not want Turkey admitted because it will be an easy conduit for non-Turkish Muslims to enter Europe, posing as Turks.\" [1]  [1]  \u2018Turkey will not be admitted to the EU\u2019 by Hugh Fitzgerald, 6th December 2005"], "type": "binary", "id": "12"}
+{"question": "Does utilitarianism obligate us to constantly act for the greater good?", "perspectives": ["Utilitarianism obligates us to constantly act for the greater good.", "Utilitarianism does not obligate us to constantly act for the greater good."], "docs": ["Utilitarianism is demanding  If we choose to save the five people just because we have the power to do so then we also have to consider all the other lives that are in our power to save. It is in our power to donate all of our excess money to charity to save lives and so we must also do this. Actions like this are worthy of praise but no one would suggest that we have a duty to do them.", "In the train example there is no one else around and it is only you that can save the five lives. With the charity example there are many other ways in which the lives can be saved; governments can save them or other people can donate money. Therefore the moral duty to act is dramatically reduced."], "type": "binary", "id": "13"}
+{"question": "Is the verification system of the New START treaty sufficient?", "perspectives": ["The verification system of the New START treaty is sufficient.", "The verification system of the New START treaty is not sufficient."], "docs": ["The verification requirements of New START have satisfied not only the Obama Administration but also a large number of foreign policy experts. A panel including Henry Kissinger argues that New START \u201cemphasizes verification, providing a valuable window into Russia's nuclear arsenal.\" [1] Howard Baker argues that: \"President Reagan was famous for his adage about dealing with the old Soviet Union: \u201cTrust but verify.\u201d Since the last START treaty expired in December 2009, we\u2019ve had no right to conduct inspections of Russian nuclear bases, and thus no way to verify what the Russians are doing with their nuclear weapon systems. For us veterans of the Cold War, that\u2019s an alarming fact and a compelling reason to ratify this New START treaty without further delay.\" [2]  When the allegations are gone through individually they do not stand up to scrutiny. On the telemetry issue the treaty does not limit throw-weight so the data is not needed; the number of warheads per missile can be verified by other means. There are less facilities being inspected, but more inspections and the decline in Russia\u2019s nuclear forces means that not so many facilities need to be inspected. [3] There is no reason to be worried about the numbers of missiles as there will be a database detailing all the weapons both sides have and inspections to confirm this, [4] this will also mean that there are unique identifier tags on each missile, launcher and bombers so helping inspectors in their counting. [5] Mobile launchers are much less of a problem than they were as we already know the base number the Russia has whereas when START was originally negotiated the US did not know. Technology to track such mobile launchers has also become much more powerful. Finally if worried about the verification of the elimination of delivery vehicles both sides will have the right to inspect the debris and to demand demonstration of the procedures. [6] Neither side will be able to get around the new START\u2019s verification regime.  [1] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.   [2] Baker, Howard. \"Dangerous if we reject New START.\" USA Today.   [3] Blook, Oliver, \u2018Nothing to Fear with New START Verification\u2019, Center For Strategic & International Studies, 8 July 2010,   [4] Woolf, Amy F., \u2018The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions\u2019, Congressional Research Service, 24 October 2011, p.3,   [5] \u2018Verification of New START\u2019, Union of Concerned Scientists, 13 July 2010,   [6] Blook, Oliver, \u2018Nothing to Fear with New START Verification\u2019, Center For Strategic & International Studies, 8 July 2010,", "Problems with Verification.  Verification is vital in any agreement to limit arms. Both sides need to trust each other a bit but a lot of this trust needs to come from comprehensive mechanisms to monitor and ensure that both sides are carrying out their commitments. If the verification system is not good enough then neither side will have faith in the agreement and will be more likely to try and bypass it.  Unfortunately the expired START\u2019s verification regime was robust when compared to that for the New START. Baker Spring at the Heritage foundation lists some of the specific areas that are significantly less robust: A narrowing of the requirements for exchanging telemetry (electronic transmissions that give details of missile performance that helps give a good idea about whether Russia is complying with the treaty) , A reduction in the effectiveness of the inspections (the Russians feel that inspections are unfairly biased against them), Weaknesses in the ability to verify the number of deployed warheads on ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), Abolition of the START verification regime governing mobile ICBMs, and A weakening of the verification standards governing the elimination of delivery vehicles. [1]  [1] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "14"}
+{"question": "Should criminal trials be televised?", "perspectives": ["Criminal trials should be televised.", "Criminal trials should not be televised."], "docs": ["Open justice \u2013 crimes with large numbers of victims  The principle of open justice, including the right to a public trial [1] , is enshrined in many legal systems. The best show of commitment to open justice is to allow everyone to watch it, the best method of doing so is for the trial to be televised. This is all the more the case when the victims can't all be in court, either because of the numbers or because of the distance.  Television coverage will help bring the trial closer to the victims. International criminal trials regularly take place outside the location of the offences, either in The Netherlands such as the ICTY, ICC and Charles Taylor trial, or elsewhere, such as the ICTR sitting in Arusha, Tanzania. It would be helpful in terms of providing closure to the victims, who should be witnessing proceedings.  [1] See the 6th Amendment to the US Constitution, Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights", "Few people would actually watch the entirety of the trial proceedings, most would probably just see clips of the footage of news reports; television news coverage of criminal trials can already take place without actual footage.  While televising trials will engage the victims and their families, televising a criminal trial may inflame tensions as well. During the trial of Saddam Hussein, Hussein made a number of calls to violence during his televised trial. Many of those who are on trial have a significant number of followers (see the widespread support for Uhuru Kenyatta) \u2013 television broadcasts would give them a means of communication"], "type": "binary", "id": "15"}
+{"question": "Does the complexity of life necessitate a creator?", "perspectives": ["The complexity of life necessitates a creator.", "The complexity of life does not necessitate a creator."], "docs": ["Much of the complexity of life cannot be explained by evolution, but is perfectly explained by Creationism.  Nature is marked by clear design. The complexity of the human body, of ecosystems, and even of bacteria, attests to the existence of creative agency. It is impossible that such things as, for example, interdependent species could come to exist without the guidance of a designer. Likewise, certain organisms can be shown to be irreducibly complex, meaning that if one were to remove any part of it, it would lose all functionality. This refutes the gradualist argument of evolution, since there is no selective pressure on the organism to change when it is functionless. For example, the bacterial flagellum, the \"motor\" that powers bacterial cells, loses all functionality if a single component is removed. [1] Besides design, the only explanation of its development is blind chance, which is nonsensical. Creationism serves to explain the various mysteries of biology currently absent from the evolutionary biologists' picture of the world. The existence of complexity of the order found in the natural world is too great to envisage an origin other than complex design.  [1] Behe, Michael. 1996. Darwin\u2019s Black Box. Glencoe: Free Press.", "There is no design in biology. People tend to anthropomorphize their environment, trying to assign human-like qualities to animals and nature. All of the complexity of life on Earth can be attributed to natural processes; life, diversity, and complexity are all the product of physical and chemical interactions and biological processes. There is no mystery in the basic process. Also, complexity is not at all indicative of design. In fact, evolution has been observed to occur from simple single-celled organisms into multi-cellular organisms under laboratory conditions. That degree of evolution completely refutes any claims about complexity requiring design. Furthermore, there are no irreducibly complex organisms. Every example offered by theists of irreducible complexity has been found inaccurate. The bacterial flagellum, for example, when several key components are removed loses its functionality as a motor, but becomes a form of secretory system that has a separate function. [1] Clearly, complexity is not indicative of a creator.  [1] Miller, Kenneth. 2004. \u201cThe Flagellum Unspun: The Collapse of \u2018Irreducible Complexity\u2019\u201d in Ruse, Michael and William Dembski (ed.). Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press."], "type": "binary", "id": "16"}
+{"question": "Should past convictions, acquittals, and behavior be disclosed in court trials?", "perspectives": ["Past convictions, acquittals, and behavior should be disclosed in court trials.", "Past convictions, acquittals, and behavior should not be disclosed in court trials."], "docs": ["It is patronising to state the jurors cannot understand the difference between a conviction and an acquittal. However, knowledge of the defendant\u2019s background might help to shed light on the case at hand and allow the jurors to view the wider picture when weighing up their verdict.", "The disclosure of previous convictions could falsely characterize the defendant.  This motion is incredibly dangerous in a variety of ways as not only convictions but also acquittals and other past conduct could then be raised in a court trials. This means that a jury could be informed that somebody had questionable behaviour, such as a sexual interest in children, even if they had never been tried or much less convicted of an actual offence. This would allow the prosecution to unduly blacken the character of the defendant, and easily prejudice the jury against them for no valid reason, and without the evidence which formal proceedings would require. Studies into jury verdicts have found that a jury was \u201850% more likely to convict if it was told that the defendant had a conviction for a similar previous offence than if it was given no information\u2019, particularly in regard to sexual offences [1] . This is proof that jurors are highly susceptible to prejudice when reaching a verdict.  [1] The Economist, \u2018Tilting the balance\u2019, 2 January 2003."], "type": "binary", "id": "17"}
+{"question": "Should organ donation from euthanized patients be considered ethical?", "perspectives": ["Organ donation from euthanized patients is considered ethical.", "Organ donation from euthanized patients is not considered ethical."], "docs": ["If the purpose of society and the health sector is indeed to promote life and preserve health, surely it must be in that interest to find ways of saving people\u2019s lives when possible. Whoever dies and leaves an organ behind saves a life, and often more than one life as shown by the UK having carried out 3960 transplants with 2143 donors in 2011-12, [1] and there is thus no loss of life. A person only gives up their own life if they have a good reason to do so. Thus, it is likely that this model will promote the preservation of younger and healthier lives over those who have less to lose by sacrificing theirs.  [1] NHS Choices, \u201cIntroduction\u201d, 19 October 2012,", "The role of society is to save lives not to assist in suicide  The purpose of society, the health sector and more specifically the doctors is to preserve health, not to be damaging health or even assisting in the ending of a life even if voluntarily. As part of this, death is sometimes something that must be affected. However, it is not in line with the purpose of medical professionals to kill a healthy person. The solution is to focus every possible effort on curing the sick person, but society cannot be complicit in killing a healthy person [1] .  [1] Tremblay, Joe. \u201cOrgan Donation Euthanasia: A Growing Epidemic.\u201d Catholic News Agency, (2013)."], "type": "binary", "id": "18"}
+{"question": "Does the Reproductive Health bill in the Philippines undermine its sociocultural values?", "perspectives": ["The Reproductive Health bill in the Philippines undermines its sociocultural values.", "The Reproductive Health bill in the Philippines does not undermine its sociocultural values."], "docs": ["The bill violates the Philippine values of harmony and respect  Perhaps the most important values in the Philippines are social harmony and respect for the family. [i] The Reproductive Health bill undermines both. Allowing contraception will take away a psychological barrier that prevents pre-marital or casual sex and once that barrier is crossed the individual will have higher sexual activity. [ii] In the Philippines this will mean greater numbers of teen pregnancies and pregnancies out of marriage because abortion will remain illegal.  In terms of politics these values mean support for democracy but also being against corruption and graft. [iii] Obviously the bill has been very politically divisive so undermining social harmony but also to pass this bill many parliamentarians had to be bribed so undermining this social harmony. The Reproductive Health bill represents the worst excesses of the pork barrel buffet. With a single-mindedness of purpose, the presidential palace has put everything on the table to shore up the votes required in parliament. Legislators, who had previously voted against the legislation, often repeatedly, where threatened with the loss of programmes in their constituencies if they failed to back the project, which has been at the heart of the presidential agenda [iv] .  [i] Dolan, Ronald E., ed., Philippines: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991.   [ii] Arcidiacono, Peter, et al., \u2018Habit Persistence and Teen Sex: Could Increased Access to Contraception have Unintended Consequences for Teen Pregnancies\u2019,  P.30  [iii] Talisayon, Serafin D., \u2018Teaching values in the natural and physical sciences in the Philippines\u2019, University of the Philippines,   [iv] Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philip Tubeza. \u2018Philippine President accused of \u2018bribing\u2019 Congress\u2019. Reported on Yahoo News 19 December 2012.", "It should be remembered that other values within the 1987 constitution include ecological balance and the recognition of the role of women, [i] both of which are advanced by giving women access to birth control. Pork barrel politics is an all too real tradition of Filipino politics, it is hardly unique to this bill. The fact that its use lead to the implementation of a policy that enjoys popular support is difficult to square with the somewhat wild claims of the Church about corruption. The CBCP has also been fairly free on allegations in this regard but very, very short on proof. The amount of political pressure required had more to do with calming fears of the Catholic establishment intervening directly in elections than with the views of the people.  [i] Talisayon, Serafin D., \u2018Teaching values in the natural and physical sciences in the Philippines\u2019, University of the Philippines,"], "type": "binary", "id": "19"}
+{"question": "Does widespread gun ownership increase a country's national security?", "perspectives": ["Widespread gun ownership increases a country's national security.", "Widespread gun ownership does not increase a country's national security."], "docs": ["Gun ownership increases national security within democratic states  \u201cA well-regulated Militia, being necessary top the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.\u201d \u2013 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. [1] Any country is much more able to defend itself from aggression if many of its citizens are able to use guns, keeping them for leisure and sporting use. Some countries actively require adult citizens to maintain weapons in their house, and periodically to train in their use. The high levels of firearm availability in Iraq and Afghanistan have been significant contributory factors in allowing for a viable insurrection to form which has the potential to generate the political pressure necessary to cause the withdrawal of foreign occupiers.  Of course, such widespread ownership of weapons is also a safeguard against domestic tyranny.  [1] See also DIstricxt of Columbia v Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008)", "The 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was written in the age of horse and musket, where a private citizen could gain access to the same (or even better) weaponry that the state did.  Unless the opposition want to remove all barriers on gun ownership completely, no armed citizenry can seriously compete with a modern military armed with tanks, drones and precision weaponry. Popular resistance movements rely upon creating an unaffordable political cost to maintaining the occupation (e.g. The US was eventually forced from Vietnam, despite winning virtually every major battle of the war), but this assumes that the occupying power is vulnerable to that kind of pressure. An undemocratic invader or a domestic tyranny will happily slaughter dissidents with impunity (see the pre-intervention stages of the Libyan civil-war and the 2011 Syrian uprising)."], "type": "binary", "id": "20"}
+{"question": "Is prohibition an effective method to curb drug usage?", "perspectives": ["Prohibition is an effective method to curb drug usage.", "Prohibition is not an effective method to curb drug usage."], "docs": ["Prohibition may not be working in the UK but that does not mean that prohibition is not working everywhere. In the US, the Drug Enforcement Agency states that \u201cOverall drug use in the United States is down by more than a third since the late 1970s. That\u2019s 9.5 million people fewer using illegal drugs. We\u2019ve reduced cocaine use by an astounding 70% during the last 15 years.\u201d [1]  [1] U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, \u2018Fact 1: We have made significant progress in fighting drug use and drug trafficking in America. Now is not the time to abandon our efforts\u2019,", "Prohibition does not work; instead, it glamorizes drugs  Those who want to use drugs will take them whether they are legal or not \u2013 and more are doing so than ever before. In 1970 there was something like 1,000 problematic drug users in the UK, now there are over 250,000. [1] Legalization will also remove the glamour which surrounds an underground activity and so make drug use less attractive to impressionable teenagers. For example, statistics suggest that cannabis use in the UK declined after its classification was lowered from \u2018B\u2019 to \u2018C\u2019. [2]  [1] Home Affairs Select Committee, \u2018The Government\u2019s Drug Policy: Is It Working?\u2019, parliament.uk, 22 May 2002,   [2] Travis, Alan, \u2018Cannabis use down since legal change\u2019, The Guardian, 26th October 2007,"], "type": "binary", "id": "21"}
+{"question": "Is Facebook harmful to its users?", "perspectives": ["Facebook is harmful to its users.", "Facebook is not harmful to its users."], "docs": ["Facebook has some dangerous consequences  Facebook is becoming more and more integrated into our lives, but unfortunately the uncertainty of who is at the other end of the computer is proving to be a massive threat to our mental and physical safety.  First of all, undoubtedly, rape is one of the most serious and unforgiveable crimes anyone can commit, as it leaves permanent physical and mental scars on women. Unfortunately, Facebook is used by troubled men to take advantage of naive women. They use Facebook in order to get in touch with their victims (often posing as someone who he is not), and after they get to know each other, after he gained the victims trust he deceives her into meeting him, a mistake she\u2019ll regret forever. As physical integrity is one of the rights most fundamental rights, and as Facebook is facilitating the violation of this right, it is absolutely clear that these social networks are detrimental to the society.(1)(2)  Secondly, another level on which Facebook is harmful is cyber bullying. It affects many adolescents and teens on a daily basis. Cyber bullying involves using technology to bully or harass another person. Sending mean Facebook messages or threats to a person, spreading rumours online or posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites are just a few of the ways in which a lot of children get bullied every single day.  \u201cDespite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to Cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation:  Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.\u201d(3)  (1) Justin Davenport \u201cHunt for \u2018Facebook rapists\u2019 before they can strike again\u201d London Evening Standard, 15 November 2012   (2) \u201cTwo men gang-rape girl in Kota after befriending her on Facebook\u201d, Times of India, Aug 21, 2013   (3) Bullying Statistics", "It is absolutely regrettable that men use Facebook in order take advantage of certain women, but we must not forget that because of these very situations Facebook and many NGO\u2019s initiated campaigns to prevent these kind of tragedies happening again(1). Such campaigns have informed thousands of women about the dangers of meeting strangers, both the virtual world and in the real one, and how to avoid them. These campaigns both help women avoid the threat in the first place and encourage them to make sure they are protected, for example by carrying pepper spray, so at the end of the day, a significant number of women are now more protected against being rape because of these social networks. Facebook has clearly not increased the incidence of rape as statistics (2) show that the number of rape cases has dropped dramatically since the start of the world wide web.  Cyber bullying is potentially a problem. On this level too, Facebook recognized the possibility of certain teenagers posting harmful or offending information about another party so it took action in order to try and stop this from happening in the future. As Facebook officials are declaring, they will \u201cupdate the training for the teams that review and evaluate reports of hateful speech or harmful content on Facebook. To ensure that our training is robust, we will work with legal experts. We will increase the accountability of the creators of content that does not qualify as actionable hate speech but is cruel or insensitive by insisting that the authors stand behind the content they create \u201c(2). Facebook has an entire department to try to prevent such cyber bullying. Moreover Facebook is comparatively secure from cyber bullying compared to some sites; it is not anonymous and users can unfriend people and prevent people who they don\u2019t know from accessing their profile.  (1) Facebook   (2) Federal Bureau of Investigation   (3) Facebook"], "type": "binary", "id": "22"}
+{"question": "Is profiling in aviation security a form of institutionalized racism?", "perspectives": ["Profiling in aviation security is a form of institutionalized racism.", "Profiling in aviation security is not a form of institutionalized racism."], "docs": ["Profiling is simply institutionalizing racism an reduces minorities to the status of second class citizens  Profiling is, in the end, simply wrong. Britain suffered for decades from the \u2018innocent until proven Irish\u2019 attitude of their security forces, which did nothing but engender resentment among Irish individuals who were trying to live and work in the United Kingdom. For western nations to make the same mistake in their approach to Muslims would be the gravest folly.  Aviation authorities are, ultimately, under the control of the state, and if a government announces that they consider all members of a group to be potential criminals, it sends out a very provocative message.", "The use of the term \u201cracism\u201d suggests that assumptions made by screeners are based on prejudice, not fact. Profiling, which takes far more than race into account, has a solid basis in fact. It is entirely sensible to attempt to prevent criminal acts by being particularly cautious in the investigation of those groups and individuals that are most likely to pose a risk to other passengers.  Risking the lives of innocent passengers in the name of political correctness is simply absurd. These are measures that protect the security of thousands of passengers at the cost of minor inconvenience to a few.  Any reasonable traveller- Arab or not- would accept that there is a reason for these actions in the same way that passengers realise that delays caused by security controls and passport checks are an unavoidable nuisance in an era of routine international travel."], "type": "binary", "id": "23"}
+{"question": "Is it feasible to relocate small nations threatened by climate change to larger countries?", "perspectives": ["It is feasible to relocate small nations threatened by climate change to larger countries.", "It is not feasible to relocate small nations threatened by climate change to larger countries."], "docs": ["Small size makes for ease  The Seychelles, as with the other nations whose very existence is threatened by climate change, is small. It is twice the size of Washington D.C., so smaller than many cities. As such finding enough land to relocate the country should not be a problem. Several of the states closest to the Seychelles; Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, and Madagascar, have plenty of land that they could give up without any inconvenience to their own state. Kenya, the smallest, is more than 1200 times bigger than Seychelles", "States can get very worked up about very small pieces of land. Size appears to matter little when the issue is one of sovereignty. For that matter neither does the worth of the land or the population living on it. A great many of the world\u2019s hot spots are over very small areas of land often with small or non-existent populations such as Gibraltar, Falklands, Senkaku, and the islands of the South China Sea."], "type": "binary", "id": "24"}
+{"question": "Should copyright protection be discontinued for non-commercial use of intellectual property?", "perspectives": ["Copyright protection should be discontinued for non-commercial use of intellectual property.", "Copyright protection should not be discontinued for non-commercial use of intellectual property."], "docs": ["Intellectual property is a legal fiction created for convenience in some instances, but copyright should cease to be protected under this doctrine  An individual\u2019s idea only truly belongs solely to them so long as it rests in their mind alone. When they disseminate their ideas to the world they put them in the public domain, and should become the purview of everyone to use. Artists and creators more generally, should not expect some sort of ownership to inhere in an idea they happen to have, since no such ownership right exists in reality. [1] No one can own an idea. Thus recognizing something like a property right over intangible assets is contrary to reason, since doing so gives monopoly power to individuals who may not make efficient or equitable use of their inventions or products. Physical property is a tangible asset, and thus can be protected by tangible safeguards. Ideas do not share the same order of protection even now because they exist in a different order to physical reality. However, some intellectual property is useful in encouraging investment and invention, allowing people to engage their profit motives to the betterment of society as a whole. To an extent one can also sympathize with the notion that creators deserve to accrue some additional profit for the labour of the creative process, but this can be catered for through Creative Commons non-commercial licenses which reserve commercial rights. [2] These protections should not extend to non-commercial use of the various forms of arts. This is because art is a social good of a unique order, with its purpose not purely functional, but creative. It only has value in being experienced, and thus releasing these works through creative commons licenses allows the process of artistic experience and sharing proceeds unhindered by outmoded notions of copyright. The right to reap some financial gain still remains for the artists, as their rights still hold over all commercial use of their work. This seems like a fair compromise of the artist\u2019s right to profit from their work and society right to experience and grow from those works.  [1] Fitzgerald, Brian and Anne Fitzgerald. Intellectual Property: In Principle. Melbourne: Lawbook Company. 2004.  [2] Walsh, K., \u201cCommercial Rights Reserved proposal outcome: no change\u201d, Creative Commons, 14 February 2013,", "Although ideas are not tangible intellectual property generally, and copyright in particular, is far from a fiction. Rather it is a realization of the hard work and demiurgic force that sparks the generation and fulfilment of artistic endeavour. The property right assigned over these things to their creators is a very real one that recognizes their fundamental right over these works as owners, and the right to profit from them. The artist must have the right to prevent even non-commercial use of the idea if it is to maintain its value and so retain for the creator the ability to commercialise it. These protections are critical to the moral understanding of all property and must be rigorously protected, not eroded for the benefit of some nebulous notion of social good."], "type": "binary", "id": "25"}
+{"question": "Is the conscription of child soldiers justifiable in certain cultural contexts?", "perspectives": ["The conscription of child soldiers is justifiable in certain cultural contexts.", "The conscription of child soldiers is not justifiable in any cultural contexts."], "docs": ["The failure of rule of law  As the anthropologist and lawyer Sally Falk-Moore observed \u201claw is only ever a piecemeal intervention by the state in the life of society.\u201d [i]  Laws are, ultimately, social norms that are taught, enforced and arbitrated on by the state. The value of these norms is such that they are deemed to be a vital part of a society\u2019s identity and the state is entrusted with their protection. However, this ideal can be difficult to achieve. Debate as to which norms the state should be custodian of is constant. Where there is a disconnect between a law and the daily lives, aspirations and struggles of a society, it becomes unlikely that that law will be complied with. Generally, a state will not be able to give a pronouncement the force of law if it does not reflect the values held by a majority of a society.  Compliance with the law can be even harder to obtain in highly plural societies. Even in plural societies ruled peacefully by an effective central government (such as India), communities\u2019 conceptions of children\u2019s rights may be radically different from those set down in law. The Indian child marriage restraint act has been in force since 1929, but the practice remains endemic in southern India to this day [ii] . Governments can attempt to enforce compliance with a law, through education, incentives or deterrence.  What if the state that is intended to mount the \u201cpiecemeal intervention\u201d of banning the use of child soldiers is weak, corrupt or non-existent? What if a state cannot carry out structured interventions of the type described above? Norms that state that the conscription of children is acceptable- due to tradition or need- will be dominant.  Situations of this type will be the rule rather than the exception in underdeveloped states and states where conflict is so rife that children have become participants in warfare. The ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals with command over military units who use children as combatants [iii] , but how should the concept of a \u201ccommander\u201d be defined in these circumstances?  In order for the juristic principles underlying the authority of the ICC to function properly, it is necessary for there to be a degree of certainty and accessibility underlying laws promulgated by a state. While ignorance of the law is not a defence before the ICC, it impossible to call a system of law fair or just that is not overseen by a stable or accepted government. This is not possible if a state is so corrupt that it does not command the trust of its people; if a state is so poor that it cannot afford to operate an open, reliable and transparent court and advocacy system; if territory with a state\u2019s borders is occupied by an armed aggressor. Western notions of rule-of-law are almost impossible to enforce under such conditions. All of these are scenarios encountered frequently in Africa, and central and southern Asia.  Some regions within developing nations are so isolated from the influence of the state, or so heavily contested in internecine conflicts, that communities living within them cannot be expected to know that the state nominally responsible for them has signed the Convention of the Rights of The Child or the Rome Statute. Nor can the state attempt to inform them of this fact. Laws still exist and are enforced within such communities, but these are not state-made forms of law.  For an individual living within a community of the type described above- an individual living in the DRC, in pre-secession South Sudan [iv] or an ethnic minority enclave on the border of Myanmar [v] - the question is a simple one. Does the most immediate source of authority and protection within his world- his community- condone the role that children play in armed conflict? He should not be made liable for abiding by laws and norms that have sprung up to fill a void created by a weak or corrupt central state. There is little hope that he will ever be able to access the counter-point that state sponsored education and engagement could provide.  Child soldiers and their commanders are simply obeying the strongest, the most effective and the most stable source of law in their immediate environment.  [i] \u201cComparative Law in a Global Context: The Legal Systems of Asia and Africa\u201d, Werner Menski, Cambridge University Press, 2006  [ii] \u201cState of the World\u2019s Children 2009\u201d, UNICEF, United Nations, 2008  [iii] \u201cElements of Crimes\u201d, International Criminal Court,   [iv] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p315,   [v] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p240,", "Opposition agree that the culture and law of a nation has a prodigious impact on the conscience of its civilians. However, according to Alcinda Honwana, an anthropologist and authority on the topic of child soldiers, the problem does not \"have its roots in African traditional culture.\" [i] Although culture has an impact on society, the issue of child soldiers is not affiliated with it.  Side proposition implied that conscripting children should be excusable if it is permitted by an authoritative body of local law. However, are laws based on value-sets that do not aspire to an accessible law making process more valid than the abiding law of that nation? No. Side opposition believe that the \"rule of law is a legal maxim according to which no one is immune to the law.\u201d The fundamental purpose of government is the maintenance and promotion of basic security and public order. Without it the nation will deteriorate.  The proposition mentioned the Democratic Republic of Congo as an example. The DRC signed the \u201cConvention on the Rights of the Child\u201d on 21 September 1990. During this time era, Congo was not a declared democracy. However they have hitherto developed a more democratic and stable government. Additionally, DRC has not withdrawn from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, thus accentuating the fact that they are strongly against conscription of children.  Being oblivious of the fact that conscripting child soldiers is illegal is no defence. As side opposition\u2019s substantive material will show, both national and international systems of law are expected to take account of the fact that cultural, environmental and social plurality will lead to variable rates of compliance with particular laws. While it may be difficult to make community leaders liable for the creation of child soldiers, the ICC frequently seeks to make officials linked to state actors liable for failing to protect children from military recruitment [ii] .  Moreover, cultural relativism originally assumed some degree of parity and open exchange between communities with diverging cultural values. There is no parity between the value-sets of stable liberal democratic states and the adaptations that vulnerable cultures undergo in order to survive amongst prolonged military conflict.  Finally, it would damage the reputation and reduce the efficiency of the ICC if states were permitted to argue that regions in which child soldiers were active had an established tradition of military activity among the young.  [i] \u201cChildren\u2019s Involvement in War: Historical and Social Contexts\u201d, Alcinda Honwana, The Journal of the history of Childhood and Youth, Vol 1 2007  [ii] The Prosecutor v Thomas Lubanga Dylio, The International Criminal Court,"], "type": "binary", "id": "26"}
+{"question": "Is it justifiable to impose democracy on a nation?", "perspectives": ["It is justifiable to impose democracy on a nation.", "It is not justifiable to impose democracy on a nation."], "docs": ["Imposed democracy is better than no democracy. Ideally, every democratic government would be created by the people. However, given that this is often not possible -- corrupt governments are too powerful, populations lack the unity to organize, the lack of democratic tradition precludes effective transition without external guidance-- it is surely better to have imposed democracy than no democracy. Even if theoretically a democratic government is formed by the people, practically speaking that may not be a possibility, and we should not let abstract philosophical ideas prevent us from effecting real positive change.", "Democracy by its very nature cannot be imposed.  Democratic government is not only government for the people, but also government by and of the people. A foreign-imposed government is not a government established by the people which it rules, meaning that it lacks the legitimacy necessary to claim democratic status. It is wrong to force a government upon people, and imposers of 'democracy' do just that. This is exacerbated by the fact that foreign-imposed democracies often have a great deal of trouble governing themselves independently (like the Iraqi and Afghani governments, which are still very much reliant on the United States), thus de- legitimizing the government even further1.  1 Doyle, Michael. \"Promoting Democracy is Not Imposing Democracy.\" The Huffington Post."], "type": "binary", "id": "27"}
+{"question": "Does a handgun ban effectively reduce crime rates?", "perspectives": ["A handgun ban effectively reduces crime rates.", "A handgun ban does not effectively reduce crime rates."], "docs": ["A handgun ban reduces crime and deaths  Aside from the fact that handguns are uniquely dangerous weapons, when the handgun ban was in place in DC, there was a reported decrease in crime in the area. In 1977 the year immediately following the ban the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported robberies, assaults and homicides using handguns had fallen in DC sharply. Further, in 1991 the University of Maryland published a study in the New England journal of Medicine suggesting the gun ban had saved lives in the decade before 1991, claiming that the ban had prevented 47 deaths in DC per year.5  It is theorised that the handgun ban does this because it makes other police tactics, such as stop and search, significantly more effective. If criminals wish to get the tactical advantage of power that opposition mention then they have to carry hand guns in order to do it. However, it means that if they are caught with a gun they become very easily identifiable and can easily be arrested to prevent harm coming to the populace of large. Specifically, the handgun ban means that the police have a much lower burden required in order to arrest suspects and given that a lot of the time the police have a strong idea of who the criminals are, but simply can\u2019t pin them for arrest, such a tactical advantage helps them get dangerous people off the street.", "Studies have been conducted on cities where a handgun ban has been implemented. It found that cities such as New York and DC continued to exhibit high rates of crime and proved to be some of the most dangerous cities in the world, regardless of the ban on guns.6  As mentioned, this is because criminal gangs and criminogenic neighbourhoods in these cities have become entrenched. Anyone desperate enough to seek out a handgun- either for use in a crime or as a means of defending themselves in a crime-ridden neighbourhood- is likely to be able to acquire one regardless of the legal control that city councils may attempt to put in place. In the case of stop and search laws, it proves that criminals are adaptable and change their methods based on this lower burden of proof. For example, many gangs opt to keep guns in armouries and only loan them out as and when they are necessary."], "type": "binary", "id": "28"}
+{"question": "Is China making significant progress towards democratization and peaceful coexistence?", "perspectives": ["China is making significant progress towards democratization and peaceful coexistence.", "China is not making significant progress towards democratization and peaceful coexistence."], "docs": ["China has changed a lot since Tiananmen  China has changed over the past two decades, becoming more open to the world and more open domestically. For example it is experimenting with democratic elections at village level and since 1998 begun extending these to townships. [1] It has also effectively scrapped the repressive one-child policy. Internationally China is a responsible member of the international community, as befits a permanent member of the UN Security Council. At the United Nations, although it occasionally abstains from votes, it very rarely threatens to use its veto power in the Security Council, it has only used the veto six times since 1971 when the PRC joined the UN [2] - unlike the USA, for example. Its \"peaceful rise\" can also be seen in its hosting of the six-nation talks over North Korea's nuclear programme. And China is increasingly willing to operate within regional diplomatic frameworks covering East Asia, SE Asia and Central Asia.  [1] Horsley, Jamie P., \u2018Village Elections: Training Ground for Democratization\u2019, 2001   [2] Sun, Yun, \u2018China\u2019s Acquiescence on UN SCR 1973: No Big Deal\u2019, 2011.", "While many things may have eased up for a few years in the 2000s China has since hardened its policies in many areas rolling back progress. On the one child policy for example Zhang Feng, director of the provincial population and family planning commission, has said there would be \"no major adjustments to the family planning policy within five years.\" [1] Meanwhile village elections have never gone further than the villages and the odd trial in townships and are still one party affairs. [2] When it comes to international affairs China is not using the veto any more than previously but its rise is no longer considered so peaceful after a string of clashes with its neighbors, particularly on its sea borders such as the South China Sea where Vietnamese vessels have been harassed inside Vietnamese waters. [3] China is obviously not following a straight line towards peaceful coexistence and democracy. The EU should keep the arms ban to pressure China into continuing progress.  [1] AFP, \u2018China province cools hopes of \u2018one-child\u2019 policy easing\u2019, 2011.   [2] Brown, Kerry, \u2018Chinese democracy: the neglected story\u2019, 2011.   [3] Miks, Jason, \u2018Vietnam Eyes Foreign Help\u2019, 2011 ."], "type": "binary", "id": "29"}
+{"question": "Is Georgia's claim to South Ossetia justified?", "perspectives": ["Georgia's claim to South Ossetia is justified.", "Georgia's claim to South Ossetia is not justified."], "docs": ["Georgia's government is democratic and modern in its institutions. It is fully capable and intent on governing S. Ossetia democratically and honestly. Moreover, if the aim of the S. Osseitans' is to join with Russia, upon seceding from Georgia (as seems likely), then the many arguments it is putting forward in support of its national identity and right to self-determination do not apply in the same way, as they would be simply exchanging minority status in one state for minority status in another, and not truly seeking their own homeland where Ossets would be a majority, as they claim. This means that arguments about Ossetian being its own language and the Ossets having a long history of self-rule are not in fact arguments for secession, as secession would simply result in a transfer to Russia and not a truly Ossetian state. Therefore, the real question is: does Georgia or Russia have a greater claim to S. Ossetia as part of its territory? The historical arguments made by proposition clearly should Georgia to have a greater claim here.", "Georgian rule in South Ossetia is historically illegitimate and oppressive  Modern Georgia never really controlled S. Ossetia. South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia shortly after Georgia gained independence from the disintegrating USSR in 1991. South Ossetia has maintained de facto independence ever since. [1] Georgia, therefore, cannot really claim to have had sustained, legitimate sovereign control over South Ossetia in modern times. Even the USSR recognised S. Ossetia as distinct from Georgia, with the Kremlin stating in 1920 that \u201cwe consider that Ossetia should have the power it prefers. Georgian intrusion into affairs of Ossetia would be an unjustified intervention into foreign internal affairs\u201d. [2] S. Ossetia was an autonomous region within the USSR. It was not considered part of the same region that is now Georgia, and thus during its years under the USSR, S. Ossetia built up a significant degree of autonomy and independence in its internal functioning. Therefore, Georgia's only real claim to South Ossetia must extend back nearly a century, before the time of the Soviet Union.  This significantly weakens Georgia's claim over South Ossetia, but moreover Georgia's historical claim on South Ossetia is quite weak even in isolation. This is because S. Ossetia has its own distinct language and history to that of Georgia. Ossetian or Ossetic is a member of the Northeastern Iranian branch of Indo-European languages. About 500,000 people speak Ossetian in Ossetia. [3] , [4] That Ossetia has this distinct language is an important fact in favour of its status as a nation-state and in favor of its independence. Georgia, however, has been accused of committing genocide against the South Ossetians in 1920, 1993, and 2008, with tens of thousands of S. Ossetians dying over the course of these conflicts. [5] The Georgian government has also attempted to suppress S. Ossetian culture and identity, for example banning the use of the Ossetian language in official documents and abolishing S. Ossetian autonomy within Georgia. [6] Georgian rule in S. Ossetia is therefore both ahistorical, due to S. Ossetia's long and recognised history of independence and cultural and linguistic distinctness, and illegitimate, as the Georgian government has waged war upon the very lives and identity of the S. Ossetian people.  [1] BBC News. \u201cS Ossetia votes for independence\u201d. BBC News. 13 November 2006.   [2] Bzarov, Ruslan. \u201cIndependence of the Republic of South Ossetia \u2013 a guarantee of safety and reliable future of the Ossetian people\u201d. Speech of Doctor of historical sciences, Professor Ruslan Bzarov at the VI congress of the Ossetian people. September 2007.   [3] BBC News. \u201cS Ossetia votes for independence\u201d. BBC News. 13 November 2006.   [4] Omniglot. \u201cOssetian\u201d. Omniglot.   [5] Portyakova, Natalya and Sysoyev, Gennady. \u201cMeasuring South Ossetia by Kosovo\u201d. Kommersant. 15 November 2006.   [6] Makarkin, Alexei. \u201cHow is South Ossetia different from Kosovo?\u201d. RIA Novosti. 9 March 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "30"}
+{"question": "Should animal testing be considered as animal abuse?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing should be considered as animal abuse.", "Animal testing should not be considered as animal abuse."], "docs": ["It would send out a consistent message  Most countries have animal welfare laws to prevent animal cruelty but have laws like the UK\u2019s Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, [10] that stop animal testing being a crime. This makes means some people can do things to animals, but not others. If the government are serious about animal abuse, why allow anyone to do it?", "There is a moral difference between harm for the sake of harming an animal and harm in order to save lives. Lifesaving drugs is a very different purpose to betting or enjoyment that animal welfare laws are aimed at."], "type": "binary", "id": "31"}
+{"question": "Is the African Union effectively maintaining peace in Africa?", "perspectives": ["The African Union is effectively maintaining peace in Africa.", "The African Union is not effectively maintaining peace in Africa."], "docs": ["The increasing effectiveness of the African Union  The African Union has been taking a much more active stance in preventing and resolving conflict. Since 2003 responsibility for peace in Africa has been with the Peace and Security Council. This body has authorised AU interventions in Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, and the Central African Republic. [1] The African Union is not the only organisation engaged in peacekeeping; the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also been actively engaged in peacekeeping, having been deployed in numerous conflicts since the 1990s, most recently in Mali where they took part alongside French forces in defeating an Islamist insurgency. [2]  The AU is also boosting its collective capacity to respond to crises creating the African Standby Force made up of five regional brigades of 4000 soldiers. This force, when complete, will enable rapid deployment anywhere in Africa so helping to prevent crises becoming full scale wars. [3]  [1] \u2018Peace and Security Council\u2019, peaceau.org, 23 July 2013,   [2] News24, \u2018Ecowas urges members to send troops to Mail\u2019, 23 October 2013,   [3] Cilliers, Jakkie, \u2018The African Standby Force An update on progress\u2019, Institute of Strategic Studies, March 2008,", "Increasing the number of peacekeeping missions does not always mean that the result will be peace; clearly if there is a need for peacekeeping or even more so combat troops then peace has broken down. The United Nations has almost 70,000 peacekeepers deployed in Africa ,yet new conflicts and crises keep erupting; in 2013 there were new conflicts in Mali, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. In the case of Southern Sudan this is despite there being 7500 UN peacekeepers in the country. [1]  [1] Raghavan, Sudarsan, \u2018Record number of U.N. peacekeepers fails to stop African wars\u2019, Washington Post, 4 January 2014,"], "type": "binary", "id": "32"}
+{"question": "Can pornography be a platform for empowering women and challenging gender stereotypes?", "perspectives": ["Pornography can be a platform for empowering women and challenging gender stereotypes.", "Pornography cannot be a platform for empowering women and challenging gender stereotypes."], "docs": ["Pornography liberates women  Pornography is massively produced and distributed: this provides women with a vast platform through which to define their sexual identity. This has been a great tool in the past: in the 1920\u2019s America, the flapper became a great role model for women by promoting revolutionary values of a strong, sexual woman: she danced wildly in jazz clubs, was openly lesbian, and sexually active. This image spread throughout the country thanks to the boom of the film industry in the Roaring Twenties (Rosenberg). [1] Now pornography plays, or at least can play, this same role.  Pornography breaks the taboo of sexuality for women, and promoting the continuation of taboos is a label and a stereotype which the feminist movement must oppose. Instead, it should use pornography to spread its values. There is nothing intrinsic about pornography that makes it anti-women. There is female-friendly pornography, and in fact there are Feminist Porn Awards granted every year since 2006 (Techmedia Network). [2] There is also homosexual porn and porn that presents women as dominant: this can empower women and break current stereotypes, not only that women are not sexual, but that women in general cannot be powerful in society. The feminist movement should seek to promote this flow of ideas of what gender can be and allow women to influence the way their sexuality is perceived by men.  [1] Rosenberg, Jennifer. Flappers in the Roaring Twenties. About.com,   [2] Techmedia Network. Feminist Porn Award.", "It is simplistic to assume that the problems women face now, are the same that they faced in the 1920\u2019s. All they have in common is that, in some sense, women are used for men\u2019s ends. In the 1920\u2019s it was primarily as housewives, but now, it is as sexual objects. The kinds of images of women employed in advertisement and most kinds of media testify to this, and in pornography these views are expressed in a particularly forceful way.  Furthermore, it is a misconception to say that pornography can lead to revolutionary gender stereotypes when fundamentally it depends on stereotypes, the sexy teacher/nurse/friends\u2019 mother being common themes. Through pornography, the best women can achieve is to jump through one label to another. Why? Because it is an industry fundamentally controlled by men, for men.  As a result, furthermore, there can be no self-expression when you are doing what a director (often male) tells you to do.  Even if the feminist movement has in fact succeeded in promoting their values in a portion of pornographic films, this will have no effect if people do not watch it. There is nothing to indicate that soft, female-friendly pornography will be more appealing to men than what is currently all over the net: over 100,000 sites offer illegal child pornography, and over 10,000 hard-core pornography films are released every year and the numbers increase exponentially (Techmedia Network). [1]  [1] Techmedia Network. Internet Pornography Statistics. TopTenReviews, n.d."], "type": "binary", "id": "33"}
+{"question": "Is making English the official language beneficial for the Hispanic community in the United States?", "perspectives": ["Making English the official language is beneficial for the Hispanic community in the United States.", "Making English the official language is not beneficial for the Hispanic community in the United States."], "docs": ["It may well be that some people backing the push to make English the official language have questionable motives, but the movement should be evaluated based on its results.  Right now Hispanics are already stigmatized, whether on one hand as temporary labourers unable to speak English and therefore destined for the worst jobs, or as an invading horde planning to conquer the United States.  For better or worse, the self-segregation of the community reinforces many of these beliefs, while it also prevents their kids from learning English. If this policy helps to break this self-segregation up, and the children of Hispanic Immigrants become as American as the children of German immigrants became in the early 20th century then their opportunities will be greatly increased.", "In the current environment, moves to make English the official language are specifically targeted at Hispanic immigrants  Historically, efforts to declare English the official language tend to come up when certain elements in the American body politic become threatened. It became an issue in the First World War, when resentment rose against German immigrants, and the present movement, though nominally not signalling anyone out, is clearly aimed at Hispanics.  This can be inferred from the fact that they are by far the largest non-English linguistic group in the country, and on occasion such views have been let slip, as the leader of one of the largest lobbying groups for a National Language did.[1]  Even if such legislation is not aimed specifically at Hispanics, everyone will assume that it is, and many Hispanics will nevertheless believe that they are the intended targets.  The practical result of this will be the alienation of the Hispanic population as many Hispanics see themselves under attack, which will cause many Hispanics to concentrate together, undermining many of the arguments for assimilation the government has made.  Furthermore, to the extent it stigmatizes Spanish speakers as the \u2018other\u2019, it may well encourage bullying against Hispanic students, and discrimination against those who can\u2019t speak English, who are a far larger group than those who chose not to speak it.  [1] \u2018English Only Movement FAQ File\u2019, Mass. English Plus,"], "type": "binary", "id": "34"}
+{"question": "Should religious symbols be allowed in public institutions in secular societies?", "perspectives": ["Religious symbols are allowed in public institutions in secular societies.", "Religious symbols are not allowed in public institutions in secular societies."], "docs": ["Even though the wearing of religious symbols could be a part of that specific religions' culture and practice, it must be remembered that Western society and culture brands itself as secular and, therefore, should take precedence over clashes with minority cultural practices. In Britain there has been controversy over movements to include Sharia Law in the British legal system, which ties in with this same argument of culture clashes concerning religious methods.1 Essentially, the question arises as to how far is tolerance for different cultural practices detrimental for the maintenance of a secular British culture and state.  1 Abul Taher, 'Revealed: UK's first official sharia courts', The Sunday Times, 14th September 2008 , accessed on 23rd July 2011", "Western societies are secularly focused  Many societies are founded on secular values that do not permit the sponsorship of any religion by the state. British society aspires to this and has consciously acted to separate religion from state authority with many organisations such as the National Secular Society encouraging the suppression of any religious expression in public places.1 In this climate it is important that all citizens of the state are seen as equal. If some dress differently to others, deliberately identifying themselves as members of one religion, this can harm the unity and ethos of the state. This holds particularly true for institutions of the state like schools and government offices. In this way, it is possible to deduce that religious symbols are detrimental to the secular and equality focused identity of Western society.  1 'UK: One Law for all and the National Secular Society Back Bill that Aims to Curb Sharia Courts', 11th June 2011 , accessed on 23rd July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "35"}
+{"question": "Is the presence of natural resources in Africa directly linked to corruption and poor governance?", "perspectives": ["The presence of natural resources in Africa is directly linked to corruption and poor governance.", "The presence of natural resources in Africa is not directly linked to corruption and poor governance."], "docs": ["Resource abundance has led to poor governance  Corruption in African governance is a common feature of African governance [1] , with resources being a major source of exploitation by the political class. Natural resources are often controlled by the government. As resources fund the government\u2019s actions rather than tax, there is a decrease in accountability to the citizenry which enables the government to abuse its ownership of this land to make profit [2] . To benefit from resource wealth, money from the exploitation of mineral wealth and other sources needs to be reinvested in to the country\u2019s economy and human capital [3] . Investing in infrastructure and education can encourage long term growth. However a large amount of funds are pocketed by politicians and bureaucrats instead, hindering growth [4] . Africa Progress Panel (APP) conducted a survey on five mining deals between 2010 and 2012 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They found that the DRC was selling off state-owned mining companies at low prices. The new offshore owner would then resell the companies for much more, with much of the profit finding its way to DRC government officials [5] . The profits were twice as high as the combined budget for education and health, demonstrating that corruption caused by resource exploitation detracts from any long term growth.  [1] Straziuso,J. \u2018No African Leader wins $45m Good Governance Award\u2019 Yahoo News 14 October 2013   [2] Hollingshead,A. \u2018Why are extractive industries prone to corruption?\u2019 Financial Transparency Coalition 19 September 2013   [3] Pendergast,S.M., Kooten,G.C., & Clarke,J.A. \u2018Corruption and the Curse of Natural Resources\u2019 Department of Economics University of Victoria, 2008 pg.5   [4] Ibid  [5] Africa Progress Panel \u2018Report: DRC mining deals highlight resource corruption\u2019 14 May 2013,", "Resources don\u2019t have to mean poor governance. In 2013, attempts were made to counter corruption, the G8 and EU have both began work on initiatives to increase the transparency of foreign firms extracting resources in Africa [1] . The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has been established in an attempt to improve governance on the continent by funding attempts to stem corruption in member countries. The results of this latter initiative has resulted in the recovery of \u2018billions of US$\u2019 in Nigeria [2] . Other projects are continuing in other African countries with great hope of success.  [1] Oxfam \u2018Moves to tackle Africa\u2019s \u2018resource curse\u2019 reach turning point\u2019 23 October 2013   [2] EITI \u2018Impact of EITI in Africa: Stories from the ground\u2019 2010"], "type": "binary", "id": "36"}
+{"question": "Is the creation of a High Representative role beneficial for the EU's foreign policy effectiveness?", "perspectives": ["The creation of a High Representative role is beneficial for the EU's foreign policy effectiveness.", "The creation of a High Representative role is not beneficial for the EU's foreign policy effectiveness."], "docs": ["Creating a common EU foreign and security policy will in fact be easier than many people suppose, because many of the 21st century\u2019s most important issues in external relations are already part of the \u2018normal\u2019 EU policy routine; climate change, development, trade, aid and the environment, for example. Most such issues are ones on which any single member state, even one as significant as Britain, France or Germany, cannot hope to make a real global impact alone. Only by coordinating policy at EU level will the interests of member states be advanced at all. Having a High Representative to coordinate and promote this work on behalf of the Union as a whole makes sense and actually gives all member states a greater international effectiveness \u2013 the true measure of sovereignty.", "The previous arrangement of having two foreign policy centers (in the Commission and in the Council) was arguably inefficient, but consolidating these into a single office-holder has created more complexity and at significantly greater expense.  Creating a position of EU High Representative is not objectionable in itself. Previously the EU was in the ludicrous situation of having two foreign affairs spokesmen, one from the Council and the other from the Commission. Rivalry and duplication of efforts, staffs and resources results, and so focusing all the EU\u2019s external affairs work around one person makes some sense. What it does not mean is that the High Representative should lead a drive for a stronger common foreign policy position. Only when member states agree (which may not be often) will he or she have a role. In fact, by weakening the foreign affairs role within the Commission, this development may actually limit the pretensions of Brussels to develop its own agenda and dictate foreign policy to the member states."], "type": "binary", "id": "37"}
+{"question": "Is defaulting on its debts a beneficial economic strategy for Greece?", "perspectives": ["Defaulting on its debts is a beneficial economic strategy for Greece.", "Defaulting on its debts is not a beneficial economic strategy for Greece."], "docs": ["Defaulting would be the quickest route to economic recovery  Under the status quo, the Greek economy is only headed in one direction: deeper recession. There are no signs of the situation changing any time soon. Were the Greek Government to default on its debts, after a period of recession, conditions would quickly be favourable for economic growth once more. This is what was observed when Argentina and other nations [1] recently defaulted and can be explained by many factors. Firstly, defaulting and exiting the Eurozone would allow Greece to conduct monetary policy more freely: they would be able to quickly devalue their currency in order to make Greek goods and services more competitive on the international market. This would increase exports and attract investment, as well as tourists looking for cheaper holidays \u2013 all of which would contribute towards the rebuilding of the Greek economy. [2] Moreover, were Greece to default, it would put an end to the huge degree of unpredictability and uncertainty about the Greek economy. At the moment, nobody knows if the banks are safe, if the government will default etc. The constant chopping and changing of current austerity measures such as increases in varieties of corporate tax and changes in regulations also contribute to the huge degree of uncertainty in the Greek economy. Uncertainty breeds risk and risk breeds fear: a recipe that drives away foreign investors and makes it difficult for local businesses to start up. Were Greece to default, however, such elements of uncertainty would be seriously diminished, and conditions would be ripe for investment from abroad and locally. Greek would be able to start afresh.  [1] Pettifor, Ann: \u201cGreece: The upside of default\u201d, 23 May 2012, BBC News,   [2] Lapavitsas, Costas: \u201cEurozone crisis: what if\u2026 Greece leaves the single currency\u201d, 14 May 2012, The Guardian,", "The proposition vastly understates the negative impact a default has on the local economy. It is unrealistic to compare Greece with Argentina. As a member of the Eurozone, the developments within the Greek debt crisis have a huge impact on nations suffering from similar problems, as well as the Eurozone as a whole. Moreover, devaluing the Drachma would be nowhere near as beneficial as the proposition suggests. Greece is not rich in natural resources or industry and so boosting exports will not make a huge difference.  Yes, a default would resolve the uncertainty about whether Greece will default and exit the Euro. However this new predictability would not be good; it would simply show investors that they cannot invest in Greece because they will lose their money. Ratings agencies are unlikely to consider Greece a safe investment for a long time so there will not be international investment.[1]  [1] Pappa, Eppi: \u201cQ&A: What happens if Greece leaves the euro?\u201d, 14 May 2012, Al Jazeera,"], "type": "binary", "id": "38"}
+{"question": "Is boycotting a sports event a proportional diplomatic response to governmental actions?", "perspectives": ["Boycotting a sports event is a proportional diplomatic response to governmental actions.", "Boycotting a sports event is not a proportional diplomatic response to governmental actions."], "docs": ["Boycotting Euro 2012 is proportional  Diplomacy is necessary with any regime almost no matter how oppressive they are however that does not show approval of a regime to the world in the way that high profile visits and events can. Just as the Beijing Olympics were the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s coming out party so Euro 2012 is an ideal chance for Ukraine to show itself off to Europe and the rest of the world. If there was not a boycott this would implicitly show that Europe approves of Ukraine and the actions of its government.  In a list of possible diplomatic responses that range from verbal diplomatic complaints right up to sanctions a boycott represents a mid-point. A boycott is perhaps the best action that the European Union leaders could take is it takes away the shine that the event would otherwise give the Yanukovych. It will be denying him the political benefits of the Euros while highlighting rights concerns. A boycott is also proportional because it gives Ukraine\u2019s leaders a chance to reform before beginning any further measures that would have a much deeper effect on diplomatic relations.", "A boycott can\u2019t be proportional because politics and sport can\u2019t be linked. A proportional response would involve some real action that would hurt Ukrainian leaders such as freezing some of their corruptly gained assets rather than a symbolic boycott."], "type": "binary", "id": "39"}
+{"question": "Is the Olympic bidding process excessively long and detrimental to city development?", "perspectives": ["The Olympic bidding process is excessively long and detrimental to city development.", "The Olympic bidding process is not excessively long and detrimental to city development."], "docs": ["The bidding process is too long, tying up funds and land  The bidding process takes too long. Bidding officially takes only two years (unless a city fails to make the shortlist), but most cities spend nearly a decade working on their bids. Obviously the bidding process costs money but it also ties up the land needed for any future Olympic Village or stadia from being developed until the bid outcome is known, as well as diverting government funds away from other sporting events and activities. Furthermore, the way the IOC works with each member deciding which city they wish to vote for means that personal relationships and international tension can count for more than the quality of the bid. For example, American foreign policy is thought to be disadvantaging New York in the 2012 bidding process. Given that the Olympics are 'rotated' between continents, if a city fails to be selected it will be 12 years before it has another chance.", "The bidding process is not too long and does not tie up funds or land that would otherwise be developed. Furthermore, the Olympic bidding process would not be as difficult, expensive or long if the benefits to the eventual victor were not deemed worth all the time and effort. The unsuccessful bids are not wasted, the plans drawn up and experience of the process can be utilized for later bids. Moreover, the exposure granted to land earmarked for Olympic redevelopment can both generate interest in the area and lead to further development in the area regardless of an unsuccessful Olympic bid. The bidding process is now open and trustworthy. Whilst the 1998 Salt Lake City scandal did reveal huge levels of endemic corruption, IOC president Jacques Rogge has taken significant steps to stamp it out. Cities can now be confident that the best bid will win and that they should not be put of bidding to host because they fear they will lose simply for not being corrupt enough."], "type": "binary", "id": "40"}
+{"question": "Is the display of religious symbols detrimental to the secular nature of Western societies?", "perspectives": ["The display of religious symbols is detrimental to the secular nature of Western societies.", "The display of religious symbols is not detrimental to the secular nature of Western societies."], "docs": ["Western societies are secularly focused  Many societies are founded on secular values that do not permit the sponsorship of any religion by the state. British society aspires to this and has consciously acted to separate religion from state authority with many organisations such as the National Secular Society encouraging the suppression of any religious expression in public places.1 In this climate it is important that all citizens of the state are seen as equal. If some dress differently to others, deliberately identifying themselves as members of one religion, this can harm the unity and ethos of the state. This holds particularly true for institutions of the state like schools and government offices. In this way, it is possible to deduce that religious symbols are detrimental to the secular and equality focused identity of Western society.  1 'UK: One Law for all and the National Secular Society Back Bill that Aims to Curb Sharia Courts', 11th June 2011 , accessed on 23rd July 2011", "Even though the wearing of religious symbols could be a part of that specific religions' culture and practice, it must be remembered that Western society and culture brands itself as secular and, therefore, should take precedence over clashes with minority cultural practices. In Britain there has been controversy over movements to include Sharia Law in the British legal system, which ties in with this same argument of culture clashes concerning religious methods.1 Essentially, the question arises as to how far is tolerance for different cultural practices detrimental for the maintenance of a secular British culture and state.  1 Abul Taher, 'Revealed: UK's first official sharia courts', The Sunday Times, 14th September 2008 , accessed on 23rd July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "41"}
+{"question": "Is the cultural significance of endangered species a valid reason to increase their protection in Africa?", "perspectives": ["The cultural significance of endangered species is a valid reason to increase their protection in Africa.", "The cultural significance of endangered species is not a valid reason to increase their protection in Africa."], "docs": ["Endangered animals are a source of pride for African countries  Endangered animals warrant a tougher degree of protection in Africa as they have notable cultural significance. Some groups believe that African elephants have mystic powers attached to them and have coveted them for centuries. [1] African lions have been depicted on the coat of arms for states and institutions both past and present. [2] They are intrinsically linked with Africa\u2019s past and its identity. The extinction of these animals, therefore, would have a negative cultural impact and should be prevented.  [1] University of California, Los Angeles, \u2018Elephant: The Animal and its Ivory in African Culture\u2019  [2] Coleman, Q. \u2018The importance of African lions\u2019", "Not all endangered animals have such cultural significance within Africa. Pangolins are armoured mammals which are native to Africa and Asia. Like rhinoceros, pangolins are endangered due to their demand in East Asia. They are relatively unknown however, and therefore have little cultural significance. [1] This is the case for many of Africa\u2019s lesser known endangered species. Any extension of protection for endangered animals based on their cultural significance would be unlikely to save many of these species.  [1] Conniff, R. \u2018Poaching Pangolins: An Obscure Creature Faces Uncertain Future\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "42"}
+{"question": "Should liberal democracies impose their values on other forms of governance?", "perspectives": ["Liberal democracies should impose their values on other forms of governance.", "Liberal democracies should not impose their values on other forms of governance."], "docs": ["Liberal democracy is in a clash of ideologies with other competing systems, they promote their own systems through other means such as aid to regimes that are considered to be backsliding by liberal democracies with no strings attached. It is critical that the democratic paradigm not submit to the demands of other systems that would undermine the rights and values that democracy has come to view as universal. While liberal democracy may not be the only legitimate form of governance there are universal right, such as freedom of expression, which must be accepted by all states and should be protected both at home and abroad. China\u2019s vibrant dissident community is example enough that the alternative rights framework that the Communist Party offers is deficient. Rather than let those fresh shoots of democratic advocacy be smothered, the West should nurture them, and give them protection when they face vicious threats from cruel regimes.", "The liberal democratic paradigm is not the only legitimate model of government, a fact that democracies should accept and embrace  Ultimately, states\u2019 laws have to be respected. Liberal democracy has not proven to be the end of history as Fukuyama suggested, but is rather one robust system of government among many. China has become the example of a state-led capitalist model that relies on a covenant with the people fundamentally different from that between democratic governments and their citizens. [1] Chinas ruling communist party has legitimacy as a result of its performance and its role in modernising the country. [2] China\u2019s people have accepted a trade-off; economic growth and prosperity in exchange for their liberties. When dissidents challenge this paradigm, the government becomes aggrieved and seeks to re-establish its power and authority. If the dissidents are breaking that country\u2019s laws then the state has every right to punish them. Singapore similarly has an authoritarian version of democracy that delivers an efficient, peaceful state at the expense of constraints on the ability to criticise the government. [3] This collective model of rights has no inherent value that is lesser to that of the civil liberties-centric model of liberal democracy. In the end, as the geopolitical map becomes complicated with different versions of governance, states must learn to live with one another. The problem of offering amnesty to bloggers is that democracies and the West seek to enforce their paradigm onto that of states that differ. This will engender resentment and conflict. The world economy and social system relies on cooperation, trade, and peace. The difference between systems and cultures should be celebrated rather than simply assuming that there is only one true model and all others are somehow inferior.  [1] Acemoglu, D. and Robinson, J. \u201cIs State Capitalism Winning?\u201d. Project Syndicate. 31 December 2012.   [2] Li, Eric X, \u201cThe Life of the Party\u201d, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2013,   [3] Henderson, Drew, \u201cSingapore suppresses dissident\u201d Yale Daily News, 5 November 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "43"}
+{"question": "Are cluster bombs a valuable and effective tool in modern warfare?", "perspectives": ["Cluster bombs are a valuable and effective tool in modern warfare.", "Cluster bombs are not a valuable and effective tool in modern warfare."], "docs": ["Cluster Bombs Have Significant Strategic Value  As mentioned earlier in the opposition counter arguments, cluster bombs are incredibly effective at dealing with large formations of troops and armoured vehicles and can cause a significant amount of damage to an opposing force in a relatively small amount of time. This niche is not filled as cheaply or as easily by other weapons that can be released from a bombing aircraft. As such cluster bombs have a significant level of military and strategic value when used in conflict.  In the case where cluster bombs were banned, it would simply fall to the military to find an effective replacement weapon for these scenarios and it is likely that these would be as problematic if not more so.8", "Cluster bombs are an ineffective weapon that often deal more damage to the side deploying the weapons than their opponents. Given modern warfare scenarios, the need for cluster bombs is not great given that in asymmetric warfare the conflict will be over relatively quickly, owing to the massive level of firepower that the West and its allies can bring against the targets that they attack, often dictators only in control of militarily weak countries. Dud cluster bombs harm any occupation following invasion and warm by harming troops that happen to stumble across them as well as harming demining personnel. This prevents effective occupation in the long run and costs lives through preventing the armed forces from achieving stability in the region as quickly.9"], "type": "binary", "id": "44"}
+{"question": "Is expanding Heathrow airport the only solution to its capacity problem?", "perspectives": ["Expanding Heathrow airport is the only solution to its capacity problem.", "Expanding Heathrow airport is not the only solution to its capacity problem."], "docs": ["Heathrow is full; it must expand  Put simply Heathrow is at the limits of its capacity so there needs to be expansion. Heathrow is already at 99% capacity and running so close to maximum capacity means that any minor problem can result in large delays for passengers. London\u2019s major rivals have four-runway hub airports Paris, Frankfurt, even Madrid [1] this means these cities have much greater capacity as they can take up to 700,000 flights a year compared to Heathrow\u2019s 480,000. [2] Britain does not want to be left behind, crumbling in the dust. These airports therefore clearly have the capacity to take flights that would otherwise be going to Heathrow. Heathrow needs to expand to maintain its competitiveness so that the airport retains its position the most popular place to stop-over in before catching a connecting flight. Colin Matthews, the chief executive of Heathrow (formerly BAA) has argued that Heathrow\u2019s lack of hub capacity currently costs the UK \u00a314billion. [3] Heathrow is in danger of falling behind continental rivals in Frankfurt and Amsterdam.  [1] Leunig, T., \u2018A third runway? Yes, and a fourth too, please\u2019 The Times, 2012,   [2] Lundgren, Kari, \u201cHeathrow Limit Costs U.K. 14 Billion Pounds, Airport Says\u201d, Bloomberg, 15 November 2012,   [3] Topham, Gwyn., \u2018Heathrow must be expanded or replaced, airport chief announces\u2019 The Guardian, 15 November 2012,", "It is not as simple as considering that Heathrow is at capacity so everything will go to competitor airports. So far it is simple alarmism to warn of traffic going to European competitors, John Stewart (chairman of HACAN, Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise) points out that the airport already has more departure flights each week to key global business centres than its two closest rivals in Paris and Frankfurt combined. [1] Heathrow being at capacity may encourage other forms of transport, for example encouraging passengers to take the train rather than the plane to Edinburgh, Paris, or Brussels. Secondly it is not always simple just to change hub. As a transfer point if moving airport it would be necessary to change dozens of flights to enable the same transfers not just one or two. And finally of course Heathrow\u2019s expansion is not the only way to deal with excess demand at Heathrow, numerous other options have been proposed from the \u2018Boris island\u2019 airport, to linking Heathrow and Gatwick by high speed train. [2]  [1] Topham, Gwyn, \u2018Airline chiefs slam government for blocking Heathrow expansion\u2019, The Guardian, 25 June 2012,   [2] BBC News, \u2018Heathrow and Gatwick airports: Ministers mull rail link\u2019, 8 October 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "45"}
+{"question": "Should Christians be allowed to wear crosses at work?", "perspectives": ["Christians are allowed to wear crosses at work.", "Christians are not allowed to wear crosses at work."], "docs": ["Declaration of the faith is a key part of Christianity and that should be respected.  The UK is a nation that claims to be tolerant of all faiths and to respect religious beliefs. If that is the case then it must be accepted that the law should respect actions in accordance with those beliefs insofar as they do not harm or infringe on the rights of others. Demonstrating one\u2019s commitment to the cross is part of that faith [i] and should, therefore be shown some respect in a religiously diverse and tolerant society.  There may be more militant forms of religious profession that would be inappropriate in a workplace but wearing a simple piece of jewellery causes no harm or offence to others.  Both women have stated that they felt that wearing the cross was an important part of their faith [ii] and respect for those beliefs should be shown if society\u2019s claims of tolerance and diversity are to have credibility.  As with the demonstration of any right, the fact that its exercise may not be convenient does not supersede its validity. Indeed the only way of demonstrating that a society is, in fact, a tolerant one is, by definition, when it tolerates the exercise of legitimate practices which are inconvenient.  [i] Galatians 6:14 among others  [ii] BBC News Website. \u201cShirley Chaplin and Nadia Eweida Take Cross Fight to Europe.\u201d 12 March 2012.", "There is no requirement within Christianity that the cross should be worn. This makes it quite different from other items of religious clothing \u2013 specifically required as articles of faith - that are accepted in the workplace. It is an entirely reasonable distinction to draw a line between iconography that the employee believes it would be a sin to go without and that which is an active choice."], "type": "binary", "id": "46"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty effectively deter nuclear proliferation?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty effectively deters nuclear proliferation.", "The New START treaty does not effectively deter nuclear proliferation."], "docs": ["The New START treaty will help against Iran\u2019s nuclear program.  New START will help bolster US-Russian cooperation, which is necessary for solving the problem of Iran\u2019s nuclear proliferation. On Nov. 19, 2010, the Anti-Defamation League released a statement, which came from Robert G. Sugarman, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director: \"The severe damage that could be inflicted on that relationship by failing to ratify the treaty would inevitably hamper effective American international leadership to stop the Iranian nuclear weapons program. The Iranian nuclear threat is the most serious national security issue facing the United States, Israel, and other allies in the Middle East. While some Senators may have legitimate reservations about the New START treaty or its protocol, we believe the interest of our greater and common goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons must take precedence.\" [1] New START is crucial in getting Russian support against Iran and other rogue nuclear states.  Although the United States needs a strong and reliable nuclear force, the chief nuclear danger today comes not from Russia but from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea and the potential for nuclear material to fall into the hands of terrorists. Given those pressing dangers, some question why an arms control treaty with Russia matters. It matters because it is in both parties' interest that there be transparency and stability in their strategic nuclear relationship. It also matters because Russia's cooperation will be needed if we are to make progress in rolling back the Iranian and North Korean programs. Russian help will be needed to continue our work to secure \"loose nukes\" in Russia and elsewhere. And Russian assistance is needed to improve the situation in Afghanistan, a breeding ground for international terrorism.  Obviously, the United States does not sign arms control agreements just to make friends. Any treaty must be considered on its merits. But the New START agreement is clearly in the US\u2019 national interest, and the ramifications of not ratifying it could be significantly negative. [2] As US Vice President Joe Biden argued in 2010: \"New Start is also a cornerstone of our efforts to reset relations with Russia, which have improved significantly in the last two years. This has led to real benefits for U.S. and global security. Russian cooperation made it possible to secure strong sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions, and Russia canceled a sale to Iran of an advanced anti-aircraft missile system that would have been dangerously destabilizing. Russia has permitted the flow of materiel through its territory for our troops in Afghanistan. And\u2014as the NATO-Russia Council in Lisbon demonstrated\u2014European security has been advanced by the pursuit of a more cooperative relationship with Russia. We should not jeopardize this progress.\" [3] Therefore, because New START will have significant positive consequences in terms of aiding relations with Russia, and thus in dealing with rogue nuclear states like Iran, it should be supported.  [1] Weingarten, Elizabeth. \u201cHow did New START become a Jewish issue?\u201d. The Atlantic. 1 Decemebr 2010.   [2] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.   [3] Biden, Joseph. \"The case for ratifying New START\". Wall Street Journal. 25 November 2010.", "Reducing nuclear arms through New START will not compel others to stop pursuing nukes. The logic behind New START asserts that for every neg\u00adative development in the area of nuclear proliferation the US needs to take a substantive step in the direction of nuclear disarmament. Ultimately, this approach effectively assumes that the possession of nuclear arms by the US (and Russia) is the incentive driving other nations to pursue nuclear weapons programs so as to be able to deter the United States. Not only is the assumption misplaced, but the policy will undermine deterrence and increase the likelihood of the use of nuclear weapons. It is foolish for the U.S. to take substantive steps toward nuclear disarmament at the same time the nuclear proliferation problem is growing worse. [1] The US should also not seek to improve relations by bribing them with New START at the cost of damaging US defence capabilities.  [1] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "47"}
+{"question": "Is the BBC inherently biased against Christianity?", "perspectives": ["The BBC is inherently biased against Christianity.", "The BBC is not inherently biased against Christianity."], "docs": ["If this work had been an attack on Mohammed it would never have been broadcast, the BBC is applying double standards.  A week before the broadcast of the opera, protest by Sikhs in Birmingham about the play Bezthi by the Birmingham Rep, brought the show to a close. Like many organisations, the BBC panics when it believes it has caused offence to some religions and yet Christianity \u2013 by far the world\u2019s most populous and diverse creed [i] - is routinely ignored or expected to \u2018take it on the chin.  Christian symbols and imagery are routinely profaned by major broadcasters, publishers and others in a way that would simply not be tolerated if they were directed at \u2018minority\u2019 faiths in the UK.  Article Four (4) of the BBC\u2019s charter [ii] stipulates quite clearly that all of the UK\u2019s communities should be reflected in all of its activities. Despite this the interests of the community that is represented by the established church of the country, headed by the monarch, receives the least support or consideration from the institution.  [i]   [ii] BBC Charter.", "BBC Director General, Mark Thompson, who is himself a practising Christian, said that he found \u2018nothing blasphemous\u2019 about the programme [i] . The protests were small and overwhelmingly organised by one group. There is simply no case for a right not to be offended by something you\u2019ve seen; far less for something you haven\u2019t. This would equally apply if the programme had been offensive to some Muslims as it does to a programme that is offensive to some Christians.  [i] BBC News Website. \u201cProtests as BBC Screens Springer\u201d. 10 January 2005."], "type": "binary", "id": "48"}
+{"question": "Is Putin's strong leadership perceived as a form of dictatorship in Russia?", "perspectives": ["Putin's strong leadership is perceived as a form of dictatorship in Russia.", "Putin's strong leadership is not perceived as a form of dictatorship in Russia."], "docs": ["The status quo reveals that several powerful and influential people are in charge of the whole state  What is occurring in Russia now is closer to dictatorship rather than to strong leadership. Many commentators of the Russian political stage share the opinion that Medvedev is just a pawn in the hands of the former president and current prime minister \u2013 Putin. \u201cThe leading role still clearly belongs to Putin. This reflects the unspoken agreement that was reached between Putin and Medvedev,\u201d said Yevgeny Volk, an independent political analyst in Moscow. (6) Russia\u2019s both external and internal policy have not changed after the elections in 2008 and are following the same path, which is another argument that Putin continues to pull the strings.  In fact, the more important question is not whether or not Medvedev is a pawn, but who is actually in charge \u2013 \u201cKremlin-watchers say this system of interlocking and competing clans that is managed by Putin comprises the core of Russia's ruling elite. The key players, the people with decision making power, number about thirty. The inner circle, most agree, comprises about twelve people\u2026 There are something like a dozen of the most influential guys in the first circle and perhaps two dozen who are less influential in the second circle. These are not only managers but also shareholders who are not that visible or public...Not only do they manage Russia...but they also enrich themselves pretty actively.\u201d (7) This poses the debate is such a status quo in the best interest of Russia and its people or is the exact opposite.", "All of these speculations are rather unreasonable and tend to create a public opinion which does not cooperate entirely with the truth. Such drastic conclusions can be made just about any other country. It is true that Vladimir Putin is a strong leader and a powerful figure in the Russian political life, but this does not mean that he is a puppet master, who decides the entire faith of Russia and the Russian population. The political life cannot go without political games, intrigues and deals, but this is just how the policy works and this is how it has been working for a long time. Political interests mix up with business interests and it is actually important to have a strong leader in the face of Putin, who, unlike a lot of politicians will not be influenced by big corporate players or at least will not be influenced as much. Putin\u2019s political career has been successful and his rating among the population are the simplest proof - According to public opinion surveys conducted by Levada Center, Putin's approval rating was 81% in June 2007, and the highest of any leader in the world. His popularity rose from 31% in August 1999 to 80% in November 1999 and since then it has never fallen below 65%. Observers see Putin's high approval ratings as a consequence of the significant improvements in living standards and Russia's reassertion of itself on the world scene that occurred during his tenure as President."], "type": "binary", "id": "49"}
+{"question": "Is celebrity involvement in politics detrimental to the democratic process?", "perspectives": ["Celebrity involvement in politics is detrimental to the democratic process.", "Celebrity involvement in politics is not detrimental to the democratic process."], "docs": ["Personality politics is harmful to the democratic process  Celebrity involvement in the political process may increase the extent to which politicians need to court media attention in order to promote their policies.  Many people get their political information from \u2018soft-news\u2019 outlets [1] , i.e. entertainment channels and magazines that often focus on \u2018celebrity gossip\u2019. Shows such as Oprah Winfrey get millions of viewers many of whom don\u2019t get news through other mediums and although soft news is the preferred format for a minority (10.2%) for a great many more it is in their top three. [2] The involvement of celebrities in the political sphere increases the power of \u201csoft-news\u201d over the political process: due to the wide reach of \u201csoft-news\u201d it is not possible to counter its effects using narrow-reach opinion pieces and policy analysis. Rather, politicians are forced either to package their ideas in a way acceptable to these magazines and talk shows (i.e. reduce the analysis; \u2018dumb down\u2019), for example Obama in 2009 became the first sitting president to appear on a late night comedy show; Tonight Show with Jay Leno, [3] or to counter attack by seeking celebrity endorsement of their own.  This makes political debate increasingly shallow, and voters\u2019 decisions correspondingly less well-informed. The harmful impacts upon our democratic process are two-fold: first, voters being less informed means they are less likely to truly be voting in a way that is aligned with their best interests or political beliefs; second, the debate is skewed towards ideas that can be conveyed in short \u2018sound-bites\u2019 and away from ideas that require more complicated discussion.  [1] Drezner, Daniel W., \u2018Foreign Policy Goes Glam\u2019, The National Interest, Nov./Dec. 2007,   [2] Prior, Markus, \u2018Any Good News in Soft News? The Impact of Soft News Preferences on Political Knowledge\u2019, Political Communication, Vol. 20, 2003, pp.149-171, p.151   [3] Baum, Matthew A., and Jamison, Angela, \u2018Soft News and the four Oprah effects\u2019, November 2011,", "The accusation of \u2018dumbing down\u2019 is misguided: politicians will increasingly be able to reach a wider voter base if they are willing to repackage their ideas and policies, but this does not require \u2018dumbing down\u2019, simply a change in focus of the explanation. So not only is dumbing down not necessary, but politicians\u2019 ideas are reaching more voters!  For example, the \u2018war on women,\u2019 has gained considerable attention in the media, and this has given a platform for female celebrities like Eva Longoria, to participate in events like the Democratic National Convention [1] . Eva Longoria and politicians who feel that women are being unfair attacked in regards to their body are now having these issues highlighted. Having celebrities involved in political campaigns like Eva Longoria does not mean the campaign was \u2018dumbed down\u2019 it means that it was accessible to a larger audience because they understood what she was talking about. Surely, that cannot be a bad thing.  It should be remembered that those who consume this soft news will be much better informed and be consistent in voting than those who consume no news at all. [2] As a result they will be more likely to vote and soft news will give them some awareness of why they are voting even if a celebrity endorsement has some baring on that vote.  [1] \u2018Eva Longoria Speech Draws Cheers At Democratic National Convention\u2019, Huffington Post, 6 September 2012,   [2] Baum, Matthew A., and Jamison, Angela, \u2018 The Oprah Effect: How soft news helps inattentive citizens to vote consistently\u2019, The Journal of Politics, Vol.68, No.4, November 2006, pp.946-959, p.955,"], "type": "binary", "id": "50"}
+{"question": "Is the null hypothesis a fair tool for evaluating the existence of God?", "perspectives": ["The null hypothesis is a fair tool for evaluating the existence of God.", "The null hypothesis is not a fair tool for evaluating the existence of God."], "docs": ["All beliefs rely upon some form of presupposition as their grounding. The null hypothesis presupposes a natural world \u2013 but belief in God presupposes a supernatural world. It is unfair therefore to apply the null hypothesis to religious faith.  Moreover, belief in God is a different to belief in an object in the physical world that we would expect to be physically verifiable. [1]  [1] Wolf, Gary. \u2018The Church of the Non-Believers\u2019 WIRED Magazine. November 2006.", "The Null Hypothesis  With regards to any proposition the only consistent and rational view is to assume that it is not true unless sufficient evidence is put forward to nullify that assumption.  The proposition need also be falsifiable, that is to say, there must be some potential fact that could be proven in order to disprove it. God is unfalsifiable because there is nothing."], "type": "binary", "id": "51"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action increase social tensions?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action increases social tensions.", "Affirmative action does not increase social tensions."], "docs": ["Affirmative action can create social tensions  Under the policy of affirmative action, there is a real danger that social tensions become inflamed. This is because in the process of benefiting minority groups it helps to disenfranchise the majority. For example in the 2001 riots in Oldham and other cities of Northern England one of the main complaints from poor white areas was alleged discrimination in council funding. [1] There was a possibility that the more privileged from minority groups such as upper-class blacks will be favoured at the expense of the marginalised within majority groups such as lower-class whites. Therefore, rather correct racial bias, affirmative action may inevitably deepen it.  [1] Amin, A., 2002. \u2018Ethnicity and the multicultural city: living with diversity.\u2019 Environment and Planning, 34, pp.959-980, p.963", "Social tension, especial in poor areas and minority groups, does not come as a result of unfair affirmative action policies, but as a result of inadequate funds available to the communities which result in individuals struggling for limited resources. Affirmative Action creates an opportunity whereby more politicians and businesspeople rise up from humble backgrounds are given the chance to change the political and economic structure of society. By \u201cgiving back\u201d to their community, they will be able to assist the less well-off, for example by expanding welfare systems and ensuring greater equality of opportunities, or through different hiring practices."], "type": "binary", "id": "52"}
+{"question": "Is rehabilitation a secondary concern in the criminal justice system?", "perspectives": ["Rehabilitation is a secondary concern in the criminal justice system.", "Rehabilitation is not a secondary concern in the criminal justice system."], "docs": ["Rehabilitation Does Not Serve The Needs of Society  The primary goal of our criminal justice system is to remove offenders from general society and protect law abiding citizens. Many criminals are repeat offenders and rehabilitation can be a long and expensive process. In Jamaica, police claim repeat offenders are responsible for over 80% of local crime despite rehabilitation programmes in prisons. [1] Ideally therefore, retribution and rehabilitation should work hand in hand to protect citizens in the short and long term. There are some successful examples of this happening, where prisons encourage inmates to take part in group activities such as football. Some prisons have started cooking programmes where inmates learn to cook in a professional environment and leave with a qualification. However the first priority is the removal of the convicted criminal from society in order to protect the innocent. Rehabilitation should be a secondary concern. The primary concern of the criminal justice system should be the protection of the non-guilty parties. The needs of society are therefore met by the immediate removal of the offender.  In addition a more retributive approach serves society through the message it conveys. Most modern defences of retribution would emphasize its role in reinforcing the moral values of society and expressing the public's outrage at certain crimes. Rehabilitation therefore weakens the strong message of disgust as to the offender\u2019s actions that a traditional prison sentence symbolises and the deterrent that it thus provides.  [1] Chang, K. O. \u2018Lock up repeat offenders for life\u2019. Jamaica Gleaner, 17 September 2006 .", "The needs of society are not being met by those who reoffend due to lack of rehabilitation. The fact that two thirds of offenders subsequently re-offend with two years [1] suggests that the prison system does little to encourage people to stay on the right side of the law. Clearly, the threat of prison is not enough alone and needs to be supplemented by other schemes.  Prisons can provide an opportunity to develop important skills: it is especially clear in the case of non-violent offenders that criminal behaviour often stems from a perceived lack of alternatives. Offenders often lack educational qualifications and skills. Prisons can provide an opportunity to develop necessary skills for future employment through the provision of courses and education. The UK offers courses in bricklaying, hairdressing, gardening and teaching sport and fitness. [2]  These people can then contribute back into society rather than a purely retributive model which just takes from a system. [3]  [1] Souper, M., \u2018Principles of sentencing \u2013 reoffending rates\u2019, Sixth Form Law .  [2] Directgov, \u2018Education, training and working in prison\u2019 .  [3] Jonathan Aitken wrote an opinion column for \u2018The Independent\u2019 website in which he criticised the current legal setup for criminal prosecution and suggested that reforming the system of rehabilitation in the UK would help to reduce rates of re-offending. This if of the greatest importance not only to the individual but for the safety of society."], "type": "binary", "id": "53"}
+{"question": "Is South Ossetia's quest for independence an infringement on Georgia's territorial rights?", "perspectives": ["South Ossetia's quest for independence is an infringement on Georgia's territorial rights.", "South Ossetia's quest for independence is not an infringement on Georgia's territorial rights."], "docs": ["Georgia has a right to territorial integrity  Georgia has a legitimate sovereign right to maintain its territorial integrity as well as the social contract accompanying it. Georgia has the right to take action to secure the integrity of these things, unless blocked by a higher international authority. Internationally, S. Ossetia's independence is recognised by only five nations (including Russia), demonstrating that the international community is not convinced that S. Ossetia's claim to self-determination trumps Georgia's claim to territorial integrity. [1] In order to obtain independence, it is important that a country be recognized diplomatically by a significant number of the members of the United Nations. This is important in large part because it ensures that a state will have viable diplomatic relations internationally if it becomes independent. It also demonstrates that the international system supports a certain action being taken internationally. Thus Georgia's claim should continue to stand until the international community changes its mind, and at the moment the international community has legitimate concerns regarding the regional instability and conflict that an independent S. Ossetia might foster. Moreover, as shown above the S. Ossetian state is entirely dependent on Russian support, and so it can be accurately stated that the issue of S. Ossetian independence, and its threat to Georgian territorial integrity, has arisen only because of Russian interference within Georgia. Even those who argue that any region has the right to self-determination would probably reject the idea that nations have the right to foster and encourage parts of other nations to secede from their current state and join another. The S. Ossetian independence movement can thus be correctly seen simply as Russian aggression against Georgia for its own advantage, not an issue of self-determination.  [1] RIA Novosti. \u201cNicaragua recognizes South Ossetia and Abkhazia\u201d. RIA Novosti. 4 September 2008.", "It is invalid to criticize S. Ossetia's referendum for risking instability. The US State Department as well as the European Union both argued that the South Ossetia referendum was wrong on the basis that it was \u201cunhelpful\u201d and could exacerbate tensions with Georgia. [1] This, however, is an invalid status quo argument. It posits that any vote taken by the South Ossetians that disrupts the status quo is invalid, while a vote that might uphold the status quote could be considered valid. This is an unprincipled argument. The South Ossetians have a right to express their beliefs, and those beliefs are legitimate and should be respected, irrespective of whether it disrupts the status quo or even leads to conflict with Georgia. And, if Georgia and other states want to maintain stability, they can do so by not reacting violently to an independent South Ossetia.  [1] The Georgian Times Online. \u201cUS slams separatists' decision\u201d. The Georgian Times. 9 November 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "54"}
+{"question": "Is open access to university courses beneficial for the universities?", "perspectives": ["Open access to university courses is beneficial for the universities.", "Open access to university courses is not beneficial for the universities."], "docs": ["The vast majority of people who go to University are not doing so simply because they are interested in a subject and want to find out more. Instead they are after the qualification and improved job prospects university provides. Even those few who are in large part studying out of curiosity and interest will likely be doing so at university because they like the student life and want the experience.  However having courses and materials out in the open can even help universities with recruitment. Providing open access boosts a university\u2019s reputation abroad which helps it in the international student market. Open access to academic work also helps give potential students a much better idea with what they will be studying which is very useful for students who are unsure where to choose. The benefits are obvious as shown by 35% of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s students choose the university after looking at its OpenCourseWare. [1]  [1] Daniel, Sir John, and Killion, David, \u201cAre open educational resources the key to global economic growth?\u201d, Guardian Professional, 4 July 2012,", "Less incentive to study at university  If everything that University provides is open to all then there is less incentive to study at university. Anyone who is studying in order to learn about a subject rather than achieve a particular qualification will no longer need to attend the university in order to fulfil their aim. The actual benefit of university education is less in learning content per se than engaging with new ideas critically, something that is frequently more difficult in an online environment.  Moreover if only some countries or institutions were to implement such open access then it makes more sense for any students who are intending to study internationally to go elsewhere as they will still be able to use the resources made available by that university. Open access if not implemented universally is therefore damaging to universities attempts to attract lucrative international students who often pay high tuition fees."], "type": "binary", "id": "55"}
+{"question": "Is affirmative action an appropriate remedy for past discrimination?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action is an appropriate remedy for past discrimination.", "Affirmative action is not an appropriate remedy for past discrimination."], "docs": ["There is a moral obligation to provide affirmative action programs  Society has a moral obligation to right its wrongs and compensate those they have treated unjustly.  Discrimination, whether overt or convert, is an unacceptable practice that arbitrarily disadvantages certain people on grounds that they have no control over. Discrimination not only is theoretically a bad thing to do to people, but also has tangible negative impacts. Discrimination against groups such as the African American community in the USA has left them without the education or employment opportunities to even have a chance at achieving the success and happiness they deserve [1] . Discrimination is unacceptable practice for any society to engage in and victims of discrimination deserve compensation for the physical and psychological harms they suffered from being rejected by their very own community [2] .  Past discrimination has left communities without the physical goods and psychological feelings of acceptance and safety all individuals deserve from their country and thus there is a moral obligation of society to take steps to offer the physical and symbolic advantages they have been denied through affirmative action.  [1] Aka, Philip. \"Affirmative Action and the Black Experience in America.\" American Bar Association. 36.4 (2009): Print.  [2] Aka, Philip. \"Affirmative Action and the Black Experience in America.\" American Bar Association. 36.4 (2009): Print.", "Society may owe an obligation to the victims of past discrimination, but offering advantages to descendants of people who suffered discrimination does not do this. If discrimination occurred several generations ago, the individuals who simply happen to be of the same gender/race as those who were previously discriminated against generations ago are not entitled to preferential treatment as they are not the victims of discrimination.  By not targeting those who actually suffered from discrimination due to the generational gap, you are simply giving unfair preferential treatment to people of a particular gender/race and therefore committing an injustice by discriminating against everyone else who was not given the same treatment."], "type": "binary", "id": "56"}
+{"question": "Is cultural relativism a valid defense for the use of child soldiers?", "perspectives": ["Cultural relativism is a valid defense for the use of child soldiers.", "Cultural relativism is a not valid defense for the use of child soldiers."], "docs": ["Cultural relativism and adapting to conflict  The issues underlying all debates on child soldiers go to the very heart of intercultural justice, politics and governance. International and supranational legislation notwithstanding, the notion that children should be protected from all forms of violence at any cost is expressly western.  The facts stated in the introduction are not sufficient to support the creation of a defence of cultural relativism to charges of recruiting and using child soldiers. \u201cCultures\u201d are not simply sets of practices defined by history and tradition. They are also methods of living, of survival and of ordering societies that change and develop in response to societies\u2019 environments. Within many communities, children are inducted (or induct themselves) into military organisations as a result of necessity. The traditional providers of physical safety within a society may have been killed or displaced by war. Communities left vulnerable by long running and vaguely defined conflicts may have no other option but to begin arming their children, in order to help them avoid violent exploitation. A great many child soldiers in South Sudan actively sought out units of the rebel army known to accept child recruits [i] . Following the death of parents and the dispersal of extended families, children gravitated towards known sources of safety and strength \u2013 organisations capable of providing protection and independence within nations utterly distorted and ruined by conflict.  Western notions of inviolate childhood, free of worry and violence, are merely a cultural construct. This construct cannot be duplicated in societies beset by forms of privation and conflict that have been alien to western liberal democracies for the last seventy years. Attempting to enforce this construct as law- and as a form of law that can trump domestic legislation- endangers vulnerable communities, inhibits the creation of democratic norms and can even criminalise the children it claims to protect.  [i] \u201cRaised by war: Child Soldiers of the Southern Sudanese Second Civil War\u201d, Christine Emily Ryan, PhD Thesis, University of London, 2009", "Side proposition are attempting to make an argument in favour of reforming the ICC\u2019s prosecution guidelines, but are doing so in terms of the culturally relative definition of adulthood. In other words, side proposition are trying to discuss war, realpolitik and international justice using the language of social anthropology. This approach is flawed.  Arguments about the appropriate age to allow a child to hunt, to leave school or to marry pale beside the life-and-death significance of participation in warfare. A child does not become an adult by acting like a soldier, and those who recruit children into military organisations do not necessarily view them as adults. Indeed, children are seen as easy targets for recruitment, due to their emotional immaturity, their gullibility and deference to those who wield authority.  Children may join armed groups out of necessity, and in the interests of survival, but this does not mean that those armed groups should accept child volunteers, or should escape criminal liability when they do so. Although the west is now a safe and prosperous place to live, the categories of war crime that the ICC prosecutes were created in response to the depravity and ruthlessness of conflicts that liberal-democracies experienced directly.  The developed, liberal democratic world is not blind to the sense of necessity that drives children to take up arms. However, it understands only too well that child soldiers are unnecessary. Children do not autonomously organise into armed militias \u2013 they are recruited by states and groups with defined political and military objectives. Such groups should be aware that there is no value or necessity underlying the use of children in combat, and should be made legally accountable when they flaunt this norm."], "type": "binary", "id": "57"}
+{"question": "Is the use of standardized tests a fair measure for student's academic ability?", "perspectives": ["The use of standardized tests is a fair measure for student's academic ability.", "The use of standardized tests is not a fair measure for student's academic ability."], "docs": ["A student\u2019s academic record tends to measure very different things from what a standardized test does. GPA tends to be based on repetitive assignments such as homework, and in many cases students receive at least some academic credit for simply attending class. By contrast, standardized tests reward ability, by seeing whether or not at the end of the process students actually learned the material in question. Performance under pressure is an important skill to measure, especially for top institutions, while sifting through the differing standards for what goes into the grades in different school districts is simply not possible.", "Standardized tests are arbitrary  Standardized tests are inherently arbitrary. They reduce an applicant\u2019s entire academic career to a single one-day session. The result is an inherently unrepresentative test which fails to paint an accurate picture. What if a student has a bad day? What if they do poorly on the specific test questions? In the SAT\u2019s there is an error of measurement of about 30 points either way out of 800, this is the potential difference between where the student really is and what his or her score on the day was. [1] By contrast, looking at their entire academic record ensures that admissions officers will get a far more comprehensive picture of their actual ability. The law of averages means that bad days and tests will be balanced out with good ones, with the result that their academic record, the result of years of work, will reflect their true performance.  [1] Cloud, John, \u2018What\u2019s Good about the New SAT Test\u2019, Time, 1 September 2006,"], "type": "binary", "id": "58"}
+{"question": "Should the illness of a country's leader be transparently communicated to the public?", "perspectives": ["The illness of a country's leader should be transparently communicated to the public.", "The illness of a country's leader should not be transparently communicated to the public."], "docs": ["Markets like stability  Business and the markets prize political stability. Clearly when the leader of a country is ill this stability is damaged but the damage can be mitigated by being transparent. The markets will want to know how ill the leader is, and that the succession is secure so that they know what the future holds. Secrecy and the consequent spread of rumour is the worst option as businesses can have no idea what the future holds so cant make investment decisions that will be influenced by the political environment.  Leaders do matter to the economy; they set the parameters of the business environment, the taxes, subsidies, how much bureaucracy. They also influence other areas like the price of energy, the availability of transport links etc. It has been estimated that \u201ca one standard deviation change in leader quality leads to a growth change of 1.5 percentage points\u201d. 1 The leader who follows may be of the same quality in which case there will be little difference but equally it could mean a large change.  1 Jones, Benjjamin F., and Olken, Benjamin A., 'Do Leaders Matter? National Leadership and Growth Since World War II', Quarterly Journal of Economics, February 2005,", "Deputy leaders are appointed and they are well versed with how the leader is managing issues and are capable of taking up the role immediately after the leader resigns or dies. Being open and transparent about a leader being ill simply creates the lack of stability. If he lives it is best if the illness is not revealed as everything will carry on as before. If the leader dies then it is best nothing is known until his successor is announced so reducing the period of uncertainty."], "type": "binary", "id": "59"}
+{"question": "Should European leaders boycott attending international football matches in Ukraine?", "perspectives": ["European leaders should boycott attending international football matches in Ukraine.", "European leaders should not boycott attending international football matches in Ukraine."], "docs": ["Europe must not give approval to this regime.  Viktor Yanukovych fairly came to power in 2010 however since then he has set about attacking the country\u2019s fragile democracy. There are numerous cases showing this democratic decline. For example changes to the constitution that occurred after the Orange revolution have been rolled back to give more power to the presidency. [1] Most visibly opponents of the regime such as Yulia Timoshenko have been jailed in politically motivated trials. At the same time there have been attacks on the freedom of the media and Ukraine has fallen down rankings of press freedom in 2010-11 with its score from freedom house falling from 56 to 59 with its ranking falling to 130th. [2]  Ukraine, like its neighbours Russia and Belarus, has become a \u2018virtual mafia state\u2019 where the SBU (Ukraine\u2019s successor to the KGB) is all powerful and the elite are unaccountable. [3] It is becoming more and more corrupt as is shown by its fall down the Corruption Perceptions Index from 118th in 2007 to 152nd in 2011. [4] Ukraine is clearly going in the wrong direction and European leaders need to stand up and show that the will not allow this to continue.  [1] Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, \u20182010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Report\u2019, U.S. Department of State, 8 April 2011.  [2] Karlekar, Karin Deutsch and Dunham, Jennifer, \u2018Press Freedom in 2011: Breakthroughs and Pushback in the Middle East\u2019, Freedom House, 2012, pp.7, 16.  [3] Luzio, Taras, \u2018Ukraine, Like Russia, Is Becoming a \u2018Virtual Mafia State\u2019\u2019, Atlantic Council, 1 March 2012.  [4] Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2011 , Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2007 .", "Attending football matches is not giving approval to a country\u2019s government. Leaders when attending international football matches are simply supporting their team and often hoping that they will be seen as such giving them a good photo op for the audience back home."], "type": "binary", "id": "60"}
+{"question": "Is a global accord the only effective solution to reduce GHG emissions?", "perspectives": ["A global accord is the only effective solution to reduce GHG emissions.", "A global accord is not the only effective solution to reduce GHG emissions."], "docs": ["Failure to reach global accord  The Kyoto Protocol failed to reduce global GHG emissions and in the midst of an economic crisis, world leaders were unable to even agree to a replacement treaty when it expired. There is no meaningful global emissions reduction treaty ready for ratification and no reason to be optimistic that one is forthcoming. The developing world believes it has a legitimate right to expand economically without emissions caps because the rich world is responsible for the vast majority of emissions over the last 200 years and per capita emissions in developing countries are still far lower than in the developed world. As such, developing countries will only agree to a global accord that pays for their emissions reductions/abatement. However, the developed world is unwilling to transfer wealth in exchange for a right to emit, particularly at a time when so many have large budget deficits 1. Given that the growth of annual emissions is being driven by developing countries, many developed countries (like the US) believe that any treaty that does not include developing countries (particularly China) would be fruitless.  1. The Economist, 'A bad climate for development', 17th September 2009.", "Despite the failure of the Copenhagen Protocol, local, regional, national, and international organizations are all still working on solutions for climate change. The Kyoto Protocol was a failure by virtue of its design (too many credits would have gone to former Soviet countries whose GHG reductions were entirely attributable to economic collapse, which would have resulted in a cash transfer but no real reductions). Discussions continue on how best each country can reduce their GHG emissions while remaining economically competitive. The EU ETS trading scheme is an example of just such an endeavour. (See Carbon Trading Schemes)"], "type": "binary", "id": "61"}
+{"question": "Is abolishing capital punishment necessary for international cooperation in fighting crime?", "perspectives": ["Abolishing capital punishment is necessary for international cooperation in fighting crime.", "Abolishing capital punishment is not necessary for international cooperation in fighting crime."], "docs": ["Justice co-operation  Crime does not stop at national borders. Therefore efforts to fight crime cannot, either. A country that abolishes capital punishment will be in a much better position to cooperate on justice issues internationally.  Many states, particularly ones in the Global North, have policies of not extraditing people to jeopardy of capital punishment. Not only could more people be extradited, foreign states may be more willing to provide broader based assistance and co-operation if they see that a state has made steps forward in criminal justice policy.  Some states have a policy of not extraditing to states where there is a risk of capital punishment: a particular clause on this is included in the US-Mexico extradition treaty, and it is the position of the European Court of Human Rights. [1]  [1] Soering v United Kingdom - available at", "States in the Global North already deal with other states with capital punishment in the Global North. Broader based changes to criminal justice system would be needed - if it is desirable for states to make those changes in the first place.  The solution for extradition is clear - diplomatic assurances before extradition that capital punishment will not be sought."], "type": "binary", "id": "62"}
+{"question": "Should public opinion dictate foreign policy decisions?", "perspectives": ["Public opinion should dictate foreign policy decisions.", "Public opinion should not dictate foreign policy decisions."], "docs": ["Arming the rebels would be unpopular  Ten years after the Iraq war interventions in the Middle East are no more popular than they were back in 2003. Getting involved in Syria would not be popular no matter how small the commitment. In the United States voters oppose the idea of supplying arms to Syrian rebels by 45% against to only 16% in favour, in the United Kingdom opinion is even more opposed; while there are still 16% in favour there are 57% opposed. [1] Clearly arming the rebels would not be popular with voters - there can therefore be no domestic reason for this policy.  [1] Clark, Tom, \u2018US and UK public reject stronger military support for Syrian rebels\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 22 March 2013", "Public opinion is not the decider of what is right and wrong in foreign policy; people are rarely in favour of any kind of action in a volatile international situation. Had public opinion been the decider the allies would have rolled over and let Poland be taken in World War II."], "type": "binary", "id": "63"}
+{"question": "Would electing a mayor increase voter turnout in local elections?", "perspectives": ["Electing a mayor would increase voter turnout in local elections.", "Electing a mayor would not increase voter turnout in local elections."], "docs": ["Electing a Mayor will revitalise local democracy  An elected mayor would revitalise local democracy. At present many people have no idea who their local councillors are, or who leads their council, perhaps because collective decision-making is generally unexciting. It is not surprising then that turnout is only around 30% and in some urban areas in Britain fewer than 1 in 4 adults bother to vote in local elections \u2013 the worst turnout in the EU. [1] An elected mayor would act as a focus for local people, both symbolically and as someone with real power to improve their lives. Local elections would gain more coverage and more people\u2019s attention as they are voting for one recognisable figure rather than a number of councillors. This in turn would turn attention to local democracy and increase turnout in elections.  [1] Shakespeare, Tom, \u2018For Good Measure Devolving Accountability for Performance and Assessment to Local Areas\u2019, Localis, 2010, p.17", "Directly elected mayors would do little to renew local democracy. In the past, councils in the UK used to have a great deal of power, controlling schools, housing and local utilities, and setting budgets and raising revenues more or less as they wished. Since 1979 these powers have been greatly reduced with power increasingly centralised in Whitehall, which also greatly limits councils\u2019 financial freedom so that local taxes bear little relation to local expenditure. [1] Not surprisingly, as the real decision-making power of local councils has diminished, so has the proportion of citizens who think it is worth voting for them. There is no reason to think that people will flock in greater numbers to vote for a mayor who may well end up with similar restrictions placed upon them.  [1] Parry, Keith, \u2018Local government: timeline from 1979\u2019, House of Commons Library, 10 January 2008."], "type": "binary", "id": "64"}
+{"question": "Does a divided government foster effective bipartisan cooperation?", "perspectives": ["A divided government fosters effective bipartisan cooperation.", "A divided government does not foster effective bipartisan cooperation."], "docs": ["Effect on the structure of the main political parties  Divided Government creates an imperative for compromise, encouraging the parties to work together for the best outcomes. This can help to undermine the more visceral aspects of debate, with the contest for election being left behind in order to focus on governing for the good of all Americans. As a result the greatest American achievements have come when there has been broad bipartisan consensus. [1]  There is also a Partisan consideration to seeking divided Government. The more successful two-term Presidents of recent times, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, governed with Congress partly or completely controlled by the opposition party. [2] They were able to work with the opposition to pursue the best policy, aiding their re-election hopes by pitching themselves as seeking to compromise, in line with the aspirations of voters, who on the whole prefer divided government in order to promote mature co-operation between the parties.  [1] McCarty, Nolan, \u2018The Policy Consequences of Partisan Polarization in the United States\u2019, bcep.haas.berkeley.edu/papers/McCarty.doc  [2] \u2018Divided Government\u2019 Wikipedia,  accessed 30/1/12", "Divided Government may in theory provide an impetus for co-operation but rather has been an opportunity for the divisiveness of the campaign to continue once the votes have been counted. Instead of co-operation, what is commonly seen is partisan tactics from both sides of the aisle to discredit the other side, preventing compromise and leading to gridlock. In some extreme cases a complete shutdown of the federal government has been forced due to the impasse, such as in 1995 when Clinton was unable to work with an obstinate Republican Congress. [1]  While Reagan was able to use his co-operation with House Democrats to great effect in pushing through policy and gaining re-election. [2] Clinton was re-elected by showing himself as the only one prepared to compromise compared to the dogmatic Republicans, merely continuing the Partisan mode of campaigning the Proposition hopes would end through divided government. [3]  [1] \u20181995-96 Government Shutdown\u2019, Slaying the Dragon of Debt,   [2] Faler, Brian, \u2018Reagan\u2019s Tax Increases Have Democrats Recalling Republican Hero\u2019, Bloomberg, 22 July 2011,   [3] Kessler, Glenn, \u2018Lessons from the great government shutdown of 1995-96\u2019, The Washington Post, 25 February 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "65"}
+{"question": "Would legalizing coca cultivation necessarily lead to an increase in cocaine availability?", "perspectives": ["Legalizing coca cultivation would necessarily lead to an increase in cocaine availability.", "Legalizing coca cultivation would not necessarily lead to an increase in cocaine availability."], "docs": ["Unrestricted Coca production would increase the availability of cocaine  Cocaine can be readily extracted from the coca leaf. In 1992 the World Health Organization\u2019s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) undertook a \u2018prereview\u2019 of coca leaf at its 28th meeting. The 28th ECDD report concluded that, \u201cthe coca leaf is appropriately scheduled [as a narcotic] under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, since cocaine is readily extractable from the leaf.\u201d [1] The active ingredient in coca leaf is the same as in cocaine, just more concentrated. Because the raw material of coca and its more potent relative cocaine are so closely aligned, it is impossible to disassociate the two, and so any attempt to consider cocaine a narcotic and stop its spread must also forbid coca. Globally, cocaine is also most produced where coca is legal, and this is a clear correlation. In Bolivia, coca eradication efforts in the 1980s and 90s helped reduce cocaine production. However, as Evo Morales took power and legalized coca production and consumption, cocaine production has shot up, despite his efforts to fight cocaine production. [2] Thus legalizing coca makes it easier for cocaine producers to operate. Legalizing the cultivation of the coca leaf would therefore simply make cocaine more readily available, thus increasing all the harms that come with widespread cocaine use in society.  [1] Jelsma, Martin. \u201cLifting the Ban on Coca Chewing\u201d. Transnational Institute, Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 11. March 2011.  [2] Forero, Juan. \u201cBolivia's Knot: No to Cocaine, but Yes to Coca\u201d. New York Times. February 12, 2006.", "If coca cultivation were legalized, there would probably be mechanisms and policies to allow the plant and its derivatives to co-exist without this necessarily signifying an increase in harmful consumption, and to limit it being grown in the huge amounts needed for cocaine production. [1] The legalizing of coca cultivation for non-cocaine use could also undermine the supply basis of cocaine itself, as farmer would shift their production of coca from cocaine-purposed coca to open market coca production, as legal production would be much more secure from government action. Therefore legalizing coca production could actually help make cocaine less readily available.  [1] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "66"}
+{"question": "Should the European Union lift the arms embargo and strengthen strategic partnership with China?", "perspectives": ["The European Union should lift the arms embargo and strengthen strategic partnership with China.", "The European Union should not lift the arms embargo and strengthen strategic partnership with China."], "docs": ["China can\u2019t be ignored  Europe has a developing strategic partnership with China. China is Europe\u2019s largest trading partner with EU exports in goods of \u20ac113.1billiion and imports of \u20ac281.9billion and in services of \u20ac20.2billion and \u20ac16.3billion respectively, [1] and as China's rapid growth continues it is playing an increasingly important part in the global economy and in international affairs. Clearly it is in the EU's interests to work together with this emerging superpower. Ma Zhaoxu a Foreign Ministry spokesman called it \u2018the obstacle to the sound growth of the China-EU relationship,\u2019 [2] after more than fifteen years, it is time to lift it. China has repeatedly said that it will never enjoy a normal trading relationship with the EU until the ban is lifted. Europe\u2019s first responsibility is to its own citizens economic wellbeing which would benefit from greater trade ties between China and the European Union.  [1] European Commission, \u2018China\u2019, 2011   [2] Xinhua, \u2018China calls for end to \u201cprejudiced\u201d EU arms embargo\u2019, 2010", "The idea of a \"strategic partnership\" with China is both vague and cause for concern. It is unclear what such a partnership would involve and questionable whether it is desirable. On one hand, by lifting the arms ban the EU will be showing that it favours stability over democracy and profit over principle. Other repressive regimes and would-be tyrants will surely take note. On the other hand it is unclear what actual harm there is to Europe from keeping the ban in place. Despite Chinese rhetoric about it damaging their trading relationship with the EU, it is not clear how European states are disadvantaged compared to other countries, as mentioned China is the EU\u2019s largest trade partner already. As a WTO member China is committed to further market opening anyway, [1] and as a member of the UN Security Council it is in its own interests to cooperate with others for mutual benefit.  [1] Kim, Ki Hee, \u2018China\u2019s Entry Into WTO And Its Impact ON EU\u2019, 2004"], "type": "binary", "id": "67"}
+{"question": "Should freedom of speech be unrestricted, even when it may offend certain groups?", "perspectives": ["Freedom of speech should be unrestricted, even when it may offend certain groups.", "Freedom of speech should not be unrestricted, even when it may offend certain groups."], "docs": ["Regardless of the views expressed, freedom of speech means that all opinions should be heard.  Allowing politicians to regulate what it is acceptable to say \u2013 or think \u2013 is not something that has a happy history. This isn\u2019t the result of a purely intellectual construct but one of altruistic self-interest; once people start banning ideas, they tend not to stop at one.  Voltaire\u2019s comment that \u201cI may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it\u201d is a statement of the very same principle that that demands equality for all groups in society.  In exactly the same way that all views are, at the very least, worthy of a hearing, so are all lifestyles acceptable. Locking people up in the name of liberty makes no sense at all. Equally, banning statements on the basis that it might be offensive to some people has been used as an excuse to prevent social and cultural developments, the process of being offended usually made society and culture stronger for it. We tend to fear or hate that which is hidden or unspoken. The emancipation and liberation of other groups has tended to suggest that open debate is a more productive answer than trying to ban opinions and views.", "It is simply unfair to ask people to be the victims in a societal experiment on the basis that it will all be okay in the end. In a context like this the language used is not only offensive but also threatening. This legislation may not be great constitutional theory but provides very real protection of people\u2019s safety and quality of life.  In addition to which, homophobia long enjoyed the sanction and protection of the state it is interesting that when that is reversed just a little it becomes an assault on free speech."], "type": "binary", "id": "68"}
+{"question": "Is it ethical to promote the donation of organs while the donor is still alive?", "perspectives": ["It is ethical to promote the donation of organs while the donor is still alive.", "It is not ethical to promote the donation of organs while the donor is still alive."], "docs": ["The risk of coercion might be true about voluntary donations of organs and blood where the donor survives. A donation is always a large decision and the authorities must take measures to ensure that the donor is acting freely. However, the harm of a person potentially being vulnerable is significantly lesser than that of a person dying because everyone who wanted to help this person had their hands tied.  Modern medicine has very powerful tools at their disposal to be able to know for a fact that a person is beyond saving if not given an organ. [1]  [1] Chkhotua, A. \u201cIncentives for organ donation: pros and cons.\u201d Transplantation proceedings [Transplant Proc] 44 (2012): 1793-4.", "This would encourage coercion for some to die to save others  By allowing sacrificial donations society becomes vulnerable to abuse of this system. It is possible that people are scared or coerced into sacrificing their lives for others. While society does all it can for those who are ill, it cannot start moving the boundaries for when it actively takes the lives of its citizens.  Even when there is no coercion, we cannot even know when a person is beyond all hope. Even in the direst situations, there are exceptional cases when people recover. However, if we take a person\u2019s vital organs, the process is irreversible. Therefore, it is always wrong to prematurely kill another person, while the recipient is still alive and within the realm of luck and miracles. In the status quo the donor is already dead and the trade-off is not a problem, but this cannot be extended to the living"], "type": "binary", "id": "69"}
+{"question": "Is the public trial of politicians beneficial for the image of their office?", "perspectives": ["The public trial of politicians is beneficial for the image of their office.", "The public trial of politicians is not beneficial for the image of their office."], "docs": ["Immunity for politicians hurts the image of their office  Far from the worst PR for an office being that a holder of it is on trial, the worst possible public perception of a political institution is that it is wracked with corruption, with it not even theoretically possible to hold its members to account. Prosecuting politicians makes it clear that their office is not a den of impunity, and in the wake of a scandal, restoring public confidence in politicians to come. The public wants their politicians to be accountable and granting immunity harms accountability by denying an option.", "The difference between the harm to the office of a politician getting away with a crime and the harm from them being tried for that crime is that the trial is inherently public. Short of widespread corruption \u2013 the sort that would probably preclude prosecuting politicians anyway \u2013 it is unlikely that unpunished wrongdoing in an office will ever become public. A trial, by contrast, creates a media flashpoint that captures the public consciousness. Thus, even if the damage to the integrity of the office is greater per person in cases of unpunished crimes, the act of punishing the crime informs enough people to outweigh the fact that it may not do as much damage per capita."], "type": "binary", "id": "70"}
+{"question": "Is it always legitimate for a government to impose censorship on its citizens?", "perspectives": ["It is always legitimate for a government to impose censorship on its citizens.", "It is not always legitimate for a government to impose censorship on its citizens."], "docs": ["Governments enable censorship to protect their citizens  What censorship is it legitimate to undermine? Censorship is often created in order to protect the people not to strip them of freedoms. This is most obvious when we consider that filters to prevent hate speech or child pornography are forms of censorship that may be enabled with the intention of protecting citizens not repressing them. Iceland for example has recently decided to ban pornography and it would be enabled in a similar way to censorship by regimes like China or Iran. [1] Even harsher censorship that naturally looks more repressive to us may be considered a legitimate means of protecting the people and their values. When a government is using censorship to ensure stability is that censorship not justified when compared to the alternative? While there may be divisions internally about the legitimacy of this censorship it is certainly not legitimate for outside actors to impose their own idea of how much censorship there should be.  [1] Kiss, Jemima, \u201cIceland\u2019s porn ban \u2018conflicts with the idea of a free society\u2019, say critics\u201d, guardian.co.uk, 28 February 2013,", "Governments do not have a monopoly on the knowledge of what is best for their people and even the people may themselves make a mistake when deciding on whether to be an open society. Thus even if it appears that many people support censorship it may be legitimate to undermine it. In particular is people have never had a chance to experience life without that censorship how can they be considered to be making an informed choice when deciding to live with censorship?"], "type": "binary", "id": "71"}
+{"question": "Does restricting gun ownership significantly reduce suicide rates?", "perspectives": ["Restricting gun ownership significantly reduces suicide rates.", "Restricting gun ownership does not significantly reduce suicide rates."], "docs": ["Gun ownership increases the risk of suicide  There is a correlation between the laxity of a country\u2019s gun laws and its suicide rate \u2013 not because gun owners are more depressive, but because the means of quick and effective suicide is easily to hand. As many unsuccessful suicides are later glad that they failed in their attempt, the state should discourage and restrict the ownership of something that wastes so many human lives.", "There are substantial exceptions to that correlation, for example Japan has the world\u2019s 5th highest suicide rate but very low gun ownership. [1]  As the proposition concedes, the availability of firearms is not a direct cause of suicide and thus the restriction of availability of firearms can only have a marginal effect on the suicide rate.  [1]"], "type": "binary", "id": "72"}
+{"question": "Should Lesotho remain an independent state rather than merging with South Africa?", "perspectives": ["Lesotho should remain an independent state rather than merging with South Africa.", "Lesotho should not remain an independent state but should merge with South Africa."], "docs": ["A local, decentralized authority can provide better opportunities and solutions for Lesotho  With a population of only 2 million people the Basotho would not have the voice and the votes for legislative and executive authority in SA. South Africa\u2019s population of 53million would swamp their voice. Moreover, keeping the local government in place provides a better option for the people in Lesotho as they are closer to their government than they would be in a bigger state. Lesotho needs a decentralized government that can respond to the wishes and needs of the people. This is something the SA government might not be able to provide it as they are trying to provide general solutions for all of its territory. [1] Lesotho is one of the leaders for democracy in Southern Africa [2] ; joining South Africa would not provide an improvement in accountability. In Europe and even in South Africa, secession movements exists because people feel they are better represented in a smaller state as their vote is more important. This is the case with the king of the abaThembu who is seeking an independent state from the SA government. [3]  [1] \u20189 major problems facing South Africa - and how to fix them\u2019, Leader, 18 July 2011,   [2] Jordan, Michael J., \u2018Lesotho leads southern Africa in democracy\u2019, globalpost, 7 June 2012,   [3] \u2018Angry king Dalindyebo seeks independent state\u2019, City Press, 23 December 2009,", "Of course, the local Lesotho authorities have a mandate to act upon the interest of Basotho, but the problem is that they are not able to do so; Lesotho is dependent on foreign aid. The state simply doesn\u2019t have to money to fund a health system that could deal with the fact that 1 in 3 Basotho are infected with HIV. Moreover, the problems in SA and Lesotho are not that different. In SA, one in ten people have AIDS and a majority deal with poverty. Of course, economies of scale can deal better and cheaper with problems such as poverty and health issues because of their ability to provide more money, resources and expertise. The point about what kind of influence Basotho might have on the SA authorities is not entirely true. The National Council of Provinces, the upper house, gives each province ten delegates regardless of population size [1] ; Lesotho would have an outsized influence.  [1] National Council of Provinces, Parliament.gov.za, accessed 28/3/2014,"], "type": "binary", "id": "73"}
+{"question": "Would the voucher scheme for schools primarily benefit wealthier families?", "perspectives": ["The voucher scheme for schools would primarily benefit wealthier families.", "The voucher scheme for schools would not primarily benefit wealthier families."], "docs": ["Only well-off families will benefit from increased freedom of choice  Under the current system, many schools that are \u201cfailing\u201d are struggling as a result of factors such as deprivation in their area, or high levels of children for whom English is not their native tongue.  There will be no incentive for companies to set up schools in such areas: the voucher scheme dictates that each child gets the same amount of funding, and thus in schools where a lot of extra facilities (like extra teachers, specialist language tutors etc.) are needed the potential profit to be made will be lower. On the other hand, children in well-to-do middle class areas will be highly profitable (it is not difficult to make children with a wealth of parental support do well in their exams). Thus rich children will have a range of subsidised schools from which to choose, whilst the poorest in society are still failed.", "Admittedly, it may take extra measures to help children in the very poorest areas. This is required under the status quo and could still be provided under a voucher scheme (e.g. extra funding for children in deprived areas). However, there are many children in between the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich who are currently excluded from the opportunities afforded by some of the best schools. These children, as you accept, will see an increase in the choice of schools. The fact that this motion does not solve all of the problems in education does not prove that it does not solve any."], "type": "binary", "id": "74"}
+{"question": "Do patent protections promote the release and improvement of new products?", "perspectives": ["Patent protections promote the release and improvement of new products.", "Patent protections do not promote the release and improvement of new products."], "docs": ["Patent rights allow firms to more readily release their products and methods into the public domain, particularly through licensing  Without patent protection, innovative and enterprising firms lacking the capacity to market successfully or efficiently produce new drugs might develop new drugs and never release them, since it would simply result in others profiting from their efforts. After all, no one likes to see others profit by their hard work, and leaving them nothing; such is tantamount to slavery. Patent protection encourages the release of new ideas and products to the public, which serves to benefit society generally1. The main mechanism for this is the system of licensing, by which firs can retain their right of ownership over a drug while essentially renting the ability to produce it to firms with productive capacities that would better capitalize on the new product. Furthermore, the disclosure of ideas to the public allows firms to try to make the product better by \"inventing around\" the initial design, or by exploiting it once the term of the patent expires2. If the drug formula never enters the public, it might never do so, leaving society bereft of a potentially valuable asset.  1 Rockwell, Llewellyn. 2011. \"The Google Pharm Case\". Mises Daily. Available: 2 Business Line. 2007. \"Patents Grant Freedom to Invent Around\". Hindu Business Line. Available:", "If firms are afraid their formulae will be stolen, then they should keep them hidden. Otherwise, they should seek to make their new drug public, benefiting everyone so that the most people possible can have access to them. The release of ideas is most bountiful when there is active and constant competition to produce newer and better products and ideas. This is only possible in the absence of constricting patent protections. Furthermore, firms' attempts to \"invent around\" patents do not actually benefit anyone, as their aim is often not to improve upon existing models, but to design products that are as close to replicas as possible without violating law. This is a gross misallocation of resources created by the unjust patents regime."], "type": "binary", "id": "75"}
+{"question": "Is boycotting an effective method to pressure countries into resolving their internal issues?", "perspectives": ["Boycotting is an effective method to pressure countries into resolving their internal issues.", "Boycotting is not an effective method to pressure countries into resolving their internal issues."], "docs": ["Because these issues are domestic to Ukraine European nations cannot directly resolve them however actions such as boycotting of the tournament show that the international community wants these problems resolved. Without any action at all how will the issues ever be resolved? You don\u2019t prevent human rights abuses by brushing them under the carpet.", "A boycott won\u2019t help resolve the issues at question  European leaders need to consider whether their methods are likely to achieve the result they want. What Europe\u2019s leaders want is first of all Yulia Timoshenko released and secondly improvements in Ukrainian human rights. Timoshenko is unlikely to be released as she has been convicted on charges of abuse of office and sentenced to seven years in prison; the best that could be hoped for is an improvement in her treatment. Similarly the result is not likely to be positive for human rights and democracy. There might be an improvement during the games while the eyes of the world are on Ukraine but long term there will be no impact unless Yanukovych is persuaded that improvements are in his benefit. This would require more concrete and long term actions than one off boycotts.  Past boycotts have demonstrated a lack of success in changing the situation on the ground. In the 1980 Olympics held in Moscow during the Cold War the USA boycotted in response to the 1979 invasion by the USSR of Afghanistan. The result was that the Soviet Union stayed in Afghanistan, won most medals in the Olympics and retaliated by boycotting the 1984 games held in Los Angeles. [1]  [1] Gera, Vanessa, \u2018Boycott of Ukraine During Euro 2012 Carries Risk\u2019, Associated Press, 11 May 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "76"}
+{"question": "Does promoting democracy lead to a more peaceful world?", "perspectives": ["Promoting democracy leads to a more peaceful world.", "Promoting democracy does not lead to a more peaceful world."], "docs": ["Promoting democracy promotes peace.  By most accounts, there has not been a war between two democracies in the past 200 years. Immanuel Kant argued in Perpetual Peace (1795) that a) democratic governments are more constrained by their people's opposition to war and b) that a democratic culture of negotiation, as well as the checks and balances inherent in such a system, make war less likely. Thus by promoting democracy through imposing it, we increase the chance of a peaceful world. Furthermore, terrorism may be less likely to arise in democratic countries, where people are allowed to air their views and human rights norms prevent feelings of marginalization. This is good for human rights worldwide, including the rights and safety of individuals in our own country.1  1 \"Do Democracies Fight Each Other?\" BBC.", "First, democracies are not necessarily more peaceful than other governments. Second, imposition of democracy is likely to fuel terrorism. First, it is not entirely clear that democracies have not gone to war: for example the Central Powers in WWI, although not classified as democracies per se, did have elected parliaments just like the Allies. Further, just because democracies have not gone to war in the past does not mean they will not in the future: a culture of negotiation within the democracy does not necessarily translate into a lack of aggression externally. Second, even if democracies are more peaceful, the imposition of democracy can threaten to world peace by fuelling terrorist movements. Invasions, particularly by Western nations, increase East-West tensions, galvanize terrorist groups by validating their claims that Western nations pose a threat. Indeed, in Osama bin Laden's public \"letter to the American people,\" he cited interventions in Somalia, Palestine, India, Chechnya, Lebanon and Iraq as reasons for the 9/11 attacks1/2.  1 \"Do Democracies Fight Each Other?\" BBC.  2 bin Laden, Osama. \"Full Text: bin Laden's 'Letter to America.' The Guardian."], "type": "binary", "id": "77"}
+{"question": "Should sovereign states have the freedom to set their own climate change targets without interference?", "perspectives": ["Sovereign states should have the freedom to set their own climate change targets without interference.", "Sovereign states should not have the freedom to set their own climate change targets without interference."], "docs": ["Sovereign states should be allowed to set their own targets and be trusted to meet them  States are sovereign entities meaning that only they have power within their borders and climate change should not be a cause for groups of countries meddling in the business of others. Each state making its own commitment and then doing its own monitoring and enforcement is the right way to go about preventing climate change. By doing it this way no countries will feel unduly burdened or persecuted.", "Sovereignty is often taken to mean that states can do what they like without interference. This is not the kind of mentality that will help solve climate change or ensure that this deal sticks. Unfortunately climate change is a global issue where what happens in one country affects everyone else just as much as the miscreant. The atmosphere is a global commons, currently free for everyone to use, and more often abuse. As such the principles of sovereignty and non-interference can have no place."], "type": "binary", "id": "78"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action contribute to societal prejudice against minorities?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action contributes to societal prejudice against minorities.", "Affirmative action does not contribute to societal prejudice against minorities."], "docs": ["Affirmative action perpetuates prejudice  Affirmative action causes prejudice against minorities in society.  The existence of affirmative action creates a de-facto assumption that anyone of that particular minority must have gotten where they are not on their own merit, but simply because they are that particular minority. This causes people to resent the minority group for getting for \u201cfree\u201d what people feel they had to work hard for. People feel as though that minority is getting a \u201cfree-ride\u201d and are inherently less worthy of what they achieve.  This is damaging on a societal level because minorities who receive affirmative action are assumed to be less qualified and less valuable than others in society simply because many of them are aided by affirmative action policies. This not only creates damaging stereotypes, but also causes resentment and backlash from others in society who view affirmative action as simply unfair.  This is best demonstrated by the backlash in America in the mid-1990s over the existence of affirmative action policies [1] .  [1] Aka, Philip. \"Affirmative Action and the Black Experience in America.\" American Bar Association. 36.4 (2009): Print.", "This resentment already exists in society, and as explained in counterargument two, in many specific environments, affirmative action is its own cure.  On a wider societal level, this prejudice will not be created by affirmative action, but already exists. Simply because people may not particularly like the idea of affirmative action and get a bit resentful about it is not a good enough reason to let these minorities be denied the opportunities and lives they deserve."], "type": "binary", "id": "79"}
+{"question": "Is arming rebels a safe and predictable strategy?", "perspectives": ["Arming rebels is a safe and predictable strategy.", "Arming rebels is not a safe and predictable strategy."], "docs": ["This is a pointless argument; the consequences of inaction are just unknowable. Doing nothing could lead to exactly the same consequences. Alternatively arming the moderates could speed the end to the civil war and the creation of a democratic state.", "Unforeseeable consequences  We do not know where arming the rebels will lead. The most obvious parallel has to be Afghanistan in the 1980s where the United States armed the mujahideen and succeeded in their objective of damaging the USSR through a war of attrition much as the US had suffered in Vietnam. Afghanistan became an albatross around the Soviet Union\u2019s neck. [1] But the US did not win the peace, Afghanistan descended into civil conflict which had a Taliban victory that sheltered Osama bin Laden; US arms in Afghanistan unintentionally lead more than a decade later to September 11. In this case we would be arming a movement that has many jihadi elements that could end up with the weaponry. Other countries such as Turkey are also worried about where powerful weapons such as anti aircraft missiles could end up if provided to the rebels. They fear they could easily find their way across the border to militant Kurds. [2] Other paths that this could lead to are just as bad; for example helping the Libyan rebels lead to the conflict in Mali. [3] In this case the short term consequences could be just as bad. Arming the Sunnis could provoke retaliation from either Iran or Hezbollah who could feel undermined by the move, in the worst case scenario they could even attack western assets in the area. [4]  [1] Hoffman, David E., The Dead Hand: Reagan, Gorbachev and the Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race, Icon Books Ltd, 2011, p.211  [2] Hokayem, Emile, in \u2018Roundtable: arming the Syrian rebels\u2019, Foreign Policy, 21 February 2013  [3] Jones, Owen, \u2018The war in Libya was seen as a success, now here we are engaging with the blowback in Mali\u2019, The Independent, 13 January 2013  [4] Yacoubian, Mona, in \u2018Roundtable: arming the Syrian rebels\u2019, Foreign Policy, 21 February 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "80"}
+{"question": "Does a free labour market enhance economic productivity?", "perspectives": ["A free labour market enhances economic productivity.", "A free labour market does not enhance economic productivity."], "docs": ["Free movement will provide benefits for productivity.  A free labour market provides a space for sharing (knowledge, ideas, and socio-cultural traditions), competing, and sustaining efficiency in development. As neoliberal theory advocates a laissez-faire approach is fundamental for growth. A free labour market will enhance economic productivity. Free labour movement enables access to new employment opportunities and markets.  Within the East African Community the Common Market Protocol (CMP) (2010) has removed barriers towards the movement of people, services, capital, and goods. Free regional movement is granted to citizens of any member state in order to aid economic growth. Free movement is providing solutions to regional poverty by expanding the employment opportunities available, enabling faster and efficient movement for labour, and reducing the risk of migration for labour. Similar to initial justifications of Europe\u2019s labour market, a central idea is to promote labour productivity within the region [1] .  [1] Much criticism has been raised with regards to the flexible labour market in Europe - with high unemployment across national member states such as Spain, Ireland, and Greece; the prevalent Euro-crisis, and backlash over social welfare with rising migration. Disparities remain in jobs, growth, and productivity across the EU.", "The benefits of a free labour market are merely based on an idealistic reality. The CMP has only existed for three years so it is impossible to draw any conclusions. When looking at whether migration enhances productivity questions need to be raised. First, what jobs are provided in the new destination? Are the jobs safe and secure, or within informal employment? Second, where is productivity actually encouraged? Is the distribution occurring across an even geography; and assisting the poor? As yet there are no answers."], "type": "binary", "id": "81"}
+{"question": "Should organ donations be prioritized for those who are willing to donate their own organs?", "perspectives": ["Organ donations should be prioritized for those who are willing to donate their own organs.", "Organ donations should not be prioritized for those who are willing to donate their own organs."], "docs": ["Organ donors are more deserving of organs  Reciprocity is a basic moral principle: afford others the good treatment you yourself would like to receive. In most cases, it is a hypothetical; one must place oneself in the other person\u2019s position even though one will never actually be in their place. However, how donor and non-donors are treated when they themselves are in need is a situation in which reciprocity becomes a practical reality. This principle of reciprocity suggests that people who are willing to donate their organs more deserve to receive organs when they need them. And there is good reason to believe in reciprocity. Those who would flaunt this principle are basically stating that they expect something of other people that they themselves are unwilling to do; this is a position that is either incoherent, or based on the unjustified premise that oneself is more objectively valuable than other people. The concept of desert has a foundational role in our society. For example, innocent people deserve not to be put in prison, even if it would be useful to frame and make an example of an innocent person in order to quell a period of civil unrest.", "The principle of moral reciprocity does not require identical acts. Potential organ recipients who do their part for society in other ways ought to be rewarded. We do not require that citizens repay firefighters by carrying them out of burning buildings, because we recognize a certain division of the responsibility for making the world better. A system that purports to evaluate people\u2019s desert for life is an affront to the inherent human dignity that entitles every human being to life. (see \u201cThe right to healthcare is absolute\u201d point below.) Reciprocity means treating others as we would like to be treated even if they don\u2019t do likewise for us."], "type": "binary", "id": "82"}
+{"question": "Should past convictions be considered in a new trial?", "perspectives": ["Past convictions should be considered in a new trial.", "Past convictions should not be considered in a new trial."], "docs": ["Unfortunately, empirical evidence shows that past offenders are more likely to commit further offences [1] . Revealing past convictions could be a good indicator of how likely it is that the defendant could have committed a crime, particularly if it is a similar crime to one committed in the past. Acquitting a defendant of a crime which they had previously committed could easily create public outrage and discredit the justice system; it is only fair that past convictions should be taken into account alongside the rest of the evidence.  [1] Edwards, Richard, \u2018Half of all criminals re-offend within a year\u2019, The Telegraph, 5 September 2008.", "The motion completely undermines the assumption of innocence which accompanies a fair trial.  By projecting past convictions on to a new case, this disclosure greatly weakens the presumption of innocence which is the defendant\u2019s right [1] . It is the jury\u2019s duty to form a verdict based on the relevant case, and it should not be dependent on events from the defendant\u2019s past life which may be completely irrelevant to the case in hand. Many people who mistakenly committed a crime at one point in their life realise that it was a mistake and do not go on to re-offend, particularly if they have received help or treatment from the state [2] . Even if the defendant has repeatedly committed crimes in their past, it does not necessarily follow that they are guilty of the particular offence which has gone to trial.  [1] Criminal Defense Department\u2019 Every person is PRESUMED INNOCENT until Proven Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt\u2019, Parkes Law Group, 6 May 2011  [2] Public Safety Canada, \u2018Treatment for sex offenders\u2019, 28 December 2007"], "type": "binary", "id": "83"}
+{"question": "Are racial quotas beneficial for addressing racial inequality in South African rugby?", "perspectives": ["Racial quotas are beneficial for addressing racial inequality in South African rugby.", "Racial quotas are not beneficial for addressing racial inequality in South African rugby."], "docs": ["Radical action needed for racial equality in South Africa  It is plain for all to see how unrepresentative rugby union in South Africa is. While there is not necessarily a deliberate policy of racism, it is very easy for biases to creep in. Across the division where the quotas will come in only about 6% of players are black, a number that should increase to 33%. [1] Quotas could help concentrate the mind to ensure that the best team is picked.  At grass roots level, there have been some cases of flat-out racial abuse of non-white players, including using racial terms that are particularly offensive in a South African context.  [1] Peacock, James, \u2018Peter de Villiers says racial quotas are \u2018waste of time\u2019, BBC Sport, 15 August 2013,", "Even if action is needed to create racial equality, are quotas the solution? There is no doubt that rugby is a sport where South Africa could be stronger if it was popular in all racial groups, but they are a blunt instrument: the way to pick the best team is to simply pick the best team. Racial equality comes when no one is picked as a result of race whether that is through negative or positive discrimination."], "type": "binary", "id": "84"}
+{"question": "Is the move towards federalism in Europe primarily counter to people's will and potentially destabilizing for the EU?", "perspectives": ["The move towards federalism in Europe is primarily counter to people's will and potentially destabilizing for the EU.", "The move towards federalism in Europe is not primarily counter to people's will and is potentially stabilizing for the EU."], "docs": ["Moves toward federalism will endanger the stability of the EU  There are great dangers of forcing people in a direction they do not wish to go. An ill-advised dash to build a federal Europe could raise dormant nationalist feelings, promote the rise of populist politicians with xenophobic agendas and endanger the stability of the EU. A Gaullist \u201cEurope of Nations\u201d [1] preserves the current benefits of EU without the risks of further unwanted political integration.  \u201c(...)Dominant groups have more to gain from the majoritarian principle which is indispensable for constitutional democracies. As such, minorities would be placed at an ever more disadvantaged position in a European state. Thus, the progression of the EU into a federal state is bound to have a more negative than it would a positive impact on European integration.\u201d [2]  [1] Ross, \u2018Chirac the Great or de Gaulle the Small?\u2019  [2] Cocodia, \u2018Problems of Integration in a Federal Europe\u2019", "Surely an ill-advised dash to build a federal Europe and forcing people in a direction they do not wish to go is a bad idea. However a federal Europe is the normal concurrence of the process of integration. And this is not against people\u2019s will- \u201c\u2026He (Belgian ex-prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt) said, \u201cI don\u2019t think people have said that they are against a United States of Europe\u201d. The no votes in France and the Netherlands were, according to Verhofstadt, not \u201cno votes against Europe, but were votes against a certain type of Europe\u2026 what people want is a strong Europe, a United States of Europe that can give an answer to their concerns\u201d. [1]  [1] Eurealist.co.uk, \u2018United States of Europe\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "85"}
+{"question": "Is the rise of MOOCs threatening the financial sustainability of traditional universities?", "perspectives": ["The rise of MOOCs is threatening the financial sustainability of traditional universities.", "The rise of MOOCs is not threatening the financial sustainability of traditional universities."], "docs": ["Financial model of online courses is unsustainable  At the moment some MOOC platforms are non-profit, while even for-profit ones do not pay universities, nor do universities pay MOOC platforms, they might only divide revenue if a revenue stream appears [18]. This essentially means that MOOCs have to rely on traditional financial models of universities to survive \u2013 they need the universities to provide materials and the academics and traditional models that are based on the fact that lots of students do not take online courses. However, MOOCs might undermine traditional university funding. For instance, Princeton professor Mitchell Duneier withdrew from Coursera claiming that states use MOOCs as a justification to withdraw state funding from universities [19]. Moreover, some MOOCs consider providing chargeable courses for credit but for a substantially lower price (around 100 dollars for a course), which might draw students away from traditional universities further undermining their existence [20]. This means a depletion of universities financial sources that MOOCs themselves rely on. At the moment there is no way for MOOCs to replace traditional university learning.", "It is false to assume that MOOCs platforms would be the only or even the main way to provide university courses. The Open University uses its own resources for online and distance learning. This proves that, given advantages of online learning, universities can switch to digital learning themselves without any intermediaries. This also means that there is no reason for states to cut funding for universities as university learning would simply go digital, everything else staying the same. Even though some universities at the moment offer online courses for credit that are very cheap, these are not degrees, and it is unlikely to imagine that universities would offer cheap online degrees that would threaten their own existence."], "type": "binary", "id": "86"}
+{"question": "Is it morally acceptable for older generations to sacrifice their lives for the younger ones?", "perspectives": ["It is morally acceptable for older generations to sacrifice their lives for the younger ones.", "It is not morally acceptable for older generations to sacrifice their lives for the younger ones."], "docs": ["It is a natural thing to do  We are biologically programmed to want to preserve our species. As such, our offspring will often be more important to ourselves than our own persons. Many doctors hear parents tell them how they wish that they could \u201ctake over\u201d their child\u2019s terminal illness rather than have the child suffer. [1] It is therefore natural and right for the older generation to sacrifice itself where possible to save the younger generation. As crass as this might seem, they are statistically more likely to die earlier than their offspring in any event and stand to lose less. They have had the chance to experience more of a life than their child. They are furthermore the cause of the child\u2019s existence, and owe it to the child to protect it at any cost.  [1] Monforte-Royo, C. and M.V. Roqu\u00e9. \u201cThe organ donation process: A humanist perspective based on the experience of nursing care.\u201d Nursing Philosophy 13.4 (2012): 295-301.", "Biology is a bad way of deciding moral behaviour. If we were to do what biology tells us to do, we would be no more than animals. Every person has a right to live their life and they do not lose it simply because they have family. In modern society we do not cease to live meaningful lives at the point when we have children, as Darwinians might have us believe, but many people have more than half of their valuable lives ahead of them at the point when their children are emancipated."], "type": "binary", "id": "87"}
+{"question": "Should social networking sites be censored for safety reasons?", "perspectives": ["Social networking sites should be censored for safety reasons.", "Social networking sites should not be censored for safety reasons."], "docs": ["Governments have a moral duty to protect its citizens from harmful sites.  In recent years, supposedly innocent sites such as social networking sites have been purposely used to harm others. Victims of cyber bullying have even led victims to commit suicide in extreme cases [1] [2] . Given that both physical [3] and psychological [4] damage have occurred through the use of social networking sites, such sites represent a danger to society as a whole. They have become a medium through which others express prejudice, including racism, towards groups and towards individuals [5] . Similarly, if a particularly country has a clear religious or cultural majority, it is fair to censor those sites which seek to undermine these principles and can be damaging to a large portion of the population. If we fail to take the measures required to remove these sites, which would be achieved through censorship, the government essentially fails to act on its principles by allowing such sites to exist. The government has a duty of care to its citizens [6] and must ensure their safety; censoring such sites is the best way to achieve this.  [1] Moore, Victoria, \u2018The fake world of Facebook and Bebo: How suicide and cyber bullying lurk behind the facade of \u201charmless fun\u201d\u2019, MailOnline, 4 August 2009,  on 16/09/11  [2] Good Morning America, \u2018Parents: Cyber Bullying Led to Teen\u2019s Suicide\u2019, ABC News, 19 November 2007,  on 16/09/11  [3] BBC News, \u2018England riots: Two jailed for using Facebook to incite disorder\u2019, 16 August 2011,  on 16/09/11.  [4] Good Morning America, \u2018Parents: Cyber Bullying Led to Teen\u2019s Suicide\u2019, ABC News, 19 November 2007,  on 16/09/11  [5] Counihan, Bella, \u2018White power likes this \u2013 racist Facebook groups\u2019, The Age, 3 February 2010,  on 16/09/11  [6] Brownejacobson, \u2018Councils owe vulnerable citizens duty of care\u2019, 18 June 2008,  09/09/11", "While in a tiny minority of cases, such social networking sites can be used malevolently, they can also be a powerful force for good. For example, many social networking pages campaign for the end to issues such as domestic abuse [1] and racism [2] , and Facebook and Twitter were even used to bring citizens together to clean the streets after the riots in the UK in 2011. [3] Furthermore, this motion entails a broader move to blanket-ban areas of the internet without outlining a clear divide between what would be banned and what would not. For example, at what point would a website which discusses minority religious views be considered undesirable? Would it be at the expression of hatred for nationals of that country, in which case it might constitute hate speech, or not until it tended towards promoting action i.e. attacking other groups? Allowing censorship in these areas could feasibly be construed as obstructing the free speech of specified groups, which might in fact only increase militancy against a government or culture who are perceived as oppressing their right to an opinion of belief [4] .  [1] BBC News, \u2018Teenagers\u2019 poem to aid domestic abuse Facebook campaign\u2019, 4 February 2011,  on 16/09/11  [2] Unframing Migrants, \u2018meeting for CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACISM\u2019, facebook, 19 October 2010,  on 16/09/2011.  [3] BBC News, \u2018England riots: Twitter and Facebook users plan clean-up.\u2019 9 August 2011,  on 16/09/11.  [4] Marisol, \u2018Nigeria: Boko Haram Jihadists say UN a partner in \u201coppression of believers\u201d\u2019, JihadWatch, 1 September 2011,  on 09/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "88"}
+{"question": "Should the state enforce laws that prevent causing offense to others?", "perspectives": ["The state should enforce laws that prevent causing offense to others.", "The state should not enforce laws that prevent causing offense to others."], "docs": ["This is simply a myth. Society routinely legislates to prevent offence with restrictions on what can be said or done within a broadcast or in print. This particular case does not relate to a private conversation between friends but to a public address. As such the response of the police officers was not some Orwellian nightmare but a responsible protection of public order and a show of respect for those who, quite rightly, had taken offence at the remarks. We are rightly cautious of the state intervening too far into the private sphere but this was a public event \u2013 by the speakers own choice.", "There is no right not to be offended, enforcing what is acceptable to be thought or said places far too much power in the hands of the state.  It is impossible to ensure that nobody is ever offended and it is questionable as to whether it is even desirable [1] . There is simply no way of protecting against offence. The state clearly has a role in protecting the physical safety of citizens and in other relevant areas such as preventing dismissal from employment on the grounds of sexuality but this is not the case with speech that may cause offense.  Governments that attempt to lead, ahead of public opinion, on matters such as this do little to resolve the problem. In doing so in this manner, they may well pour fuel on the fire of the very prejudice they are aiming to combat as well as creating additional problems by justifying the idea that it is okay to silence views simply because you happen to disagree with them.  Banning the expression of ideas has, historically, be the recourse of those who have run out of arguments to defeat them; doing so is an acknowledgement that the proposal is a weak one. Admitting that \u2013 or appearing to do so \u2013 for the principle of equality set a dangerous precedent.  [1] Harris, Mike, \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be a crime to insult someone\u201d. Guardian.co.uk, 18 January 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "89"}
+{"question": "Should the state mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses?", "perspectives": ["The state should mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses.", "The state should not mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses."], "docs": ["The creative commons is a more effective means for artists to build and expand their reach and markets than traditional copyright licensing arrangements  The nature of the internet and mass media on the 21st century is such that many artists can benefit from the freedom and flexibility that creative commons licenses furnish to them. Wider use by other artists and laymen alike helps artistic works \u201cgo viral\u201d and to gain major impact that allow the artist to generate a name for his or herself and to attain the levels of earnings conventional copyrights are meant to help artists generate but that ultimately hamstring them. A major example of this is the band Nine Inch Nails, which opted in 2008 to begin releasing its albums through the creative commons. [1] Creative commons licenses are so remarkable because they can be deployed by artists to expand their markets, and to profit even more from their greater recognition. After all, the artists still retain control of the commercial uses of their work and are guaranteed under creative commons licensing regulations to be credited by users of their content. [2] Giving undue artistic and distribution control to the artists through constricting and outmoded copyright may mean less significant reach and impact of the work. The state should thus facilitate the sharing by mandating the distribution of art of all kinds under creative commons licenses.  [1] Anderson, N., \u201cFree Nine Inch Nails albums top 2008 Amazon MP3 sales charts\u201d, arstechnica, 7 January 2009,   [2] Creative Commons. \u201cAbout the Licenses\u201d. 2010.", "Choosing to release one\u2019s work into the viral market may be a shrewd business and artistic move, or it might not. All of this depends on the individual artist and the individual work. Nine Inch Nails both has the money that they can afford to take the risk and the name recognition that means they can be sure some fans will purchase the music, this is not the case with most artists. Thus the decision can really only be made effectively and fairly by the artists themselves. Trying to usurp that choice through a state mandate only serves to undermine the artist\u2019s creative vision of how he or she wishes to portray and distribute their work to the world."], "type": "binary", "id": "90"}
+{"question": "Are the austerity measures in Greece effectively addressing the country's economic problems?", "perspectives": ["The austerity measures in Greece are effectively addressing the country's economic problems.", "The austerity measures in Greece are not effectively addressing the country's economic problems."], "docs": ["The proposition\u2019s claims that the austerity measures have totally failed are unfounded. Although it is true that the total debt % GDP ratio has not gone down, this is not as serious as the prop make out. The budget deficit is the main problem that needs to come down because a consistently high budget deficit is what will make the situation spiral out of control and make Greece default on its debts. There is nothing per se problematic with having a large total debt (look at the USA\u2019s total debt of $10 trillion, or Japan\u2019s much higher debt to GDP ratio of 230% which unlike in Greece has not resulted in high interest rates,[1] for example). The fact that Greece\u2019s budget deficit has gone down from 16% to 9% is an encouraging sign of improvement.  In addition, the proposition are not contentious in their claims about the negative effects of austerity. What they have failed to demonstrate, however, is why defaulting is the only solution to the suffering Greek people and the inability of the austerity measures to have their desired effect. The austerity measures have failed thus far because they have been targeted at the wrong areas of the economy and because the Greek Government has not been implementing them properly. Hitting the private sector with high taxation has done nothing to fix the faulty public sector which is the real cause of the debt crisis. The Greek Government remains hugely reluctant to carry out redundancies and wage cuts within the public sectors, as well as privitisations. [2] Greece, therefore, must be made to see that they must fulfill their promises and actually tackle the public sector, while alleviating taxation from the private sector.  [1] Free Exchange, \u2018Defying gravity\u2019, 14 August 2012, The Economist,   [2] Babbington, Deepa: \u201cGreek PM sings in tune, now must hit the hard notes\u201d, Septembe 5 2012, e-kathimerini,", "The current austerity measures are not working  The Austerity measures put in place by the ECB, IMF and European Commission have led to nothing but misery for the Greek people. They have failed to cut down the total debt % GDP ratio and have also failed to increase the competitiveness of the Greek economy. This is because raising taxes and slashing the minimum wage has sent the economy deeper and deeper into recession. Unemployment is at a record high of 21% and there is a severe shortage of credit leading to severe difficulties in companies financing their day to day projects. What\u2019s more, the country itself is plunged into depression. Escalated (inevitably) by the local and international media, the climate is one of despair and investment is at the bottom of anyone\u2019s priorities. This further perpetuates the cycles of recession and prevents any of the austerity measures having their desired effect. Additionally, the drastic fall in GDP every quarter means that cuts in government spending are also not having their desired effect on reducing the budget deficit % GDP ratio. Worst of all, the economic hardships have drawn many people to despair and the suicide rates in Greece have dramatically risen over the last year and access to healthcare has drastically declined. [1] In this manner, the government is failing in fulfilling its most basic duties of safeguarding the lives and wellbeing of its citizens. If the current measures are not working then a new approach is needed. A default would alleviate much of the suffering caused by austerity.  [1] Armitsead, Louise: \u201cWhy Greece should default and exit the euro\u201d 23 February 2012, The Telegraph,"], "type": "binary", "id": "91"}
+{"question": "Should jury trials be eliminated in cases with high risk of tampering and intimidation?", "perspectives": ["Jury trials should be eliminated in cases with high risk of tampering and intimidation.", "Jury trials should not be eliminated in cases with high risk of tampering and intimidation."], "docs": ["It may be necessary to limit trial by jury in cases where there is a real danger of jury tampering or intimidation.  It is very difficult to carry out trial by jury if people involved in the case continuously attempt to tamper with the jury, or unduly influence its decision. For example, the UK home office has stated that trying to protect jurors from tampering can be extremely disruptive to the jurors themselves, who may in extreme cases need police protection 24 hours a day. Cases involving international terrorism, drug smuggling or organized crime are the most likely to present such problems 1. In the infamous trial of Italian anarchists Vanzetti and Sacco, one of the jurors had a bomb thrown at his house, despite a huge number of security measures taken by the Massachusetts government 2. Another example is the 2008 case of a large armed robbery at Heathrow. After three mistrials, which cost \u00a322m and the last of which collapsed after a serious attempt at jury tampering, it was decided that the case would be tried by a judge alone 3. If eliminating the jury is the only way to ensure that a) a trial occurs and b) jurors are safe, particularly when it is the defendants' fault that a fair trial by jury is untenable, it may be necessary to do so.", "There are procedural ways of mitigating this concern that are less severe than eliminating the jury altogether. Possible ways of dealing with jury intimidation/tampering include 1) having retrials in cases where jury tampering occurred, 2) attempting to increase the degree of juror anonymity, for example by seating jurors where they cannot be seen, and 3) by having higher penalties for jury tampering and intimidation. The second way is probably the most effective, and American courts have found that in cases where jury tampering poses a serious threat, it does not interfere with the defendant's right to a fair trial.1 1Laura K. Donohue, \"Terrorism and Trial by Jury: The Vices and Virtues of British and American Criminal Law"], "type": "binary", "id": "92"}
+{"question": "Is the devolution of Scotland an entirely positive development?", "perspectives": ["The devolution of Scotland is an entirely positive development.", "The devolution of Scotland is not an entirely positive development."], "docs": ["Scotland has a proud history and has demonstrated since devolution different political interests  The Union has now passed its 300th birthday and throughout that time Scotland has maintained as distinct role and identity. This is grounded in a tradition and history that is quite different from that south of the Border and includes legal and education systems that have always been separate.  That has manifested itself in a distinct policy agenda since devolution and areas such as free care for the elderly and the abolition of student tuition fees.  Despite the opinions of doomsayers before devolution it has been proved as a remarkable success and massive approval throughout the UK with 70% saying it has been a success. [i]  [i] The Scotsman. \u201c70% of Britons support devolution for Scotland, poll suggests\u201d 8 May 2009.", "There are many differences between devolution and independence. Surviving events such as the banking crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis are much easier within the confines of a larger, richer state such as the UK.  Nobody denies that devolution has, broadly speaking, been a success. However, it\u2019s been achieved in quite a different context than that facing a nation state.  It has left difficult decisions to Westminster. It allows the Scottish Executive the luxury of being oppositionist on issues such as nuclear power, fantasists on renewables while leaving the problem of how to keep the lights on to politicians at Westminster."], "type": "binary", "id": "93"}
+{"question": "Is the creation of Israel a suitable analogy for island nations forced to abandon their homeland due to disasters?", "perspectives": ["The creation of Israel is a suitable analogy for island nations forced to abandon their homeland due to disasters.", "The creation of Israel is not a suitable analogy for island nations forced to abandon their homeland due to disasters."], "docs": ["New countries forged by those fleeing disaster  There have been very few countries that have been created in circumstances that are at all similar to that which would happen when island nations are forced to abandon their homeland. The closest parallel is Israel when Jews arrived en mass first because they were promised the land after WWI, when it is notable that they purchased the land they occupied, [1] and then after the disaster of the Holocaust. The Palestinians have not been happy about the loss of territory. Indeed there have been few examples in history of peoples\u2019 willingly giving up land to a new arrival whether it is due to colonialism or migration. The result, especially if sovereignty is involved, is usually conflict.  [1] Pipes, Daniel, \u2018Not Stealing Palestine, but Purchasing Israel\u2019, National Review Online, 21 June 2011,", "Israel while it may be the only obvious modern example is a terrible analogy. The number of people from small island states is tiny compared to the number of Jews wishing to live in Israel/Palestine. Those from the small island state are unlikely ever to be in a position to dictate terms to those who are already living in the state so there will be cooperation not conflict."], "type": "binary", "id": "94"}
+{"question": "Is sexist advertising detrimental to society?", "perspectives": ["Sexist advertising is detrimental to society.", "Sexist advertising is not detrimental to society."], "docs": ["Sexist advertising is harmful to society, especially women.  Sexist advertising harms women through objectification and diminishing of self-image. The United Nations Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) links stereotypes about women to prejudice based on gender.1 Through visual and verbal messages women are portrayed as subservient to men. Women are seen increasingly as sex objects and these ads legitimize violence against women.2 Sexist advertising also harms women's self-image by portraying an ideal stylized body.3 The implied message is that consumers should seek to acquire these images even if they are contrary to the reality of body types and features. Eating disorders and obsessive beauty products consumption results in order to attain ideal beauty images presented in the media.4 Sexist ads also harm men through stereotyped images of masculinity.5 1 Object.Org. \"Women not Sex Objects.\" 2011/ August 24 2 Newswise.com. \"Study Find Rise in Sexualized Images of Women.\" 2011/08/10 3 Kilbourne, Jean. \"Beauty... and the Beast of Advertising ", "Sexist advertising reflects current social attitudes. Attitudes and perceptions are based on culturally specific values and beliefs. It is difficult to determine a universal definition of harm and sexist advertising to determine if harm occurs. Some studies have been questioned regarding their rigor in examining the direct link from advertising to violence against women.1Violence to women is not debatable but the cause of that violence is. In addition, studies related to body image and beauty are often restricted to those sharing certain genetic characteristics yet biological differences exist between women. What is an idealized body image exactly? Some current advertising has broadened images of women to include a variety of body types, cultures, and ages to define beauty outside traditional stereotypes. Advertising also portrays women in roles of power and success and not always as sex objects as claimed. 1 Young,Toby. \"The Home Office report on child sexualisation is a 100-page Cosmopolitan article.\" Telegraph.com. 2010/February 26"], "type": "binary", "id": "95"}
+{"question": "Should collective bargaining rights be limited for public sector workers?", "perspectives": ["Collective bargaining rights should be limited for public sector workers.", "Collective bargaining rights should not be limited for public sector workers."], "docs": ["As discussed in the first proposition side argument, we can curtail the rights of individuals if we see that those rights lead to a large negative consequence for the state. In this situation proposition is happy to let some public sector workers feel slightly disenfranchised if it leads to fewer strikes and a situation where public sector workers are not paid too much, then the net benefit to society is such that the slight loss in terms of consistency of rights is worth taking instead.1  Davey, Monica, \u201cWisconsin Senate Limits Bargaining by Public Workers\u201d, The New York Times, 9 March 2011,", "Collective bargaining has been recognised as an enforcable right  Collective bargaining is a right. If the state allows freedom of association, individuals will gather together and exchange their ideas and views as a natural consequence of this freedom. Further, free association and free expression allows groups to then select a representative to express their ideas in a way that the individuals in the group might not be able to. In preventing people from using this part of their right to assembly, we weaken the entire concept of the right to assembly. The point of the right to assembly is to allow the best possible representation for individuals. When a group of individuals are prevented from enjoying this right then it leads to those individuals feeling isolated from the rest of society who are able to enjoy this right.  This is particularly problematic in the case of public sector workers as the state that is isolating them also happens to be their employer. This hurts the way that people in the public sector view the state that ideally is meant to represent them above all as they actively contribute to the well being of the state.1  Bloomberg, Michael. \u201cLimit Pay, Not Unions.\u201d New York Times. 27/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "96"}
+{"question": "Is random drug testing in schools an effective deterrent to prevent drug use among teenagers?", "perspectives": ["Random drug testing in schools is an effective deterrent to prevent drug use among teenagers.", "Random drug testing in schools is not an effective deterrent to prevent drug use among teenagers."], "docs": ["School's duty of care  Peer pressure drives most drug use among children and teenagers. [1] The fact that the state requires all children to be engaged in education means that most of them will be gathered into large groups in schools for most of the day, five days a week, essentially creating the necessary conditions for peer pressure to take place and be powerful. This occurs as some children face ostracism or exclusion from their peers in the social environment that the state compels them to be in if they refuse to take illegal drugs, if drug use is deemed necessary to be 'cool' or 'popular'.  It is, generally, the state that operates a western liberal democracy\u2019s education system. Under circumstances in which children are placed into the care of the state, and are made vulnerable to peer pressure the state has a duty to ensure that children are not coerced into using drugs. This means that concerns of 'privacy' are secondary to protecting the choice not to take drugs, as ensuring the 'privacy' of all students by not having random drug tests empowers some students to socially coerce other students into using drugs when they otherwise would not.  Random drug tests help prevent cultures or norms of drug-taking (by which it can become the 'cool' thing to do) by ensuring that most drug users will be caught and helped to quit, thus protecting the choice of others not to be pressured into drug use.  [1] Rosenbaum, Marsha. \u201cSafety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs\u201d. Drug Policy Alliance. January 1, 2007", "None of these benefits apply if the peer pressure simply switches to harder drugs which are harder to test for or less likely to be tested for.  Moreover, peer pressure can exist outside of schools, and amongst older teenagers who have the choice to vary their attendance of sixth forms, FE colleges or senior high schools. Random drug testing could lead to older children being pressured to cut classes for prolonged periods of time, in order to take drugs, in order to be thought of as cool.  Teenagers are also notorious for believing that \u201cnothing bad can happen to me\u201d, even if that bad thing becomes more likely (such as being caught with a random drugs test). This is demonstrated by the fact that many teenagers already engage in illegal drug use despite the reasonably high chances that an adult will see them using drugs, smell smoke or notice the drug's effects on them in the status quo. [1]  [1] Grim, Ryan. \u201cBlowing Smoke: Why random drug testing doesn't reduce student drug use\u201d. Slate. March 21, 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "97"}
+{"question": "Is internet gambling more harmful than beneficial?", "perspectives": ["Internet gambling is more harmful than beneficial.", "Internet gambling is not more harmful than beneficial."], "docs": ["Gambling is bad for you.  Gamblers may win money from time to time, but in the long run, the House always wins. Why should governments allow an activity that helps their citizens lose the money they have worked so hard to earn? The harm is not just the loss of money and possible bankruptcy; it causes depression, insomnia, and other stress related disorders [4]. The internet has made gambling so much easier to do and encouraged lots of new people to place bets so dramatically multiplying the harm.", "Every leisure industry attracts a few troubled individuals who take the activity to harmful extremes. For every thousand drinkers there are a few alcoholics. Similarly some sports fans are hooligans. Those who gamble enough to harm themselves would be those who would gamble in casinos if the internet option was not available."], "type": "binary", "id": "98"}
+{"question": "Is the definition of a large scale cyber attack clear and practical for application?", "perspectives": ["The definition of a large scale cyber attack is clear and practical for application.", "The definition of a large scale cyber attack is not clear and practical for application."], "docs": ["Definition of a large scale cyber attack is extremely vague  Armed acts of aggression are a good method of judging if an action is an act of war because they result in actual destruction, violence and loss of human life. Cyber attacks, on the other hand, do not and thus there is no objective way to tell what scale of a cyber attack is enough to constitute an act of war. While Pentagon claims a cyber attack that is equivalent of damage caused by traditional warfare as a standard, how is it supposed to be applied if pretty much all of the cyber attacks have been bloodless [24]? For instance, stealing large amounts of confidential data from a country is a large scale cyber attack, and could have an immense economic impact, but it is bloodless and so how much damage does there need to be before it can be a casus belli? It is very difficult to measure the impact of even a very evident and intense cyber attack, as NATO found out when assessing a cyber attack on Georgia in 2008 [25]. While the Pentagon might have a nice theoretical framework, in reality there are too many unanswered (and possible impossible to answer) questions. This can lead to abuse of justifications for war and unnecessary violence.", "A definition of aggression in traditional warfare is the act that threatens sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state [26] \u2013 a definition which is expected to be used with cyber attacks too. It is highly unlikely to see a small scale cyber attack corresponding to this definition. For instance, taking down a media web page (as the Syrian Electronic Army did) does not threaten political independence of another state in a way that taking down all the government websites, and thus rendering the state incapable of functioning, does. Recognising that a cyber attack can be an act of war, does not mean that any cyber attack, will be considered such. In practice this same ambiguity is inherent in war \u2013 a country might consider it a casus belli if another\u2019s military chases terrorists onto its territory but this would be similarly ambiguous if there were no casualties and it was not a direct attack."], "type": "binary", "id": "99"}
+{"question": "Does the legalization of drugs decrease crime rates?", "perspectives": ["The legalization of drugs decreases crime rates.", "The legalization of drugs does not decrease crime rates."], "docs": ["Legalisation reduces crime  The illegality of drugs fuels a huge amount of crime that could be eliminated if drugs were legalised. Price controls would mean that addicts would no longer have to steal to fund their habits, and a state-provided drug services would put dealers out of business, starving criminal gangs of their main source of funding. For example, an Italian Mafia family were making around $44bn a year from cocaine smuggling. [1] This represents something like 3% of Italy\u2019s entire GDP \u2013 and that from only one crime syndicate.  [1] Kington, Tom, \u2018Italian police raids reveal how an 80-year-old gangster held sway over the feared Calabrian mafia\u2019, The Observer, 18 July 2010,", "Drugs affect how people think, and they take away their ability to control their actions rationally, and so people on drugs are more likely to commit crimes. The US Drug Enforcement Administration states, \u201cCrime, violence and drug use go hand in hand. Six times as many homicides are committed by people under the influence of drugs, as by those who are looking for money to buy drugs. Most drug crimes aren\u2019t committed by people trying to pay for drugs; they\u2019re committed by people on drugs.\u201d [1]  [1] U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, \u2018Summary of the Top Ten Facts on Legalization\u2019, 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "100"}
+{"question": "Is it necessary to bypass the United States Congress for a successful climate agreement?", "perspectives": ["It is necessary to bypass the United States Congress for a successful climate agreement.", "It is not necessary to bypass the United States Congress for a successful climate agreement."], "docs": ["A more informal agreement avoids the US congress  The United States Congress is a potential hurdle for any climate agreement. While President Barack Obama is keen to make tackling climate change a legacy of his Presidency the Republican dominated Congress is both likely to try to block the President for that very reason and is sceptical of climate change. It is therefore a major benefit to have an agreement that will not need to be submitted to Congress for approval as any treaty needs to be confirmed by the Senate.  The Secretary of State Kerry argues that it is \u201cdefinitely not going to be a treaty,\u201d and \u201cnot going to be legally binding reduction targets like Kyoto\u201d. It won\u2019t need to be passed to the Senate because the President already has the power to implement the agreement through existing law. [1]  [1] Mufson, Steven, and Demirjian, Karoun, \u2018Trick or treaty? The legal question hanging over the Paris climate change conference\u2019, Washington Post, 30 November 2015,", "The United States Senate would be a potential sticking point for any treaty however it would be unlikely that the United States would hold out against the rest of the world. At the worst case it would simply sign next time the democrats gain a majority."], "type": "binary", "id": "101"}
+{"question": "Should the United Nations maintain its current approach towards North Korea?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations should maintain its current approach towards North Korea.", "The United Nations should not maintain its current approach towards North Korea."], "docs": ["North Korea is an unresolved conflict it can\u2019t simply be ignored  Even if the provocations are sometimes relatively small and ineffective, such as the failed missile launch in April 2012, as a conflict zone they cant simply be ignored by anyone even if they themselves are unlikely to be drawn into any potential conflict. After Rwanda the United Nations promised never again would it allow genocide; [1] how much worse would it be to ignore something that could be a spark to a conflict that could cost millions of lives when we already know there is the potential. The United Nations was created \u201cTo maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace\u2026 to bring about \u2026 settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace\u201d [2] therefore all nations should be attempting to resolve this frozen conflict that could so easily become a shooting war. Wars in Korea have in the past drawn in all the surrounding powers; the Imjin war involved China and Japan, China and Japan again fought over Korea in 1894-5, and the Korean War 1950-53 brought in both the USA and China while Russia and Japan were both involved as supply bases. Clearly the possibility of conflict is not something any power with a stake in Northeast Asia can simply ignore.  It is essential that there is a reaction to every incident just in case that is the incident that spins out of control.  [1] Power, Samantha, \u2018Remember the Blood Frenzy of Rwanda\u2019, Los Angeles Times, 4 April 2004,   [2] \u2018Article 1 The Purposes of the United Nations are:\u2019, United Nations, 26 June 1945,", "While the United Nations is about creating peace that does not mean that it needs to keep trying the same failed formula. It is clear that multilateral discussions and sanctions have not succeeded in creating positive change in relation to North Korea. Trying new tactics does not mean giving up on the goal of international peace and security."], "type": "binary", "id": "102"}
+{"question": "Is random drug testing in schools an infringement on the rights of students?", "perspectives": ["Random drug testing in schools is an infringement on the rights of students.", "Random drug testing in schools is not an infringement on the rights of students."], "docs": ["Right to privacy  Even if a right to privacy (which would prevent random drug testing with no reason for suspicion) does not exist in law in every country, many students being affected by drugs tests will perceive that the notional right to privacy which they believe they possess is being violated. Because they would perceive this violation as a harm, it should not be imposed without good reason. This problematizes the nature of 'random' testing, which by definition means forcing drug tests on individuals on whom there is no reasonable suspicion of drug use.  Firstly, the majority of those being tested will most likely test negative (as the previously cited statistics suggest) and so a majority will be harmed for no fault of their own, but rather as a consequence of the crimes of others. This may be seen as the equivalent of searching all homes in a neighbourhood for an illegal weapon on the suspicion that one of them was hiding it -an action which would be illegal in almost every western liberal democracy.  Further, however, even if students do engage in illegal drug use, random drug tests will additionally catch only those on whom there was previously no suspicion against (as students who show signs of drug use are already usually tested). In order to not already be under suspicion, these drug-using students would have to be engaging in their education, not disrupting the education of others, and not displaying erratic or harmful behaviour. As they are not actively harming others, these students should be subject only to the same standards as individuals in other areas of society: to only have their privacy violated by drugs tests if their behaviour actively brings them under suspicion.", "The students in question may not realize the long-term harms of drug use or fully understand the risks of addiction, and as they are not yet fully adult and responsible for themselves, the state has the right to ensure that they do not exercise their 'right to privacy' in a way that could be harmful to them."], "type": "binary", "id": "103"}
+{"question": "Does sharing information about military capabilities and plans enhance international competition?", "perspectives": ["Sharing information about military capabilities and plans enhances international competition.", "haring information about military capabilities and plans does not enhance international competition."], "docs": ["Provides information to competitors  Where there is international competition transparency can be a problem if there is not transparency on both sides as one side is essentially giving its opponent an advantage. This is ultimately why countries keep national security secrets; they are in competition with other nations and the best way to ensure an advantage over those states is to keep capabilities secret. One side having information while the other does not allows the actor that has the information to act differently in response to that knowledge. Keeping things secret can therefore provide an advantage when making a decision, as the one with most information is most likely to react best. [1] Currently there is information asymmetry between the United States and China to the point where some analysts consider that the United States provides more authoritative information on China\u2019s military than China itself does. [2]  [1] National Security Forum, No More Secrets, American Bar Association, March 2011, p.7  [2] Erickson, Andrew S., \u2018Pentagon Report Reveals Chinese Military Developments\u2019, The Diplomat, 8 May 2013", "Transparency clearly does not have to extend to things like technical specifications of weapons. Such information would be a clear benefit to a competitor allowing them to build their own while being of little help in terms of transparency as most people could not understand it. On the other hand knowing what a weapons system does simply prevents misunderstanding and misjudgement."], "type": "binary", "id": "104"}
+{"question": "Is leaving the European Union beneficial for the UK's trade policy?", "perspectives": ["Leaving the European Union is beneficial for the UK's trade policy.", "Leaving the European Union is not beneficial for the UK's trade policy."], "docs": ["EU economic preference will no longer bind Britain  As a customs union the EU has a common external tariff set at the EU level meaning that the UK cannot tailor its external trade policy to its own needs. Instead the UK will be free to negotiate its own free trade agreements with any power it wishes. This may be individually or joining larger trade groupings such as the currently being negotiated Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal between the USA, Canada, and the EU. it also means the UK is free to reject such joint agreements, as many campaigning groups would like with the Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal. [1] Countries which are not in regional blocks have not suffered as a result, South Korea has 24 free trade agreements [2] and despite an economy that is just over half the size of the UK\u2019s has trade in goods worth similar amounts;$1,098bln $1,190bln [3] but importantly gets to negotiate each one itself and to its own terms and conditions.  [1] See #noTTIP,   [2] \u2018Free Trade Agreements\u2019, Asia Regional Integration Centre, 2015,   [3] Adding exports and imports of merchandise, \u2018Korea, Republic of and United Kingdom\u2019, World Trade Organisation,", "As a smaller and less attractive market the UK will inevitably get a less good deal than it could have with the whole of the EU at its back. Moreover if the UK still wants free access to the EU market, which accounts for 45% of UK exports and 53%, [1] it will still not have a completely free hand economically. Norway for example may retain close economic links and freely trade with Europe but does not have any ability to make decisions on EU rules and must accept their regulations \u2013 clearly a worse position than the UK now. [2]  [1] Webb, Dominic, and Keep, Matthew, \u2018In brief: UK-EU economic relations\u2019, House of Commons Library, Briefing Paper, No. 06091, 19 January 2016, p.3, www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06091.pdf  [2] Eide, Espen Barth, \u2018We pay, but have no say: that\u2019s the reality of Norway\u2019s relationship with the EU\u2019, The Guardian, 27 October 2015,"], "type": "binary", "id": "105"}
+{"question": "Is it within the rights of a country to develop any form of defense technology it wishes?", "perspectives": ["It is within the rights of a country to develop any form of defense technology it wishes.", "It is not within the rights of a country to develop any form of defense technology it wishes."], "docs": ["As a matter of principle, every country, including the United States, has the right to defend itself to the best of its technological and economic ability  The nation-state is the fundamental building block of the international system, and is recognized as such in all international treaties and organizations (Mearsheimer, 1993). States are recognized as having the right to defend themselves, and this right must extend to the possession of a strategic national missile defense system. The United States has every right to develop such a system if it will furnish a greater measure of defense for its citizens and interests. US military technology is the most advanced and prodigiously financed in the world, which is why it is generally the United States that stands at the forefront of new defense and combat systems. The National Missile Defense program is simply the newest tool in the arsenal of the world\u2019s greatest military, whose purpose is entirely defensive. To shield itself from potential ballistic missile, and even nuclear, attack the United States has the right to build a missile shield to defend itself and its allies under its aegis. There is no principled justification for a country to not pursue defense initiatives that benefit itself and that it wishes to pursue.", "It is not always within the right of a state to develop weapons and technology, since international treaties ban, for example, the development of chemical and nuclear weapons. Furthermore, when the development of weapons will be detrimental to the state that builds them, it is in their interest no to do so. In the case of national missile defense, the United States is angering several countries, particularly Russia, and potentially upsetting the balance of mutually assured destruction (Harding, 2007). Clearly more than a right to self-defense must be considered when developing new kinds of armament."], "type": "binary", "id": "106"}
+{"question": "Is banning religious symbols an act of unjust targeting?", "perspectives": ["Banning religious symbols is an act of unjust targeting.", "Banning religious symbols is not an act of unjust targeting."], "docs": ["Banning religious symbols is just a way of unfairly targeting people.  Banning religious symbols could be viewed as just a way of targeting a group of people. In a nutshell, religious symbols would be used as a scapegoat in order to both highlight and blame for problems that are much bigger. Removing the hijab, the Crucifix or the Jewish skullcap would take away someone's culture, religion and heritage, and, therefore, banning them would cause more problems.1 It could potentially increase hatred within religious groups, and lead to more racism and more criticism, ultimately making the country a worse place to live.  1 at 'Belgian ban on full veils comes into force', BBC News Europe, 23rd July 2011 , accessed on 23rd July 2011", "A ban on religious symbols would not be targeting the whole religious group. It would highlight the problems of symbols, such as the veil or Kirpan, within the boundaries of society. At the end of the day, full Muslim veils can be used as a disguise and, therefore, could pose a s a potential problem to the general population of people.1 If hundreds were people were killed by someone wearing a veil, would people be defending it then? In this way, it is the same for people wearing hoodies nowadays. A few tearaways and everyone socially brands them as criminals, or \"chavs.\" This scares people, especially the elderly and as such poses a risk not just to their health, but also to their safety. As a result, the religious symbols such as full veils should be banned due to safety concerns.  1 'Belgian committee votes for full Islamic veil ban', BBC News, 31st March 2010 , accessed 24th July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "107"}
+{"question": "Should individual choice in consuming and interpreting advertisements take precedence over societal impact?", "perspectives": ["Individual choice in consuming and interpreting advertisements takes precedence over societal impact.", "Individual choice in consuming and interpreting advertisements does not take precedence over societal impact."], "docs": ["Individuals have a choice and right to respond to ads and their meaning.  Consumers have a choice to expose themselves to advertising through their own personal behaviour. Advertisements can be ignored by the consumer and deleted at will. Interpretation of the ad depends on the attitudes of the receiver. The purchase and consumption of beauty products is the personal choice of a buyer. How ads attract and influence is determined by individual beliefs and values of the audience member. Some feminists believe that institutional power structures set up a \"victim\" mentality in women and fail to empower them by placing dependence upon power structures to make choices for women.1 If consumers wish to embrace the ideals or values represented in ads, this should be their choice. Therefore the right to self determine one's consumer behaviour should be left to the individual. 1 Thomas, Christine. \"The New Sexism.\" Socialism Today, Issue #77. 2003/September", "It is true that individuals do have the right to consume media and have some power over how they perceive and respond to media. However, since the nature of advertising is always planned for public consumption, then ads contribute to existing attitudes inside a person. When slaves in the U.S. were marketed and sold according to the content of advertising, a social system was being perpetrated. When the injustices of slavery were acknowledged both the business and the marketing of slaves ceased to exist. When the greater social good of justice is held over individual choice, social good should prevail. Advertising which demeans the value of certain groups of citizens is not appropriate for the public marketplace. Although Individual choice and freedom of choice are to be valued, public messages by the nature of their public audience, must serve the greater society. Pornography in the public airways is often regulated and banned because it is seen as potentially harmful to women and children of a society. Due to the public nature of advertising then, the greater society has a more important right than that of individuals."], "type": "binary", "id": "108"}
+{"question": "Should genes be considered as Intellectual Property and thus be patentable?", "perspectives": ["Genes should be considered as Intellectual Property and thus be patentable.", "Genes should not be considered as Intellectual Property and thus, should not be patentable."], "docs": ["Genes are intellectual property thus patentable  The patenting office stipulates that a successful patent applicant must have found something in nature, isolated it, and found a way to make something useful with it.The genome research of companies satisfies these criteria, so why should it be any different? The genome companies have invested resources to create intellectual property (patents), which refers to \u201ccreations of the mind.\u201d Under US law includes intellectual property inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images, designs, and trade secrets. The law states, that any person who \u201cinvents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent.\u201d In biomedicine the patentable inventions include materials, such as new drugs or new cell lines, and methods for deriving or growing them, such as extraction or cloning techniques.1  1. Merz J., Mildred K., What are gene patents and Why are people worried about them ?, Community Genetics 2005", "Of course genes should be treated different from any product or other invention; genes are the very basis for human life and to claim that anyone has the right to be regarded as the \u2018owner\u2019 of a particular gene, which we all share in our bodies, shows a venal disregard for humanity. If companies want to patent treatments which target specific genes, then that\u2019s okay, but not the genes themselves.The University of Colorado explains: \u201cInventions include new processes, products, apparatus, compositions of matter, living organisms, and/or improvements to existing technology in those categories can be patented. Abstract ideas, principles, and phenomena of nature cannot be patented.\u201d1  1. Patents FAQ Patents FAQ, University of Colorado,"], "type": "binary", "id": "109"}
+{"question": "Should journalistic reporting primarily focus on marginalized and disadvantaged groups?", "perspectives": ["Journalistic reporting should primarily focus on marginalized and disadvantaged groups.", "Journalistic reporting should not primarily focus on marginalized and disadvantaged groups."], "docs": ["Journalism should report the experiences of the vulnerable and oppressed just as much as those of the elite and powerful.  The idea that people are not widely interested in the lives of their fellow citizens is clearly untrue. Indeed, \u2018people sell papers\u2019 is one of the oldest sayings in journalism. However, there is also a moral obligation on journalists to report the news that impacts on the marginalized the most. This is demonstrably the case as it tends to those stories that bring to life disadvantage or the vulnerable just as much as those that report the misdeeds of the powerful that win journalists the recognition of their peers and the professional awards and prestige that goes along with that. Pulitzers and others are rarely handed out for reporting what is comfortable, mundane or safe. For example the 2012 Pulitzer for local reporting was for an article on the sex scandal at Penn State and Feature Writing on \u201chaunting story of a woman who survived a brutal attack that took the life of her partner\u201d. [1]  [1] \u20182012 Winners and Finalists\u2019, The Pulitzer Prizes,", "A liberal bias among the journalistic elite in the West is hardly reason for changing the editorial policies of news outlets in nations that do not share those values. The first duty of the journalist must be their role as the eyes and ears of those for whom they do their reporting \u2013 the readers and viewers who both directly and indirectly pay their salaries. As a result, there is a duty on journalists not only to report those issues of interest to that group but to avoid those issues which their customers consider either irrelevant or distasteful."], "type": "binary", "id": "110"}
+{"question": "Is higher education a fundamental right that should be freely provided by the state?", "perspectives": ["Higher education is a fundamental right that should be freely provided by the state.", "Higher education is not a fundamental right that should be freely provided by the state."], "docs": ["Individuals have a right to the experience of higher education  University offers personal, intellectual, and often spiritual, exploration. In secondary school and in professional life, no such opportunities exist as they are about instruction and following orders, not about questioning norms and conventions in the same way university so often is. [1] A life without the critical thinking skills provided by university will be less useful to society, as citizens will be unable to engage with political debate effectively \u2013 citizens need to be critical of what politicians tell them. The state has a responsibility to provide citizens with the skillset to take partake in the democratic process. [2] Free universities benefit both the citizen, as an exploration for his/her own development, and to society, for an educated and active populace.  [1] Key Degree. 2010. \u201cHow to Reap the Benefits of College\u201d. Keydegree.com. Available:  \u00adof\u00adcollege.html  [2] Swift, Adam. 2001. Political Philosophy: A Beginner\u2019s Guide for Students and Politicians. Cambridge: Polity.", "There is no right to the university experience. University life is not used as the previous argument would suggest. University life is often about alcohol first, education second. Self\u00adknowledge and genuine wisdom come from study and reflection. This can be done anywhere, not just in a university. There is no fundamental right of individuals to be allowed to take four years free of charge to learn new skills that will benefit them or teach them how to be better citizens. The state\u2019s duty is to provide a baseline of care, which in the case of education secondary school more than provides. If individuals want more they should pay for it themselves."], "type": "binary", "id": "111"}
+{"question": "Did President Obama's policies negatively impact the American economy?", "perspectives": ["President Obama's policies negatively impacted the American economy.", "President Obama's policies did not negatively impact the American economy."], "docs": ["\u201cAfter three years, it is clear that President Obama\u2019s budget-busting policies have not created jobs and have only added to our debt,\u201d  The Obama administration has been profligate with taxpayers\u2019 money, has failed to deal with the economic crisis and has increased the debt. His policies on health care show that he is more interested in controlling people\u2019s lives than he is in encouraging enterprise and industry. It\u2019s the same story that is always heard from Democrats; they say that they\u2019re interested in encouraging business but instead all they really want to focus on is getting the government involved in as many areas of life as possible \u2013 especially in the running of the market. After three years in office Obama has done nothing to improve the life chances of the American people, growth and employment have stagnated, GDP growth has been under 1% per year while unemployment is up to 9.1% from 7.8%, [i] while regulation and taxation have blossomed.  [i] Kristol, William, \u2018Weekly Standard: Obama No FDR ON Unemployment\u2019, npr, 2 September 2011,", "The Obama administration received one of the worst political legacies in US history. A broken economy, half a trillion dollars\u2019 worth of debt, two expensive wars, a sick healthcare system and much more besides. In just three short years he has stopped the country haemorrhaging Money in Iraq and Afghanistan, introduced a healthcare system based on medical need rather than the ability to pay and has made progress in improving the economy. Although things are still difficult for many Americans and there are not enough jobs, the idea that having the Republicans back in the Whitehouse is clearly untrue. They were in large part responsible for creating the economic mess in the first place with reckless over-spending and unjustified tax hikes. They turned one of the best economic inheritances in history on its head, leaving the country broke, in debt and with nowhere to go."], "type": "binary", "id": "112"}
+{"question": "Do elections allow rulers to have meaningful interactions with their constituents?", "perspectives": ["Elections allow rulers to have meaningful interactions with their constituents.", "Elections do not allow rulers to have meaningful interactions with their constituents."], "docs": ["Elections of any sort force rulers to meet their people  Elections almost anywhere in the world mean politicians getting out and campaigning. Regardless of the legitimacy of the final election the leadership of the country will be going out and meeting voters. In many of these events individuals won\u2019t be able to express their views but there are also likely to be protests and meetings where individuals can get their views across. This provides an opportunity for the leader to stay in touch with the people \u2013 often a problem with dictators who have been in power too long.  Dictators will want to, and often believe that they are likely to win even without resort to fraud, as Marcos did in 1985. [1] They are then are much more likely to consider the views of the electorate to still be relevant if there are elections than if there are not. Thus for example Mugabe in the most recent elections made a bid for, and won, the youth vote by promising a direct stake in the economy, [2] so responding to their desire for jobs. [3]  [1] Kline, William E., \u2018The Fall of Marcos: A Problem in U.S. Foreign Policymaking\u2019, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, 1992,  p. 10  [2] Agyemang, Roy, \u2018Why a Robert Mugabe victory would be good for Zimbabwe\u2019, theguardian.com, 2 August 2013,   [3] AFP, \u2018Youth, rural voters may hold key to Zimbabwe election\u2019, Fox News, 27 July 2013,", "There is little difference between a stage managed election and stage managed events without elections. In either case the chances of the autocrat meeting real people who present opinions that are not on the party message are slim."], "type": "binary", "id": "113"}
+{"question": "Is progressive taxation unjust?", "perspectives": ["Progressive taxation is unjust.", "Progressive taxation is not unjust."], "docs": ["Individuals\u2019 property and income are an index of deserving achievement, and of value contributed in the market place to society  A progressive taxation system essentially assumes that the property rights of the poor are more sacred than those of the wealthy. Somehow the wealthy have a less proportionate ownership right than do the less well-off simply by dint of their greater wealth. [1] This is the height of injustice. An individual\u2019s income is a measure of his overarching societal worth, by reflecting his ability to produce goods and services people find socially desirable and to signify his level of competence and desirability by his employer. The state should not punish people for this greater social worth by taxing them disproportionally to others. When it does so it expects people to work for the sake of others to an extent that is not fair, effectively consigning them to a kind of forced labor, by which parts of the wealth they work to acquire is appropriated by the state to a degree beyond which it is willing to do to others. [2] Such a regime is manifestly unjust.  [1] Seligman, Edwin. \u201cProgressive Taxation in Theory and Practice\u201d. Publications of the American Economic Association 9(1): 7-222. 1894.  [2] Nozick, R. Anarchy, State and Utopia. New York: Basic Books. 1974.", "Income alone is not a sufficient measure of an individual\u2019s contribution to society. Much income, and proportionally more so among wealthy people, is not the product of effort, but rather is unearned. The state is not punishing people for their contributions to society when it taxes them in a progressive manner, but rather simply acknowledges that some people are more able to pay greater amounts, namely the wealthy, and can thus be levied from accordingly."], "type": "binary", "id": "114"}
+{"question": "Is trial by jury more effective than trial by judge?", "perspectives": ["Trial by jury is more effective than trial by judge.", "Trial by jury is not more effective than trial by judge."], "docs": ["Not only is trial by jury a very important check on the justice system, but evidence also suggests that juries are fair and effective. First of all, as explained in the Opparguments, trial by jury is an extremely important check in the criminal justice system. Eliminating it would be a grave threat to justice. But second, to address the more practical concerns raised by the Proposition, studies actually suggest that juries are fair and effective. Recent UK Ministry of Justice research found that juries tend to be objective and non-biased, and that cases based on the strongest evidence are also those cases resulting in the highest conviction rates.1  1Cheryl Thomas, \"Are Juries Fair?\"", "Judges are better at delivering justice than juries are.  Juries are not technically trained in evaluating evidence.1 Additionally, judges are trained to recognize and suppress their own prejudices, evaluate information given to them, recognize prosecutorial strategy etc., better allowing them to make objective decisions. Furthermore, some studies suggest that juries actually work against the innocent; a 1979 study found that \"more than 5 per cent of defendants found guilty by juries were considered by professionals to have been convicted in questionable circumstances.\"2This is hardly surprising given that jurors are ordinary citizens who are forced to sit through what are often dull and protracted trials, and who may have little interest in actually listening to what is being said (Joanne Frail, a juror convicted for contempt of court stated that she 'drew more than she wrote [during the trial]').3 Perhaps we should trust in the expertise of screened and trained justices instead.  1Sir Louis Blum Cooper QC, \"A Judge Can Do the Work of 12 Amateurs, and Better  2Baldwin and McConville, \"Jury Trials\"  3BBC, \"Juror Admits Contempt of Court Over Facebook Case\""], "type": "binary", "id": "115"}
+{"question": "Is restricting migration from rural to urban areas detrimental to societal development?", "perspectives": ["Restricting migration from rural to urban areas is detrimental to societal development.", "Restricting migration from rural to urban areas is not detrimental to societal development."], "docs": ["Restrictions cause an incredible loss of potential  One of the best things about a functioning developed nation is that young people can choose their profession. Apart from this being beneficial for the individual, this means that the best suited person for a given trade will often be the same that pursues it. If we prevent people from moving freely we deprive the cities of talented people whose talents and skills are much better suited for urban professions than for rural jobs. In short, this policy would make farmers out of the potential lawyers, politicians, doctors, teachers etc. Indeed this is the whole basis of most models of migration, people leave rural areas because there is surplus labour in that area while the cities needs new workers. [1]  [1] Taylor, J. Edward, and Martin, Philip L., \u201cHuman Capital: Migration and Rural Population Change\u201d, Handbook of Agricultural Economics,", "While factually true for developed nations, this point completely disregards the reality of developing nations. Most of the labour that is available is unskilled, whether it is in the rural or urban communities. There is little reason to believe that the poor will automatically be able to gain better education should they move to the city. The harm caused by letting migrants flood the cities to lead a miserable life greatly outweighs that of having one or two too intelligent farmers who miss out on their calling."], "type": "binary", "id": "116"}
+{"question": "Should quotas continue to be implemented in sports in South Africa?", "perspectives": ["Quotas should continue to be implemented in sports in South Africa.", "Quotas should not continue to be implemented in sports in South Africa."], "docs": ["Most South Africans support quotas  In 2006, the South African Social Attitudes Survey revealed that most South Africans (56%) support a quota system [1] . This support remained roughly the same over a four year period. Sport should reflect the will of the population of the country, if the population wants quotas then there should be quotas. There is particularly strong support from quotas among black people (63%) implying they feel that something needs to be done in order to let them into the sport. Doing nothing will simply ensure the status quo with very few non-white rugby players remains indefinitely.  [1] Struwig, Jare, and Roberts, Ben, \u2018The numbers game Public support for sports quotas\u2019, South African Social Attitudes Survey, p.13,", "2006 was a while ago, at a time when quotas were in force. Even so, popular support does not mean that something is a good idea. Sport should be distanced from the popular will. Most rugby fans are white, a group that had in the survey only 14% of people in favour of a quotas. Among the people that might be considered the electorate of the sport, the fans, quotas are not wanted"], "type": "binary", "id": "117"}
+{"question": "Do celebrity endorsements significantly enhance the visibility and importance of minority issues in politics?", "perspectives": ["Celebrity endorsements significantly enhance the visibility and importance of minority issues in politics.", "Celebrity endorsements do not significantly enhance the visibility and importance of minority issues in politics."], "docs": ["Celebrity involvement can highlight minority interests  There exists a problem with regards to advocacy for minority issues within mainstream political movements. This motion would exacerbate that problem.  Voters tend to base their decisions on key issues (things like education, the state of the economy, healthcare policy etc.). Whilst they may care about more marginal issues (e.g. gay rights, religious freedoms, environmental issues), they are often unwilling to sacrifice something they think has a greater impact on them for something that has a lesser impact.  Minority issues suffer particularly here: by their very nature, there are fewer people who feel directly affected than there are people who feel indirectly affected or indifferent. Consequently, there are never a great enough proportion of votes that could be gained by a political party concentrating on these particular issues in a way which might be detrimental. See, for example, the public reaction in the UK to Cameron\u2019s position on gay marriage: whilst most people feel that gay marriage should be allowed [1] , Cameron has not received a political boost as a result of this decision, but rather, has faced hostility from those who believe it is a \u201cdistraction\u201d [2] , where they would rather he focused on issues like the economic crisis.  [1] \u2018Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom\u2019, Wikipedia, accessed 10 September 2012,   [2] Telegraph editor, \u2018Gay marriage: A pointless distraction\u2019, The Telegraph, 26 July 2012,", "This may well be a side-benefit of celebrity involvement in politics, however, the effect celebrities have on the promotion of minority interests is not decreased by their prohibition from party-politics. They can still engage in general advocacy and campaigning on specific issues important to them without endorsing parties or candidates.  The policy-vote relationship that celebrities have with voters works in the opposite direction than for politicians: where politicians must choose the policies they believe will attract voters, celebrities first attract voters and then advocate for particular policies. This adds to the danger of celebrity participation; a celebrity may be endorsing a particular candidate because of that candidate\u2019s support on that issue. Fans of the celebrity who may be influenced by the endorsement may have no interest or even be opposed to the issue for which the celebrity is endorsing the candidate. This would make celebrity endorsements as a result of minority issues positively counterproductive."], "type": "binary", "id": "118"}
+{"question": "Should access to academic work produced by publically funded universities be free and open to the public?", "perspectives": ["Access to academic work produced by publicly funded universities should be free and open to the public.", "Access to academic work produced by publicly funded universities should not be free and open to the public."], "docs": ["Most universities are publically funded so should have to be open with their materials.  The United States University system is famously expensive and as a result it is probably the system in a developed country that has least public funding yet $346.8billion was spent, mostly by the states, on higher education in 2008-9. [1] In Europe almost 85% of universities funding came from government sources. [2] Considering the huge amounts of money spent on universities by taxpayers they should be able to demand access to the academic work those institutions produce.  Even in countries where there are tuition fees that make up some of the funding for the university it is right that the public should have access to these materials as the tuition fees are being paid for the personal teaching time provided by the lecturers not for the academics\u2019 publications. Moreover those who have paid for a university course would benefit by the materials still being available to access after they have finished university  [1] Caplan, Bruan, \u201cCorrection: Total Government Spending on Higher Education\u201d, Library of Economics and Liberty, 16 November 2012,   [2] Vught, F., et al., \u201cFunding Higher Education: A View Across Europe\u201d, Ben Jongbloed Center for Higher Education Policy Studies University of Twente, 2010.", "Public funding does not mean that everything should be free and open to use by the public. We do not expect to be allowed to use buildings that are built as government offices as if they were our own. The government builds large amounts of infrastructure such as airports and railways but we don\u2019t expect to be able to use them for free."], "type": "binary", "id": "119"}
+{"question": "Is the New START treaty beneficial for U.S. national security and global disarmament efforts?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty is beneficial for U.S. national security and global disarmament efforts.", "The New START treaty is not beneficial for U.S. national security and global disarmament efforts."], "docs": ["Agreements between the biggest nuclear powers are a good starting point towards disarmament. We cannot expect countries with a very small number of nuclear weapons to be disarming if the countries that have the vast majority of the world\u2019s arsenal have not already begun the process of getting rid of their own. Even the reductions in New START will not bring either Russia or the United States anywhere near the level of any other nuclear power whose nuclear weapons number in the hundreds not thousands. Both countries would need to reduce a very long way before they lose deterrence against China, let alone North Korea. As former secretaries of state argue America has \u201clong led the crucial fight to protect the United States against nuclear dangers\u2026 The world is safer today because of the decades-long effort to reduce its supply of nuclear weapons. As a result, President Obama should remain similarly courageous with New START.\u201d [1]  If linkage between the New START and Russian action on Iran exists then this would not always be a bad thing. Linkage has been used successfully in the past, and to the advantage of the U.S., for example Kissinger credited the peace agreement with North Vietnam in Paris in 1973 as being down to linkage which resulted in pressure on North Vietnam from the People\u2019s Republic of China and the USSR. If linkage could be successful in bringing Russia onside in pressurizing Iran on the issue of nuclear weapons it could be to the benefit of the United States.  [1] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.", "The New START treaty sets a bad approach for a changing world  New START reduces US deterrence in world that is arming, not disarming. The United States has relied on deterrence for sixty years and as a result has prevented war between the great powers. A US drawdown, especially as other new powers are arming, will undermine deterrence. This will then encourage rivals to try to catch the United States while the reductions show that the United States is in decline. [1]  While proponents of reducing nuclear weapons, or reaching global zero, argue that possession of nuclear weapons by the nuclear weapons states is the incentive behind proliferation, this is not true. The US has consistently taken leadership in the reduction of nuclear arms through treaties but this has so far had no effect in encouraging other nuclear powers to reduce their arsenals and indeed new powers have joined the club. Reducing nuclear arms through New START will therefore not encourage others to stop pursuing nukes. The U.S. should not be taking steps towards disarmament without all nuclear weapons states, including those not signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty, also being involved. [2]  New START also fails to speak to the issue of protecting and defending the U.S. and its allies against strategic attack. The treaty fails to recognize that deterrence is no longer simply between the U.S. and Russia and that the whole policy should no longer be based on just against strategic attacks on the United States or very close allies. Instead it is much more critical to deal with nuclear policy towards \u2018rogue\u2019 states and rising powers. [3]  Finally, the US should not set a precedent that it will sacrifice its own interests to bribe Russia over issues like Iran. As the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) argues: \u201cwe are told that the real purpose of New START is to create a stronger U.S.-Russia bond in a broader international effort to restrain Iran's nuclear weapons program. Such a justification is wrong. Iran's nuclear ambitions are no secret; neither are Russia\u2019s past efforts in aiding that program. We seriously question whether Russia is serious about stopping Iran, with or without New START. There is no reason why the United States should be required to sacrifice its own defense capabilities to inspire Russia to a greater degree of diplomatic fortitude. If Russia is indeed concerned with a nuclear-armed Iran to its immediate south, it should need no extra incentive to take the action necessary to stop it.\" [4] If the U.S. bribes Russia over Iran China might expect to get similar treatment over North Korea. New START puts the US in a disadvantaged position in a changing world, and consequently should not be supported.  [1] Brookes, Peter. \u201cNot a new START, but a bad START\u201d. The Hill. 13 September 2010.   [2] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [3] Ibid.  [4] Weingarten, Elizabeth. \u201cHow did New START become a Jewish issue?\u201d. The Atlantic. 1 Decemebr 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "120"}
+{"question": "Has the United Nations succeeded in its overall mission?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations has succeeded in its overall mission.", "The United Nations has not succeeded in its overall mission."], "docs": ["Many UN organs carry out valuable work around the world.  The United Nations is far more than simply a debating forum; it does a massive amount of vital work around the world through its other organs. Examples of these are the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNESCO, UNICEF, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) among many others. [1]  Even if the slow speed of diplomacy at the UN General Assembly can sometimes be frustrating, the idea that the United Nations as a whole has \u201cfailed\u201d simply does not take account of all these very important bodies. Furthermore, the UN remains one of the most respected of international organisations among ordinary citizens.  [1] \u201cUnited Nations: Structure and Organisation\u201d. United Nations, 2011.", "It is obviously true that some UN agencies and organs carry out valuable and useful work. However, there are two ways of looking at this. The first is that UN work often duplicates programs and programs carried out by NGOs, national governments and charities. Its work is useful, but by no means indispensable.  The second way of approaching this question is to ask whether these are core functions of the UN \u2013 in other words, whether preserving world heritage or co-ordinating vaccination programmes is what the UN is really \u201cfor\u201d. We can admit that some UN agencies do good work but still believe that as a body; overall the United Nations has failed."], "type": "binary", "id": "121"}
+{"question": "Is transparency about a leader's health detrimental to diplomatic processes?", "perspectives": ["Transparency about a leader's health is detrimental to diplomatic processes.", "Transparency about a leader's health is not detrimental to diplomatic processes."], "docs": ["Damages diplomacy to be too open  Diplomacy can be very personal; diplomatic initiatives are often the result of a single person, and the individual leader is necessary to conclude negotiations. Transparency about a leader's health may therefore prevent deals being done; Nixon went to China despite Mao's ill heath meaning the supreme Chinese leader contributed little to the historic change in diplomatic alinements. 1 Would such a momentous change in alignment have been possible if both the Chinese and American public knew about Mao's ill health? The Americans would have considered any deal unreliable as they could not be sure it was Mao who made the decision, while opponents in China could have argued that it was advisers like Zhou Enlai who made the deal not Mao himself potentially enabling them to repudiate or undermine the deal.  1 Macmillan, Margaret, Seize the Hour When Nixon met Mao, John Murray, London, 2006, p.76", "If the leader in-charge is in illness, to avoid any repudiation, the representative from the other side could meet the leader in order to confirm or even have a video conference with the leader in charge. The leader only needs to set the overall policy, not negotiate the fine details. When Nixon went to China the Americans knew Mao was ill but realised that he still set the overall direction of policy."], "type": "binary", "id": "122"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing being effectively limited to only necessary cases?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is being effectively limited to only necessary cases.", "Animal testing is not being effectively limited to only necessary cases."], "docs": ["Animal research is only used when it\u2019s needed  EU member states and the US have laws to stop animals being used for research if there is any alternative. The 3Rs principles are commonly used. Animal testing is being Refined for better results and less suffering, Replaced, and Reduced in terms of the number of animals used. This means that less animals have to suffer, and the research is better.", "Not every country has laws like the EU or the US. In countries with low welfare standards animal testing is a more attractive option. Animal researchers tend to only do animal research so don\u2019t know about the alternatives. As a result they will use animal testing unnecessarily not as just a last resort."], "type": "binary", "id": "123"}
+{"question": "Should employers have a right to an employee's private medical information?", "perspectives": ["Employers have a right to an employee's private medical information.", "Employers do not have a right to an employee's private medical information."], "docs": ["Employers have a right to know about issue which will affect their business. An employee with a serious incurable illness which requires a large amount of medication to control is inevitably going to affect the business in a way that the employer will have to know about in order to work around it.  Aside from the fact that HIV status need not be communicated to co-workers, managers and employers already have a duty to prevent harassment and prejudice in any circumstances and this would not change.", "Employers have no right to private medical information  Employers have no right to know. This is an arena into which the state has no right to intrude, or to compel intrusion by others. Employers will know if their employee\u2019s work is satisfactory or unsatisfactory \u2013 what more do they need to know than that? If employers find out, they might dismiss workers \u2013 which is exactly why many employees don\u2019t want to tell them.  If workers are forced to disclose the fact that they have HIV, the merit principle will go out the window. Even if not dismissed, their prospects for promotion will be shattered \u2013 because of prejudice, or the perception that their career has in any meaningful sense been \u2018finished\u2019 by their condition (which is often not the case as sufferers can work and lead fulfilling lives after diagnosis; life expectancy after diagnosis in the US was 22.5 years in 2005 [1] ).  Even if not fired and career advancement doesn\u2019t suffer, prejudice from co-workers is likely. From harassment to reluctance to associate or interact with the employee, this is something the employee knows he might face. He has a right to decide for himself whether or not to make himself open to that. Managers may promise, or be bound, not to disclose such information to other workers \u2013 but how likely is enforcement of such an undertaking? For these reasons, even problems with huge HIV problems like South Africa haven\u2019t adopted this policy.  [1] Harrison, Kathleen M. et al., \u2018Life Expectancy After HIV Diagnosis Based on National HIV Surveillance Data From 25 States, United States\u2019, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, Vol 53 Issue 1, January 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "124"}
+{"question": "Should freedom of speech be restricted to prevent potential acts of violence?", "perspectives": ["Freedom of speech should be restricted to prevent potential acts of violence.", "Freedom of speech should not be restricted to prevent potential acts of violence."], "docs": ["Because religion promotes certainty of belief, divinely inspired hatred is easy to use to justify and promote violent actions and discriminatory practices.  Free speech must come second when there is the potential for that speech to cause harm. The mantra of \u201cWith God on our side\u201d has been used, and continues to be used, to justify massacre and barbarity throughout history. Although it is rarely the prelates and preachers who do the killing the certainty they promote gives surety to those who do.  The purpose of the Act [1] used in this particular case was an entirely practical one. It\u2019s main role was to tidy up existing legislation on rioting and public disorder but one section recognised that homophobic and racist language do lead to violence. It is all well and good to talk of freedom of speech but the reality is that homophobic speeches, particularly those of a religious nature, may well lead to violence. For example in New York there were a series of homophobic attacks after anti-gay statements by republican politicians. [2] Preventing hate speech helps prevent that violence from occurring so justifying restrictions on freedom of speech.  [1] Legislation.gov.uk, \u2018Public Order Act 1986\u2019, The National Archives, 1986 c.64.  [2] Harris, Paul, \u2018US shaken by sudden surge of violence against gay people\u2019, The Observer, 17 October 2010 .", "Nobody is being forced to perform acts of violence by the words of another; it is their choice to do so. Equally, there are plenty of people who would hold views that could be considered homophobic but would be appalled by acts of violence. It is fundamental to the principles of respect for the individual that I cannot be held liable for the actions of others. There is no dividing line between the incitement Proposition claims exists and my jokingly suggesting to a broke friend that they rob a bank. Ironically, perhaps, the defence of \u201cThe Devil made me do it\u201d is not one that is taken seriously by any credible framework of laws."], "type": "binary", "id": "125"}
+{"question": "Is a vegetarian diet universally healthier than one that includes meat?", "perspectives": ["A vegetarian diet is universally healthier than one that includes meat.", "A vegetarian diet is not universally healthier than one that includes meat."], "docs": ["Vegetarianism is healthier  There are significant health benefits to 'going veggie'; a vegetarian diet contains high quantities of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and is low in fat. (A vegan diet is even better since eggs and dairy products are high in cholesterol.) The risk of contracting many forms of cancer is increased by eating meat: in 1996 the American Cancer Society recommended that red meat should be excluded from the diet entirely. Eating meat also increases the risk of heart disease - vegetables contain no cholesterol, which can build up to cause blocked arteries in meat-eaters. An American study found out that: \u201cthat men in the highest quintile of red-meat consumption \u2014 those who ate about 5 oz. of red meat a day, roughly the equivalent of a small steak had a 31% higher risk of death over a 10-year period than men in the lowest-consumption quintile, who ate less than 1 oz. of red meat per day, or approximately three slices of corned beef.\u201d [1] A vegetarian diet reduces the risk for chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and types of cancer including colon, breast, stomach, and lung cancer because of it's low fat/cholesterol content. There are plenty of vegetarian sources of protein, such as beans and bean curd; and spinach is one of the best sources of iron.  [1] Tiffany Sharples, \u2018The Growing Case Against Red Meat\u2019, Time, 23rd March 2009", "The key to good health is a balanced diet, not a meat- and fish-free diet. Meat and fish are good sources of protein, iron, and other vitamins and minerals. Most of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet derive from its being high in fibre and low in fat and cholesterol. These can be achieved by avoiding fatty and fried foods, eating only lean grilled meat and fish, and including a large amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet along with meat and fish. In general, raw, unprocessed meat from the muscle is made up of the following: protein 15 - 22 % Fat 3 - 15 % Minerals, carbohydrates 1 - 5 % Water 65 - 75 %, all things that we need in moderation. [1] A meat- and fish-free diet is unbalanced and makes it more likely that you will go short of protein, iron and some minerals such as B12 for which we are primarily dependent on animal foodstuffs. Also, a vegetarian diet, in the West, is a more expensive option - a luxury for the middle classes. Fresh fruit and vegetables are extremely expensive compared to processed meats, bacon, burgers, sausages etc.  [1] Bell, \u2018Nutrition & Well-Being\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "126"}
+{"question": "Is setting up CERTs an effective way to ensure internet safety?", "perspectives": ["Setting up CERTs is an effective way to ensure internet safety.", "ing up CERTs is not an effective way to ensure internet safety."], "docs": ["Internet regulation is necessary to ensure a safe internet  Citizens, corporations, and public organizations face several security threats when online: critical infrastructure systems can be hacked, like the energy transport system, [1] citizens can fall victim to identity theft, [2] and phishing, [3] whereby hackers gain access to bank accounts or other sensitive information. Specifically, it seems that the public sector is attacked the most. [4]  In response to cyber-threats like these, many governments have set up Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), Incident Response and Security Teams (IRTs), or Computer Security and Incident Response Teams (CSIRT; the fact that we haven\u2019t settled on a fitting acronym yet shows how much it is still a novel phenomenon): agencies that warn citizens and organizations alike when a new threat emerges and provides a platform for (the exchange of) expertise in methods of preventing cyber-threats and exchanging information on possible perpetrators of such threats. Oftentimes, these (inter)governmental agencies provide a place where private CSIRTs can also cooperate and exchange information. [5]  These agencies provide a similar function online as the regular police provides offline: by sharing information and warnings against threats, they create a safer world.  [1] \u2018At Risk: Hacking Critical Infrastructure\u2019. 2012.  [2] \u2018Identity theft on the rise\u2019. 2010.  [3] \u2018Phishing websites reach all-time high\u2019. 2012.  [4] \u2018Public sector most targeted by cyber attacks\u2019. 2012.  [5] see for example the About Us page of the US-CERT or the About the NCSC page of the Dutch CERT", "Internet regulation isn\u2019t an effective and legitimate means to create a safe internet  Setting up CERTs aren\u2019t an effective means to create a safer internet, because most of the threats are a result of \u2018social engineering\u2019, which means that hackers use social cues to con people into believing frauds. People usually fall for this because of their own gullibility and na\u00efvet\u00e9, like in Nigerian email scams. [1] The most effective means of combating these threats is to educate citizens directly, the FBI already does this with Nigerian email scams. [2] People and corporations are primarily responsible for their own actions, which includes taking care of their own internet security by obtaining anti-virus software, and which also includes corporations making sure their websites are safe to use or else face liability charges if they turn out not to be.  Moreover, CERTs are illegitimate. They are illegitimate because they facilitate the sharing of information on specific persons across private and public organizations and because they are hard to control democratically. For example: the US-CERT is an agency residing under the department of Homeland Security. Through the sharing of information with private parties, these private parties, unwittingly, run the risk of becoming one of the government\u2019s watch dogs. Moreover, this sharing of information is hard to control democratically: much of the information could be classified as secret, which means that citizens have no way of verifying whether public and private organizations are complying with data sharing regulations.  [1] Plumer, \u2018Why Nigerian email scams are so crude and obvious\u2019. 2012.  [2] FBI, \u2018Nigerian letter or \u201c419\u201d fraud\u2019."], "type": "binary", "id": "127"}
+{"question": "Are collisions at home plate in baseball excessively dangerous and should be avoided?", "perspectives": ["Collisions at home plate in baseball are excessively dangerous and should be avoided.", "Collisions at home plate in baseball are not excessively dangerous and should not be avoided."], "docs": ["Collisions are dangerous and lead to injury.  Ray Fosse and Buster Posey (mentioned above in the Introduction) are just two examples of players who suffered major injuries in crashes at home plate. Texas Rangers star Josh Hamilton, reigning Most Valuable Player of the American League, broke his arm when he collided with a catcher in 2011. In August 2010, Cleveland Indians catcher Carlos Santana suffered a season-ending knee injury when he was hit by Red Sox runner Ryan Kalish. To go back a few more seasons, Braves catcher Greg Olson was having a career year in 1992 until Ken Caminiti broke his leg in a collision. There have been literally dozens of severe injuries suffered in bang-bang plays at the plate.  This high rate of injury should come as no surprise, given the physics involved in this type of play. A simulation with a crash-test dummy wired with sensors showed that a catcher can get hit by a runner travelling 18 miles per hour, resulting in 3,200 pounds of force\u2014much worse than an American football hit, with much less padding. [1]  Teams make heavy investments in their players, paying them millions of dollars a year. Thus, serious injuries are very expensive, both because of the treatment required and because the player is missing many games. This is why the Oakland Athletics instructed their top catcher, Kurt Suzuki, to avoid blocking the plate\u2014because their investment in him is worth more than whatever runs he allows by failing to stop the runner from scoring. [2]  When players are injured in these plays, it\u2019s also bad for fans, who will lose the opportunity to see their favourite athletes on the field. As Bruce Bochy, Busty Posey\u2019s manager with the Giants, told the media after he lost his star catcher to injury: \u201cAnd here\u2019s a guy that\u2019s very popular in baseball. Fans want to see him play, and now he\u2019s out for a while.\u201d [3]  [1] Joel Siegel, Barbara Pinto, and Tahman Bradley, \u201cCatcher Collision Ignites Baseball Rules Debate,\u201d ABC News, May 28, 2011,  .  [2] Buster Olney, \u201cBilly Beane issues home plate directive,\u201d ESPN The Magazine, June 1, 2011,  .  [3] Tim Kawakami, \u201cBochy on Posey\u2019s injury: \u2018Hopefully the guys are not happy\u2014I\u2019m certainly not happy,\u2019\u201d MercuryNews.com (Talking Points blog), May 26, 2011,  .", "Collisions are not as dangerous as they\u2019re made out to be. (Proposition Argument #3 is directly relevant here, though it\u2019s not repeated in this cell.) People remember vivid example of injuries in home-plate crashes, but that does not mean that they happen as often as people believe. This is a textbook example of the availability heuristic: people believing that an event is much more likely because they can think of an example of it very easily. [1] Yes, those injuries were quite bad, but it was their very severity that leads people to overestimate the frequency and severity of home-plate collisions in general.  Any simulation of a hit at home plate will be imperfect. In a game situation, a runner will have to make a split-second decision of whether to slide around the catcher or to barrel into him, and this will often reduce his speed or remove the decisiveness of his impact. The catcher is also wearing protective pads. The crash-test dummy does not accurately represent reality.  If a team does not want its catchers to be involved in collisions, it can instruct them to avoid collisions, just as the Oakland Athletics did. This is their choice; they have decided that the risk is not worth it. But this is not a reason for MLB to step in and change the rules.  Fans want to see players playing their hardest. A player is much less exciting to watch if he\u2019s always worried first and foremost about whether a particular action is going to injure him. Yes, there\u2019s always a risk of injury, but fans understand that, and they still want to see collisions and players giving their all.  [1] See Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, \u201cAvailability: A heuristic for judging frequency and probability,\u201d Cognitive Psychology, 1973, 4, pp. 207-232,  ."], "type": "binary", "id": "128"}
+{"question": "Is shutting down social media and communication networks an effective method of stopping riots?", "perspectives": ["Shutting down social media and communication networks is an effective method of stopping riots.", "hutting down social media and communication networks is not an effective method of stopping riots."], "docs": ["Non violent methods of disrupting riots must be tried before using force  When riots are on-going then the police needs to act but the safety of everyone involved should be considered to be paramount. If a riot will not disperse peacefully then the police often find they need to use batons, water cannon, or even in extremis tear gas or rubber bullets. It is the police\u2019s duty to bring back public order by stopping riots through these methods. However this should not be at the expense of a much more preventative approach that shutting down social media networks would allow. If during instances of rioting the police are able to prevent those rioters from encouraging their friends to join them so expanding the riots then this is the right course of action to take. Rioters used social media like activists, to outmanoeuvre the police targeting areas where there was little police presence. Cutting off their means of communication would make this much harder and less effective. [1] This has been used effectively in the past; the San Francisco BART, shut down mobile phones on its network to prevent protests which it feared could lead to clashes with commuters, it may well have been the reason why there were no such protests, but it did spark outrage over violations of freedom of speech. [2]  [1] O\u2019Rourke, Simon, \u201cEmpowering protest through social media\u201d, Edith Cowan University Research Online, 2011,  P.51  [2] Cabanatuan, M., \u201cBART admits halting cell service to stop protests\u201d, SFGate,", "There is little evidence that cutting off the internet or mobile phone networks would be effective. Riots occurred before mobile phones and the internet were invented and spread just as worryingly. Cutting off access would be an inconvenience but little more than that. Blaming the technology is not helpful to finding the real solutions to preventing rioting which is engaging with the underlying problems. [1]  [1] Metcalf, J., and Taylor, M., \u201cTechnology has always been blamed in times of unrest\u201d, guardian.co.uk, 7 December 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "129"}
+{"question": "Should violent lyrics in hip hop music be censored?", "perspectives": ["Violent lyrics in hip hop music should be censored.", "Violent lyrics in hip hop music should not be censored."], "docs": ["Hate speech  The enforcement of the laws proposed in this article will be fraught, complex and difficult. However, the difficulty of administering a law is never a good argument for refusing to enforce it.  The censorship of the written word ended in England with the Lady Chatterley and Oz obscenity trials, but this liberalisation of publication standards has not prevented the state from prosecuting hate speech when it appears in print. It is clear that, although we have more latitude than ever to say or write what we want (no matter how objectionable), standards and taboos continue to exist. We can take it that these taboos are especially important and valuable to the running of a stable society, as they have persisted despite the legal and cultural changes that have taken place over the last fifty years.  Hate speech is prosecuted and censored because of its power to intrude into the lives of individuals who have not consented to receive it. As pointed out in Jeremy Waldron\u2019s response [1] to Timothy Garton Ash\u2019s piece [2] on hate speech, hateful comments are not dangerous because they insight gullible individuals to abandon their inhibitions and engage in race riots. Hate speech is harmful because it recreates- cheaply and in front of a very large audience- an atmosphere in which vulnerable minorities are put in fear of becoming the targets of violence and prejudice. Additionally, hate speech harms by defaming groups, by propagating lies and half-truths about practices and beliefs, with the objective of socially isolating those groups.  Gangsta rap does all of these things, yet legal responses to the publication of songs containing such lyrics as \u201cRape a pregnant bitch and tell my friends I had a threesome,\u201d have been timid at best. Even if we maintain our liberal approach to taboo breaking forms of expression, we can still link hip hop to many of the harms that hate speech produces.  Gangsta rap gives the impression that African-American and Latin-American neighbourhoods throughout the USA are violent, lawless places. Even if the pronouncements of rappers such as 50 cent and NWA are overblown or fictitious they enforce social division by vividly discouraging people from entering or interacting with poor minority communities. They damage those communities directly by creating a fear of criminality that serves to limit trust and cohesion among individual community members. Finally, violent hip hop is also defamatory. It propagates an image of minority communities that emphasises violence, poverty and nihilism, whilst loudly proclaiming its authenticity. It is completely irrelevant that these images of minority communities are produced by members of those communities.  It is on this basis, however protracted the process of classification must become, that the content of hip hop songs should be assessed and censored. Liberal democracies are prepared to go to great lengths to adjudicate on speech that could potentially promote racial or religious hatred. The same standards should be applied to hip hop music, because it is capable of producing identical harms.  [1] Waldron, J. \u201cThe harm of hate speech\u201d. FreeSpeechDebate, 20 March 2012.  [2] Garton-Ash, T. \u201cLiving with difference\u201d. FreeSpeechDebate, 22 January 2012.", "It is usually the task of movie classification organisations such as the MPAA and the British Board of Film Certification to judge whether the content of a film should be cut or altered. In most cases these groups will be politically independent, but may be politically appointed. They will make the decision to cut content based partly on the criteria described above. A movie will only be censored if it contains shocking or offensive images used in a way that suggests that violence is glamorous, entertaining or without consequences.  There is a broad consensus in western liberal democracies on what constitutes a highly shocking or offensive image. For example, in even the most permissive societies, open and public images of sexual intercourse would be considered problematic. Similarly, graphic depictions of violence against vulnerable individuals would be open to wide condemnation. The thing that unifies each of these categories of image is that they can be easily understood and interpreted by the majority of people. Even a casual observer can understand that pornography is pornography. This is part of the reason why some states try to control extreme images \u2013 because they are both powerful and emotive, and easy to produce, display and distribute.  However, music and lyrics are different from images. Language contains a degree of abstraction, depth and nuance that only the most unconventional (and non-commercial) film could replicate. This is problematic, because it is much harder for censors and members of the general public to agree on an exact definition of an offensive statement or form of words. Complex legal processes are used to determine whether or not offensive statements are sufficiently offensive to be classed as hate crimes. Even more complex are the legal procedures used to determine when an individual\u2019s reputation has been damaged by allegations published in books or periodicals.  It will be much harder for ratings or certification boards to decide when a particular song is violent or offensive due to the range of meanings and ambiguities that are built into language. For example, the verse  \u201cGot a temper nigga, go ahead, lose your head/ turn your back on me, get clapped and lose your legs/ I walk around gun on my waist, chip on my shoulder/ \u2018til I bust a clip in your face, pussy, this beef ain\u2019t over,\u201d  can either be seen as a series of boastful threats, delivered directly by the musician, but it could also be reported speech \u2013 a lot of hip hop music is based on narratives or performer\u2019s accounts of past events. It could also be intended to invite condemnation of the behaviour of the character that the speaker has assumed. Hip hop artists frequently use alternative personas and \u201ccasts\u201d of characters to add depth to the narrative dimension of their tracks.  Under these circumstances, the process of classifying and censoring potentially violent lyrics is likely to become laborious. More important than the expense that this process will entail is the possibility that the chilling effect of a prolonged classification process will cause music publishers to stop promoting hip hop, metal and other genres linked with violent imagery. Lack of funds will curtail innovation and diversity in these genres."], "type": "binary", "id": "130"}
+{"question": "Is adoption a better alternative to abortion for unwanted pregnancies?", "perspectives": ["Adoption is a better alternative to abortion for unwanted pregnancies.", "Adoption is not a better alternative to abortion for unwanted pregnancies."], "docs": ["Abortion is wrong per se when there are alternatives such as adoption  Tragically, some babies are unwanted, but this does not mean that we should kill them. There are plenty of other options, notably adoption. If anything, the case for adoption is more compelling in the third trimester, because the pregnancy is nearer to its natural end and there is less time, only about ten weeks, for the mother to have to put up with it. [1] Unwanted pregnancy and adoption may be psychologically harmful, but in many cases so is abortion, particularly at a late stage of pregnancy when the mother can see that the dead foetus is recognisably a baby - the guilt feelings associated with feeling that one is responsible for murdering a child can be unbearable.  [1] Bupa, \u2018Stages of pregnancy\u2019, April 2010,", "Arguing that adoption is a good option shows a fundamental lack of awareness of what is involved in carrying an unwanted foetus to term. Pregnancy can be stressful at the best of times; being forced to carry an unwanted child against your will is enormously traumatic, and can cause permanent psychological harm, as can the knowledge that your own unwanted child is growing up elsewhere and may one day return to find you. If a mother chooses to carry a foetus to term and then give it up for adoption, that\u2019s fine, but nobody should force her to do so."], "type": "binary", "id": "131"}
+{"question": "Is the microfinance approach entirely beneficial for poor communities?", "perspectives": ["The microfinance approach is entirely beneficial for poor communities.", "The microfinance approach is not entirely beneficial for poor communities."], "docs": ["A livelihoods approach  The livelihoods approach provides a useful model to understand how poor people live [1] ; and remains important to recognising the benefits of microfinance.  The provision of microfinance reduces vulnerability to shocks and changes such as losing a job; enhances people\u2019s access to assets that they use and need (such as finance, friend networks, and land); and this fundamentally acts to change the lives of the poor. Microfinance provides social protection through tapping into social capital. Further, microfinance means aid is not simply provided, but the individual is taught valuable financial skills and given the means to sustain themselves for their lifetime.  [1] See further readings: IFAD, 2013.", "The provision of microfinance within livelihoods is based on a positive view of social capital [1] and cohesion. The idea relies upon a perception whereby social networks within the community are able to positively organise funds and remain democratic in how they manage poverty. It fails to acknowledge negative aspects of social capital - such as how networks can act to exclude and restrict who becomes a part of the scheme. Civil society is not without internal politics, with competing interests, and can be uncooperative.  [1] Social capital represents the relationships and linkages between people and/or groups, of which are formulated with rules and norms. See further readings:"], "type": "binary", "id": "132"}
+{"question": "Is self-determination necessary for minority communities?", "perspectives": ["Self-determination is necessary for minority communities.", "lf-determination is not necessary for minority communities."], "docs": ["Minorities are often economically disadvantaged and politically marginalised; formal guarantees of equal rights, even where they exist, do not necessarily translate into real opportunities for citizens. And respect for individual rights, as important as it is, does not address issues of concern to the entire community, such as the teaching of minority languages in school, provision of facilities for religious worship, and so on. The best way to improve the situation of these minority populations is by respecting and promoting their right to self-determination. If not, they will remain second-class citizens in their own countries.", "What matters are individual democratic rights, not necessarily collective self-determination.  Simply being a minority in a nation should not be enough to claim the right to self-determination. As long as people have democratic rights, such as the right to protest, to lobby and to vote , they enjoy the same rights and protections as those of the majority community in that country; there should be no obligation on the state to go further in granting them self-determination. For example, during the Franco era in Spain, minority nationalities such as Basques and Catalans were for a long time discriminated against and excluded from real political power, and backed political parties that explicitly represented their community. As their position in society has improved, however, so the hold of identity-based politics has loosened, and the pull of secession has weakened1.  1 Macko, Kalyna: \"The Effect of Franco in the Basque Nation\", Salve Regina University, July 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "133"}
+{"question": "Would paying reparations to former colonies improve the long-term relationships between nations?", "perspectives": ["Paying reparations to former colonies would improve the long-term relationships between nations.", "Paying reparations to former colonies would not improve the long-term relationships between nations."], "docs": ["It is entirely possible that reparations could be paid in smaller instalments over a much longer term as Germany has done [1] , thereby providing a longer-term solution rather than one lump sum. Furthermore, it is likely that if former colonial powers offer reparations as a genuine attempt to accept and apologise for the wrongs previously committed, the longer-term relationship between the two countries would be eased. Finally, it is at least more likely that citizens in countries such as Zimbabwe and Libya might re-think their opinion of the West if reparations and help were offered, rather than blankly refused. While the dictators may continue to denounce the West, it will be harder for them to do so if former colonial powers show every attempt to help and communicate with the people they have wronged.  [1] Rising, David, 'Germany increases reparations for Holocaust survivors', Times of Israel, 16 November 2012,", "Such reparations would do little to actually improve the developing countries.  Reparations are an incredibly short-term economic measure. To have any substantial impact, long-term systems would need to be put in place to truly benefit such countries, and it would be far better to encourage sustainable growth [1] than a one-off bumper payment. Developed countries should look towards improving their long-term relationship with former colonies and establishing measures such as fairer trade rules or debt relief as an efficient measure. This would allow the aid to be focused in the places where these countries need it most.  The symbolism of reparations is also potentially dangerous. Firstly, paying reparations may bring the belief that former colonial powers have \u2018paid their debt\u2019 and no longer have to seek to improve their own conduct of foreign policy. Secondly, this measure would allow dictators such as Robert Mugabe to feel justified in their declarations that colonial powers are independently responsible for all the problems affecting their countries [2] [3] [4] . In this way, Mugabe tries to hide his own shortcomings and place blame entirely on the West, which has negative impacts on the potential for international relations. In the case of Italy\u2019s reparations to Libya, this could be seen as strengthening the Gaddafi dictatorship at the expense of the Libyan people and the West, particularly as Gaddafi is prone to blaming the West [5] or indeed anybody else he can [6] .  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [4] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [5] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [6] Accessed from  on 12/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "134"}
+{"question": "Is the rise of 21st century protests indicative of the revival of Socialism?", "perspectives": ["The rise of 21st century protests is indicative of the revival of Socialism.", "The rise of 21st century protests is not indicative of the revival of Socialism."], "docs": ["Socialism has changed historically to meet the challenges of the moment and is addressing those of the 21st century in new ways  It should perhaps come as no surprise that the days of standing outside shopping centres and train stations handing out soggy newspapers have passed into the annals of political history \u2013 although some still do it.  Equally, trades union are no longer seen as being as central to European Socialism as they once were. However, the militancy seen over the last few years suggest, if anything, that what was a diversified \u2018anti-capitalist\u2019 movement is now coalescing around a rather clearer set of goals of which the basics of the anti-capitalism movement are merely a part. In the light of the globalisation of Capitalism, the left is increasingly rediscovering its internationalist roots which were lost to a great extent in the seventies and eighties in national struggles to save industries and jobs.", "Trying to pretend that absolutely anyone who disagrees in some way with the architects of the banking bubble can be described as a Socialist is simply taking things too far.  Many people are suffering as a result of austerity measures and it is interesting that in countries with left wing governments the protests support the right and vice versa. This has nothing to do with the emergence of Socialism for the 21st century \u2013 however desperately the Socialists of the 20th century may wish it.  The closest even the most ardent supporters of the current protests can get is that \u2018things should be different\u2019 other than that it tends to be a round of decidedly nineteenth century solutions to nineteenth century problems"], "type": "binary", "id": "135"}
+{"question": "Should schools strictly follow a scientific curriculum in teaching students?", "perspectives": ["Schools should strictly follow a scientific curriculum in teaching students.", "chools should not strictly follow a scientific curriculum in teaching students."], "docs": ["Education should be about truth and facts, not dogma and faith.  Scientific enquiry is, at its core, a search for truth [1] . It is about shining light in dark places. Dogmatic adherence to beliefs in spite of evidence, and even trying to cover up facts that contradict those beliefs is academically dishonest and intellectually facile. Evolution is proven fact, a theory so sound that it is the cornerstone of all biology. Nothing in biology makes any sense unless considered in the context of evolution. Schools should teach this fact, not the pseudoscience of religious demagogues. It is a fundamental attack on children's rights to subject them to false information for the sake of upholding outdated and disproved beliefs. It is a right of all people to have a valuable education, because good education is required to be able to take part in the democratic process, to be able to make informed decisions. That right is compromised when the educational system gives them a worthless education in untruths, like Creationism, because informed decisions must be based on fact, and must be objective the way science is, rather than loaded with religious undertones, that skew ones view of the facts. The value of education is only as good as its applicability, either directly or through its fostering of critical thinking. So, when the political process is used to circumvent the curriculum set by teachers and experts, who actually know the subjects they are talking about, and replacing them with the curriculum set by a scientifically illiterate political body, the children suffer as the quality of their education decreases.  [1] Pauling, Linus. 1983. No More War! New York: Dodd Mead.", "Truth is a complex thing. Scientists claim to know what is true and that schools should only teach their truth. But their truth changes with time. Communities can hold, and desire to hold, beliefs with more constancy. States everywhere recognize the value of communities and often give them special rights and exemptions for the sake of those beliefs. The Amish in America, for example do not need to attend education past the primary level, because the communities do not desire it. Communities give structure and lend stability to broader society, so they should be allowed to behave with a degree of leeway in terms of issues like education. Creationism is a truth for those who adhere to it and see that evidence fits that paradigm more than does evolution. Until irrefutable proof of evolution is given, as the scientific community has yet to do, both paradigms are equally valid and should be available to students in the classroom."], "type": "binary", "id": "136"}
+{"question": "Is the Hyperloop just a repetition of old, unfeasible technology?", "perspectives": ["The Hyperloop is just a repetition of old, unfeasible technology.", "The Hyperloop is not just a repetition of old, unfeasible technology."], "docs": ["There have been similar suggestions before for intercity travel  The Hyperloop is not the first proposal to use tubes with low \u2013 or no \u2013 pressure in them. A very high speed train was proposed by Robert M. Salter in 1972. This as a train running in a vacuum would have gone substantially faster than anything that is currently being proposed travelling at around 3000 mph. [1]  Nor is this the first proposal for a pneumatic transport system; such trains were around in the 19th century. They were first proposed as far back as 1812 [2] and several short demonstration tracks were constructed such as the Beach Pneumatic Transit in New York which opened in 1870. [3] Such idea has not got off the ground in the past and there seems no reason why they should now when the basic technology is pretty much the same.  [1] Salter, Robert M., \u2018The Very High Speed Transit System\u2019, RAND Corporation, 1972,   [2] Medhurst, George, \u2018Calculations and Remarks, Tending to Prove the Practicability, Effects and Advantages of a Plan for the Rapid Conveyance of Goods and Passengers: Upon an Iron Road Through a Tube of 30 Feet in Area, by the Power and Velocity of Air\u2019, D.N. Shury, 1812,   [3] Mihm, Stephen, \u2018New York Had a Hyperloop First, Elon Musk\u2019, Bloomberg, 14 August 2013,", "That there have been similar suggestions before does not mean they are not commercialisable today. The very high speed trains are an inspiration for the Hyperloop but have serious disadvantages by comparison. Because of their vacuum tube the system would be stopped at the slightest leak. [1] They are also astonishingly expensive with the cost associated with construction estimated at as high as $1trillion, the hyperloop is much more economic and therefore practical.  [1] Musk, Elon, \u2018Hyperloop Alpha\u2019, SpaceX, 12 August 2013,  p.3"], "type": "binary", "id": "137"}
+{"question": "Is it beneficial to divide meal responsibility between schools and parents?", "perspectives": ["It is beneficial to divide meal responsibility between schools and parents.", "It is not beneficial to divide meal responsibility between schools and parents."], "docs": ["The split in responsibility under this proposal is clear; school provides breakfast, parents other meals. This split ensures that even if the parent is shirking their responsibility the child will receive some nutrition.", "Nutrition is the parents responsibility  Parents are responsible for their children, and this includes responsibility for their meals. The parent has had to provide meals up until the start of school. They know their own child\u2019s preferences there is little reason for this to change. Splitting responsibility between parents and schools means the burden of responsibility will no longer be clearly don't placed."], "type": "binary", "id": "138"}
+{"question": "Is circumcision a necessary procedure for newborn babies?", "perspectives": ["Circumcision is a necessary procedure for newborn babies.", "Circumcision is not a necessary procedure for newborn babies."], "docs": ["In any other situation involving minors a precautionary principle would be applied  Any risk needs to be justified against some benefit. In the absence of any demonstrable benefit then there is no need to tolerate any risk, particularly in the case of a newborn baby who cannot express his opinion one way or another and will not be able to do so for years to come.  The risks of circumcision have been repeatedly demonstrated. Though they may be rare, they run from septicemia through to blood hemorrhage and heart attacks. There is little research conducted on the long term effects of the procedure; however there is a growing body of evidence that a surgical complication rate is about 1 in 500 and the post-surgical rate of attrition is believed by many to be higher [i] .  [i] Paul M. Fleiss, MD. \u201cThe Case Against Circumcision\u201d. Mothering: The Magazine of Natural Family Living, Winter 1997, pp. 36--45.", "The precautionary principle is alive and well but risks are inevitable in any procedure. There is no reliable data on fatalities directly related to circumcision.  The causes of the 10 million or so neonatal deaths that occur around the world each year are closely linked to the income and educational level of the mother, with diarrhea and malnutrition being the leading causes.  By contrast children that are born with access to modern surgery and informed parents are likely to do well."], "type": "binary", "id": "139"}
+{"question": "Is meta data collection and data mining by intelligence agencies a cause for concern?", "perspectives": ["Meta data collection and data mining by intelligence agencies is a cause for concern.", "Meta data collection and data mining by intelligence agencies is not a cause for concern."], "docs": ["The use of meta data causes unintentional harm  The other possible harm is unintentional. The amount of data involved is huge and too much even for a vast organization like the NSA to actually physically look at. Instead it uses data mining. This is why the NSA wants data that may seem useless to others. The records of which phone numbers are phoning who, as the NSA was obtaining of Verizon, might seem useless but can tell them who you are contacting, and how much contact time they have. In turn they could look at who your contacts have been talking to and if it turns out that several of them talk regularly to suspected terrorists then even if you are innocent a finger of suspicion might be pointed. There has even been a study showing that individuals can be identified from just the time of call and nearest cell phone tower after just four calls. [1] PRISM gives the NSA even more \u2018useless\u2019 data to play with. The results of this data mining may usually be accurate but will not always be so and the result of being flagged like this can be problematic for individuals. It may mean additional airport security, having problems getting a visa, [2] or in the worst case finding its way onto a no fly list.  [1] De Montjoye, Yves-Alexandre, et al., \u2018Unique in the Crowd: The privacy bounds of human mobility\u2019, Scientific Reports, 3, 25 March 2013,   [2] Brown, Ian, \u2018Yes, NSA surveillance should worry the law-abiding\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 10 June 2013,", "Metadata and data-mining are not new they are simply becoming more frequent, and more accurate as a result of more information. In the past there have been other ways of collecting data; tax records, voter registration, reverse telephone directories. [1] At the same time government and the intelligence agencies are not even those who make most use of this, there are whole private companies devoted to sifting this data. [2] There is little reason why we should particularly worry about this being done by intelligence agencies.  [1] Gomez, David, \u2018Hoovered\u2019, Foreign Policy, 11 June 2013,   [2] See the debatabase debate \u2018 This House would not allow companies to collect/sell the personal data of their clients \u2019."], "type": "binary", "id": "140"}
+{"question": "Is the Catholic Church's position on contraception reasonable?", "perspectives": ["The Catholic Church's position on contraception is reasonable.", "The Catholic Church's position on contraception is not reasonable."], "docs": ["The Catholic Church does not forbid all methods of contraception which could be used as alternatives. The Catholic Church actually condones the use of natural contraceptive methods, which essentially amount to only having intercourse at times of the month when the woman is not fertile. It is not unreasonable of the Catholic Church to expect married couples to just withhold from sex at certain times of the month if they do not wish to conceive another child. This situation gives no reason to make an exception.", "Birth control within monogamous relationships.  Contraception is not just used in casual sex but within monogamous couples who want to control when they have children. The reason for this could be so they ensure that they don\u2019t have more children than they can afford to reasonably look after.  Contraception can help monogamous couples to give more to the children they do decide to have and to the community, since less of their time and money will be used in maintaining a family which is larger than they can reasonably afford to control. The current cost of raising a child in Britain is calculated to be over \u00a3210,000, a very substantial sum that any responsible parent must think about before having more children 1.  Since, in this case, contraception promotes a good in the community, as well as more responsible reproduction, the Catholic Church is unjustified in its blanket ban over barrier contraception.  1. Insley 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "141"}
+{"question": "Do online courses effectively increase access to education for the less privileged?", "perspectives": ["Online courses effectively increase access to education for the less privileged.", "Online courses do not effectively increase access to education for the less privileged."], "docs": ["Online courses broadens access to education  Online courses can expand access to university education. University education is based on the idea of merit - that the brightest people should be enabled to learn - however in real life many different circumstances play a role in one's ability to attend university. The result is that lots of stellar people from less-affluent backgrounds do not even apply to the best universities due to costs and anxiety involved in leaving home. In the United States the bottom 50 percent of the income distribution comprise just 14 percent of the undergraduates at top universities [10]. Online courses allow more bright people to go to a university by definitely removing accommodation and travel costs, and, as some predict, even by lowering or dropping tuition fees [11]. This argument is made even stronger by inherent flexibility of online courses, which means that people can combine studies with work and family obligations better. This improves access to education for the poor within the country and in particularly for those in less developed countries, which then improves meritocracy of the university system.", "MOOCs primarily reach already educated and thus privileged people. Roughly 80% of people who took Coursera courses already have a Bachelor' degree [12]. This statistic shows that the less-advantaged do not prefer online courses over the traditional university nor do they find them more convenient to take. At the least it shows MOOCs are just reaching the same people as universities. Even if universities drop tuition fees, which does not seem likely, the argument is entirely based on the idea that poorer people would find it easier to do courses from home. However, many of the poor do not even have access to internet at home, including an estimated 100 million poor Americans [13], not to mention much larger numbers of poorer people from less developed countries."], "type": "binary", "id": "142"}
+{"question": "Is increasing employment opportunities always beneficial for women's mental and physical health?", "perspectives": ["Increasing employment opportunities is always beneficial for women's mental and physical health.", "Increasing employment opportunities is not always beneficial for women's mental and physical health."], "docs": ["The effects of unemployment  Unemployment has been linked to several health and wellbeing effects. Firstly, the psychological impact of unemployment involve a range of issues - from confidence to mental well-being. Issues of mental health problems - such as depression, suicide, anxiety, and substance abuse, need recognition in Africa. The impact of mental health may not only be on the individual, but dispersed within families and across generations. Secondly, unemployment may result in a loss of social networks and networking skills. The power of social capital, or networks, in reducing vulnerability has been widely noted. Therefore encouraging women to participate within the labour market ensures new networks are built and retained through the vital communication skills used. Finally. unemployment may affect physical health status.  Unemployment may place individuals in a downward spiral, making it harder to re-enter the job market.", "Again employment needs to be contextualised with what type of jobs are provided and entered into. It remains questionable as to whether the mental health of women improves if women are employed to work within hazardous work environments, or where there is no job security.  For example domestic workers remain vulnerable to different abuses - such as non payment, excessive work hours, abuse, and forced labour. Women may be vulnerable to gender based violence on their way to work. Furthermore, street traders are placed in a vulnerable position where the right to work is not respected. The forced eviction and harassment of female street-traders is a common story, underlined by political motivations. A recent example includes the eviction of street hawkers in Johannesburg [1] .  [1] See further readings: WIEGO, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "143"}
+{"question": "Should governments have the authority to control the information on the Internet?", "perspectives": ["Governments have the authority to control the information on the Internet.", "Governments do not have the authority to control the information on the Internet."], "docs": ["The Internet may be a global resource, but if information on it is have a detrimental effect upon a particular country, it certainly is that government\u2019s responsibility and right to tackle it. If it affects their society and the citizens within it, it affects the government and the means by which they can govern, particularly in relation to social policy. Moreover these websites, and specifically religious opinion websites, often seek to \u2018recruit\u2019 others to their school of thought or even to action; their purpose is often to gather support and followers [1] . Therefore there certainly is a risk that these people, who are often very intelligent and persuasive [2] , might lure others to them without protection by the government. It is a very real danger, and needs real protection.  [1] Kiley, Sam, \u2018Terrorists \u2018May Recruit On Social Networks\u2019\u2019, SkyNews, 12 July 2011,  on 09/09/11.  [2] Ali, Iftakhar, \u2018Terrorism \u2013 The Global Menace\u2019, Universal Journal The Association of Young Journalists and Writers,  on 09/09/11.", "The Internet is a free domain and cannot becontrolled by the government.  Given that the Internet is used as an international [1] and public space [2] , the government has no right over the information which may be presented via the Internet. In Western liberal democracies, governments are elected on the basis by which they can serve their own country \u2013 how they will create or maintain laws that pertain specifically to that nation, and how they will govern the population. The Internet is not country-specific, but international and free. As such, no individual government should have a right to the information on it. Asserting false authority over the internet would paint the government as dictatorial and a \u2018nanny state\u2019 [3] , demonstrating a lack of respect for its citizens by assuming that they cannot protect themselves or recognise the nature of extremist or potentially harmful sites and take the individual decision to distance themselves from such sites.  [1] Babel, \u2018Towards communicating on the Internet in any language\u2019,   [2] Papacharissi, Zizi, \u2018The virtual sphere\u2019, New Media & Society, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp 9-27, February 2002,  on 09/09/11  [3] BBC. \u2018A Point of View: In defence of the nanny state\u2019. Published 04/02/2011. Accessed from  on"], "type": "binary", "id": "144"}
+{"question": "Would the legal global cultivation of the coca plant result in significant economic benefits?", "perspectives": ["The legal global cultivation of the coca plant would result in significant economic benefits.", "The legal global cultivation of the coca plant would not result in significant economic benefits."], "docs": ["Legal coca cultivation would enhance economic growth in developing states  Millions of people in South America chew coca leaves, so this practice cannot simply be wished away. [1] Moreover, it currently acts as a vital income source in many impoverished areas of the Andes. Pasquale Quispe, 53, owner of a 7.4-acre Bolivian coca farm, explained to the New York Times in 2006: \u201cCoca is our daily bread, what gives us work, what gives us our livelihood.\u201d [2] Previous attempts to eradicate coca cultivation in Bolivia harmed the poorest farmers there and led to significant social unrest. [3] When it is allowed, however, coca cultivation can actually have economic benefits. Peasant cultivators in the Andes have indicated their belief that coca chewing helps increase production in agriculture, fisheries and mining. [4] The legalization of coca cultivation globally would allow for the expansion of these economic benefits. The coca leaf may have uses as a stimulant and flavouring agent in drinks (in which it is currently used to a limited extent in the West), but also in the expansion of the many domestic products currently in use in the Andes, including syrups, teas, shampoo and toothpaste. It may also have a use as a general anaesthetic. [5] Only the legalization of its cultivation globally will allow these product and economic potentials to be fully realized and allow humanity to reap the full rewards of the coca plant, rather than simply being limited by the fear and stigma surrounding its illegal use in cocaine.  [1] Morales, Evo. \u201cLet Me Chew My Coca Leaves\u201d. New York Times. March 13, 2009.   [2] Forero, Juan. \u201cBolivia's Knot: No to Cocaine, but Yes to Coca\u201d. New York Times. February 12, 2006.   [3] Forero, Juan. \u201cBolivia's Knot: No to Cocaine, but Yes to Coca\u201d. New York Times. February 12, 2006.   [4] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006.   [5] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006.", "Medical uses of the coca leaf are already legal under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. [1] . The coca plant has also never been proven to be a better ingredient in these varied domestic products than other plants, and other plants may even perform even better as ingredients. [2] There is therefore no compelling reason to believe that its global cultivation would result in any meaningful economic boost or better products on the market. Saving lives from being ruined by cocaine is more important than nay minor boost we might get from other coca products.  [1] United Nations. \u201cSingle Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961\u201d. United Nations. 1961, amended 1972.   [2] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "145"}
+{"question": "Does Facebook usage negatively affect students' grades?", "perspectives": ["Facebook usage negatively affects students' grades.", "Facebook usage does not negatively affect students' grades."], "docs": ["Facebook has a negative impact on learning  For many students, the constant flow of news, status updates, pictures and comments which comes through Facebook every single hour is proving to be a very distracting, which not surprisingly affects their educational progress. It negatively impacts learning. Studies show that students who checked in on social networks while studying had grades that were 20% lower than the grades of those who didn\u2019t.(1)  A 20% difference in grades can be the difference from being awarded a scholarship at a prestigious university at being obliged to enrol in the community college, or very easily between passing and failing. Education is one of the most important things in anybody\u2019s life as it greatly affects future prospects. Of course socialising is important as well but we should try to avoid one negatively affecting the other.  (1) Julie D. Andrews \u201cIs Facebook Good Or Bad For Students? Debate Roils On\u201d April 28, 2011   (2) Larry Rose \u201dSocial Networking\u2019s Good and Bad Impacts on Kids\u201c American Psychological Association August 6, 2011", "On this point, it may be true that children who get distracted easily use Facebook as an excuse not to study, but that doesn\u2019t mean that social networks are the cause of this phenomenon. These children tend to use them as social networks are very accessible. Almost every single moment you are surrounded by technology that can connect to social networking sites; a smartphone, a laptop or a computer, which you can use to log in on Facebook. Even if it weren\u2019t for these social networks, those kids would likely still be getting 20% worse grades than other students, as they would just find other activities to replace it with. There will be no change in their mentality, perception of learning or process of decision making.  If the student is using Facebook at least there is a chance they are using it productively, for example, by participating in a Facebook group created by a professor for students of a particular class, then the social network may have a positive influence.  Moreover, Facebook makes students feel socially connected, with a greater sense of community. This can be beneficial in boosting students\u2019 self-esteem. Past studies have shown that students who are active on Facebook are more likely to participate in extra-curricular activities.(1)  (1) Julie D. Andrews \u201cIs Facebook Good Or Bad For Students? Debate Roils On\u201d April 28, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "146"}
+{"question": "Is the cultivation and consumption of coca leaves harmless to health?", "perspectives": ["The cultivation and consumption of coca leaves is harmless to health.", "The cultivation and consumption of coca leaves is not harmless to health."], "docs": ["Coca chewing is not equivalent to the consumption of hard drugs. It is no more harmful than drinking coffee.  The coca leaf, in its natural state, is not even a narcotic, even though the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs considers the natural leaf to be so. However it only truly becomes a narcotic when the paste or the concentrate is extracted from the leaf to form cocaine. [1] The simple coca leaf, by contrast, only has very mild effects when chewed and is different from cocaine. In 1995 the World Health Organisation found that the \u201cuse of coca leaves appears to have no negative health effects and has positive therapeutic, sacred and social functions for indigenous Andean populations.\u201d [2] It may even be useful in combating obesity, and there is no evidence that coca use is addictive. At worst, it is comparable to caffeine in terms of its effect on its consumer. [3] Therefore there are no significant health reasons behind this ban on the cultivation of coca leaves for their chewed consumption in its traditional form.  [1] Morales, Evo. \u201cLet Me Chew My Coca Leaves\u201d. New York Times. March 13, 2009.   [2] Jelsma, Martin. \u201cLifting the Ban on Coca Chewing\u201d. Transnational Institute, Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 11. March 2011.  [3] Morales, Evo. \u201cLet Me Chew My Coca Leaves\u201d. New York Times. March 13, 2009.", "Compulsive Coca chewing may compromise oral health. The wider cultivation of coca plants may make cocaine itself more readily available, and cocaine has clear health risks to its consumption. This debate must be seen in terms of the wider health risks and problems that actually occur if cultivation is legalized, not just a narrow understanding of the health risks in a theoretical vacuum."], "type": "binary", "id": "147"}
+{"question": "Is a divided government beneficial for the United States?", "perspectives": ["A divided government is beneficial for the United States.", "A divided government is not beneficial for the United States."], "docs": ["Constitutional imperative  The Constitution of the United States is designed to prevent power from being concentrated in one place, with each of the three branches (executive, legislative and judicial) placing checks and balances upon each other. As James Madison wrote \u201cIt is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part.\u201d [1]  This principle ensures that power is divided, facilitating greater dialogue between the branches and between the two houses of Congress which seeks to compromise with each other to provide the best possible expression of Congress\u2019 will.  Such a need for compromise between the branches lends itself to having control of the two elected branches being spilt between two parties necessitating compromise as opposed to single party control of both houses, where compromise can be pre-arranged to fit the aims of the executive. Therefore, Divided Government is an extra requirement to government, ensuring that powers are not concentrated to the detriment of Americans.  [1] Madison, James, \u2018The Federalist No.51 The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments\u2019, Independent Journal, 6 February 1788,", "It is true that the Founding Fathers did design the complexion of the Federal Government in such a way that prevents power from being concentrated in one place. This made sense in the eighteenth century when the states had most of the power. However the power and responsibilities of the federal government has expanded dramatically. The United States is no longer best off with a slow government that creates compromise. In a period where the poles of the parties are increasingly powerful government is not just slow but glacial as is shown by the crisis in 2011 over negotiations to raise the debt ceiling. [1] Single party government would be able to get its legislation passed and could actually govern rather than merely engaging in political manoeuvring to fend off the other party.  [1] MacAskill, Ewen, and Rushe, Dominic, \u2018US debt crisis talks reach an impasse\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 26 July 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "148"}
+{"question": "Would unification be economically damaging for Ireland?", "perspectives": ["Unification would be economically damaging for Ireland.", "Unification would not be economically damaging for Ireland."], "docs": ["Unification would be damaging for the economies of both parts of Ireland  The Republic of Ireland is currently in a crisis. It is the I in P.I.G.S, the European Union countries whose economies are bust and require a bailout package. It would not be to the benefit of either Northern Ireland joining such a fragile economy, nor would it be good for the Republic of Ireland, having the cut back on public spending whilst trying to integrate Northern Irish transport/police systems etc.  Northern Ireland is a weak economy anyway and a lot of employment comes from the public sector, 30% compared to the UK average of 21%.* The region is \u00a39billion in the red or \u00a35,502 per person, three times the UK average.** These jobs will obviously no longer be an option under re-unification and so there is likely to be mass employment amongst the newly integrated Northern Irish. To counter this, money from Republican taxpayers will have to go to subsidize business/building projects etc in the way the Germans in the West still subsidize the Eastern parts of Germany, over 50 years since the wall came down.  *HM Treasury, 2011, p.9   **Fitzpatrick, 2011,", "Economic fortunes rise and fall all the time. Many in Northern Ireland looked up enviously during the Republic\u2019s boom. There were even clamors from Northern Irish politicians to lower the corporate tax in Northern Ireland to match the Republic\u2019s success. So, economic reasons for opposing unification don\u2019t stand in the long run."], "type": "binary", "id": "149"}
+{"question": "Is embracing stability more beneficial than implementing reforms for Russia's current socio-political situation?", "perspectives": ["Embracing stability is more beneficial than implementing reforms for Russia's current socio-political situation.", "Embracing stability is not more beneficial than implementing reforms for Russia's current socio-political situation."], "docs": ["Stability is more important than reform  Since the fall of communism, Russia has plunged into a deep economic recession. The introduction of market reforms and privatization has led to a swift increase in inequalities coupled with an increase in corruption. The chaos of economic and political reform, along with the chaos of the break-up of former USSR, has left the majority of the population both disillusioned and distrustful of their government. In a period of such chaos, stability seems to be much more important than reform. A strong leader is the only solution to providing such stability, setting a clear direction and pulling a country at risk of falling apart together again. This is also proven from various polls among the Russian population \u2013 \u201c\u2026The most eye-catching statistic is the overwhelming majority of respondents who say that order is more important for Russia than democracy \u2013 72 per cent, with 16 per cent responding conversely.\u201d (1)", "All periods of transition have been chaotic by definition and reforms are by their nature disruptive. At the same time, it is only through these reforms that a future of freedom and prosperity is possible. While a long transition process can certainly cloud minds and turn people into distrustful and disillusioned individuals, one must keep in mind that it is precisely at these moments that the risk of authoritarian tendencies re-emerging is highest. The people of Russia agree in polls over and over again that democracy is and should be their future. We must not let the immediate chaos of reform scare us into a fake stability. Even if still Russians prefer stronger leadership the number of these people is decreasing and the tendency shows that more and more are starting to evaluate the true value of democracy - \u201c\u2026But that number is actually down from the last time VTsIOM conducted a similar survey in 2000, when 75 per cent of Russians said they favored order, and 13 per cent \u2013 democracy. \u201c (1)"], "type": "binary", "id": "150"}
+{"question": "Is a ban on violent lyrics in music likely to be ineffective?", "perspectives": ["A ban on violent lyrics in music is likely to be ineffective.", "A ban on violent lyrics in music is not likely to be ineffective."], "docs": ["A ban will be ineffective  A new legal prohibition on any type of behaviour or conduct can only be set up by investing large amounts of political capital in order to transform vague proposals into a legislative document and then into a fully-fledged law. This expense can only be justified if the ban is effective \u2013 if it is seen as a legitimate use of a state\u2019s power; is enforceable; and if it brings about some form of beneficial social change. The change being sought in this instance is a reduction in the violence, criminality and social disaffection that some people associate with hip hop music and its fans.  Laws do not create changes in behaviour simply because they are laws. It is unlikely that the consumers of hip hop will refrain from listening to it. The ease with which music can be distributed and performed means that any ban on violent songs will, inevitably, be ineffective. File sharing networks and cross border online stores such as eBay and Silk Road already enable people to obtain media and controlled goods with little more than a credit card and a forwarding address. The total value of all of the music illegally pirated during 2007 is estimated to be $12.5 billion. The same network of file sharing systems and data repositories would be used to distribute banned music if proposition\u2019s policies became law.  Current urban music genres are already defined and supported by grassroots musicians who specialise in assembling tracks using minimal resources before sharing them among friends or broadcasting them on short-range pirate radio stations. Just as the internet contains a resilient, ready-made distribution network for music, urban communities contain large numbers of ambitious, talented amateur artists who will step into fill the void created by large record company\u2019s withdrawal from controversial or prohibited genres.  Although a formal ban on the distribution of music has yet to happen within a western liberal democracy, similar laws have been created to restrict access to violent videogames. Following widespread reports of the damaging effects that exposure to violent videogames might have on children, Australia banned outright the publication of a succession of violent and action-oriented titles. However, in several instances, implementation of this ban led only to increased piracy of prohibited games through file sharing networks and attempts by publishing companies to circumvent the ban using websites based in jurisdictions outside Australia. Similar behaviour is likely to result in other liberal democracies following any ban on music with violent lyrics.  If banned, controversial music will move from the managed, regulated space occupied by record companies and distributors- where business entities and artists\u2019 agents can engage in structured, transparent debate with classification bodies- to the partly hidden and unregulated space of the internet. As a consequence it will be much more difficult to detect genuinely dangerous material, and much harder for artists who do not trade in violent clich\u00e9s to win fans and recognition.  As discussed in principle 10, effective control and classification of controversial material can only be achieved if it is discussed with a high specificity and a nuanced understanding of the shared standards that it might offend. This would not be possible under a policy that effectively surrenders control of the content of music to the internet.", "Modern policy making does not rely on the force of law to bring about social change. This is an archaic approach to addressing the harms and deficiencies that might appear in communities.  We can reasonably assume that any ban on violent lyrics will be linked to wider reaching education and information campaigns that attempt to address misogynist attitudes and violent crime. Concerns expressed above that other hip hop genres, and musical innovation in general, might suffer could be adequately countered by offering subsidies and support to non-confrontational forms of hip hop. In this way legal regulation and policy interventions could help the music industry to address the more pernicious aspects of hip hop, while promoting its more innovative side. This reflects the state\u2019s role in promoting and safeguarding free speech, by giving those who do not have access to public forums the means to have their voice heard, while ensuring that the principle of free speech is not abused or used to limit the liberal freedoms of others.  These contentions adequately address the problems that the opposition side links to the distribution of illegal and unregulated content via the internet. The implication that a ban on music containing violent lyric might increase piracy is irrelevant \u2013 states will still act to address all forms of piracy, and measures taken against the violation of copyright online will be just as effective against prohibited content."], "type": "binary", "id": "151"}
+{"question": "Is family planning through contraception beneficial?", "perspectives": ["Family planning through contraception is beneficial.", "Family planning through contraception is not beneficial."], "docs": ["There are clear and proven benefits to the health of the Filipino families, especially women  Both sides of this debate have spoken about the need to respect the rights and lives of women. It is, however, difficult to see how exactly opponents of the legislation reconcile this with their actions. Decades\u2019 worth of research demonstrates that educational, health and nutritional levels all fall once a family outgrows its means. In the slums of Manila that research is unnecessary as it is all too apparent at a glance. However the research is there [i] to provide grisly commentary to the narrative folding out on the streets.  Investigations on a personal, national and global level demonstrate that effective family planning is at the heart of eradicating poverty [ii] . When families have less children they are more able to afford better education for those they do have and have a greater incentive to do so as they need their child to be able to support them when they are retired. [iii] Proposition is keen that this money should have been spent on eradicating poverty \u2013 they fail to realise, deliberately or otherwise, that that is exactly what it is being spent on.  [i] Rauhala, Emily, \u2018The Philippines\u2019 Birth Control Battle\u2019, Time, 6 June 2008.   [ii] Brown, Lester, \u2018Smart Family Planning Improves Women\u2019s Health and Reduces Poverty\u2019, guardian.co.uk 14 April 2011.   [iii] Merrick, Thomas, W., \u2018Population and P{overty: New Views on an Old Controversy\u2019, International Family Planning Perspectives, Vol.28, No.1, March 2002,", "It is difficult to see how the life of anyone is improved by reducing sex to a cheap form of entertainment. Certainly not the unborn children and not the objectified women. Proposition is more than happy for women to take control of their own fertility \u2013 indeed we would go further and suggest that their boyfriends and husbands should do so as well. Recreational sex, within wedlock and during times of infertility removes all of these problems; a little planning and restraint achieves that aim. It also means that both parents need to show that they are responsible for the results; Op seems happy to say that people are uncontrollable beasts with no control over their desires \u2013 hardly an edifying concept."], "type": "binary", "id": "152"}
+{"question": "Can we rely on natural market forces to stabilize global greenhouse gas emissions?", "perspectives": ["We can rely on natural market forces to stabilize global greenhouse gas emissions.", "We cannot rely on natural market forces to stabilize global greenhouse gas emissions."], "docs": ["The fossil fuels which account for the majority of GHG emissions are finite resources. As oil and coal becoming increasingly scarce, markets will naturally switch to more efficient or renewable resources thus stabilizing global GHG emissions. The growth of fuel efficient hybrid and fully electric automobiles are a good example of the market responding to higher fuel prices. (Also see New Technology)", "450 PPM  The IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report determined that atmospheric GHG emissions needed to stabilize at 450ppm in order to avoid a temperature rise of more than 2-2.4C. Atmospheric ppm are currently at 393 and are rising at a rate of about 2 ppm per year. In order to stabilize at 450 ppm, the developed world would need to reduce its emissions by 25-40% by 2020 and 80-90% by 2050 along with significant reductions in the emissions growth rate of developing countries 1. Only a handful of countries (all of them in Europe) have achieved any reduction in annual GHG emissions despite promises to do so going back to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.2 As a result, there is no evidence on which to reasonably conclude that atmospheric GHGs will be stabilized at 450ppm.  1. IPCC (2007). \"IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007 (AR4)\". Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.: Cambridge University Press.  2 The Guardian, World carbon dioxide emissions data by country: China speeds ahead of the rest. (31/1/11)."], "type": "binary", "id": "153"}
+{"question": "Is profiling an effective method to prevent terrorism?", "perspectives": ["Profiling is an effective method to prevent terrorism.", "Profiling is not an effective method to prevent terrorism."], "docs": ["Profiling would have caught many of the perpetrators of terrorism in recent years.  Profiling takes account of many more characteristics than an individual\u2019s ethnicity. Targeted checks would have caught, for example, the so called Christmas Day Bomber. Individuals who pay in cash for a one way flight while carrying no luggage, as Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab [i] did, are a fairly small group and it makes sense to target them.  Profiling is a great deal more subtle than a decision to target a single ethnic group. It is entirely possible to identify patterns in the behaviour of terrorists, drug mules and smugglers, and to respond to that accordingly.  Obviously, the more refined the profile can be, the better. It is incredibly unlikely that an affluent, Caucasian businessman with a return ticket for the following day is either a suicide bomber or a drug smuggler. Both common sense and statistics show this to be the case.  [i] \u201cObama vows to repair intelligence gaps behind Detroit airplane incident\u201d. The Washington post, 30 December 2009.", "It is incredibly unlikely that any randomly selected member of a particular group would be attempting to commit a crime. Racial, ethnic and identity groups are extremely large. Terrorist organisations, even al Qaeda, rarely contain more than a few hundred members. The relative proportion of individuals belonging to any particular identity group who also belongs to a terrorist organisation is likely to be impossibly small.  The impact of the perceptions of the communities involved, however, would be significant, allowing for accusations of racism and persecution.  Statistically, profiling would have very little impact: in 2005, US Airlines carried 745.7 million passengers. [i] Faced with figures like that random stoppages make far more sense.  Although exact figures are not available even if just two or three million fell within the profile group, it would be impossible to search all of them. The use of profiling, however, as a result of the PATRIOT Act, led to, among others, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy being stopped; it does not and cannot work. [ii]  [i] \u20182005 Total Airline System Passenger Traffic Up 4.6 Percent From 2004\u2019, Research and Innovative Transport Administration, 2006,   [ii] \u2018Senetor? Terrorist? A Watch List Stops Kennedy at Airport\u2019, Swarns, Rachel L., The New York Times, 20 August 2004,"], "type": "binary", "id": "154"}
+{"question": "Is it always beneficial for the military to be completely transparent about accidents?", "perspectives": ["It is always beneficial for the military to be completely transparent about accidents.", "It is not always beneficial for the military to be completely transparent about accidents."], "docs": ["Transparency prevents public relations disasters  Transparency is necessary to avoid public relations disasters; particularly in countries where the media has some freedom to investigate for themselves. It is clearly the best policy for the military to make sure all the information is released along with the reasons behind actions rather than having the media finding individual pieces of a whole and speculating to fill the gaps.  A good example would be a collision on 16th January 1966 between a B-52 bomber and a KC-135 tanker while attempting to refuel that destroyed both planes. Accidents happen, and this one cost 11 lives, but could have been much worse as the B-52 had four nuclear bombs on board were not armed and did not detonate. In this case an initial lack of information rapidly turned into a public relations disaster that was stemmed by much more openness by the military and the US Ambassador in Spain. The release of the information reduces the room for the press to fill in the gaps with harmful speculation. [1] In this case there was never much chance of national security implications or a break with Spain as the country was ruled by the dictator Franco, someone who would hardly pay attention to public opinion. But in a democracy a slow and closed response could seriously damage relations.  [1] Stiles, David, \u2018A Fusion Bomb over Andalucia: U.S. Information Policy and the 1966 Palomares Incident\u2019, Journal of War Studies, Vol.8, No.1, Winter 2006, pp.49-67, p.65", "This is clearly not always the case. Often transparency means that the public becomes aware when there is little need for them to know. There had been previous nuclear accidents that had caused no damage, and had not been noticed, such as in Goldsboro, N.C. in 1961. [1] If there had been a media frenzy fuelled by released information there would clearly have been much more of a public relations disaster than there was with no one noticing. Since there\u2019re was no harm done there is little reason why such a media circus should have been encouraged. And even without media attention the incident lead to increase safeguards.  [1] Stiles, David, \u2018A Fusion Bomb over Andalucia: U.S. Information Policy and the 1966 Palomares Incident\u2019, Journal of War Studies, Vol.8, No.1, Winter 2006, pp.49-67, p.51"], "type": "binary", "id": "155"}
+{"question": "Should animal research be banned to prevent harm to the animals involved?", "perspectives": ["Animal research should be banned to prevent harm to the animals involved.", "Animal research should not be banned to prevent harm to the animals involved."], "docs": ["Animal research causes severe harm to the animals involved  The point of animal research is that animals are harmed. Even if they don\u2019t suffer in the experiment, almost all are killed afterwards. With 115 million animals used a year this is a big problem. Releasing medical research animals in to the wild would be dangerous for them, and they would not be usable as pets. [4]. The only solution is that they are wild from birth.  It is obvious that it\u2019s not in the interest of animals to be killed or harmed. Research should be banned in order to prevent the deaths of millions of animals.", "What then is the interest of the animal? If releasing these animals into the wild would kill them then surely it is humane to put them down after the experiment. It must also be remembered that the interest of the animal is not the main and is outweighed by the benefits to humans. [5]"], "type": "binary", "id": "156"}
+{"question": "Is reliance on alternative therapies over conventional medicine advisable?", "perspectives": ["Reliance on alternative therapies over conventional medicine is advisable.", "Reliance on alternative therapies over conventional medicine is not advisable."], "docs": ["The overwhelming majority of practitioners of alternative therapies recommend that they be used in conjunction with conventional medicine. However, the rights and opinions of the patient are foremost and should be respected. In the case of cancer, since that is the study considered by proposition, there are many sufferers who decide that chemotherapy, a painful and protracted treatment, which rarely yields promising or conclusive results, may well be worse than the disease.  Of course there is a cost associated with alternative medicine, although it is as nothing compared with the cost of many medical procedures, notably in the US but also elsewhere. There are plenty of conventional practitioners willing to prescribe medications that may not be necessary or, at the very least, select medications on the basis of financial inducements from pharmaceutical companies.  Despite legal rulings [i] , such practices still take place; it would be disingenuous not to explore the extent to which commercial dealings influence the practice of conventional medicine.  Clearly advice should always be given on the basis of the needs of the patient. However, there are many circumstances in which conventional medicine fails to adhere to this principle. Venality and petty negligence are not behaviours that are exclusive to the world of alternative therapies.  [i] Tom Moberly. \u201cPrescribing incentive schemes are illegal says European Court\u201d. GP Magazine. 27 February 2010.", "Many alternative remedies, such as homeopathy, offer nothing but a false hope and can discourage patients from consulting a doctor with what may be serious symptoms  There are good reasons why new therapies are tested in scientific trials first, rather than just released on the public that it might work. The first is to weed out side-effects but the other is that if you give most people a medicine they will, not unreasonably, expect it to make them better.  An entire industry has grown out of alternative medicines. No doubt many alternative practitioners are well meaning, but this does not change the fact that people are making money out of something that, as far as anyone can determine, is basically snake oil.  Although many people take both alternative and established treatments, there are a growing number of patients who reject conventional medical wisdom ( there\u2019s an account of one such case here [i] ) in cases that prove fatal the availability of alternative medicines raises serious ethical and legal concerns, and also undermines the stringent regimes of monitoring and supervision that qualified medical professionals are subjected to..  [i] David Gorski. \u201cDeath by \u2018Alternative Medicine\u201d: Who\u2019s to blame?\u201d. Science-Based Medicine 2008."], "type": "binary", "id": "157"}
+{"question": "Is rehabilitation a more effective form of punishment than retribution?", "perspectives": ["Rehabilitation is a more effective form of punishment than retribution.", "Rehabilitation is not a more effective form of punishment than retribution."], "docs": ["Rehabilitation Is A Better General Justifying Aim for Punishment  Rehabilitation is the most valuable ideological justification for imprisonment, for it alone promotes the humanising belief in the notion that offenders can be saved and not simply punished. Desert (retributive) theory, on the other hand, sees punishment as an end in itself, in other words, punishment for punishment\u2019s sake. This has no place in any enlightened society.  An example can be taken from the aftermath of the London rioters, where 170 riot offenders under 18 are now in custody without firstly understanding the causes of the riots nor the reasons of why these people offended. [1]  The rehabilitative ideal does not ignore society and the victim. In fact it is because retribution places such great value on the prisoner\u2019s rights that it tries so hard to change the offender and prevent his reoffending. By seeking to reduce reoffending and to reduce crime, it seeks constructively to promote the safety of the public, and to protect individuals from the victimisation of crime. The public agrees; a 2008 poll of British citizens found 82% \u2018thought rehabilitation was as important, or more important than punishment as a criterion when sentencing criminals\u2019. [2] Such a model of punishment is therefore a more enlightened approach in a modern day criminal justice system. Our current system which focuses more on retribution does not have the possibility of seeking to prevent reoffending by curing the offender of their desire to reoffend.  [1] Malik, Shiv, \u2018UK riots cause 8% rise in jailed children\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 8 September 2011.  [2] Directgov. Rehabilitation versus punishment - judge for yourself. 1 July 2008 .", "A sanction should not merely be helpful \u2013 it should treat the offending conduct as wrong. The purpose of punishment is to show disapproval for the offender\u2019s wrongdoing, and to clearly condemn his criminal actions. This is what was and is being done with the offenders of the August riots, the most common example is of an the two men who attempted to organise riots using Facebook, both were sentenced to four years and shows societies disgust in the events of the riots and acts as a message for future. [1]  A prison sentence is as much a punishment for the offender as a symbol of the reaction of society. Society creates law as an expression of the type of society we are aiming to create. This is why we punish; we punish to censure (retribution), we do not punish merely to help a person change for the better (rehabilitation). We still have to punish a robber or a murderer, even if he is truly sorry and even if he would really, really never offend again and even if we could somehow tell that for certain. This is because justice, and not rehabilitation, makes sense as the justification for punishment.  Why is justice and censure (\u2018retribution\u2019) so important? Because unless the criminal justice system responds to persons who have violated society\u2019s rules by communicating, through punishment, the censure of that offending conduct, the system will fail to show society that it takes its own rules (and the breach of them) seriously. There are other important reasons as well: such as to convey to victims the acknowledgement that they have been wronged. Punishment, in other words, may be justified by the aim of achieving \u2018justice\u2019 and \u2018desert\u2019, and not by the aim of rehabilitation.  [1] Bowcott, Owen, Haroon Siddique and Andrew Sparrow, \u2018Facebook cases trigger criticism of \u2018disproportionate\u2019 riot sentences\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 17 August 2011 ."], "type": "binary", "id": "158"}
+{"question": "Are needle exchange programs effective in facilitating drug rehabilitation?", "perspectives": ["Needle exchange programs are effective in facilitating drug rehabilitation.", "Needle exchange programs are not effective in facilitating drug rehabilitation."], "docs": ["Needle exchanges can help social services to locate addicts who are in need of treatment  Needle exchanges allow drug addicts to see formal parts of the state that they often associate with negatively as institutions that can help them. This allows them to more positively associate with other state mechanisms such as rehabilitation clinics in the future.  This is further helped by clinic staff being able to recommend drug addicts to rehabilitation centres should they be looking for help and due to the more anonymous nature of clinic staff, drug addicts might ask for help from them as opposed to a closer person who they fear might judge them.  In addition, social services for addicts can be centred on needle exchanges. Rehabilitation clinics as well as simpler facilities such as washrooms can be centred there as well as clinics for disease diagnosis. Further, in the clinics themselves, posters and information pertaining to drug awareness can be circulated in order to help addicts.1, 2  1. Debra L. O\u2019Neill. \"Needle Exchange Programs: A Review of the Issues\". Missouri Institute of Mental Health. September 27, 2004 www.mimh200.mimh.edu/mimhweb/pie/reports/Needle%20Exchange.pdf  2. Noffs, David. \u201cShould Needle Exchange Programmes Be publicly Funded?\u201d Close to Home Online,", "Some studies have shown that there are relatively few referrals to drug treatment clinics from needle exchanges. This might be due to the fact that drug addicts who attain clean needles assume that they are now \u2018safe\u2019 taking drugs and as such see no need to get into rehab for their addiction.  Further, many needle exchanges are often unenthusiastic and ineffective at changing the behaviour of drug addicts. With the number of people who relapse despite the best care it can often be demoralising for staff and as such lead to lacklustre service that does not result in drug addicts getting clean.  Ultimately it can also be argued that more funding should simply be focused upon treatment if the rehabilitation of drug addicts is such an important part of this scheme.1, 2  1. Noffs, David. \u201cShould Needle Exchange Programmes Be Publically Funded?\u201d Close to Home Online,   2. \u201cReport: Needle Exchange Program Finds Mixed Success in Atlantic City.\u201d Drugfree.org January 22, 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "159"}
+{"question": "Should infant circumcision be banned due to its associated risks?", "perspectives": ["Infant circumcision should be banned due to its associated risks.", "Infant circumcision should not be banned due to its associated risks."], "docs": ["There is always a risk associated with surgery and taking such a risk for no particular reason is irresponsible  A report by the Royal Dutch Medical Association noted that there was not a single medical body in the world that could point, categorically to a medical need for circumcision of infants. It further concluded that \u201cThe fact that this practice is not medically necessary and entails a genuine risk of complications means that extra-stringent requirements must be established with regard to this type of information and advice.\u201d Yet this is a practice that is performed around the world by people with little or no medical training and accepted by parents as an instruction from God.  Studies from the US suggest that around 230 baby boys die in America every year as a direct result of hemorrhaging following circumcision [i] .  [i]", "There are, of course, risks in any medical procedure. However circumcision remains astonishingly safe. Furthermore, denying the parents of a child the right to raise that child in accordance with their own beliefs would represent an unacceptable intrusion by the state into its citizens\u2019 private and religious lives.  By implementing the resolution, a western liberal democratic state is obliging, say, orthodox Jewish parents, to compromise some of their most important moral and cultural beliefs. Ultra-orthodox Jewish groups believe, literally and without equivocation, that whoever breaks the covenant with God by not submitting to circumcision will be condemned for all eternity. The state should not compel parents (and children) to endure the moral, psychological and ideological turmoil associated with such a compromise; ultra-orthodox Jewish parents will see the state as forcing infinite harm upon their children.  There are risks to giving a child a bike or taking them on a plane. Parents are aware of this but act in what they consider to be the best interests of their child.  If we were to prevent parents from every taking a decision that might be risky for their children, they would never cross the street, eat a Big Mac or take up sports."], "type": "binary", "id": "160"}
+{"question": "Is defaulting a suitable solution for Greece's economic crisis?", "perspectives": ["Defaulting is a suitable solution for Greece's economic crisis.", "Defaulting is not a suitable solution for Greece's economic crisis."], "docs": ["In receiving financial support from the ECB and European Commission to prevent the escalation of a major banking collapse in Greece, the Greek Government would be expected to continue with reforms of the public sector. What\u2019s more, defaulting would grant the Greek Government more time to implement such reforms, making them more likely to succeed and less painful on the Greek populous. The oppositions fears are, therefore, unfounded.", "Defaulting would not solve Greece\u2019s problems  The proposition argue that the hardship endured by the default would only be temporary, but an analysis at the particular situation facing Greece indicates the opposite. Greece\u2019s problems arose from a horrifically inefficient public sector embedded within a mentality of corruption and tax evasion. Even if we assume that defaulting would eventually boost Greek exports and help the economy recover, this would not solve the underlying problems that caused the crisis in the first place. By leaving the Eurozone and defaulting, Greece would lose easy access to borrowing, meaning that taxpayers would soon have to face the reality that they would have to pay for the inefficiencies within the public sector and support all the other structures that need reform. [1] Greece must, therefore, address these underlying issues or face the exact same problems in the future. Given that solving these problems necessarily involve austerity measures and job cuts, it makes most sense for Greece to undergo these changes now (as it is with the current austerity measures), under the framework of IMF, ECB and European Commission funding and supervision.  [1] Barrell, Ray: \u201cEurozone crisis: what if\u2026 Greece leaves the single currency\u201d, 14 May 2012, The Guardian,"], "type": "binary", "id": "161"}
+{"question": "Should religious content be excluded from public service broadcasting due to its potentially offensive nature?", "perspectives": ["Religious content is excluded from public service broadcasting due to its potentially offensive nature.", "Religious content is not excluded from public service broadcasting due to its potentially offensive nature."], "docs": ["Many people find the views expressed by much of the church offensive, those views are given airtime, a public service broadcaster should provide a level playing field for ideas.  The role of a public service broadcaster, especially one of the stature of the BBC, is to provide a portal for ideas from all perspectives. There are many who take either irritation or offence at the idea that the Corporation devotes a disproportionate time and resources to what, in modern Britain, is a strictly minority interest [i] with fewer than seven per cent of people regularly attending religious worship.  Many perceive commonly held positions in the mainstream churches \u2013 let alone more extreme sects \u2013 to be offensive or reactionary and, in some cases, a cover for homophobic, illiberal or sexist opinions.  If religious opinion is to be granted this airtime for the benefit of a small, if vocal, minority then it seems both unfair and unprofessional for that broadcaster to be constrained by that groups views in relation to the rest of its output.  The BBC, like most major broadcasters, meets the challenge of divergent or conflicting views by providing some output that is considered likely to be of interest to each viewpoint.  [i] National Secular Society. Press Release: \u201cBBC Must Not Become the Evangelical Wing of the Church of England.\u201d 9 February 2010.", "Proposition are obfuscating attacks on the right to a free expression of religious faith, free of ridicule or threat for doing so behind the BBCs obligation to be fair. This right is established in national and international law where it is not treated as comparable to what someone might find interesting as part of the nights viewing. The latter is clearly trivial by comparison to the former.  Those leading the protests have been quite clear that they have no objection to free speech and discussing, and disagreeing with, various religious themes \u2013 so long as that is done in a respectful manner. It was offensive that it had been shown at the National Theatre and then in Cambridge; for it to be broadcast on the de facto \u2018flag carrier\u2019 of British broadcasting is simply unfair to the many Christian licence fee payers who help fund the BBC\u2019s output [i] .  [i] The Christian Voice. Statement from their website in 2005."], "type": "binary", "id": "162"}
+{"question": "Should all previous convictions be disclosed in every trial?", "perspectives": ["All previous convictions should be disclosed in every trial.", "Not all previous convictions should be disclosed in every trial."], "docs": ["Occasional disclosure of convictions leads to an inconsistent justice system.  At present in Britain, some previous convictions may be disclosed if they bear a striking resemblance to the case at trial, if the defendant falsely claims to be of good character, or if they attack the character of a prosecution witness [1] . However, different judges invariable interpret these criteria in different ways, which leads to a wavering standard of trail where previous convictions may or may not be revealed. It would be much more efficient and transparent to allow this motion and make court procedures more accessible.  [1] The Economist, \u2018Tilting the balance\u2019, 2 January 2003.", "The more obvious and efficient solution to this problem is to ensure a clearer standard of when previous convictions may or may not be disclosed, so that judges may act by the same standards. There is a simple solution to this particular complication; it would be an overreaction to suddenly change the entire court process by allowing this motion."], "type": "binary", "id": "163"}
+{"question": "Would a Greek default trigger a significant domino effect in the Eurozone?", "perspectives": ["A Greek default would trigger a significant domino effect in the Eurozone.", "A Greek default would not trigger a significant domino effect in the Eurozone."], "docs": ["A Greek default would have a negative domino-effect on other Eurozone countries.  A Greek default will leave tremendous shockwaves across the Eurozone. Investors will instantly become wary of default in Portugal, Spain, Italy or Ireland, particularly given the sudden nature of the Greek default. Consequently, huge volumes of capital will flow out of these countries and into other more secure ones like Germany and the Netherlands. [1] This will, in turn, heighten speculation about the danger of default of other Eurozone nations. Speculation of default is particularly dangerous because it drives demand for government bonds down. This leads to the interest payments on government bonds rising which in turn raises the interest rates governments need to pay on their outstanding debt. The new, higher payments governments must make on their debt increases their budget deficit % GDP ratio, thus making it more likely that the country will actually default. We thus see how increased fears about the future of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland that will arise from a Greek default, will cause big problems and will put even more strain on the ECB and primarily Germany in providing financial support.  [1] Kapoor, Sony, \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,", "The situation in Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal is not as extreme as that faced by Greece. It is therefore highly unlikely that a Greek default would have as severe a domino effect as the opposition suggests. Greece is the main source of political and economic uncertainty in the Eurozone, and their departure would ease the situation, facilitate investors and allow for the Eurozone to rally strongly. [1]  [1] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012"], "type": "binary", "id": "164"}
+{"question": "Does the arming of Syrian rebels risk dragging foreign powers into a prolonged conflict?", "perspectives": ["The arming of Syrian rebels risks dragging foreign powers into a prolonged conflict.", "The arming of Syrian rebels does not risk dragging foreign powers into a prolonged conflict."], "docs": ["Possibility of being drawn into a long drawn out conflict  Even just providing the rebels with arms risks drawing the powers that supply those arms into the conflict. [1] This is because it gives the intervening power a stake in the conflict. Once weapons have been supplied allowing the Syrian government to reassert control would be a large foreign policy reversal and would damage relations with the Syrian government for years to come.  We need only look at the Vietnam conflict to know that what starts out as a very small commitment can rapidly escalate when the government decides it cannot afford to back down. What starts as just arming the rebels could quickly lead to troops on the ground. Indeed it might require men on the ground right from the start as if we were to be providing heavy weapons the rebels would need training in how to use those weapons if they are to seriously be considered an equaliser.  [1] Byman, Daniel, in \u2018Roundtable: arming the Syrian rebels\u2019, Foreign Policy, 21 February 2013", "The strategic situation in Syria is nothing like that which meant the US felt it could not withdraw from Vietnam. There is no line of 'dominos' that could be knocked over in a row as a result of a victory by the Syrian government. Far from it, some of Syria's neighbours like Jordan may be strengthened by a government victory as it would halt the momentum of protest against rulers in the region. There is also no large scale outside power that would take advantage of Syrian government victory as was the case with the USSR in the Cold War. In this case such a result would mean a return to the status quo, not something the west would desire, but hardly a strategic disaster so cutting losses if the policy does not work would be comparatively easy."], "type": "binary", "id": "165"}
+{"question": "Is the proposed organ donation policy of granting priority to registered donors over non-donors effective and fair?", "perspectives": ["The proposed organ donation policy of granting priority to registered donors over non-donors is effective and fair.", "The proposed organ donation policy of granting priority to registered donors over non-donors is not effective and fair."], "docs": ["A Practical Solution  There are many mechanisms by which this policy could be implemented. The one common thread is that those hoping to receive organs would be divided into those registered as donors, and those who are non-donors. Potential recipients who are non-donors would only receive an organ if all requests by donors for such an organ are filled. For example, if there is a scarcity of donated kidneys with the B serotype, organ donors requiring a B kidney would all receive kidneys before any non-donors receive them. The existing metrics for deciding priority among recipients can still be applied within these lists \u2013 among both donors and non-donors, individuals could be ranked on who receives an organ first based on who has been on the waiting list longer, or who has more priority based on life expectancy; this policy simply adds the caveat that non-donors only access organs once all donors for their particular organ are satisfied. What defines a \u201cdonor\u201d could vary; it could be that they must have been a donor for a certain number of years, or that they must have been a donor prior to needing a transplant, or even a pledge to become a donor henceforth (and indeed, even if they are terminally ill and for other reasons do not recover, some of their organs may still be usable). Finally this policy need not preclude private donations or swaps of organs, and instead can simply be applied to the public system.", "The controversial part of this plan is how the status of \u201cdonor\u201d is determined. Each standard that could be used has massive, and sometimes monstrous, negative ramifications. If the requirement is that recipients be donors for a certain number of years beforehand, then people who have been donors for a substantial but still inadequate time are being perversely punished simply for not having been doing their civic duty long enough (see also \u201cpast decision they cannot now undo\u201d point below). If the standard is simply that they must have been a donor for any amount of time, however small, prior to needing the organ, this perversely encourages patients to hide their need for an organ long enough for them to register as donors and then collect their organ; any attempt to solve this would require doctors to report on their patients\u2019 need for organs, eroding patient privacy and turning the doctor-patient relationship adversarial. The last of the proposed standards, that the recipient only need to sign up to be a donor in the future, causes all the alleged benefits of this to policy evaporate; the average person will not sign up to become a donor, as they know that they can always sign up later in the event that they need an organ. This plan only gets any benefit whatsoever if healthy people are signing up to be donors as a cautionary measure, rather than a small group of sick and likely elderly people who only sign up when they need organs. In addition to reducing the pool of donors, such a standard which calls for people to be donors from the time of their need onwards would require a massive breach of body rights to enforce. In order to make it binding (and prevent people from de-registering as donors once they no longer need organs), the state would have to say that they can no longer withdraw their consent to be donors, which amounts to the state laying claim to their organs."], "type": "binary", "id": "166"}
+{"question": "Should reparations be made for the actions taken during the colonial era?", "perspectives": ["Reparations should be made for the actions taken during the colonial era.", "Reparations should not be made for the actions taken during the colonial era."], "docs": ["What happened during the colonial era was morally wrong.  The entire basis for colonisation was predicated on an innate \u2018understanding\u2019 and judgment of one superior culture and race [1] . This ethnocentric approach idolised western traditions while simultaneously undermining the traditions of the countries which were colonised. For example, during the colonisation of America, colonists imposed a Westernised school system on Native American children. This denied their right to wear traditional clothing [2] or to speak their native language [3] , and the children were often subject to physical and sexual abuse and forced labour [4] . The cause of this was simply ignorance of culture differences on behalf of the colonists, which was idyllically labelled and disguised as \u2018The White Man\u2019s Burden\u2019 [5] . Colonial powers undermined the social and property rights [6] of the colonies, using military force to rule if civilians should rebel against colonisation in countries such as India [7] . After Indian fighters rebelled against British colonial force in the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58 [8] , the British struck back with terrible force, and forced the rebels to \u2018lick up part of the blood\u2019 from the floors of the houses [9] . The actions which occurred during colonisation are considered completely inappropriate and undesirable behaviour in a modern world, and in terms of indigenous rights to culture and to property, as well as human rights more generally. Reparations would be a meaningful act of apology for the wrongs which were committed during the past.  [1] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [4] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [5] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [6] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [7] Accessed from  on 11/09/11.  [8] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [9] Accessed from  on 11/09/11", "This is a very one-sided assertion of past events. It was not only the colonists who acted in an unacceptable manner; for example, during the Indian Mutiny, a party of sepoys \u2018execute[d] the 210 women and children\u2019 with guns and knives [1] . Some, though horribly wounded, remained alive until morning [2] . History is very complex; while there were certainly atrocious events, it is unfair and untrue to apportion blame to only one party \u2013 namely, the colonists. In any case, in the face of such atrocities, it is completely superficial to imagine that mere money could wipe the slate clean. Reparations are used to correct a past wrong [3] ; it would be derogatory to assume that we can pay people off for acts such as these, and that they require no more hindsight or consideration.  [1] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 11/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 11/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "167"}
+{"question": "Should late-term abortions be forbidden?", "perspectives": ["Late-term abortions should be forbidden.", "Late-term abortions should not be forbidden."], "docs": ["The foetus feels pain  Partial-birth abortion is disgusting. Like all abortions, it involves the killing of an unborn child, but unlike first trimester abortions there is no doubt that the foetus can feel pain by the third trimester. [1] The procedure involves sticking a pair of scissors into a baby\u2019s brain, enlarging the hole, sucking the brain out with a catheter and then crushing the skull. It is entirely unacceptable to do this to a living human being. Psychological damage to the mother as a result of rape or teenage pregnancy or depression is in the end less significant than the physical damage - death - caused to the child.  [1] Lee, Susan J., et al., \u2018Fetal Pain, A Systematic Multidisciplinary Review of the Evidence\u2019, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol 294 (8), 2005,", "Nobody would choose to have a partial-birth abortion over a much simpler abortion in the first trimester. Partial-birth abortions are either medically or psychologically necessary. If a young mother either does not find out she is pregnant or is too scared to tell anyone, if a woman is raped and decides at any stage that she does not want the baby, if a woman is threatening suicide if she is forced to carry a baby to term, we should not make her suffer further by forbidding her from ending the pregnancy. For all sorts of reasons, many women do not seek any kind of medical help until late in their pregnancy - this should not mean they forfeit their right to an abortion. In any case, if abortion is allowed at all, and given that the foetus is not recognised in law as a human being, it should be nobody\u2019s business but the mother\u2019s whether and at what stage she chooses to have an abortion."], "type": "binary", "id": "168"}
+{"question": "Is Quebec's independence necessary for preserving its distinct language and culture?", "perspectives": ["Quebec's independence is necessary for preserving its distinct language and culture.", "Quebec's independence is not necessary for preserving its distinct language and culture."], "docs": ["Quebec needs to be independent to retain its distinct language and culture.  The only way to ensure that Quebecers get to retain their distinct culture is to gain independence as a country and remove themselves from the Canadian federation.  A very big issue for certain Quebecers is the threat that an overwhelmingly English-speaking country has on their pocket of distinct French-Quebecois culture [1] . The unrestricted immigration of English-speaking Canadians to Quebec has diluted the culture of the Quebecois and has set off the process of cultural-loss and the highly feared loss of their language [2] . Moreover, whenever Quebec has tried to put in place provisions to protect their culture and language, such as with Bill 101 [3] , Quebec is called racist and Canadian Federal Courts try to strike down their laws to stop their \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against English-speaking Canadians in their province [4] .  The only way that Quebec can protect its language and culture is to be able to stop the unrestricted flow of English-speaking immigration into its territory and gain complete control over its own law and cultural policy. The only way to do this is to gain independence from Canada.  [1] \"Only Quebec independence can protect French language: PQ strategist.\" CBS News Canada 26 Nov 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  .  [2] \"Only Quebec independence can protect French language: PQ strategist.\" CBS News Canada 26 Nov 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  .  [3] \"Bill 101.\" The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web. 1 Dec 2011. <  .  [4] \"Bill 101.\" The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web. 1 Dec 2011. <  .", "Although it may be true that traditional Quebecois culture is under threat, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Cultures change and evolve to reflect the rich history of a territory and its peoples and the interaction with Anglophonic Canadians is a very important part of that history that should be reflected in Quebecois culture.  Moreover, Quebec is more than able to institute language laws and cultural policy, as they were able to continue the vast majority of the provisions in Bill 101 [1] after it was struck down once they stripped out the parts that explicitly discriminated against English-speaking Canadians and once they enacted the Constitutional not-withstanding clause that the Canadian constitution has in place to help accommodate Provincial diversity such as this. Further to this, Canada is officially a bilingual country, and thus the linguistic and cultural rights of the French are constitutionally protected by the Federal government not only within Quebec but in wider Canadian society. It is simply fallacious to claim that the Canadian government does not recognize or protect the distinct culture and language of French Canadians.  [1] \"Bill 101.\" The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web. 1 Dec 2011. <  ."], "type": "binary", "id": "169"}
+{"question": "Does technology provide stable employment opportunities for African youths?", "perspectives": ["Technology provides stable employment opportunities for African youths.", "Technology does not provide stable employment opportunities for African youths."], "docs": ["Technology has driven youths to identify new markets  A key technology for youths are mobile phones and devices. Across West and East Africa the possession of mobile phones has enabled citizens to network and form solutions to social problems. By 2015, there are expected to be 1 billion mobile cellular subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa (Sambira, 2013). This is the first African generation directly accessing high-technology, although uncertainty remains in the amount of youths having access to technology. Through mobile phones new business opportunities, and flows of money, are being created. Furthermore, mobile phones are providing innovative solutions to health care treatment, ensuring better health for future entrepreneurs and youths.  SlimTrader is a positive example [1] . SlimTrader uses mobile phones to provide a range of vital services - from airplane and bus tickets to medicine. The innovative e-commerce provides a space to advertise skills, products, and opportunities - to, on the one hand, identify new consumer demands; and on another hand, create notices to exchange goods.  Mobile technology is making it faster, quicker, and simpler to tap into new markets [2] .  [1] See further readings: SlimTrader, 2013; Ummeli, 2013.  [2] See further readings: Nsehe, 2013. Inspite of challenges Patrick Ngowi has earned millions through the construction of Helvetic Solar Contractors.", "Currently 3 in 4 youths work informally or within vulnerable employment - working without a formal written contract (Work4Youth, 2013). Although technology may create new markets it will not change the type of employment youths engage in. The use of technology will mean a majority of youths will continue to work informally - without access to social security, a valuable pension scheme, and social protection in the event of a crisis. Self-employment and having the flexibility to connect to different markets provides a temporary fix and income. Stability and security is not provided for youths."], "type": "binary", "id": "170"}
+{"question": "Does collective bargaining undermine democracy?", "perspectives": ["Collective bargaining undermines democracy.", "Collective bargaining does not undermine democracy."], "docs": ["Collective bargaining undermines the democractic process  The bargain between normal unions and private enterprise involves all parties being brought to the table and talking about the issues that they might have. However, the public sector represents the benefits of taxpayers, the politicians and the unions. The power that unions exercises means that negotiations can happen without the consent or involvement of the public sector\u2019s stakeholders, the public.  Even though power in a democracy is usually devolved to the politicians for this purpose, given the highly politicised nature of union negotiations, government office-holders who supervise union negotiations may act inconsistently with the mandate that the electorate have given them. This is because public unions often command a very large block of voters and can threaten politicians with this block of voters readily. This is not the same as a private business where officials aren\u2019t elected by their workers. As such, collective bargaining rights for public union undermine the ability of taxpayers to dictate where their money is being spent significantly.1  \u201cUnion Bargaining Just A Dream For Many Gov Workers.\u201d Oregan Herald. 27/02/2011", "Collective bargaining might hurt the democratic process due to its political nature, but the alternative is worse. Without collective bargaining it is incredibly difficult for public sector workers to get across their ideas of what their pay should be to their employers. This leads to worse consequences because public sector workers who feel underpaid or overworked will often move to the private sector for better job opportunities in the future as well as a better collective bargaining position. Further, those public sector workers that do stay will be unhappy in their positions and will likely do a worse job at work.  Given that this is true and the fact that public sector workers often choose to do their jobs out of a sense of duty or love for the profession, it is fair that the taxpayers should be placed in a position where they are required to trust the public sector and the politicians to work out deals that end up being in favour of the entire state, not just a small minority.1  Bloomberg, Michael. \u201cLimit Pay, Not Unions.\u201d New York Times. 27/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "171"}
+{"question": "Is the extraction of natural resources effectively reducing poverty in Africa?", "perspectives": ["The extraction of natural resources is effectively reducing poverty in Africa.", "The extraction of natural resources is not effectively reducing poverty in Africa."], "docs": ["Bring Africa out of poverty  The African continent has the highest rate of poverty in the world, with 40% of sub-Saharan Africans living below the poverty line. Natural resources are a means of increasing the quality of life and the standard of living as long as revenues are reinvested into the poorest areas of society. There are 35 countries in Africa which already conduct direct transfers of resource dividends to the poor through technology or in person [1] . In Malawi, \u00a3650,192.22 was given out in dividends to the poorest in society ensuring that they were given $14 a month in 2013 [2] . This ensures that there is a large base of citizens profiting from natural resources which increases their income and, in turn, their Human Development Index scores [3] .  [1] Devarajan, S. \u2018How Africa can extract big benefits for everyone from natural resources\u2019 in The Guardian 29/06/13   [2] Dzuwa,J. \u2018Malawi: Zomba Rolls out Scial Cash Transfer Programme\u2019 Malawi News Agency 11 June 2013   [3] Ibid", "Despite projects such as direct dividends, the gap between rich and poor is still worsened by natural resources. Investment from the profits of natural resources in human development is relatively low in Africa. In 2006, 29 of the 31 lowest scoring countries for HDI were in Africa, a symptom of low re-investment rates [1] . Generally it is only the economic elite who benefit from any resource extraction, and reinvestment rarely strays far from urban areas [2] . This increases regional and class inequality, ensuring poverty persists.  [1] African Development Bank \u2018African Development Report 2007\u2019 pg.110   [2] Ibid"], "type": "binary", "id": "172"}
+{"question": "Does the existence of evil in the world disprove the existence of a benevolent deity?", "perspectives": ["The existence of evil in the world disproves the existence of a benevolent deity.", "The existence of evil in the world does not disprove the existence of a benevolent deity."], "docs": ["If there is a benevolent deity, then there should not be the kinds of evil observable in the world and He would likely show more interest in His creation than He appears to have done so far:  If God, or the gods, were good there would be no evil in the world. Disasters would not kill millions of innocents, disease and hunger would not claim the lives of children every day, war and genocide would not slaughter people indiscriminately as they have done for countless bloody millennia. The world is awash with blood, pain, and suffering. No loving God would make a world so imperfect and troubled. [1] The world\u2019s ills are perfectly explained by the natural, amoral development of the Universe, of life, and of humanity. The reality of the Universe, however, is incompatible with a God of goodness, as He is conventionally described by today\u2019s predominant religions, which stem from the Abrahamic tradition.  [1] Tooley, Michael. 2009. \u201cThe Problem of Evil\u201d. Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Available:", "Evil may be thought of as the absence of good. It is a privation of goodness, just as darkness is the absence of light. God is good and the embodiment of goodness, but humans have been endowed with free will; they can make the choice not to follow the path of good. People have the ability to make both good and bad choices; if they did not then they would not truly be free. God\u2019s greatest gift to humanity is thus also a heavy burden. [1]  [1] Kekes, John. 1990. Facing Evil. Princeton: Princeton University Press."], "type": "binary", "id": "173"}
+{"question": "Is it inappropriate for Internet Service Providers to charge based on the type and size of data used by customers?", "perspectives": ["It is inappropriate for Internet Service Providers to charge based on the type and size of data used by customers.", "It is not inappropriate for Internet Service Providers to charge based on the type and size of data used by customers."], "docs": ["Privacy  This was the clinching argument in the Dutch example. Labour MP Martijn van Dam, one of the bill\u2019s co-authors said that Dutch ISP KPN was similar to \u201ca postal worker who delivers a letter, looks to see what\u2019s in it and then claims he hasn\u2019t read it. It is simply a basic principle of the Internet that for it to continue working as it does now, all data needs to be treated the same otherwise judgements will be formed on \u2018right\u2019 and \u2018wrong\u2019 data [i] .  The principle here is that the data being used is simply none of the ISPs business. Their job is simply to provide an agreed bandwidth, at an agreed price to the end user. How the end user makes use of that band width is up to them. If, for example, they\u2019re choosing to Skype from a mobile device \u2013 one of the points of contention \u2013 it\u2019s hard to see what that has to do with the ISP.  [i] PCWorld. Matthew Honan, MacWorld. \u201cInside Net Neutrality: Privacy and BitTorrent. 14 February 2008.", "The postal worker analogy is an interesting one. Certainly, the end user wouldn\u2019t want the worker snooping through their mail; however they would expect to pay more for the stamp if they were sending a parcel \u2013 the equivalent of sending voice messages or receiving films rather than email and text. It is also not directly analogous to a postman looking at the contents of someone\u2019s mail because to tell what type of data it is and the size ISPs don\u2019t read the content of the data."], "type": "binary", "id": "174"}
+{"question": "Does freedom of expression include the right to internet access?", "perspectives": ["Freedom of expression includes the right to internet access.", "Freedom of expression does not include the right to internet access."], "docs": ["Internet access is a necessary part of the right to freedom of information and expression.  Freedom of expression and speech and freedom of information is a fundamental freedom and is article 19 in the universal declaration of human rights. This is usually taken to have three parts for governments to uphold: a duty to respect, for the government not to interfere with the freedom to impart information, a duty to protect, preventing interference with lawful communications and, a duty to fulfil, a duty to provide government held information. [1] Access to the internet falls within this. The duty to respect means that governments cannot block access for people wishing to use the internet to express themselves. The duty to protect means government should prevent others from interfering with internet users and the duty to fulfil could easily be taken just a little bit further to having to provide access to the internet. Freedom of expression therefore covers a freedom to access the internet as it already provides for a freedom to access mediums to express ones\u2019 self.  [1] Callamard, Agnes, \u2018Towards a Third Generation of Activism for the Right to Freedom of Information\u2019, in Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and Empowerment of People, UNESCO, 2009 pp.43-57. p.44", "This is taking the freedom of expression too far. A freedom to impart information does not mean the freedom to impart it through whatever medium the individual wishes simply through a method of communication. It is also taking it too far to consider that the government has a duty to prevent others from interfering with individual\u2019s access as this is impractical. Governments should not have the power to interfere with private businesses that may wish to deny internet users access for things like not paying their bills. The third interpretation is interpreting this freedom much too broadly, human rights are meant to prevent the government from oppressing their citizens rather than forcing government to provide something."], "type": "binary", "id": "175"}
+{"question": "Is the current asylum system ineffective and prone to abuse?", "perspectives": ["The current asylum system is ineffective and prone to abuse.", "The current asylum system is not ineffective and prone to abuse."], "docs": ["The Whole System is broken  It is not clear that the system works at all. The majority of those who apply for asylum are working-age males, [1] which implies that there is a strong economic angle. And worse still, even if countries decide that an applicant has no basis to their claim they are frequently unable to deport them because they often go missing, as 75,000 in Britain have, [2] or because, perversely, they may be punished on return to their country for having sought refuge. So essentially the asylum system provides a loophole for unrestricted immigration, which is both expensive, and dangerous for states. In the age of global terrorism it is a huge risk to allow undocumented individuals to enter and roam freely within any country.  [1] Blinder, Scott, \u2018Migration to the UK: Asylum\u2019, The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, 23 March 2011.  [2] Whitehead, Tom, \u201975,000 asylum seekers have gone missing in past 20 years\u2019, The Telegraph, 6 April 2011.", "Much of the fear of the asylum system being used by economic migrants is simply media hysteria and xenophobia. The vast majority of asylum claims (in the UK around 75%) are still rejected, which shows the system works. [1] Also it is not being abused in the way many people believe. Very few people are willing to leave their family and community, pay to travel thousands of miles to new country, in risky circumstances, with only a small chance of being accepted there, unless they have real reason to fear for their safety. The numbers of people seeking asylum are not historically unprecedented either, and most applicants still come from countries we recognise as dangerous, such as Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Compared to other forms of immigration the numbers who are accepted via the asylum regime are negligible.  [1] Blinder, \u2018Migration to the UK: Asylum\u2019, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "176"}
+{"question": "Is it feasible for Israel to remove settlements and revert to its 1967 borders?", "perspectives": ["It is feasible for Israel to remove settlements and revert to its 1967 borders.", "It is not feasible for Israel to remove settlements and revert to its 1967 borders."], "docs": ["Israel has forcibly removed settlements when transferring back occupied land in the past, most notably in 1982 in the Sinai and 2005 in Gaza. While difficult, it is possible, and any ensuing difficulties are the fault of the Israeli government for allowing these settlements in the first place, and as such the cost (of not having their own state) should not be borne by the Palestinian people.", "Many Israelis now live in the occupied territories.  Israel has more than just national security at stake in the occupied territory of the West Bank -hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens now live there, many in areas which are not strategically essential (the areas described above). Between the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (all outside of Israel's 1967 borders), over 400,000 Israelis live in settlements in the occupied territories. [1] These ever-expanding settlements represent a barrier to Israeli withdrawing to its 1967 borders. In 1993, when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat famously shook hands on the White House lawn, there were only 109,000 Israelis living in settlements across the West Bank (not including Jerusalem). Today there are more than 230 settlements and strategically placed 'outposts' designed to cement a permanent Jewish presence on Palestinian land. [2] Forcibly removing these settlers would be too difficult, could foment a kind of Jewish civil war, and would create a level of resentment among fundamentalist Jews that would likely inflame the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Furthermore it should be remembered that these settlers are Israeli citizens, with families, who moved to these areas because the Israeli government told them it was safe and that they would be allowed to stay, and thus Israel has a moral duty to live up to these promises by not withdrawing. Israel cannot afford this sort of internal turmoil, and should not neglect its duty to protect the rights of these citizens, and so it should not withdraw to its 1967 borders.  [1] Levinson, Chaim. \u201cIDF: More than 300,000 settlers live in West Bank\u201d. Haaretz.com. 27 July 2009.   [2] Tolan, Sandy. \u201cGeorge Mitchell and the end of the two-state solution\u201d. The Christian Science Monitor. 4 February 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "177"}
+{"question": "Is expanding Heathrow Airport beneficial for the UK's economy?", "perspectives": ["Expanding Heathrow Airport is beneficial for the UK's economy.", "Expanding Heathrow Airport is not beneficial for the UK's economy."], "docs": ["The expansion of Heathrow is vital for the economy  Expanding Heathrow would ensure many current jobs as well as creating new ones. Currently, Heathrow supports around 250,000 jobs. [1] Added to this many hundreds of thousands more are dependent upon the tourist trade in London which relies on good transport links like Heathrow. Loosing competitiveness in front of other European airports not only could imply wasting the possibility to create new jobs, but lose some of those that already exist. Expansion of Heathrow would also be building a vital part of infrastructure at a time when British infrastructure spending is very low as a result of the recession so helping to boost growth. Good flight connections are critical for attracting new business and maintaining current business. This is because aviation infrastructure is important for identifying new business opportunities. The UK\u2019s economic future depends on trading not just with traditional destinations in Europe and America but also with the expanding cities of China and India, cities such as Chongqing and Chengdu. [2] Businesses based in these cities will be much more likely to invest in Britain with direct flights. [3]  [1] BBC News, \u2018New group backs Heathrow expansion\u2019, 21 July 2003,   [2] Duncan, E., \u2018Wake up. We need a third runway\u2019. The Times, 2012,   [3] Salomone, Roger, \u2018Time to up the ante on roads and airports\u2019, EEF Blog, 2 April 2013,", "The business community is far from united in its supposed support of a third run-way. Surveys suggest that many influential businesses in fact do not support expansion. A letter expressing concern was signed by Justin King the Chief Executive of J Sainsbury and BskyB\u2019s James Murdoch. [1] Therefore to conflate the business community as one voice calling for expansion is misguided. We should also remember, when considering the alternatives to Heathrow\u2019s new run-way such as a new runway at another London airport or a completely new airport, that these would likely have a similar economic impact as the Heathrow expansion would. If it is the connections that matter to bring in business and tourists then so long as the connection is with London it does not matter which airport the connection is from. There may even be less need for the airport to be a hub airport if we are focused on benefits to London as Bob Ayling, former British Airways Chief Executive stated Heathrow should be focused on passengers that want to come to London not simply as a transfer point, he said that a third runway could therefore be \u201ca costly mistake\u201d. [2]  [1] Osborne, Alistair, \u2018Kingfisher chief Ian Cheshire questions Heathrow runway success\u2019, The Telegraph, 13 July 2009,   [2] Stewart, John, \u2018A briefing on Heathrow from HACAN: June 2012\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "178"}
+{"question": "Is Quebec's secession from Canada a democratic decision?", "perspectives": ["Quebec's secession from Canada is a democratic decision.", "Quebec's secession from Canada is not a democratic decision."], "docs": ["Quebec is in a unique position as the homeland for French-speaking Canadians and therefore has a very different mandate than a normal state or province. Quebec has an obligation to the rights of French Canadians as a group due to its unique position, and just because Anglo-Canadians have migrated to Quebec does not mean that the primacy of this special obligation has disappeared because the mandate\u2019s representation within its territory has been diluted.", "This is not the will of the people of Quebec.  Secession from Canada would not be a fair or adequate representation of the will of the people of Quebec.  The most recent referendum and all current polling data suggest that an overwhelming majority of Quebecers are opposed to Quebec seeking independence from Canada [1] . The government of Quebec pursuing such a policy is only representative of a very small minority of people in Quebec, and therefore is undemocratic in nature. Moreover, this policy explicitly denies consideration or enfranchisement for the very large populations of Anglophone Quebecers who also deserve representation, and whose interests are being wholly discounted to pursue this one policy on behalf of the Francophones in their province.  Therefore, pursuing secession is both wholly undemocratic, but also specifically disenfranchises a very large portion of the population entirely in a trade-off for one specific policy that doesn\u2019t appeal strongly to anyone beyond a very small minority of citizens.  [1] Chung, Andrew. \"Sovereignty \"outmoded,\" Quebec poll indicates.\" Star 19 May 2010, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  ."], "type": "binary", "id": "179"}
+{"question": "Is it acceptable to use killing as an option in certain conditions?", "perspectives": ["It is acceptable to use killing as an option in certain conditions.", "It is not acceptable to use killing as an option in certain conditions."], "docs": ["The specific circumstances of every case need to be taken into account. In this case someone will definitely lose their life and one\u2019s decision is to decide how to minimize the damage done. It is wrong to suggest that this is an act of killing; instead it is an attempt to reduce the number of deaths in a tragic situation. Pulling the lever is not an act that the person would do if the five people were not tied down and so it is very different from an act of intentional murder.", "We do not want a society in which killing can be acceptable  As soon as we agree that there are situations where killing is acceptable we have reason to fear for our own safety. By accepting killing in certain situations society as a whole becomes more open to the idea. It then becomes hard to draw the line as to where killing is acceptable and where killing is unacceptable. It is much better to outlaw all instances of killing so that we have a general moral standard to follow in all situations."], "type": "binary", "id": "180"}
+{"question": "Does engaging in negotiations and easing sanctions encourage North Korea's provocative behavior?", "perspectives": ["Engaging in negotiations and easing sanctions encourages North Korea's provocative behavior.", "Engaging in negotiations and easing sanctions does not encourage North Korea's provocative behavior."], "docs": ["Providing attention simply encourages the regime  North Korea has an attention seeking cycle on the go that was used by Kim Jong Il and now seems to be used by his son Kim Jong Un. Essentially North Korea takes a provocative action (as big or small as it thinks necessary \u2013 this may be a missile launch, right up to some kind of military attack) in order to grab the world\u2019s attention. There is then a period where there are condemnations and threats to increase sanctions that usually don\u2019t get anywhere as they are blocked by China. The North Korean regime will then proclaim a willingness to do business and negotiate giving minor concessions on the issue of the provocation in return for aid or whatever the regime happens to want at the time. Of course whatever concession it gives is easily reversible so setting up another round. [1] This is a good deal for North Korea as it essentially gets aid in return for bad behaviour, it is therefore not surprising that the North is willing to continue engaging in bad behaviour.  [1] Hong, Adrian, \u2018How to Free North Korea\u2019, Foreign Policy, 19 December 2011,", "Negotiations to defuse the cause of the immediate tension, and sanctions to encourage North Korea to the negotiating table are sensible, proportionate responses to North Korean actions. It is difficult to see how sanctions can be seen as encouraging even if those sanctions are then eased when North Korea climbs down."], "type": "binary", "id": "181"}
+{"question": "Is cultural appropriation harmful to societal harmony in the context of globalisation?", "perspectives": ["Cultural appropriation is harmful to societal harmony in the context of globalisation.", "Cultural appropriation is not harmful to societal harmony in the context of globalisation."], "docs": ["globalisation and multiculturalism.  Cultural appropriation prevents assimilation between members of society and creates further divisions based on arbitrary features of one\u2019s ancestry or appearance. If reparations (through the use of compensation) were to occur in addition to this, it would create a more polarised and divided society as an 'us and them' culture is created.  A consequence of globalisation is the movement of people and the diffusion of knowledge [1]. This happens on a mass scale where it is possible for a person from India to travel across the globe to the United Kingdom (UK) and get there within 24 hours of booking their flight. With this, the spread of technology and knowledge it is inevitable that culture and identity does not remain fixed either. It also means that an increasing amount of people have more than one culture. A direct consequence of increased migration is that migrants are likely to bring with them their cultural customs. An example of this can be seen in the UK. As the UK faced more migrants from the Sub-continent of India, the popularity of different curries increased, and not just among those of Indian decent. In such circumstances cultures begin to merge as the traditional 'Chicken Tikka' recipe was adapted into a localised version called 'Chicken Tikka Masala' and was, in 2001, declared the UK's national dish.  Without globalisation, Britain's \u00a33.6bn Indian restaurant industry would not exist and it would fail to employ approximately 100,000 people [2]. Any reparations would be paltry compared to the jobs that this industry has created over decades.  This is a positive thing; it brings cultures together, encourages understanding, innovation and cooperation. Forcing people to compensate for the appropriation of a culture may mean that there is less social harmony as divisions are forced between cultures. For the following generations of migrants will be forced to choose a culture as cultural appropriation encourages division between the two.  [1] Stief, Colin, \u2018Globalization\u2019, ThoughtCo., 3rd March 2017,   [2] Wintor, Patrick, \u2018Chicken tikka Britain is new Cook recipe\u2019, The Guardian, 19 April 2001,", "Whilst globalisation is occurring and creating multibillion dollar industries all over the world, cultures are not fully immersed in each other. Nor should we want them to be as we don\u2019t want a global monoculture. Far from sparking divisions compensation can create harmony as it forces cultures to understand and tolerate each other by learning what is acceptable and what is not. Preventing stealing of culture will encourage greater attribution of where ideas come from preventing smaller cultures from becoming marginalised in a globalised world."], "type": "binary", "id": "182"}
+{"question": "Is it always beneficial for foreign nations to impose democracy in places where it isn't initially present?", "perspectives": ["It is always beneficial for foreign nations to impose democracy in places where it isn't initially present.", "It is not always beneficial for foreign nations to impose democracy in places where it isn't initially present."], "docs": ["Imposing democracy can be a way to support individuals unable to fight for democracy themselves.  If the people within a nation want democracy, it is not wrong -- indeed it may even be morally required -- for us to assist them by imposing democracy against the will of the governing class. Often internal movements lack resources, weapons, or organization, making the fight for democracy very difficult. When individuals seek to defend their rights against an oppressive regime, other nations do them a disservice by allowing evil to win out. Thus NATO's intervention in Libya was in support of rebels often seen as part of the 'Arab spring' wave of democratization but the internal movement even if it had large amounts of support was being suppressed and would have been destroyed without outside intervention1.  1 Traub, James. \"Stepping In\", Foreign Policy", "First, it is not clear whether such a position is topical. Second, it is better to support protesters in this case, rather than taking the lead.  To begin with, it is not clear that assisting individuals in the fight for democracy is a valid interpretation of the phrase \"imposing democracy\": if the majority of people want it, perhaps it is not really an imposition. But second and more importantly, if internal movements exist, foreign nations should seek to strengthen and support those movements rather than impose a government. Democratic governments gain legitimacy through popular support: both in origin and in survival. A government chosen and filled by the citizenry is far more legitimate, and thus more likely to command respect and maintain order, than one enforced by a foreign regime."], "type": "binary", "id": "183"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty disproportionately benefit Russia over the United States?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty disproportionately benefits Russia over the United States.", "The New START treaty does not disproportionately benefit Russia over the United States."], "docs": ["The New START treaty helps Russia more than the US  Not only does New START leave in place Russia\u2019s extant tactical nuclear advantage but it has further loopholes for Russian weapons. As Mitt Romney argued in 2010: \"Does the treaty provide gaping loopholes that Russia could use to escape nuclear weapon limits entirely? Yes. For example, multiple warhead missile bombers are counted under the treaty as only one warhead. While we currently have more bombers than the Russians, they have embarked on new programs for long-range bombers and for air-launched nuclear cruise missiles. Thus, it is no surprise that Russia is happy to undercount missiles on bombers.\" [1]  New START also fails to limit rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which Russia could potentially make use of. The definition of rail-mobile ICBM launchers was established in the expired START as \u201can erector-launcher mechanism for launching ICBMs and the railcar or flatcar on which it is mounted.\u201d [2] This and associated restrictions and limitations in START, are not in the New START. This makes it possible for Russia to claim that any new Rail Mobile ICBMs are not subject to New START limitations. [3] Mitt Romney worries that Russia is already working to take advantage of these omissions: \u201cAs drafted, it lets Russia escape the limit on its number of strategic nuclear warheads. Loopholes and lapses -- presumably carefully crafted by Moscow -- provide a path to entirely avoid the advertised warhead-reduction targets. \u2026. These omissions would be consistent with Russia's plans for a new heavy bomber and reports of growing interest in rail-mobile ICBMs.\" [4]  This means that under the treaty limits, the United States is the only country that must reduce its launchers and strategic nuclear weapons. Russia has managed to negotiate the treaty limits so that they simply restrict it to reductions it was already planning to do. As a result the United States is making what are effectively unilateral reductions. [5] Therefore, New START is an unequal treaty as it offers more to Russia than to the US. This is bad for the balance of power and thus bad for world peace, and so New START should be opposed.  [1] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.   [2] \u2018Terms and Definitions\u2019, The Treaty Between The United States Of America And The Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics On The Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms And Associated Documents, 1991,   [3] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [4] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.   [5] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.", "The New START treaty does not help Russia more than it does the United States. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates argued at the time the Russians are currently \u201cabove the treaty limits. So they will have to take down warheads.\u201d [1] If there really is undercounting of missiles on bombers then it affects both sides equally \u2013 as Romney says \u201cWhile we currently have more bombers than the Russians\u201d, so this too should not be a worry. Russia does not currently deploy rail-mobile ICBMs and neither does the United States, explain why the definitions are not there. However the State Department argues that \u201cIf a Party develops and deploys rail-mobile ICBMs, such missiles, their warheads, and their launchers would be subject to the Treaty.\u201d As the definitions of ICBM launchers would include them. [2] Finally we should recognize that we do not know that Russia would have reduced its bomber and missile forces without a new treaty, while Russia has more difficulty maintaining its nuclear forces than the United States so has more incentive to reduce them, but without a treaty it might even increase its forces due to a desire to keep parity with the United States while the US has a big lead in conventional weapons. [3]  Furthermore, any agreement made between Russia and the US needs to be one that benefits both parties, it does not matter if someone is getting more than the other. Getting an agreement that meets the needs of both countries is far more important, because it will be upheld more so than one that simple gives both countries the same. Fair and efficent does not mean spilting a pie in half, if one only wanted the crust, and the other only wanted the filling.  [1] Isaacs, John, \u2018Rebuttals to Additional Arguments Against \u201cNew START\u201d\u2019, The Center For Arms Control And Non-Proliferation,   [2] Bureau of Verification, Compliance, and Implementation, \u2018Rail-Mobile Launchers of ICBMs and their Missiles\u2019, U.S. Department of State, 2 August 2010,   [3] Isaacs, John, \u2018Rebuttals to Additional Arguments Against \u201cNew START\u201d\u2019, The Center For Arms Control And Non-Proliferation,"], "type": "binary", "id": "184"}
+{"question": "Is the lack of transparency in military operations necessary to protect lives?", "perspectives": ["The lack of transparency in military operations is necessary to protect lives.", "The lack of transparency in military operations is not necessary to protect lives."], "docs": ["In security too much transparency endangers lives  Transparency is all very well when it comes to how much is being spent on a new tank, aircraft, or generals houses, but it is very different when it comes to operations. Transparency in operations can endanger lives. With intelligence services transparency would risk the lives of informants; it is similar with the case of interpreters for US forces in Iraq who were targeted after they were told they could not wear masks because they are considered to be traitors. [1]  In military operations being open about almost anything could be a benefit to the opposition. Most obviously things like the timing and numbers involved in operations need to be kept under wraps but all sorts of information could be damaging in one way or another. Simply because a state is not involved in a full scale war does not mean it can open up on these operations. This is why the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen in response to WikiLeaks said \u201cMr. Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing\u2026 But the truth is they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family.\u201d [2]  [1] Londo\u00f1o, Ernesto, \u2018U.S. Ban on Masks Upsets Iraqui Interpreters\u2019, Washington Post, 17 November 2008  [2] Jaffe, Greg, and Partlow, Joshua, \u2018Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen: WikiLeaks release endangers troops, Afghans\u2019, Washington Post, 30 July 2010", "Clearly transparency in real time might cause some problems allowing the disruption of ongoing operations. However most of the time information could be released very shortly afterwards rather than being considered secret for 25-30 years. [1] A much shorter timeframe is needed if the transparency is to have any meaning or impact upon policy. In the case of WikiLeaks most of the information was already a couple of years old and WikiLeaks said it made sure that there was no information that could endanger lives released.  We should also remember that a lack of transparency can also endanger lives; this might be the case if it leads to purchases of equipment of shoddy equipment without the proper oversight to ensure everything works as it should. For example many countries purchased bomb detectors that are made out of novelty golf ball finders, just plastic, that do not work from a Briton looking to make a fast buck. It has for example been used to attempt to find car bombs in Iraq. A little transparency in testing and procurement could have gone a long way in protecting those who have to use the equipment. [2]  [1] National Security Forum, No More Secrets, American Bar Association, March 2011, p.8  [2] AFP, \u2018Iraq still using phony bomb detectors at checkpoints\u2019, globalpost, 3 May 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "185"}
+{"question": "Is education the primary factor in women's empowerment?", "perspectives": ["Education is the primary factor in women's empowerment.", "Education is not the primary factor in women's empowerment."], "docs": ["Who are the women?  Women are a diverse group, and the feminisation of labour has incorporated a range of women of different ages, race, socioeconomic backgrounds and education. Such intersectionalities are important to recognise, as not all women are empowered and the empowerment is not equal.  For example, a study by Atieno (2006) revealed female participation in the labour market was influenced by education. Human capital influenced the transition into work: who was able to access labour opportunities, and which ones. Therefore inequalities among women determine the degrees, and capability, of empowerment it is therefore not labour force participation that empowers but education.", "Yes education may help to determine the extent to which labour participation empowers women but it is the participation itself that is the actual tool that empowers. A well-educated woman who is kept at home doing nothing is not empowered no matter how good her education might have been. In Saudi Arabia there are more women in university than men yet there is 36% unemployment for women against only 6% for men (Aluwaisheg, 2013). The women are educated, not empowered."], "type": "binary", "id": "186"}
+{"question": "Does the development of a missile defense system by the United States increase global tension?", "perspectives": ["The development of a missile defense system by the United States increases global tension.", "The development of a missile defense system by the United States does not increase global tension."], "docs": ["The political consequences of the system make the world less safe  Many countries look upon the national missile defense program of the United States as a serious threat to their security. Russia stands at the forefront of this group, and has for several years actively opposed the development of an anti-ballistic missile technology. If the program is a success and only the United States and its close strategic allies possess the ability to develop such defenses, they will have a marked advantage over all other countries in terms of fighting ability, as the United States would be able to use its own ballistic missiles to intimidate and attack its opponents while being effectively immune to retaliation. Fears over the development of the system have led Russia to make extremely threatening postures on its European border; when the United States planned to deploy a battery of interceptor missiles in Poland in 2008, Russia responded by increasing troop numbers along its European borders and even threatened to deploy its own battery of short-range nuclear missiles on the border (Harding, 2007). This sort of conflict is extremely dangerous, and raises the chance of international conflict escalating into war. Such an outcome is extremely undesirable, and the defensive capabilities of a missile shield are not enough to warrant such risks. Furthermore, the United Nations has sought to end research into anti-ballistic missile technology, and has on several occasions called on the United States to stop its testing (Reuters, 1999). Much of the international community fears the instability that might arise from the breaking down of the current world order of nuclear deterrence between states.", "The United States has rarely bent the knee to international pressure with regard to issues directly affecting its security, nor should it. Not only does the United States have a right, as do all states, to defend itself against any potential foreign aggression, it is also the primary purveyor of the public good of international security, policing the sea lanes and serving as the United Nations\u2019 primary peacekeeper (Brooks and Wohlforth, 2008). This role places the United States in particular danger because it means it often contends with, and gains the enmity of, some of the most dangerous groups in the world. North Korea, for example, has been at odds with the United States for many years. Furthermore, the United States\u2019 development of a missile defense shield has allowed it to feel safer. It is thus more willing to engage in dialogue concerning and implementation of nuclear arms reduction programs, as occurred with the recent New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) with Russia (Associated Press, 2011). This reduction is in compliance with the wishes of the United Nations, and is arguably more important for international security. Additionally, in the case of Russia, the United States has been able to reach a compromise by which Russia will not oppose its sea-based missile defenses, so long as they are not built on land on the Russian frontier."], "type": "binary", "id": "187"}
+{"question": "Should art in public spaces be restricted due to its potential emotional impact?", "perspectives": ["Art in public spaces should be restricted due to its potential emotional impact.", "Art in public spaces should not be restricted due to its potential emotional impact."], "docs": ["The power of the visual  Art differs from other forms of media with regard to the expression of ideas. Unlike other methods of conveying ideas, art has a visceral impact that is instant and has a lasting effect.  In a discussion, for example, there are often clues that ideas that might make people feel uncomfortable are about to arise. Thus, people are in a better position to consent to the sorts of challenges controversy within a conversation may pose (similarly, we tend to look more positively on taboo subjects raised within a conversational context than we do when they are, for example, shouted about in the street).  In the case of art, particularly that which is displayed in public spaces (like squares, parks and museums) people are unable to consent in this way, but rather, may be confronted suddenly by something that they find disgusting, because it has forced them to confront something they find horrific or traumatic, in a manner which has a great impact, and that, because of the power of the visual, they find difficult to forget.", "We are no less able to consent to art than we are to every other manifestation of individuality in society. We are similarly unable to consent to, but strongly impacted by, all sorts of things, from music videos and adverts to people dressed strangely on the street.  However, as a society we accept that people\u2019s core values ought to be robust enough to survive challenges in the public sphere: we allow debate, art and music on many topics that have enormous personal ramifications, from euthanasia to deportation.  As a consequence, it is only legitimate to restrict the worst excesses, whose impact can be measured objectively, before display: we set rules in this regard restricting the worst instances of, for example, exploitation and pornography.  Further, those who are worst affected can self-limit their exposure: it is rare that people are entirely unaware of the existence of a controversial piece of art, and as such people can choose not to view it, or to view it only briefly. They should not have the right to prevent everyone else from seeing such a piece."], "type": "binary", "id": "188"}
+{"question": "Is returning to pre-1967 borders a viable solution for peace in Israel?", "perspectives": ["Returning to pre-1967 borders is a viable solution for peace in Israel.", "Returning to pre-1967 borders is not a viable solution for peace in Israel."], "docs": ["The Middle East, and the world more generally, is a far different place than it was in 1967. There is a significantly smaller risk that Arab states will gang up in a conventional war against Israel. This owes significantly to the fact that Israel is much more powerful militarily, Arab states are less powerful relatively, and the military alliances and dynamics in the region tend to favour Israel more. All of this means that maintaining a buffer in Israel, with the post-1967 borders, for the sake of defending against a collective Arab assault is highly unreasonable. Israel does not need this buffer. It can return to its pre-1967 borders.", "Returning to the 1967 borders would make war more likely.  The Foreign Minister of Israel, Avigdor Lieberman, said in 2009: \u201cA return to the pre-1967 lines, with a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, would bring the conflict into Israel's borders. Establishing a Palestinian state will not bring an end to the conflict.\u201d [1] This is why the American ambassador to the UN at the time of the 1967 war pointed out that \u201cIsrael's prior frontiers had proved to be notably insecure\u201d, and American President Lyndon Johnson, shortly after the war, declared that Israel's return to its former lines would be \u201cnot a prescription for peace but for renewed hostilities.\u201d Johnson advocated new 'recognized boundaries' that would provide \"security against terror, destruction, and war.\u201d [2] An Israel that withdrew completely to the 1967 borders would offer a very tempting target, since it would be a narrow country with no strategic depth whose main population centres and strategic infrastructure would be within tactical range of forces deployed along the commanding heights of the West Bank. This would hurt Israel's ability to deter future attacks and thus make conflict in the region even more likely. This ability of Israel to deter aggressors is particularly important not only due to the region's history of aggression against Israel, but also due to the unpredictable future events in the highly volatile Middle East. There is no way, for example, to guarantee that Iraq will not evolve into a radical Shi'ite state that is dependent on Iran and hostile to Israel (indeed, King Abdullah of Jordan has warned of a hostile Shi'ite axis that could include Iran, Iraq, and Syria), nor that a Jordan's Palestinian majority might seize power in the state (leaving Israel to defend itself against a Palestinian state that stretches from Iraq to Kalkilya), nor that in the future, militant Islamic elements will not succeed in gaining control of the Egyptian regime. [3]  Given its narrow geographical dimensions, a future attack launched from the pre-1967 borders against Israel's nine-mile-wide waist could easily split the country in two. Especially seeing as Islamic militants throughout the Middle East are unlikely to be reconciled to Israel even by a withdrawal to the 1967 borders, such a withdrawal therefore would actually make peace in the region less likely and encourage war against Israel. [4]  [1] Lazaroff, Tovah. \u201cLieberman warns against '67 borders\u201d. Jerusalem Post. 27 November 2009.   [2] Levin, Kenneth. \u201cPeace Now: A 30-Year Fraud\u201d. FrontPageMag.com. 5 September 2008.   [3] Amidror, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov. \u201cIsrael's Requirement for Defensible Borders\u201d. Defensible Borders for a Lasting Peace. 2005.   [4] El-Khodary, Taghreed and Bronner, Ethan. \u201cHamas Fights Over Gaza\u2019s Islamist Identity\u201d. New York Times. 5 September 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "189"}
+{"question": "Is it economically feasible for former colonizing nations to provide reparations to their former colonies?", "perspectives": ["It is economically feasible for former colonizing nations to provide reparations to their former colonies.", "It is not economically feasible for former colonizing nations to provide reparations to their former colonies."], "docs": ["Reparations would effectively right the economic imbalance caused by colonialism.  Given that much of the motive for colonisation was economic, many former colonies have suffered damage to their natural resources [1] or human resources, [2] which has left them less able to sustain a healthy economy. Colonists targeted countries with rich natural resources and little ability to defend themselves from invasion and manipulation. By this method, they could supply their own markets with the natural resources which they had already exploited at home [3] , and find cheap (or free) human labour for their markets [4] . Given that powerful countries such as Britain [5] and France [6] gained their own economic prosperity through the exploitation of the economic potential of the colonies, it is entirely appropriate and logical that they should pay reparations as compensation. In this way, the economic disparity between former colonies and colonists would be equalised.  [1] Accessed from  on12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [3] Accessed from  12/09/11  [4] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [5] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [6] \u2018The Haitian Revolution and its Effects\u2019. Patrick E. Bryan. Accessed from  on 12/09/11.", "Most of the Western world is currently undergoing a financial crisis [1] . However prosperous these former colonies might have been, in the modern world they simply do not have the money to provide reparations to these countries on any scale which might come close to closing the economic gap between them. America\u2019s enormous debt almost caused a complete economic collapse in August [2] ; Britain was struggling under \u00a32252.9 billion of debt as on July 2011 [3] . The proposition\u2019s naive balancing argument fails to take into account the realities of the economy and debt in raising this motion \u2013 it would be impossible to achieve.  [1] The Telegraph. \u2018Double-dip fears across West as confidence crumbles\u2019. Published on 30/09/2011. Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] BBC. \u2018IMF calls for US to raise debt ceiling and cut spending\u2019. Published 25/07/2011. Accessed at  on 12/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 12/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "190"}
+{"question": "Is undermining autocracies beneficial for the countries initiating it?", "perspectives": ["Undermining autocracies is beneficial for the countries initiating it.", "Undermining autocracies is not beneficial for the countries initiating it."], "docs": ["Advancing national interests  A nation\u2019s foreign policy should be primarily concerned with advancing the national interest. By the national interest we mean promoting the interest of the nation as a whole rather than any of its subnational groups; whether this is building up the state's military power to protect its citizens through alliances or military bases, benefiting the nation's economy through trade deals, or encouraging the creation of friendly governments around the globe. [1] Circumventing censorship helps obtain this last objective for democracies by encouraging peoples in autocracies to find their own voice and push for democracy; a system of government that is more compatible to other democracies. Ultimately this will also provide other benefits; friendly governments with similar political systems are more likely to create trade agreements with each other so providing economic benefits, in the 1990s the volume of trade between a democracy and autocracy was on average 40% less than two democracies. [2] Equally importantly democracies do not fight other democracies so helping to create stability. [3]  [1] Realism emphasises the alliances bit, Liberalism the economic self interest, and constructivists spreading values. Walt, Stephen M, \u201cInternational Relations: One World, Many Theories\u201d, Foreign Policy, Spring 1998,   [2] Mansfield, Edward D., et al., \u201cFree to Trade: Democracies, Autocracies, and International Trade\u201d, The American Political Science Review, Vol. 94, No. 2,  p.318  [3] Rousseau, David L., et al., \u201cAssessing the Dayadic Nature of the Democratic Peace, 1918-88\u201d, The American Political Science Review, Vol.90, No.3,  p.515", "There is little certainty that undermining an autocracy will benefit the countries that undermine it. No state can full control what goes on in another state; an even more oppressive regime could be the result. Even if there is a transition to a democracy this does not mean it will benefit those who wanted change. This is because democratic governments have to take account of the desires of their own people which may not always be in alignment with the interests of the foreign powers that supported political change. Thus while it would seem that the United States, as a democracy, should be naturally inclined to support a democratic government in Egypt in practice Mubarak operated more in line with US interests by keeping the peace with Israel that the Muslim brotherhood threatens to disrupt."], "type": "binary", "id": "191"}
+{"question": "Is it ethical for doctors to assist in organ donation euthanasia?", "perspectives": ["It is ethical for doctors to assist in organ donation euthanasia.", "It is not ethical for doctors to assist in organ donation euthanasia."], "docs": ["This is easily solved. Similarly to doctors who assist in cases of abortion or even executions doctors must have the option of opting out. However, once it is proven that this model is ethically good, it is likely that there are doctors who will realise the potential of this method and who will want to participate. After all, this is a motion that relates to the exceptional cases, so even if most doctors opt out there will still be doctors who will be willing to operate under this scheme.", "Doctors should not be asked to take the moral burden of people who want to commit suicide  It is not fair to ask doctors who have committed their lives to preserving health to act as an instrument of killing a person. The doctor will then have to live with the doubt as to whether the act of assisting in the donation was just or not. In other words, if the person who wanted to die for another did not do so voluntarily, the act of killing him or her is morally wrong and the doctor becomes complicit. In order to carry out this scheme, the individual moral autonomy of doctors will be violated. [1]  [1] Tremblay, Joe. \u201cOrgan Donation Euthanasia: A Growing Epidemic.\u201d Catholic News Agency, (2013)."], "type": "binary", "id": "192"}
+{"question": "Is Rwanda effectively using public dialogue to promote government accountability and citizen involvement?", "perspectives": ["Rwanda is effectively using public dialogue to promote government accountability and citizen involvement.", "Rwanda is not effectively using public dialogue to promote government accountability and citizen involvement."], "docs": ["There is accountability without a free press  Freedom of speech and the Press is not the only way of creating accountability in a country \u2013 especially a comparatively small one such as Rwanda. Rwanda has been ranked a transparent and is the least corrupt state in East Africa [1] where everyone is accountable and equal before the law.  How can this be without an aggressive free press? Annually, all government officials are cross examined by locals publicly in a forum called national dialogue \u201cUmushyikirano\u201d, to ensure that they meet the needs of citizens and assess their performance[2]. This has given Rwandans courage to express their desires and feel much valued in the process of policy making and engagement. It puts ministers and even the Prime Minister on the spot on individual issues. Restricted press and speech is therefore rendered irrelevant by such programs as people can question authorities and demand justification directly rather than relying on the press.  In Africa, most countries lack transparent government systems and institutions, a factor responsible for continued corruption, poor governance and crime which in turn destroy progress in societies [3], but this is not the case with regard to Rwanda.  [1] Zegabi East Africa news, \u2018Transparency International Ranks Rwanda the Least Corrupt Country in East Africa\u2019, 5 December 2013, zegabi.com  [2] Hunt, Swanee \u2018Rebuilding Rwanda: Access and Accountability\u2019, inclusivesecurity.org, 30 December 2013  [3] Jones Lang Lasale, \u2018Sub-Saharan Africa: A region with opportunities amid transparency challenges\u2019, joneslanglasale.eu", "It is a wrong assertion that Rwandans are valued in the process of policy making when their genuine opinions are limited to a certain level. The national dialogue is a three day event and cannot cover the concerns of more than 11 million Rwandans. Moreover when people still fear to say the truth as they go through in daily life [1], how can one expect such people to raise the right issues on a public platform with the most powerful people in the country?  [1] Amnesty International, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "193"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance effective in alleviating poverty?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is effective in alleviating poverty.", "Microfinance is not effective in alleviating poverty."], "docs": ["Ending poverty through entrepreneurialism  Introducing finance provides communities with access to startup capital. Access to financial capital is vital in several respects for initiating capitalism. Firstly, access to capital enables entrepreneurialism. The poor have business ideas that would benefit both themselves and their community they just require access to capital to invest in such ideas. The Initiative \u2018Lend with Care\u2019 is providing access to capital to empower entrepreneurs [1] .  Secondly, the cumulative effect of small-scale savings and borrowing, enabled through microfinance enables individuals, families and communities, to enter markets - of land and property. Being able to buy property and land can enable personal security, dignity, and increasing returns.  [1] See further readings: Lend with Care, 2013.", "Can we rely on business to solve social problems? Ultimately the model proposed through microfinance schemes is the creation of a consumer market where risks are already high. This has shown to be one of the key factors of microfinance failing in South Africa (Bateman, 2013). The microcredit provided across South Africa, post-apartheid, aimed to solve social problems - however, it has acted to support risky consumption not investment. With a lack of secure incomes, due to high levels of unemployment, underemployment, and informal employment, the rate of repayment is low. Households have been forced into severe poverty by being provided with credit which they can\u2019t pay back. Even among those who do invest how many of their business ideas will succeed?"], "type": "binary", "id": "194"}
+{"question": "Is implementing a graduated response strategy effective in reducing online piracy?", "perspectives": ["Implementing a graduated response strategy is effective in reducing online piracy.", "Implementing a graduated response strategy is not effective in reducing online piracy."], "docs": ["A graduated response will be an effective deterrent  Research has shown that consumers are likely to stop downloading from unauthorized sources when warned by their ISP. For example: Seven out of ten (72%) UK music consumers would stop illegally downloading if told to do so by their ISP, and 90 per cent of consumers would stop illegally file-sharing after two warnings from their ISP. [1]  This shows that the threat of a possible disconnection together with a friendly warning is enough to stop most consumers from downloading from illegal source. The reasoning behind it is simple: consumers can now download without a cost, a graduated response mechanism first raises awareness scaring off those who are only casually downloading out of convenience and then heightens the expected cost of infringement and thus makes it more likely consumers will use legal sources. [2] [1] IFPI, Digital Music Report 2009. 2009. URL for PDF:   [2] Olivier Bomsel and Heritania Ranaivoson, \u2018Decreasing copyright enforcement costs: the scope of a graduated response\u2019. 2009. Review of Economic Research on Copyright Issues, Volume 6(2), p. 13 \u2013 29. URL for PDF:", "Consumers will find ways to evade detection  Evading detection for most of the surveillance methods are relatively easy: consumers could start relying on proxy servers to hide their IP-addresses or start encrypting everything they share online to avoid being detected by fingerprinting-software.  In fact, recent experience in France with its Haute Autorit\u00e9 pour la diffusion des \u0153uvres et la protection des droits sur internet (HADOPI) law suggests that despite a graduated response-policy, piracy is actually on the increase. [1] This shows that graduated response won\u2019t do what it is supposed to do; stem online piracy.  [1] Torrentfreak, \u2018Piracy Rises In France Despite Three Strikes Law\u2019, March 9, 2010. URL:"], "type": "binary", "id": "195"}
+{"question": "Is the right to die that extends to those incapable of performing the necessary procedure themselves acceptable?", "perspectives": ["The right to die that extends to those incapable of performing the necessary procedure themselves is acceptable.", "The right to die that extends to those incapable of performing the necessary procedure themselves is not acceptable."], "docs": ["The issue that Op highlights is the matter of intention, that the courts should not be interested in why someone took the decision to kill another person. However, that does not apply here as the intention is that of the person who has chosen to die. In a majority of nations suicide is already legal \u2013 the most spectacular exception to this being North Korea, a country with, otherwise, a fairly relaxed approach to the deaths of its citizens. Accepting the right to die simply extends the ability to do so to those who currently are incapable of performing the necessary procedure themselves [i] .  [i] BBC News Website. Right-to-die law appalling, says Health Minister Anna Soubry. 8 September 2012.", "It is impossible to frame a structure which respects the right to die for the individual but that cannot be abused by others.  In terms of moral absolutes, killing people is wrong sets the bar fairly low. Pretty much all societies have accepted this as a line that cannot be crossed without the explicit and specific agreement of the state which only happens in very rare circumstances such as in times of war.  There is a simple reason for a blanket ban. It allows for no caveats, no misunderstandings, no fudging of the issue, and no shades of grey. Again, the reason for this approach is equally simple; anything other than such a clear cut approach will inevitably be abused [i] . As things stand guilt in the case of murder is determined entirely on the basis that it is proven that someone took another life. Their reasons for doing so may be reflected in sentencing but the court is not required to consider whether someone was justified in killing another.  It is in the nature of a court case that it happens after the event and nobody other than the murderer and the deceased know what actually took place between them. If we take shaken baby syndrome cases as an example the parent still loves the child, they have acted in the madness of a moment out of frustration. It\u2019s still murder. Supporting a dying relative can be no less frustrating but killing them would still be murder, even where that comes after a prolonged period of coercion to fill in forms and achieve the appearance of consent. It would, however, be very hard to prove. At least with a baby we can assume consent was not given, that would not be the case here.  [i] Stephen Drake and Diane Coleman. \u2018Second Thoughts\u2019 Grow on Assisted Suicide. The Wall Street Journal. 5 August 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "196"}
+{"question": "Should a state be held responsible for cyber attacks carried out by its citizens?", "perspectives": ["A state should be held responsible for cyber attacks carried out by its citizens.", "A state should not be held responsible for cyber attacks carried out by its citizens."], "docs": ["In case of non-state actors attack, many practitioners in international law agree that the state can still retaliate in self-defence if another state is 'unwilling or unable to take effective action' to deal with attacks coming from within their territory [19]. This applies to traditional warfare, but the same way it can apply to cyberwarfare. If a country is not doing anything, or not doing enough, in order to ensure cyber security and persecute cyber attackers, then the attacked country has a right to take measures against cyber attackers.", "Cyber attacks are often carried out by non-state actors  Cyber attacks are often carried out by non-state actors, such as cyberterrorists or hacktivists (social activists who hack), without any involvement of the actual state. For instance, in 2007 a massive cyber attack launched on Estonia was blamed on Russia due to the then on-going tensions between these two states [17]. However, the attacks on Estonia were generated from all over the world; and even those from Russia could not have been linked to the Russian authorities, who denied involvement. Similarly, a huge wave of cyber attacks dubbed GhostNet that compromised computers in 103 countries in 2009 was blamed on China, not the least for hacking computers of Tibetan authorities. However, it could not be conclusively proven that this was an attack perpetrated by the Chinese authorities [18]. Any retaliation against a state for a cyber attack can never be certain to be against the right target \u2013 the state should not be blamed for the actions of its individual citizens."], "type": "binary", "id": "197"}
+{"question": "Is socialism a viable political system for Europe?", "perspectives": ["Socialism is a viable political system for Europe.", "ocialism is not a viable political system for Europe."], "docs": ["Class consciousness is an important aspect of Socialism, it would be hard to find a period in recent history when the majority have been so aware that their interests are not the same as the uber-rich  It has rarely been so clear that the interests of the few are not the same as those of the vast bulk of either European societies or the world outside it. At a time of rising unemployment, a handful of people who are already fantastically rich continue to pay themselves obscene salaries and bonuses. Of course there is nothing in this that is unusual, it\u2019s just not usually done in so cavalier a fashion.  Although there is nothing mechanical in the process, most Socialist thinkers have been clear that the popular realisation that there really is a class distinction between what the Occupy protesters refer to as the 1% and the rest of us is an important first step towards establishing Socialism.  Whatever the media and political classes may pretend, Socialism is not \u2013 and never was \u2013 a single party or policy. It is a process. And that process is being seen on the streets across Europe", "As has so often been the case in the history of Socialism, the moment one form is comprehensively beaten, its adherents announce, \u201cOh that wasn\u2019t really Socialism\u201d. The reality is that Socialism fell with the Berlin Wall it just took a few years for the impact of that to ripple all the way across Europe.  The last stage of that process is now taking place as the economies that continued to believe that social systems would pay for themselves realize that not only is that fantasy not the case, it never was.  It may have taken a crisis in Capitalism to demonstrate that Socialism is a luxury Europe cannot afford but the result is the same anyway."], "type": "binary", "id": "198"}
+{"question": "Do only developing countries benefit from the influx of migrant workers?", "perspectives": ["Only developing countries benefit from the influx of migrant workers.", "Not only developing countries benefit from the influx of migrant workers."], "docs": ["Migrants can benefit developing countries  Migrants can bring the benefit of their industriousness to developing countries. When there are crises it is the middle professional classes who are most likely to migrate as they have the resources and knowledge with which to do so. When it comes to economic migrants it is often the educated youth who are looking for better work opportunities; skilled workers make up 33% of migrants from developing countries despite being only 6% of the population. [1] Developed countries already have a highly educated and skilled population, and will take in those migrants with skills they need. Developing countries on the other hand have a much less well educated population so derive more benefit from the influx of skilled workers to help them develop thus counteracting the \u2018brain drain\u2019.  [1] Docquier, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric, Lohest, Olivier, and Marfouk, Abdeslam. \u2018Brain Drain in Developing Countries\u2019, The World Bank Economic Review. Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 193\u2013218, p.198", "Migrants also benefit developed countries albeit in a slightly different way. Migrants, often even those who are highly educated, provide a cheap workforce doing the jobs that native workers don't want to do. This is particularly the case in agriculture in developed countries where anything that is labour intensive relies upon cheap migrant, often illegal, labour. In the US somewhere between a quarter and a half of the farm workers are illegal immigrants. [1] This results in goods and services being cheaper in the developed country than they otherwise would be benefiting the whole country.  [1] Baragona, Steve, \u2018US Farmers Depend on Illegal Immigrants\u2019, Voice of America, 11 August 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "199"}
+{"question": "Should rural-urban migration be restricted to encourage investment in rural areas?", "perspectives": ["Rural-urban migration should be restricted to encourage investment in rural areas.", "Rural-urban migration should not be restricted to encourage investment in rural areas."], "docs": ["Restrictions would benefit rural areas  Unlimited rural-urban migration erodes the economy of the cities, as shown in the previous argument, and limits their economic growth and available resources. On a national level, this causes decision makers to prioritise the cities, as the country relies more on urban than rural areas, thus preventing them from investing in the country-side. [1] China is a good example of this where urban privilege has become entrenched with \u2018special economic zones\u2019 being created in urban areas (though sometimes built from scratch in rural areas) with money being poured into infrastructure for the urban areas which as a result have rapidly modernised leaving rural areas behind. This leads to a whole culture of divisions where urbanites consider those from rural areas to be backward and less civilized. [2]  Moreover, there will be little other reason to invest in rural areas, as the workforce in those areas has left for the cities. By preserving resources in the cities and keeping the workforce in the rural areas, it becomes possible to invest in rural communities and change their lives for the better as these areas maintain the balanced workforce necessary to attract investors.  [1] Maxwell, Daniel., \u201cThe Political Economy of Urban Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d 11, London : Elsevier Science Ltd., 1999, World Development, Vol. 27, p. 1939\u00b11953. S0305-750X(99)00101-1.  [2] Whyte, Martin King, \u201cSocial Change and the Urban-Rural Divide in China\u201d, China in the 21st Century, June 2007,  p.54", "The argument is based on the idea that there is a lot of investment that is just waiting to be made in rural areas. In reality, this is not so. Until there are real investors who are prepared to change the conditions of rural areas in developing countries, it is morally bankrupt to force people to remain in an untenable situation as marketing material for hypothetical investment."], "type": "binary", "id": "200"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action effectively reduce societal prejudice?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action effectively reduces societal prejudice.", "Affirmative action does not effectively reduce societal prejudice."], "docs": ["Affirmative action reduces social prejudice  Past discrimination lingers on in society through subtle prejudice that must be righted.  Past discrimination against particular groups lingers today through the perception of those groups and how they perceive themselves. By using affirmative action, a demonstration effect is created where individuals are previously discriminated groups prove to society and other members of their racial or gender group that they are capable of gaining power and functioning in the same positions of power, responsibility and success as those of other groups in society.  This challenges society\u2019s perception of these groups as the poor people in society and proves to them that the individuals of this race/gender are equally capable and deserving members of society and can and should function in the same positions of society as them.", "Affirmative action does not reduce societal prejudice, but actually increases it. By creating a situation where individuals receive state help in gaining the jobs and success they have, this simply confirms the prejudice in peoples\u2019 minds that individuals of this group cannot gain anything on their own merit, but rather require external assistance. (Refer to opposition arguments two and three)"], "type": "binary", "id": "201"}
+{"question": "Is there a need for an International Criminal Court enforcement arm to apprehend international criminals?", "perspectives": ["There is a need for an International Criminal Court enforcement arm to apprehend international criminals.", "There is no need for an International Criminal Court enforcement arm to apprehend international criminals."], "docs": ["An ICC enforcement arm would be quicker  If international criminals are to be caught it needs to be clear that there is an organisation with the responsibility and authority to catch them. This is especially important when the criminal in question is able to slip across borders to avoid the national authorities in one state as Joseph Kony has done as the ICC would be able to cross borders itself and coordinate the response from multiple countries. The importance of an organisation that is able to catch international criminals can be highlighted by the experience of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia where despite a Memorandum of Understanding relating to the detention of war criminals in Bosnia NATO denied it had the power to make arrests so leading to patrols actively avoiding wanted men to avoid a situation in which they might have to engage in arrests. [1] A lack of clarity over whether an organisation can enforce its warrants for arrest results in arrests not being made. Ultimately the ICTY was successful because this situation was resolved with the creation of multinational police forces backed up with traditional NATO military power if necessary leading to the arrest of 126 individuals. [2]  [1] Zhou, Han-Ru, \u2018The Enforcement of Arrest Warrants by International Forces From the ICTY to the ICC\u2019, Journal of International Criminal Justice, Vol.4, 2006, pp.202-18,  pp214-6  [2] Ibid, p.203", "States are capable of their own enforcement, even in the difficult cases \u2013 for example, Radovan Karadzic was arrested by the Serbian authorities for his trial by the ICTY, and would not necessarily have been arrested faster by an outside force rather than the Serbian police. A large number of states have been pouring resources in to capturing the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army fugitives such as Joseph Kony \u2013 if they cannot do capture him, there is no reason to believe that an ICC Police would be able to. Recently the Ugandan Army has been willing to cross borders to chase Kony, so far with little to show for it. [1]  [1] Van Woudenberg, Anneke, \u2018How to Catch Joseph Kony\u2019, Human Rights Watch, 9 March 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "202"}
+{"question": "Is relying on the trade of natural resources beneficial for Africa's economy?", "perspectives": ["Relying on the trade of natural resources is beneficial for Africa's economy.", "Relying on the trade of natural resources is not beneficial for Africa's economy."], "docs": ["Source of trade  Natural resources are a source of economic revenue for Africa. If managed well then this can become a genuine source of prosperity. Africa does not currently have developed secondary and tertiary sectors yet [1] , most of the continent\u2019s economics surrounds primary sector activity such as resource extraction and farming. The high commodity price of items such as gold, diamonds and uranium is therefore valuable for Africa\u2019s trade. Profits from this trade have allowed countries to strengthen their economic position by reducing debt and accumulating external reserves, a prime example of this being Nigeria.  [1] Maritz,J. \u2018Manufacturing: Can Africa become the next China?\u2019 How We Made Africa 24 May 2011", "The trade of natural resources can be unreliable for African nations. Exports on the international market are subject to changes in price, which can harm export orientated countries should there be a decrease in value. The boom/bust cycle of oil has been particularly damaging. The drop of oil prices in the 1980s had a significant impact on African countries which were exporting the commodity [1] . The boom/bust cycle of resource value has impaired, rather than inhibited, some states\u2019 debts. The price slump of copper in 2008 severely damaged Zambia\u2019s mineral orientated economy, as FDI stopped and unemployment rose [2] . This debt crisis had been created by another slump in prices in the 1980s that forced the government to borrow to keep spending. [3] This demonstrates how international markets are unreliable as a sole source of income.  [1] African Development Bank \u2018African Development Report 2007\u2019 pg.110   [2] Bova,E. \u2018Copper Boom and Bust in Zambia: The Commodity-Currency Link\u2019 The Journal of Development Studies, 48:6, Pg.770   [3] Liu, L. Larry, \u2018The Zambian Economy and the IMF\u2019, Academia.edu, December 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "203"}
+{"question": "Is the government's broad approach to terrorism justified?", "perspectives": ["The government's broad approach to terrorism is justified.", "The government's broad approach to terrorism is not justified."], "docs": ["This is just like any other investigation. Obviously the government has to take a broad approach because any loophole could be exploited by the unscrupulous terrorist. It is a necessity, albeit one with unfortunate consequences, but a necessity all the same. As for negotiations with terrorists, it is the propositions view that this option does not exist when dealing with terrorists of a fundamentalist background, who are, by definition, not willing to compromise and therefore unable to be negotiated with.", "In the public\u2019s eyes, the government seems to suspect everyone.  Although the anti-terrorist measures are supposed to be trying to catch certain people, it is the whole of the public who have to suffer on a daily basis: an abundance of security cameras, security checks, and anti-privacy measures continually invade innocent people\u2019s lives and yet it is supposed to be the terrorists who are being punished. The issue of justice, and whether it is actually being done, has to be fully looked at properly. These measures are not solving the problem of terrorism as it does not address the core grievances. Instead other ways such as negotiation to address grievances is necessary, as happened in Northern Ireland [1] .  [1] Bowcott, Owen, \u2018Northern Ireland\u2019, The Guardian, 11 May 2007,  , accessed 9 September 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "204"}
+{"question": "Is the construction of a large dam the most effective way to solve Africa's energy crisis?", "perspectives": ["The construction of a large dam is the most effective way to solve Africa's energy crisis.", "The construction of a large dam is not the most effective way to solve Africa's energy crisis."], "docs": ["The dam would power Africa  Only 29% of Sub Saharan Africa\u2019s population has access to electricity. [1] This has immense consequences not just for the economy as production and investment is constrained but also on society. The world bank says lack of electricity affects human rights \u201cPeople cannot access modern hospital services without electricity, or feel relief from sweltering heat. Food cannot be refrigerated and businesses cannot function. Children cannot go to school\u2026 The list of deprivation goes on.\u201d [2] Conveniently it is suggested that the \u201cGrand Inga will thus provide more than half of the continent with renewable energy at a low price,\u201d [3] providing electricity to half a billion people so eliminating much of this electricity gap. [4]  [1] World Bank Energy, \u2018Addressing the Electricity Access Gap\u2019, World Bank, June 2010,  p.89  [2] The World Bank, \u2018Energy \u2013 The Facts\u2019, worldbank.org, 2013,   [3] SAinfo reporter, \u2018SA-DRC pact paves way for Grand Inga\u2019, SouthAfrica.info, 20 May 2013,   [4] Pearce, Fred, \u2018Will Huge New Hydro Projects Bring Power to Africa\u2019s People?\u2019, Yale Environment 360, 30 May 2013,", "It is not the best solution to Africa\u2019s energy crisis. According to a report by the International Energy Agency as an immense dam requires a power grid. Such a grid does not exist and building such a grid is \u201cnot proving to be cost effective in more remote rural areas\u201d. In such low density areas local sources of power are best. [1] DRC is only 34% urban and has a population density of only 30 people per km2 [2] so the best option would be local renewable power.  [1] International Energy Agency, \u2018Energy for All Financing access for the poor\u2019, World Energy Outlook, 2011,  p.21  [2] Central Intelligence Agency, \u2018Congo, Democratic Republic of the\u2019, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "205"}
+{"question": "Is ICC's intervention necessary for maintaining peace in Kenya?", "perspectives": ["ICC's intervention is necessary for maintaining peace in Kenya.", "ICC's intervention is not necessary for maintaining peace in Kenya."], "docs": ["Kenya needs the trial now  Without justice, there cannot be peace. Following the total failure of the Kenyan justice system to take action, exemplified by the Parliament\u2019s complete and utter rejection of the Waki Commission, the ICC, which Kenya voluntarily signed up to, has to step in.  Ethnic violence still goes on in Kenya [1] , and if there is impunity in this case, no message will be sent out: justice must be done and seen to be done to prevent similar abuses and prevent justice being taken outside of the courts.  [1] Wachira, Muchemi, \u201cCattle raids and tribal rivalries to blame for perennial conflict\u201d, Daily Nation, November 18 2012,", "Kenya doesn\u2019t need a trial. The Kenyan parliament voted against such a thing \u2013 the Kenyan people decided in 2013 that they want to give Kenyatta and Ruto a democratic mandate.  While there is a terror threat \u2013 something that Kenyatta and Ruto can deal with in their role as head of state \u2013 Kenya did not have post election violence in 2013, and ethnic conflict is not going on at a major level. Even if there is no justice, there is peace, which is more important."], "type": "binary", "id": "206"}
+{"question": "Is the selling and utilization of personal data for targeted advertising beneficial to consumers and businesses?", "perspectives": ["The selling and utilization of personal data for targeted advertising is beneficial to consumers and businesses.", "The selling and utilization of personal data for targeted advertising is not beneficial to consumers and businesses."], "docs": ["The sale of personal data makes for better advertising that benefits consumers  By targeting demographics and personal profiles by way of acquiring and utilizing personal data, businesses are able to put forward their services in a more targeted fashion in order to reach their target markets and to more effectively understand the broader market more generally. The limited budgets that constrain all companies has traditionally forced producers in the mass market to advertise to broad demographics and majority markets, resulting in a relative dearth of niche markets and breadth of services available in the mass market. Utilizing personal data effectively allows firms to enrich the lives of all consumers by expanding the range of marketable products and the furnishing of services to more eclectic tastes. [1] The vast numbers of websites and services proliferating online makes it much harder for people to find what they are looking for, but more importantly what they are not looking for but would want if they knew it existed. Data-mining allows for the channels of information to flow more effectively to consumers (Columbus, 2012). On the individual level companies are able to create individual profiles from information, so they can target them directly with things that might interest them. This strategy is used on Facebook, for example, users are shown ads that most fit their profiles giving them access to services they might not have ever found without the service.  [1] Deighton, J. and J. Quelch, \u201cEconomic Value of the Advertising-Supported Internet Ecosystem\u201d. IAB Report. 2009,", "It is difficult to see how this advertising is better for business overall. The consumer still has the same amount of money so will overall still spend the same amount. They may spend it on different things as a result of more targeted advertising, assuming that the consumer is not alienated by the personalised advertising, but is that a benefit? Moreover even if companies are successful in advertising their wares more effectively to their customers, it does not change the fundamental violation of privacy upon which such advertising relies. The norm of selling personal data is hugely dangerous to engender in society, as it produces more and more a sense of entitlement to others\u2019 personal lives."], "type": "binary", "id": "207"}
+{"question": "Would leaving the EU insulate the UK from foreign policy crises?", "perspectives": ["Leaving the EU would insulate the UK from foreign policy crises.", "Leaving the EU would not insulate the UK from foreign policy crises."], "docs": ["UK will be disentangled from EU affairs  Leaving the EU would mean that Britain is no longer entangled in foreign policy issues that are of little interest to it and instead could devote itself to other more productive issues. The two main foreign policy crises for the EU at the moment are Ukraine and migration, neither of which concern the UK when not a member of the EU. Migration would be stopped at the channel while Ukraine is at the opposite end of the EU. The EU would essentially become a buffer for the UK.", "Ukraine may not be a high priority itself for British foreign policy but Russia is still a major, possibly the most major, threat. The UK has had very poor relations with Russia for years with various spy incidents such as the murder of Alexander Litvinenko [1] and with Russian bombers regularly being intercepted near the UK, six times in 2015, [2] even before we get onto Russian aggression in Georgia and Ukraine and British and Russian interests in the Middle East often being at loggerheads. The migration crisis may not directly affect the UK but it's cause, Syria and Middle Eastern instability, is a major concern for the UK as a result of UK nationals joining Daesh.  [1] Owen, Robert, \u2018Report into the death of Alexander Litvinenko\u2019, The Litvinenko Inquiry, January 2016,   [2] \u2018RAF jets intercept Russian bombers heading to UK\u2019, BBC news, 17 February 2016,"], "type": "binary", "id": "208"}
+{"question": "Has the United Nations been effective in preventing human rights abuses?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations has been effective in preventing human rights abuses.", "The United Nations has not been effective in preventing human rights abuses."], "docs": ["As argued below (Opposition argument 2), the UN has in fact been instrumental in developing the modern concept of human rights, which prior to its foundation essentially did not exist as an idea, and certainly not as a body of coherent international law. And the UN has acted to prevent and condemn human rights abuses all over the world.  Where the UN has failed to prevent genocide or human rights violations, it has generally been due to the failure of the international community rather than the UN itself. For example, the bloodshed in Rwanda went unstopped not because the UN was unconcerned, but because those nations that might have intervened, such as the US, France or neighbouring African countries, were unable or unwilling to do so - not a failure that can fairly be laid at the door of the UN.", "UN ignores or enables human rights abuses.  Despite the development of the concept of human rights in the post-war world, the UN has totally failed to protect the rights of citizens, ethnic minorities, women and children. It has stood by during episodes of genocide in Cambodia, Rwanda, Congo and Yugoslavia among many others [1] , tolerates some of the world\u2019s worst dictatorships as members, and does nothing to improve the situation of women in developing nations. Indeed, where UN peacekeepers have been sent into war-torn countries, they have sometimes been guilty of the most horrendous human rights abuses themselves. [2]  As of 2011, the UN\u2019s Human Rights Council itself is comprised of members such as Saudi Arabia, Cuba and China. [3]  [1] \u201cUN admits Rwanda genocide failure\u201d. BBC website, 15th April 2000.   [2] MacFarquhar, Neil. \u201cPeacekeepers\u2019 Sex Scandals Linger, On-Screen and Off\u201d. New York Times, 7th September 2011.   [3] \u201cMembership of the Human Rights Council\u201d. United Nations website, 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "209"}
+{"question": "Is transparency always beneficial for maintaining trust in government institutions?", "perspectives": ["Transparency is always beneficial for maintaining trust in government institutions.", "Transparency is not always beneficial for maintaining trust in government institutions."], "docs": ["Transparency is a good in and of itself  The most essential commodity within a state is trust. Trust is essential in all sorts of aspect of our lives; we trust that the paper money we have is actually worth more than a scrap of paper, that doctors performing surgery know what they are doing, that we won't be attacked in the street, and that the government is looking after our interests. In order to create that trust there needs to be transparency so that we know that our institutions are trustworthy. It is the ability to check the facts and the accountability that comes with transparency that creates trust. And this in turn is what makes them legitimate. [1]  The need for trust applies just as much to security as any other walk of life. Citizens need to trust that the security services really are keeping them safe, are spending taxpayers\u2019 money wisely, and are acting in a fashion that is a credit to the country. Unfortunately if there is not transparency there is no way of knowing if this is the case and so often the intelligence services have turned out to be an embarrassment. As has been the case with the CIA and it\u2019s the use of torture following 9/11, for which there are still calls for transparency on past actions. [2]  [1] Ankersmit, Laurens, \u2018The Irony of the international relations exception in the transparency regulation\u2019, European Law Blog, 20 March 2013  [2] Traub, James, \u2018Out With It\u2019, Foreign Policy, 10 May 2013", "Trust goes two ways; the people have to trust that on some issues, such as security, the government is doing the right thing to protect them even when it cannot release all relevant information. But even if the military and security services do claim to be completely transparent then how is everyone to know that it really is being as transparent as they say? Unfortunately there are information asymmetry\u2019s between members of the public and the government; the member of the public is unlikely to have the capability to find out if the government if hiding something from them. [1] Other countries too are likely to be suspicious of \u2018complete transparency\u2019 and simply believe that this is cover for doing something more nefarious. Trust then cannot only about being transparent in everything.  [1] Stiglitz, Joseph, \u2018Transparency in Government\u2019, in Roumeen Islam, The right to tell: the roll of the mass media in economic development, World Bank Publications, 2002, p.28"], "type": "binary", "id": "210"}
+{"question": "Is it morally wrong to farm and kill animals for human consumption?", "perspectives": ["It is morally wrong to farm and kill animals for human consumption.", "It is not morally wrong to farm and kill animals for human consumption."], "docs": ["It is immoral to kill animals  As evolved human beings it is our moral duty to inflict as little pain as possible for our survival. So if we do not need to inflict pain to animals in order to survive, we should not do it. Farm animals such as chickens, pigs, sheep, and cows are sentient living beings like us - they are our evolutionary cousins and like us they can feel pleasure and pain. The 18th century utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham even believed that animal suffering was just as serious as human suffering and likened the idea of human superiority to racism. It is wrong to farm and kill these animals for food when we do not need to do so. The methods of farming and slaughter of these animals are often barbaric and cruel - even on supposedly 'free range' farms. [1] Ten billion animals were slaughtered for human consumption each year, stated PETA. And unlike the farms long time ago, where animals roamed freely, today, most animals are factory farmed: \u0097crammed into cages where they can barely move and fed a diet adulterated with pesticides and antibiotics. These animals spend their entire lives in their \u201cprisoner cells\u201d so small that they can't even turn around. Many suffer serious health problems and even death because they are selectively bred to grow or produce milk or eggs at a far greater rate than their bodies are capable of coping with. At the slaughterhouse, there were millions of others who are killed every year for food.  Further on Tom Regan explains that all duties regarding animals are indirect duties to one another from a philosophical point of view. He illustrates it with an analogy regarding children: \u201cChildren, for example, are unable to sign contracts and lack rights. But they are protected by the moral contract nonetheless because of the sentimental interests of others. So we have, then, duties involving these children, duties regarding them, but no duties to them. Our duties in their case are indirect duties to other human beings, usually their parents.\u201d [2] With this he supports the theory that animals must be protected from suffering, as it is moral to protect any living being from suffering, not because we have a moral contract with them, but mainly due to respect of life and recognition of suffering itself.  [1] Claire Suddath, A brief history of Veganism, Time, 30 October 2008  [2] Tom Regan, The case for animal rights, 1989", "There is a great moral difference between humans and animals. Unlike animals, humans are capable of rational thought and can alter the world around them. Other creatures were put on this earth for mankind to use, and that includes eating meat. For all these reasons we say that men and women have rights and that animals don\u2019t. This means that eating meat is in no way like murder. It is natural for human beings to farm, kill, and eat other species. In the wild there is a brutal struggle for existence. The fact that we humans have succeeded in that struggle by exploiting our natural environment means that we have a natural right over lower species. In fact farming animals is much less brutal than the pain and hardship that animals inflict on each other naturally in the wild.  Eating meat does not need to mean cruelty to animals. There are a growing number of organic and free-range farms that can provide meat without cruelty to animals. Similarly, it might be reasonable to argue for an extension of animal welfare laws to protect farm animals - but that does not mean that it is wrong in principle to eat meat."], "type": "binary", "id": "211"}
+{"question": "Are Israeli settlements in the West Bank a major obstacle to future peace negotiations?", "perspectives": ["Israeli settlements in the West Bank are a major obstacle to future peace negotiations.", "Israeli settlements in the West Bank are not a major obstacle to future peace negotiations."], "docs": ["The Settlements commit future Israeli governments to a harder stand in future negotiations  Whether deliberate or not, the settlements are changing the \u201cfacts on the ground\u201d by changing the political calculus for future Israeli governments.  While most Israeli politicians accept the need to abandon some smaller settlements, the vast majority are unlikely to be evacuated. It was politically divisive to the point of breaking the Likud party in two when Ariel Sharon, a man with more credit than anyone else on the Israeli right pulled out of Gaza in 2005, and there were only a little over 7000 Israeli settlers there. By contrast there are now more than 300,000 settlers in the West Bank, and this number is rising fast. [1] There were less than 200,000 in 2000. [2]  Of these settlers, many are religious and vote for the Haridam (Orthodox) parties like the National Religious Party . [3] Because the party has served in governments of both the Left and the Right in recent years, in practice they and the ultra-nationalist Israel Beitinu tend to hold the balance of power in the Israeli Knesset.  Therefore every time Israel expands settlements, they are reducing their room to manoeuvre in future Peace Negotiations, and forcing themselves to take a harder stance. This means that Peace will either become less likely (because Israel will set more extreme terms) or that Israel will face more internal divisions in order to offer it. In either case, as the settlements expand  [1] Levinson, Chaim, \u2018IDF: More than 300, 000 settlers live in West Bank\u2019, Haaretz.com, 27 July 2009,   [2] Wikipedia, \u2018Population statistics for Israeli West Bank settlements\u2019, en.wikipedia.org,  , accessed 20 January 2012  [3] Etkes, Dror, \u2018The Ultra-Orthodox Jews in the West Bank\u2019, Peace Now, October 2005,", "First, it is unclear if this is even true. A 2010 poll showed support for dismantling settlements in exchange for Peace at an all-time high in Israel. [1]  Secondly, even if it is true that settlements complicate the internal Israeli political picture, the impact on the Peace Process is limited to the extent to which one accepts that the West Bank borders are sacrosanct. Beyond that, the difference in political cost between uprooting 180,000 and 300,000 settlers is marginal at best \u2013 both are likely impossible concessions for any Israeli government to make except under enormous international pressure in which case the numerical difference is of limited importance.  Far more important is accepting that the assumption that the West Bank boundaries are sacrosanct has done far more harm than good. It gives neither side room to compromise on the issues of vital importance to them. For Israel, providing defence in depth for Tel Aviv which is only sixteen miles from Jerusalem, for the Palestinians, ensuring that their national home is economically viable.  Far better would be to use the existent of the settlements to pressure both sides to accept that some portion of the West Bank will remain with Israel in any settlement, while in exchange, some portion of Israel proper approximately equal in size will be transferred to a future Palestinian entity. Once both sides accept this premise, the number of options for an agreement and for compensations on the issues of dispute increase astronomically.  It is perhaps for this reason that support for this exchange has moved from the fringes to the mainstream of Israel Political thinking with even Tzipi Livni of the Center-Left Kadima now open to it. [2]  [1] Richman, Alvin, \u2018Israeli Public\u2019s Support for Dismantling Most Settlements Has Risen to a Five-Year High\u2019, World Public Opinion.org, 15 April 2010,   [2] Carlstrom, Gregg, \u2018Lieberman sees common ground with Livni\u2019, Al Jazeera, 25 January 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "212"}
+{"question": "Is it feasible to definitively trace and attribute cyber attacks to specific countries?", "perspectives": ["It is feasible to definitively trace and attribute cyber attacks to specific countries.", "It is not feasible to definitively trace and attribute cyber attacks to specific countries."], "docs": ["It is unlikely that states would freely attack other states when there is unclear evidence as to who the perpetrator was. In any country that is going to engage in military action regardless of the reason there is intense public debate this would apply all the more if the reason was novel (for instance, those on interfering against Syria's Assad's regime), so we can expect public scrutiny to apply to cyberwarfare as well.  Furthermore, there are also cases when cyber attacks can be traced to a particular country hostile country or even particular group within the country. This can happen when the country or groups within it themselves admit to the attack, as the Syrian Electronic Army, sympathetic to Assad's regime, cyber attacking USA in 2013 [22]. Or through intensive investigation. Tools to track cyber attacks are also constantly being perfected. For example, IPv6 (the latest version of the internet protocol) is the most effective at decreasing anonymity of cyber attackers [23]. So there are scenarios when cyber attackers are known and can be tracked, and the states have a right to treat them as acts of war.", "Cyber attacks are difficult to trace  Cyber attacks are very difficult to trace as cyber attackers hide their digital tracks [20]. Cyber attackers also often launch attacks from poorly protected computers in other countries, which in no way implicates that the state was responsible for attacks \u2013 for instance, roughly 10% of spam comes from computers in China, but that is not Chinese spam [21]. The situation is different with traditional warfare, where there is evidence of weapons used, uniforms spotted, and reports of witnesses on site. Of course, we can expect states to lie about launching cyber attacks, thus China and the USA trade accusations about responsibility for cyber attacks, but there is no good way to test the truth. All of this means that an act of war would be judged based on incomplete and misleading information about another state\u2019s involvement, threatening international peace and resulting in the loss of human life for no good reason."], "type": "binary", "id": "213"}
+{"question": "Has the United Nations been effective in preventing wars and maintaining peace?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations has been effective in preventing wars and maintaining peace.", "The United Nations has not been effective in preventing wars and maintaining peace."], "docs": ["The UN has performed a valuable service in preventing wars and in peacekeeping.  It is clearly unrealistic to imagine that the United Nations could prevent all wars, but nonetheless it has been successful at negotiating peaceful resolutions to international disputes. It has also authorised military force to defend countries from unprovoked attacks; Kuwait and South Korea, to name just two, owe their freedom to UN action. Finally, UN peacekeepers do vital work all over the world from Cyprus to Korea. [1]  [1] \u201cWhat is Peacekeeping?\u201d. United Nations, 2011.", "No-one is suggesting that the test of a successful United Nations should be an end to all armed conflict. But even judged on its own criteria, it has been remarkably ineffectual. The examples of Kuwait and Korea are both situations where defensive wars were fought by the US and allies for their own reasons \u2013 the containment of Saddam Hussein and Communism, respectively \u2013 not UN ideals. Where the UN did not authorise military action, such as in Vietnam or Iraq in 2003, this made no difference. It is hard to think of an example where imminent conflict was definitely averted due to UN influence.  As for UN peacekeepers, they usually come into conflicts only after they have ended and thousands of civilians been killed. They often do a good job, but they are seldom indispensable. Other regional organisations, such as NATO or the African Union, can equally well perform this function."], "type": "binary", "id": "214"}
+{"question": "Are Private Military Companies (PMCs) a beneficial resource for modern warfare?", "perspectives": ["Private Military Companies (PMCs) are a beneficial resource for modern warfare.", "Private Military Companies (PMCs) are not a beneficial resource for modern warfare."], "docs": ["PMCs are a valuable resource  PMCs are a flexible and efficient tool with which to fight 21st Century wars making them a necessity. Private contractors can be hired at short notice and used only when necessary. They can be used to carry out specific missions, to reinforce traditional troops where greater numbers are required or to protect other contractors whilst traditional troops carry out more lucrative missions. Additionally, most PMCs are non-combative but rather defensive, providing security for officials, supply trains etc. As a result they are viewed less as invaders or \u201cthe enemy\u201d and more as peace-keepers.", "PMCs are ineffective as they do not fit in with a disciplined army. PMCs are not bound by the same rules and standards of conduct and accountability as conventional troops. When problems arise it is often unclear whether army representatives or PMCs should be held responsible. Moreover, the lack of regulation means that there is no means to ensure mercenaries breaking laws are disciplined. Currently most mercenaries can operate outside martial law with relative freedom. Some of the worst offences at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq were committed by \u201cprivatised interrogators\u201d (Hersh, 2004) who are yet to be punished."], "type": "binary", "id": "215"}
+{"question": "Is maintaining natural monopolies necessary for protecting workers' rights?", "perspectives": ["Maintaining natural monopolies is necessary for protecting workers' rights.", "Maintaining natural monopolies is not necessary for protecting workers' rights."], "docs": ["Collective bargaining is a counter to the creation of natural monopolies  Many public industries exist as public industries because they are natural monopolies. For example, rail travel, which is often public in Western Liberal democracies, is a sector in which it makes no sense to build multiple railway lines across the country, each for a different company, when one would simply be more efficient. A similar case can be made for things such as public utilities. As such, these sectors often only have a single, often public company working in that sector.  In the case where there is a monopolist, the workers in the sector often have no other employers that they can reasonably find that require their skills, so for example, teachers are very well qualified to teach, however, are possibly not as qualified to deal with other areas and as such will find difficulty moving to another profession. As such, the monopolist in this area has the power to set wages without losing a significant number of employees. Further, in many of these industries strike action will not be used, for example because teachers have a vocational, almost fiduciary relationship with their students and don\u2019t wish to see them lose out due to a strike.1  \u201cMonopoly Power.\u201d", "The opposition argument here is simply a case against natural monopolies. In many Western Liberal democracies, advances in technology have enabled natural monopolies on telecoms and public transport to be broken down. A wide range of necessary public services- such as telecoms and power generation- now function as part of a competitive market. As such, it is feasible that the state could simply deal with this problem by breaking down other natural monopolies in the same way.  Even if the state acts as a monopolist in some industries, public sector workers often have transferrable skills which mean they can move to other industries without that much trouble. For example, a public prosecutor will have acquired professional skills that enable a relatively quick transition into private or commercial civil practice.1  \u201cIdentifying the Transferable skills of a Teacher.\u201d North Central College."], "type": "binary", "id": "216"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty genuinely contribute to global peace and security?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty genuinely contributes to global peace and security.", "The New START treaty does not genuinely contribute to global peace and security."], "docs": ["The New START treaty will make for a safer world.  Reducing US and Russian nuclear weapons stockpiles makes for a safer world, as Dr. David Gushee states: \"The issue on the table is a nuclear arms reduction and verification treaty between the United States and Russia. The treaty, called New START, would reduce Russian and American deployed nuclear weapons to 1,550 and delivery vehicles to 700 each. This would be a 33 percent reduction in the existing arsenals, which is worth achieving and celebrating even as we know that countless cities and millions of precious human beings could be destroyed by the use of even part of the remaining arsenals. Still, these reductions would be a great step on the way to a safer world, as would the re-establishment of bilateral, intrusive verification measures for both sides, also part of the treaty.\" [1]  The world is simply a much less secure place without New Start, and not just because New START means there are physically fewer nuclear weapons and thus a lesser chance of nuclear disasters (although this in itself is compelling). Rather, New START also has immense symbolic value, in demonstrating that the two greatest powers have enough in common and are interested enough in their mutual security that they can agree to deduce nuclear weapons together. It shows that these nations regard each other as partners for world peace, not as enemies.  The alternative world, without New START, would be one in which the mutual suspicion and animosity of the Cold War might continue. It is notable that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in an interview released in early December 2010 that Russia might be forced to build up its nuclear forces against the West if the United States fails to ratify the New START treaty. [2] The threat of Russia, or even the US, resuming nuclear build-ups is a frightening thought for both nations, for the world and for peace.  On top of its other benefits, New START is key to opening Russian nuclear weapons up for verification, which contributes to trust and peace. As former Secretaries of State Kissinger, Shultz, Eagleburger, Baker and Powell argue \u201cthe agreement emphasizes verification, providing a valuable window into Russia's nuclear arsenal. Since the original START expired last December, Russia has not been required to provide notifications about changes in its strategic nuclear arsenal, and the United States has been unable to conduct on-site inspections. Each day, America's understanding of Russia's arsenal has been degraded, and resources have been diverted from national security tasks to try to fill the gaps. Our military planners increasingly lack the best possible insight into Russia's activity with its strategic nuclear arsenal, making it more difficult to carry out their nuclear deterrent mission.\u201d [3] Therefore New START should be supported as it represents a positive step for peace and cooperation in the world.  [1] Gushee, Dr David P. \"Security, Sin and Nuclear Weapons: A Christian Plea for the New START Treaty\". Huffington Post. 4 December 2010.   [2] Abdullaev, Nabi. \u201cPutin Issues Warning on New START\u201d. The Moscow Times. 2 December 2010.   [3] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.", "New START is about national politics, not about the interests of the world or peace. As George Will argued in 2010: \"The (Obama) administration's ardor for ratification is understandable, as is Russia's. The president needs a success somewhere; Russia needs psychotherapy. It longs to be treated as what it no longer is, a superpower, and it likes the treaty's asymmetries.\" [1] New START is about serving these domestic political interests, not securing peace, which it will not achieve as the inspections it puts in place are highly flawed, and there remains a high probability that Russia will cheat on the treaty and augment its nuclear capabilities regardless. All this treaty does is weaken the US, and a situation where one power weakens and the other grows stronger is not good for world peace.  [1] Will, George. \"Obama's time-warp focus on the New START treaty\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "217"}
+{"question": "Is South Ossetia viable as an independent state?", "perspectives": ["South Ossetia is viable as an independent state.", "outh Ossetia is not viable as an independent state."], "docs": ["S. Ossetia has an effective democratic government which carries out an effective control over the territory and the population. It has independent legal procedure, army and militia and security service. The state levies taxes, provides property rights and social service \u2013 public health services, provision of pensions, public safety, power and road and transport services, etc. [1] (4) All this clearly points to the viability of an independent S. Ossetian state -a fact which already exists on the ground. Or, if it wants, after independence S. Ossetia is morally within its rights to re-join with its kith-and-kin in North Ossetia, which is part of Russia. Of course, it would have to first separate from Georgia, whereupon it will have the capacity to then decide to join Russia. Moreover, few states n the world are truly self-sufficient, and there are plenty of poor landlocked countries, so in this sense S. Ossetia would not be unique. Furthermore, poverty from continual conflict is an argument to end the conflict, not against independence.  [1] Bzarov, Ruslan. \u201cIndependence of the Republic of South Ossetia \u2013 a guarantee of safety and reliable future of the Ossetian people\u201d. Speech of Doctor of historical sciences, Professor Ruslan Bzarov at the VI congress of the Ossetian people. September 2007.", "A South Ossetian state is unviable  There are many factors that make South Ossetia unviable as a state. South Ossetia is very small with a very small population. It is also a landlocked state and very poor. These facts make it unlikely that South Ossetia could act effectively as an independent state. The result is that it would become dependent on other states. [1] This can already be seen from the fact that S. Ossetia has only been able to secure its current de facto independence with substantial military and foreign aid from Russia. [2] S. Ossetia is economically unviable as an independent state. It is landlocked and only has meaningful road access to the sea through Georgia. S. Ossetian GDP was estimated at US$ 15 million (US$ 250 per capita) in a work published in 2002. S. Ossetia is arguably lacking in the basic economic necessities for autonomy. Indeed, a $15 million GDP would make South Ossetia one of the poorest nations in the world. Particularly following a war with Georgia in the 1990s, South Ossetia has struggled economically. Employment and supplies are scarce. The majority of the population survives on subsistence farming. Virtually the only significant economic asset that South Ossetia possesses is control of the Roki Tunnel that links Russia and Georgia, from which the South Ossetian government reportedly obtains as much as a third of its budget by levying customs duties on freight traffic. The separatist officials admitted that Tskhinvali received more than 60 percent of its 2006 budget revenue directly from the Russian government. [3] [4] Finally, S. Ossetia has a population of roughly 70,000. [5] This would make it one of the smallest states in the world. This fact, combined with its high level of poverty, makes it a poor candidate for independence, and shows that its \u201cindependence\u201d would compel it to become even more dependent on Russia, or else risk disintegrating as an unviable state.  [1] BBC News. \u201cS Ossetia votes for independence\u201d. BBC News. 13 November 2006.   [2] Socor, Vladimir. \u201cMOSCOW\u2019S FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER SOUTH OSSETIA\u2019S REFERENDUM\u201d. Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 3 Issue: 212. The Jamestown Foundation. 15 November 2006.   [3] Walker, Shaun. \u201cSouth Ossetia: Russian, Georgian...independent?\u201d. Open Democracy. 15 November 2006.   [4] Vaisman, Daria. \u201cNo recognition for breakaway South Ossetia's vote\u201d. The Christian Science Monitor. 10 November 2006.   [5] BBC News. \u201cS Ossetia votes for independence\u201d. BBC News. 13 November 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "218"}
+{"question": "Would ending the war on drugs significantly reduce the funding of terrorist groups and regional instability?", "perspectives": ["Ending the war on drugs would significantly reduce the funding of terrorist groups and regional instability.", "Ending the war on drugs would not significantly reduce the funding of terrorist groups and regional instability."], "docs": ["Drugs currently fund terrorism and regional instability  The Taliban gets most of its revenue from poppies, which provide the opium for heroin. They do this by intimidating local farmers who would otherwise sell their harvest at market. They then demand \u201cprotection money\u201d as well, or else either another local warlord or the \u2018protectors\u2019 themselves would rob the farmer. Something like 22,700 people have died in Mexico since January 2007 from gangsters who want to protect their revenue and almost the entire continent of South America, from Brazil to Colombia, has had their governments destabilised by drug lords. [1] The hugely-costly but unsuccessful war on drugs could be ended, starving terrorists of the profits of drug production. As a result peace and development could be brought to unstable drug-producing states such as Colombia and Afghanistan.  [1] Mexico under siege, The drug war on our doorstep, Los Angeles Times , 27 September 2011,", "Whether legal or illegal, drugs will still be a source of income for warlords and terrorist groups. Instead of starving them off, the dealers become more competitive and lower their prices. The only way to stop these people using drugs as a source of income is to remove poppies from Afghan fields, to destroy coca plantations."], "type": "binary", "id": "219"}
+{"question": "Should artists hold full copyright control over their publicly funded work?", "perspectives": ["Artists should hold full copyright control over their publicly funded work.", "Artists should not hold full copyright control over their publicly funded work."], "docs": ["Artists should retain the right to control their work\u2019s interaction with the public space even if their work is publicly funded  Art is the expression of its creator\u2019s sense of understanding of the world, and thus that expression will always have special meaning to him or her that no amount of reinterpretation or external appreciation can override. How a work is used once released into the public sphere, whether expanded, revised, responded to, or simply shown without their direct consent, thus remains an active issue for the artist, because those alternative experiences are all using a piece of the artist in its efforts. Artists deserve to have that piece of them treated in a way they see as reasonable. It is a simple matter of justice that artists be permitted to maintain the level of control they desire, and it is a justice that is best furnished through the conventional copyright mechanism that provides for the maximum protection of works for their creators, and allows them to contract away uses and rights to those works on their own terms. Many artists care about their legacies and the future of their artistic works, and should thus have this protection furnished by the state through the protection of copyright, not cast aside by the unwashed users of the creative commons. Samuel Beckett is a great example of this need. Beckett had exacting standards about the fashion in which in his plays could be performed. [1] For him the meaning of the art demanded an appreciation for the strict performance without the adulteration of reinterpretation. He would lack that power under this policy, meaning either the world would have been impoverished for want of his plays, or he would have been impoverished for want of his rights to his work. These rights are best balanced through the aegis of copyright as it is, not under the free-for-all of the creative commons license.  [1] Catron, L. \u201cCopyright Laws for Theatre People\u201d. 2003.", "Upon entering the public arena works of art take on characters of their own, often far different than their original creators did, or could have, imagined. The art is consumed, absorbed, and reimagined and takes on its own identity that the artist cannot claim full ownership over. It is important that art as a whole be able to thrive in society, but this is only possible when artists are able to make use of, and actively reinterpret and utilize existing works. That art does, due to its origination belong more to the people, who should have access, even if the artist, like Beckett has bizarrely rigorous feelings about the work."], "type": "binary", "id": "220"}
+{"question": "Does the rise in women's labour-force participation contribute to gender equality?", "perspectives": ["The rise in women's labour-force participation contributes to gender equality.", "The rise in women's labour-force participation does not contribute to gender equality."], "docs": ["With the right to work within the productive sphere, the responsibility of care becomes shared. This may take some time but eventually equality will be the result. If you consider the changes occurring within the developed world - such as improved access to child-care facilities and the rise of stay at home dads, the integration of women into paid employment shows changes in gender roles. The double burden may occur temporarily, but in the long-run it will fade.", "The double burden  Despite a feminising labour market there has been no convergence, or equalisation, in unpaid domestic and care work. Women still play key roles in working the reproductive sphere and family care; therefore labour-force participation increases the overall burden placed on women. The burden is placed on time, physical, and mental demands.  We need to recognise the anxieties and burdens women face of being the bread-winner, as survival is becoming \u2018feminised\u2019 (Sassen, 2002). Additionally, women have always accounted for a significant proportion of the labour market - although their work has not been recognised. Therefore to what extent can we claim increased labour force participation is empowering when it is only just being recognised?"], "type": "binary", "id": "221"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty favor Russia over the United States?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty favors Russia over the United States.", "The New START treaty does not favor Russia over the United States."], "docs": ["The New START treaty helps Russia more than the US  Not only does New START leave in place Russia\u2019s extant tactical nuclear advantage but it has further loopholes for Russian weapons. As Mitt Romney argued in 2010: \"Does the treaty provide gaping loopholes that Russia could use to escape nuclear weapon limits entirely? Yes. For example, multiple warhead missile bombers are counted under the treaty as only one warhead. While we currently have more bombers than the Russians, they have embarked on new programs for long-range bombers and for air-launched nuclear cruise missiles. Thus, it is no surprise that Russia is happy to undercount missiles on bombers.\" [1]  New START also fails to limit rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which Russia could potentially make use of. The definition of rail-mobile ICBM launchers was established in the expired START as \u201can erector-launcher mechanism for launching ICBMs and the railcar or flatcar on which it is mounted.\u201d [2] This and associated restrictions and limitations in START, are not in the New START. This makes it possible for Russia to claim that any new Rail Mobile ICBMs are not subject to New START limitations. [3] Mitt Romney worries that Russia is already working to take advantage of these omissions: \u201cAs drafted, it lets Russia escape the limit on its number of strategic nuclear warheads. Loopholes and lapses -- presumably carefully crafted by Moscow -- provide a path to entirely avoid the advertised warhead-reduction targets. \u2026. These omissions would be consistent with Russia's plans for a new heavy bomber and reports of growing interest in rail-mobile ICBMs.\" [4]  This means that under the treaty limits, the United States is the only country that must reduce its launchers and strategic nuclear weapons. Russia has managed to negotiate the treaty limits so that they simply restrict it to reductions it was already planning to do. As a result the United States is making what are effectively unilateral reductions. [5] Therefore, New START is an unequal treaty as it offers more to Russia than to the US. This is bad for the balance of power and thus bad for world peace, and so New START should be opposed.  [1] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.   [2] \u2018Terms and Definitions\u2019, The Treaty Between The United States Of America And The Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics On The Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms And Associated Documents, 1991,   [3] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [4] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.   [5] Romney, Mitt. \"Stop START.\" Boston.com. 3 December 2010.", "The New START treaty does not help Russia more than it does the United States. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates argued at the time the Russians are currently \u201cabove the treaty limits. So they will have to take down warheads.\u201d [1] If there really is undercounting of missiles on bombers then it affects both sides equally \u2013 as Romney says \u201cWhile we currently have more bombers than the Russians\u201d, so this too should not be a worry. Russia does not currently deploy rail-mobile ICBMs and neither does the United States, explain why the definitions are not there. However the State Department argues that \u201cIf a Party develops and deploys rail-mobile ICBMs, such missiles, their warheads, and their launchers would be subject to the Treaty.\u201d As the definitions of ICBM launchers would include them. [2] Finally we should recognize that we do not know that Russia would have reduced its bomber and missile forces without a new treaty, while Russia has more difficulty maintaining its nuclear forces than the United States so has more incentive to reduce them, but without a treaty it might even increase its forces due to a desire to keep parity with the United States while the US has a big lead in conventional weapons. [3]  Furthermore, any agreement made between Russia and the US needs to be one that benefits both parties, it does not matter if someone is getting more than the other. Getting an agreement that meets the needs of both countries is far more important, because it will be upheld more so than one that simple gives both countries the same. Fair and efficent does not mean spilting a pie in half, if one only wanted the crust, and the other only wanted the filling.  [1] Isaacs, John, \u2018Rebuttals to Additional Arguments Against \u201cNew START\u201d\u2019, The Center For Arms Control And Non-Proliferation,   [2] Bureau of Verification, Compliance, and Implementation, \u2018Rail-Mobile Launchers of ICBMs and their Missiles\u2019, U.S. Department of State, 2 August 2010,   [3] Isaacs, John, \u2018Rebuttals to Additional Arguments Against \u201cNew START\u201d\u2019, The Center For Arms Control And Non-Proliferation,"], "type": "binary", "id": "222"}
+{"question": "Is the progressive tax system inherently inefficient and overly complex?", "perspectives": ["The progressive tax system is inherently inefficient and overly complex.", "The progressive tax system is not inherently inefficient and overly complex."], "docs": ["Progressive systems are invariably highly complex and inefficient in implementation, breeding the knock-on inefficiencies of evasion and avoidance  The modern progressive tax system has created whole industries of firms and specialists geared toward helping people file their taxes and to ensure the system runs smoothly. It has also bred armies of officials who oversee and audit tax issues, costing the United States for example more than $11 billion a year to operate its tax collection and verification systems. [1] People are forced under the progressive system to waste hours filling out returns, to hoard and sift through receipts to be accurate and to maximize their rebates. There is thus a huge efficiency loss in terms of people\u2019s time as they are forced to dedicate effort and resources to the often arduous task of filing taxes in an ever more complicated system, arising from a progressive regime. The extreme complexity of the system has generated further negative incentives, encouraging the wealthy to seek ways around the system, to exploit loopholes in the bloated system for their personal benefit. [2] The very wealthy can thus evade obligations through the manipulation of complex tax codes and loopholes, and can sometimes even lead less scrupulous people to pay less than less wealthy people. Flat and regressive consumption taxes, on the other hand, offer an easier mechanism of taxation that is easier to understand, less time consuming to deal with, and harder to manipulate.  [1] White, James. \u201cInternal Revenue Service: Assessment of the 2008 Budget Request and an Update of 2007 Performance\u201d. United States Government Accountability Office. Available:   [2] Wolk, Martin. \u201cWhy the Tax System Keeps Getting More Complex\u201d. MSNBC. 2006. Available:", "While tax codes are complicated, their sophistication is not justification for their abolition. Rather, progressive systems can be more streamlined. New Zealand can be used as an example where a progressive taxation system is also simple, it has been praised by the OSCE; [1] in 1958 it introduced the PAYE, pay as you earn system. Where employees were taxed from their salary rather than paying their taxes in full at the end of the financial year. [2] As Complex systems and loopholes do arise due to the piecemeal development of such taxation systems, by organizing it properly a progressive system of taxation can be every bit as easily regulated and navigated as a flat-rate system.  [1] Dalsgaard, Thomas, \u2018The tax system in new Zealand: An appraisal and options for change\u2019, OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No.281, 31 January 2001,   [2] Goldsmith, Paul, \u2018Taxes\u2019, Te Ara \u2013 the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 5 March 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "223"}
+{"question": "Is community radio inherently democratic?", "perspectives": ["Community radio is inherently democratic.", "Community radio is not inherently democratic."], "docs": ["It is a platform, but it\u2019s a platform with history \u2013 one that has allowed small or marginalised groups to have a voice. Of course a radio station won\u2019t build democratic strength on its own but it is an important tool in normalising the concept that the voices of those communities have both worth and power.", "Community radio is just a platform, there is nothing innately democratic about it.  To associate a medium with a particular virtue is missing the point. Radio has been used for atrocity and tyranny (Rwanda would be an obvious example) just as much as the promotion and development of democracy. Equally the suggestion that community radio has a more significant role to play in this regard as opposed to, say, the BBC world Service, is ignoring the facts.  Particular media cannot be said to support democratic renewal any more than particular languages can. Equally, the revolutions of 1989 demonstrated the reality that taking control of the national radio station is, in some situations, more important than seizing the Presidential Palace. Neither the \u2018community\u2019 element nor the \u2018radio\u2019 aspect are innately democratic.  Different media have, undeniably, produced different types of social change \u2013 but they all have possibilities for democratic progress [i] .  [i] Sedra, Mark, Revolution 2.0: democracy promotion in the age of social media. The Globe and Mail. 2 February 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "224"}
+{"question": "Is labor participation alone sufficient for enhancing women's rights?", "perspectives": ["Labor participation alone is sufficient for enhancing women's rights.", "Labor participation alone is not sufficient for enhancing women's rights."], "docs": ["Labour participation and rights  Labour participation enables an awareness, and acquirement, of equal gender rights. Firstly, labour participation is challenging cultural ideologies and norms of which see the woman\u2019s responsibility as limited to the reproductive sphere. Entering the productive sphere brings women equal work rights and the right to enter public space. By such a change gender norms of the male breadwinner are challenged. Secondly, labour force participation by women has resulted in the emergence of community lawyers and organisations to represent them. The Declaration of the African Regional Domestic Workers Network is a case in point. [1] With the rising number of female domestic workers, the network is working to change conditions - upholding Conferences, sharing information, and taking action.  [1] See", "For rights to be granted women need to be able to have a position within trade unions, and policy change is required.  A recent study shows fewer women than men are found in trade unions across eight African countries looked at in a study(Daily Guide, 2011). The greatest degree of women\u2019s involvement was from teacher and nurses unions, however, there remains a lack of representation at leadership levels. The lack of a united, or recognised, women\u2019s voice in trade unions undermines aims for gender equality and mainstreaming for those women who are working.  Additionally, at a larger scale, policy change is required. Empowerment cannot occur where unequal structures remain - therefore the system needs to be changed. Governments need to engender social policy and support women - providing protection, maternity cover, pension schemes, and security, which discriminate against women and informal workers."], "type": "binary", "id": "225"}
+{"question": "Is the right to life inclusive of the right to choose death?", "perspectives": ["The right to life includes the right to choose death.", "The right to life does not include the right to choose death."], "docs": ["The right to life means a right to death  When we speak of the right to life it means more than merely the right to be alive, it encompasses the right to self-ownership, the notion that one\u2019s life is one\u2019s own and that you are not beholden to anyone else by the mere fact that you are alive. It follows from this that there can be no duty on anyone to live beyond a point of their own choosing, and there should be no attempt to interfere with suicidal behaviour whether by individuals or by the law. [1]  [1] Chobli, Michael, \u2018Suicide\u2019, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward n. Zalta (ed.), Fall 2009,", "The right to life is a positive protection against the state extinguishing that right and is limited largely to that context. A person can no more choose to give up their right to life than they can choose to give up their right to freedom from slavery."], "type": "binary", "id": "226"}
+{"question": "Is strong leadership the most effective solution to tackle corruption?", "perspectives": ["Strong leadership is the most effective solution to tackle corruption.", "rong leadership is not the most effective solution to tackle corruption."], "docs": ["The best possible way to tackle the corruption issue, which lets face it is one of the major problems in Russia nowadays, is through a strong leader. Eastern European democratic countries are the pure example that corruption spreads when there is no strong leadership. The corruption in these countries is an obstacle to their economic development. As a matter of fact present president Dmitry Medvedev has launched policies and new projects in order to fight back corruption \u2013 \u201c Fighting corruption has been a top agenda of President Dmitry Medvedev. An Anti-Corruption Council was established by Medvedev in 2008 to oversee the Russia's anti-corruption campaign. The central document guiding the effort is the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, introduced by Medvedev in 2010.\u201d (2) In fact, increasing corruption might prove to be more dangerous than terrorist attacks since it would create powerful drug, oil and weapons cartels as well as human trafficking problems. Therefore a strong leader is necessary to cope with this critical matter.", "Proper democratic checks and balance are the only way to real problem-solving  There is a fine line between enough authority to fight corruption and enough authority to oppress a population. Many corrupt, authoritarian leaders have risen to power through the promise of social reform and of wiping out drug cartels and gangsters. A society living in fear and believing that all their problems will be solved by a powerful leader will never be able to overcome its problems. Empowering individuals and accepting risk is ultimately the only true solution to such problems. Even if Putin were completely pure himself, centralising power so completely gives great influence to those advisers and ministers around him and makes corruption in government inevitable. Only by building in proper democratic checks and balances, including criticism from a free media and legal system, can accountability be created and corruption or incompetence tackled."], "type": "binary", "id": "227"}
+{"question": "Is the ban on cluster bombs effectively reducing their use in battlefields?", "perspectives": ["The ban on cluster bombs is effectively reducing their use in battlefields.", "The ban on cluster bombs is not effectively reducing their use in battlefields."], "docs": ["Whilst the ban prevents engagement with countries that use cluster bombs, it also limits the supply of cluster bombs to these countries significantly. The West ceasing the manufacture of cluster bombs means that many countries will cease being able to get their through second or third hand sources. Whilst the Chinese might be able to fill the gap, their cluster bomb technology is not on the same level as that of the West and as such the lack of reliability with the Chinese weaponry will cause fewer countries to employ the use of cluster bombs on the battlefield.  Further, the ban on cluster bombs by Western countries sends out a strong moral message that many other smaller countries are likely to obey and follow. With the US accepting the ban international prosecution, or potentially even sanctions is considerably more likely. The U.S. holding out however, shows the West to be divided on the topic and as such prevents other countries that might be better off from banning them owing to their fear of indecision in the West.6", "The Ban is Unfeasible  The problem with the ban on cluster bombs is that it is unfeasible in the prevention of the use of cluster bombs on the battlefield. Many countries aside from the U.S. will continue to use the weapons and will likely do so less responsibly. There is no way to persuade these countries to abandon the weapons. Countries such as China and the US are unconcerned by threats that their use can be a crime against humanity and might result in international criminal prosecutions as they are not signed up to the ICC and as Security Council members can prevent investigations of themselves or their clients.  The U.S. and Western powers continuing to manufacture cluster bombs allows them to engage with the other users of cluster bombs on the battlefield. Many countries import weapons from Western powers and as such, continuing the manufacture of cluster bombs allows Western powers to keep a check on their use by other countries.  Further, the ability for Western powers to use cluster bombs allows Western powers to discourage their use on the battlefield through the threat of retaliation with the same weaponry. As such, banning the weapons could cost the lives of soldiers on the battlefield.8"], "type": "binary", "id": "228"}
+{"question": "Is the cost of the Grand Inga project too prohibitive to proceed with its construction?", "perspectives": ["The cost of the Grand Inga project is too prohibitive to proceed with its construction.", "The cost of the Grand Inga project is not too prohibitive to proceed with its construction."], "docs": ["The cost is too high  The Grand Inga is \u2018pie in the sky\u2019 as the cost is too immense. At more than $50-100 billion it is more than twice the GDP of the whole country. [1] Even the much smaller Inga III project has been plagued by funding problems with Westcor pulling out of the project in 2009. [2] This much smaller project still does not have all the financial backing it needs having failed to get firm commitments of investment from anyone except the South Africans. [3] If private companies won\u2019t take the risk on a much smaller project they won\u2019t on the Grand Inga.  [1] Central Intelligence Agency, \u2018Congo, Democratic Republic of the\u2019, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013,   [2] \u2018Westcor Drops Grand Inga III Project\u2019, Alternative Energy Africa, 14 August 2009,   [3] \u2018DRC still looking for Inga III funding\u2019, ESI-Africa.com, 13 September 2013,", "The difficulty of constructing something should not be considered a good argument not to do it. As one of the poorest countries in the world construction will surely have significant support from developed donors and international institutions. Moreover with the energy cooperation treaty between DRC and South Africa there is a guaranteed partner to help in financing and eventually buying the electricity."], "type": "binary", "id": "229"}
+{"question": "Is education more crucial than work participation in empowering women?", "perspectives": ["Education is more crucial than work participation in empowering women.", "Education is not more crucial than work participation in empowering women."], "docs": ["Who are the women?  Women are a diverse group, and the feminisation of labour has incorporated a range of women of different ages, race, socioeconomic backgrounds and education. Such intersectionalities are important to recognise, as not all women are empowered and the empowerment is not equal.  For example, a study by Atieno (2006) revealed female participation in the labour market was influenced by education. Human capital influenced the transition into work: who was able to access labour opportunities, and which ones. Therefore inequalities among women determine the degrees, and capability, of empowerment it is therefore not labour force participation that empowers but education.", "Yes education may help to determine the extent to which labour participation empowers women but it is the participation itself that is the actual tool that empowers. A well-educated woman who is kept at home doing nothing is not empowered no matter how good her education might have been. In Saudi Arabia there are more women in university than men yet there is 36% unemployment for women against only 6% for men (Aluwaisheg, 2013). The women are educated, not empowered."], "type": "binary", "id": "230"}
+{"question": "Is it morally acceptable to intervene in a situation that would result in fewer deaths, even at the cost of directly causing a death?", "perspectives": ["It is morally acceptable to intervene in a situation that would result in fewer deaths, even at the cost of directly causing a death.", "It is not morally acceptable to intervene in a situation that would result in fewer deaths if it led to directly causing a death."], "docs": ["As humans we try to save as many people as possible  There exists a basic right to life which, as humans, we try to follow. Killing others is outlawed because we generally believe that every person has the right to live their life and no one else has the right to take that life away. In the situation with the train there are two possible outcomes which both lead to life being cut short. Due to the fact that we place such value on life we have a duty to reduce the number of people who die. One ought to commit the act that results in the fewest deaths, and this is to kill the one and save the five.", "People suffer unfortunate deaths on a daily basis. The fact that people die in accidents does not necessarily mean that their right to life has been violated. Therefore, if one lets the train run its course five people will suffer an unfortunate accident. The real violation of rights in this situation is the action of changing the course of the train. The single person on the track is in no immediate danger. However, by changing the course of the train one is actively participating in the removal of that person\u2019s life. If we believe that a person has the right not to be murdered then pulling the lever is a violation of that right."], "type": "binary", "id": "231"}
+{"question": "Is Julian Assange a journalist?", "perspectives": ["Julian Assange is a journalist.", "Julian Assange is not a journalist."], "docs": ["There is a difference between actual journalists and those who like having their names published in newspapers. Assange has far more claim to the description than many of them.  One of the things that the Leveson Inquiry [1] has made all too apparent is that simply working for a newspaper or broadcaster is not a satisfactory definition of journalist. In terms of maintaining a professional ethic, the difference between those who hacked into phones \u2013 including that of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler \u2013 and the journalists who broke the story, Nick Davies and Amelia Hill [2] could not be starker. Equally many popular blogs that focus exclusively on opinion or areas of news far more specialist than has traditionally been considered the role of the daily media.  A more useful definition, it would seem, relates more to the ethics and aims of the individual or organisation involved. This has the advantage of ruling out those organisations devoted to advertising (such as listings magazines or shopping channels) or those focused purely on entertainment.  A Journalist should therefore have a commitment to revealing and disseminating information that is held by those with power to those over whom they wield that power. This means that the journalist gains access to information through various sources and then publicises that information as a story. Anonymous sources such as those used by Assange are a key part of journalism with many of the biggest stories such as Watergate only being published because of anonymity. [3]  By such a definition, Assange would clearly qualify [4] . This was clearly felt to be the case by the New York Times, the Guardian, Le Monde and others who reprinted his original material and drew conclusions from it. It would come as something of a surprise to such publications to discover they were not staffed by journalists.  [1] For a link to the inquiry\u2019s website, click here  [2] The Guardian. \u201cMissing MIlly Dowler\u2019s Voicemail was Hack by News of the World\u201d. Nick Davies and Amelia Hill. 5 July 2011.  [3] Myers, Steve, \u2018Study: Use of anonymous sources peaked in 1970s, dropped by 2008\u2019, Poynter.org, 9 August 2011,   [4] The Spectator. \u201cYes, Julian Assange is a Journalist\u201d. Alex Massie. 2 November 2010.", "Historically, journalists have been protected from prosecution for espionage (Assange is threatened with prosecution under the Espionage Act) whereas their sources were not. Assange is providing the information which he has acquired illegally. The fact that he, in turn, had a source does not qualify him as a journalist. Surely it makes more sense to view him as a source, someone simply providing information to the journalist of the Guardian, Times and elsewhere, who subsequently used the data in actual journalism. Assange doesn\u2019t seem interested in Freedom of information as much as he is in simply causing trouble."], "type": "binary", "id": "232"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing morally acceptable?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is morally acceptable.", "Animal testing is not morally acceptable."], "docs": ["Animals don\u2019t have human rights  Humans have large brains, form social groups, communicate and are generally worthy of moral consideration. We also are aware of ourselves and of the nature of death. Some animals have some of these characteristics but not all so should not have the same rights. In harming animals to benefit humans, we enter in to a good moral trade-off to create a greater good. [11]", "To argue that \u201cthe ends justify the means\u201d isn\u2019t enough. We don\u2019t know how much animals suffer, as they can\u2019t talk to us. We therefore don\u2019t know how aware they are of themselves. In order to stop a moral harm on animals we don\u2019t understand, we shouldn\u2019t do animal testing.  Even if it were a \u201cnet gain\u201d because of the results, by that logic human experimentation could be justified. Common morality says that isn\u2019t OK, as people shouldn\u2019t be used to a means to an end. [12]"], "type": "binary", "id": "233"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of the Hyperloop transportation system in California ill-advised?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of the Hyperloop transportation system in California is ill-advised.", "The implementation of the Hyperloop transportation system in California is not ill-advised."], "docs": ["It will never work  The plan for the Hyperloop is sound technically but would it work politically? It is unlikely that the California high speed rail project will be scrapped simply because there is a new competitor on the block. The Hyperloop has the advantage of being cheap but it is cheap because it is being built in the middle of an existing highway, the interstate-5. Building the Hyperloop would therefore cause traffic chaos so there would not be much political support. [1] Build it elsewhere and land would need to be bought just as with proposals for high speed rail.  Maglevs are, like the Hyperloop, practically sound \u2013 one travels from Shanghai Airport into the center of the city [2] \u2013 but they have not been built. High speed trains, despite being slower, have been the preferred method for creating high speed transportation systems because they can easily connect into the existing rail infrastructure, a problem for both the Hyperloop and maglevs.  [1] Yarow, Jay, \u201941 Years Ago, A Scientist Explained Why Elon Musk\u2019s Hyperloop is Doomed\u2019, Business Insider, 12 August 2013,   [2] Kidman, Alex, \u2018Shanghai\u2019s Maglev Train: Astonishingly Fast\u2026 and a little dull\u2019, Gizmo, 12 September 2011,", "That there will be some opposition to such a construction is inevitable. This however does not matter in a rational look at the advantages and disadvantages of such a transportation system. The politicians will ultimately decide on the same calculus as everyone else.  That the Hyperloop does not connect into infrastructure in the same way that the maglevs fail to is not a relevant argument to the United States where there are few rail services to connect into. Instead the possibility of having a Hyperloop that transport vehicles invites the prospect of connecting into the road network. A much more useful alternative in California."], "type": "binary", "id": "234"}
+{"question": "Is international intervention necessary for South Korea to handle North Korea?", "perspectives": ["International intervention is necessary for South Korea to handle North Korea.", "International intervention is not necessary for South Korea to handle North Korea."], "docs": ["Pressure from other states acts as a force multiplier helping to show that the North has crossed a line with its actions. A lack of reaction from the Unites States, Japan, and other states around the world would show that these nations are no longer supporting the South as strongly as they were. The United States in particular has to be willing to engage with North Korea in order to present a united front with its South Korean ally.", "South Korea can handle the situation itself  The two Koreas should be able to solve the situation themselves without recourse to all the neighbouring powers \u2013 whose interest does not seem to have spurred a solution to the frozen conflict anyway. With the Cold War over South Korea is more than capable of handling its own security. South Korea is economically far ahead of the North with its economy thirty seven times bigger. [1] Its military is also more capable than the North\u2019s as the International Institute for Strategic Studies argues \u201cAs measured by static equipment indices, South Korea\u2019s conventional forces would appear superior to North Korea\u2019s. When morale, training, equipment maintenance, logistics, and reconnaissance and communications capabilities are factored in, this qualitative advantage increases.\u201d [2] So should be able to deter aggression on its own and pull its own weight in negotiations without the need of a multilateral process. Moreover no one would argue that an invasion should be ignored however the South should be the one who responds to North Korean actions on its own.  [1] Oh Young-Jin, \u2018South Korean economy 37 times bigger than NK\u2019s\u2019, The Korea Times, 5 January 2011,   [2] \u2018The Conventional Military Balance on the Korean Peninsula\u2019, The International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "235"}
+{"question": "Does single-party government deliver clear, representative policies?", "perspectives": ["Single-party government delivers clear, representative policies.", "ingle-party government does not deliver clear, representative policies."], "docs": ["Parties as coalitions  The two political parties are ideologically broad churches, with many different factions that stand up for varying positions on the ideological spectrum. The republicans for example contain within them several different republican movements; from social conservatives or \u2018the religious right\u2019, through libertarian conservatism like much of the tea party, to fiscal conservatives who are mostly more moderate. Interweaving these three is national security conservatism and issues conservatism. [1]  Policies formed by each party are specifically designed to take into account of the different strands within the party, creating a platform that all candidates can stand on.  The policy is in effect a compromise between different wings of the party, with Primaries adding credence to a particular view.  In effect, Policies enacted under Single-Party Government have had the oversight from party members in order to be representative of the different interests within the party, thus delivering clear, coherent policies to the people that are constantly self-corrected due to the different ideological streams.  [1] Westen, Drew, \u2018The Five Strands of Conservatism: Why the GOP is Unraveling\u2019, HuffPost, 23 January 2012,", "The parties may be broad churches with many mechanisms in place to form the \u2018best policy\u2019 but that can still lead to flaws under a single-party government. It is easy for one wing to dominate a party, as has been seen recently with the dominance of the Tea Party within the Republican Party.  Primaries are a symptom of this, with the views of grass roots being expressed in results that do not conform to the views of a majority of voters.  This can lead to parties standing and governing on a platform that is unrepresentative of the aims of many Americans. Under Single-Party Government, there is little scope for moderating highly ideological government, thus underlining the need for divided government."], "type": "binary", "id": "236"}
+{"question": "Would a treaty banning cyber-attacks bring more benefits than harm?", "perspectives": ["A treaty banning cyber-attacks would bring more benefits than harm.", "A treaty banning cyber-attacks would not bring more benefits than harm."], "docs": ["Everyone would benefit from the potential closure of a zone of possible future conflict. While cyber warfare may give a smaller state a brief advantage due to some low cost methods of attack ultimately the superior resources, both in defence and attack in cyberspace of the richer state would be telling. In the United States the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) alone has a budget of $1.54billion for research into cyber offence from 2013-2017 [1] considering that there are numerous other agencies involved in cyber warfare or defence, or monitoring the internet it is clear that cyber-attacks are not some wonder weapon that can even the odds between states.  [1] Kallberg, Jan and Thuraisingham, Bhavani, \u2018Cyber Operations: Bridging from Concept to Cyber Superiority\u2019, Joint Force Quarterly, Vol.68, no.1, January 2013,", "A treaty would benefit larger powers over the small  Any treaty that seeks to ban cyber-attacks would simply be an attempt to cement the position of the most powerful countries at the expense of weaker ones. This is because cyber-attacks are, like terrorism, weapons that can be used by anyone to attack a much bigger target. To launch a cyber-attack there is little need for training, only a small amount of comparatively cheap equipment (to military hardware at any rate), and an internet connection. [1] And it is difficult to defend against. This makes it ideal for poor nations to maintain cyber warfare as a credible threat to their bigger neighbours while their neighbours threaten them conventionally with their bigger militaries. We have seen before arms treaties that are fundamentally biased in favour of a small group of powerful states. Most notable is the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty where there are five recognised nuclear weapons states who are allowed the horrific weapons and everyone else is banned from having them. This discrimination was accepted as a result of the agreement that the nuclear weapons states would eventually disarm. It has not happened so leaving a troubled treaty system that appears to be regularly flouted. [2]  [1] Phillips, Andrew T., \u2018Now Hear This \u2013 The Asymmetric Nature of Cyber Warfare\u2019, U.S. Naval Institute, Vol.138/10/1316, October 2012,   [2] Miller, Steven E., \u2018Nuclear Collisions: Discord, Reform & the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime\u2019, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "237"}
+{"question": "Can technological advancements effectively counteract the effects of climate change for all socioeconomic groups?", "perspectives": ["Technological advancements can effectively counteract the effects of climate change for all socioeconomic groups.", "Technological advancements cannot effectively counteract the effects of climate change for all socioeconomic groups."], "docs": ["New Technology  Humanity has revolutionized the world repeatedly through such monumental inventions as agriculture, steel, anti-biotics, and microchips. And as technology has improved, so too has the rate at which technology improves. It is predicted that there will be 32 times more change between 2000 and 2050 than there was between 1950 and 2000. In the midst of this, many great minds will be focussed on emissions abatement and climate control technologies. So, even if the most severe climate predictions do come to pass, it is unimaginable that humanity will not find a way to intervene. Even small changes will make a difference \u2013 more efficient coal power stations can emit a third less emissions than less efficient ones 1. Renewable energy will become more competitive and scalable and technology develops we may even be able to remove carbon from the atmosphere so undoing the damage. 1  1. Bradsher, Keith. \u201cChina Outpaces U.S. in Cleaner Coal-Fired Plants.\u201d, New York Times Published: May 10, 2009.", "Technological improvements will almost certainly be developed for those who can afford them (as most technology is). However, climate change will have the greatest effect on poor countries that cannot afford mitigation. Potentially, being able to protect the wealthy does not mean that we are not too late on global climate change."], "type": "binary", "id": "238"}
+{"question": "Would the UK's sovereignty be diminished if it adopted the Euro as a currency?", "perspectives": ["The UK's sovereignty would be diminished if it adopted the Euro as a currency.", "The UK's sovereignty would not be diminished if it adopted the Euro as a currency."], "docs": ["In joining the single currency, Britain would have to surrender her sovereignty and allow Brussels (where the EU is based) to dictate her financial affairs.  If she accepted the Euro as her currency, Britain would have to hand the control she has over her economy over to Brussels. EU Committees would dictate how she may spend and tax. It is too dangerous for any country to have her economic affairs dictated by another country. This is an issue even Europhiles (those who support the EU) are sceptical about. \"Joining the euro would involve a major surrendering of our sovereignty, severely hindering our ability to run the economy as we see fit. We would lose control over interest rates, and the ability to manage the economy through taxing and spending. Instead, it would be run by European committees\u2026 Even British politician Kenneth Clarke, nicknamed \u201cEurope\u2019s biggest friend\u201d and one of the leading campaigners for the euro, admits that Britain\u2019s ability to tax is central to its democracy.\u201d1  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join?\", page 70", "These restraints exist to ensure that all countries contribute to the European Community. Surprisingly, Britain's sovereignty will actually increase by joining the Euro. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?, \"When it comes to interest rates, we would in some ways get more sovereignty. Being represented in the ECB (European Central Bank) would give us more influence over the business cycle, because we would be there as part of the decision-making process, not just having to accept decisions made by others that would have a profound effect on us.\"1 Joining the single currency and by attachment the ECB would help Britain to better oversee and predetermine her economic activity, thereby improving the handle she has on her finances.  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join?\""], "type": "binary", "id": "239"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey's economy prepared to support its entry into the EU?", "perspectives": ["Turkey's economy is prepared to support its entry into the EU.", "Turkey's economy is not prepared to support its entry into the EU."], "docs": ["Turkey has a booming economy. Turkey has one of the fastest growing economies of the world Turkey is therefore rapidly catching up with Europe and this will therefore become less and less of an issue; at the same time Europe will need Turkey more while Turkey will need the EU less. [1] While many Turks may wish to move to the EU to try to find work it is unclear either that they would do so, Europe\u2019s average unemployment rate is currently higher than Turkey\u2019s, or that Europe would let them, there would likely be transitional rules such as those imposed on Bulgaria and Romania. [2]  [1] GDP growth (annual %). The World Bank.  Accessed on: September 3, 2012.  [2] EURES, \u2018Free Movement : Romania\u2019, European Commission,", "Turkey is not enough economically developed to join the EU.  Turkey has many economic problems ranging from high inflation, high regional disparities, high wealth disparity, unemployment, bad infrastructure and poverty among others. The country must solely focus itself onto improving those problems, before obtaining EU-membership. Not resolving economic problems before joining the EU can lead to problems as exemplified by Greece, Portugal and Italy, countries which had their big economic problems that were overlooked upon joining the Eurozone. Turkey\u2019s GDP per capita is less than half the average of the EU [1] and as a large country with more than seventy million people it would pose an immense strain on the rest of the Union.  The effect of this economic disparity is likely to lead to a massive influx of immigrants from Turkey to the rest of the EU, because they will take advantage of free movement of people in the European Union and these immigrants. This immigration is likely to have the effect of forcing down the wages of workers in the existing EU nations as the Turks will be willing to work for less. [2]  [1] \u2018Turkey\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,  \u2018European Union\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,   [2] Turkey is part of Europe. Fear keeps it out of the EU. The Guardian. August 6 2009.  Accessed on: September 3, 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "240"}
+{"question": "Is banning of junk food in schools an effective method to tackle childhood obesity?", "perspectives": ["Banning of junk food in schools is an effective method to tackle childhood obesity.", "Banning of junk food in schools is not an effective method to tackle childhood obesity."], "docs": ["We would be truly hard pressed to find a student, who isn\u2019t very well aware of all the reasons we call certain food \u201cjunk food\u201d and what the consumption of those does to the human body.  We already have fantastic mechanism of nutritional education in place and many very publicized campaigns stressing the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Yet what we don\u2019t have are the results \u2013 obviously educating the public is not enough.  When we are faced with an epidemic that has such an immense destructive potential, we truly must face it head on and forget about well-intended yet extremely impractical principled arguments \u2013 such as the one proposed by the opposition.  What we need is results, and armed with the knowledge won from the war on tobacco, we now know that limiting access is a key mechanism of taking on childhood obesity.", "Schools should educate about healthy choices, not make them on the students\u2019 behalf.  Although it might be very tempting for the government to try and attack the problem of childhood obesity by attempting to change, in essence, the very choices our kids can make, this is the wrong way of going about doing it.  The purpose of schools is education \u2013 the genesis of active and useful members of society. A large extent of what schools do is imprinting the ideas the society values. In most western countries those would be the ideas of fairness, democracy, freedom of expression, etc. The other side of the coin is the transference of knowledge, knowledge of mathematics, history, but also of biology, health and nutrition.  We see thus that the proposed ban on specific choices one makes in school, whether be it choices regarding food or choices regarding the clothes one wears, the ideas one expresses, and so on, is truly meaningless in the existing concept of education.  What the schools should be doing is putting more emphasis on getting the message of the importance of a healthy lifestyle across. Our kids should be taught that this lifestyle consists of more than just whether or not we chose to eat a hamburger and fries for lunch. In short, this ban falls short of truly educating the children about how important physical activity, balanced meals and indulging in moderation are.  They should also focus on the importance of choice, since in the case of childhood obesity, making the right nutritional and lifestyle choices is of paramount importance. But they should also focus on the importance of choice for a society and how all should take responsibility for their choices in such a society."], "type": "binary", "id": "241"}
+{"question": "Is the main obstacle to achieving universal education in Africa the unrealistic targets set by the MDG?", "perspectives": ["The main obstacle to achieving universal education in Africa is the unrealistic targets set by the MDG.", "The main obstacle to achieving universal education in Africa is not the unrealistic targets set by the MDG."], "docs": ["The MDG is the barrier  Significant progress has been made in meeting the MDG in Africa, therefore criticism needs to be raised on the MDG themselves. The MDG are unrealistic, unfair, and the benchmarks set fail to acknowledge progress made (Easterly, 2009).  The barrier to achieving universal education is not a lack of investment, rather inappropriate targets.", "Critiquing the foundation of the MDG does not resolve the reality that around 56mn children are still unable to use their right to education (UN, 2013)."], "type": "binary", "id": "242"}
+{"question": "Is the influence of special interest groups beneficial for the political process?", "perspectives": ["The influence of special interest groups is beneficial for the political process.", "The influence of special interest groups is not beneficial for the political process."], "docs": ["The power of lobbying groups is a benefit to politics at large. Their ability to publicize issues that are important to specific interest groups are invaluable to the political process. Similarly, they are able to propel and sustain wider interest in the political agenda, ensuring oversight over public policy and recommending necessary changes. To reduce their power in favour of \u2018less-interested\u2019 voters will increase the influence of spin as presentation, not substance, becomes more important. It will further trivialise politics and bury the issues under a pile of hype. Furthermore, by removing incentives for political parties to mobilise their support, compulsory voting favours established parties over minor parties and independents, whose supporters tend to be more inherently motivated.", "It will reduce the power of special interest groups  A benefit of compulsory voting is that it makes it more difficult for special interest groups to vote themselves into power. Under a non-compulsory voting system, if fewer people vote then it is easier for smaller sectional interests and lobby groups to control the outcome of the political process. A notable example would be the disproportionate influence of agriculture in policy making as seen in both European politics and well as American with enormous amounts of subsidies for farmers who represent a minute percentage of the population. 1 2  The outcome of the election therefore reflects less the will of the people (Who do I want to lead the country?) but instead reflects who was logistically more organized and more able to convince people to take time out of their day to cast a vote (Do I even want to vote today?).  1 Ira M. Sheskin and Arnold Dashefsky, \"Jewish Population of the United States, 2006,\" in the American Jewish Year Book 2006, Volume 106, David Singer and Lawrence Grossman, Editors. NY: American Jewish Committee, 2006. 2: Mark Weber, Feb. 2009, 'A Straight Look at the Jewish Lobby', Institute for Historical Review (Accessed 10/06/2011)"], "type": "binary", "id": "243"}
+{"question": "Does profiling at airports lead to increased radicalization and terrorism?", "perspectives": ["Profiling at airports leads to increased radicalization and terrorism.", "Profiling at airports does not lead to increased radicalization and terrorism."], "docs": ["Profiling exacerbates terrorism as it reinforces the perception that Muslims and marginalised ethnic groups face prejudice.  The reality is that if a plane can be held up with a box-cutter, a broken glass bottle from duty free or flammable alcohol from the same source could be just as threatening.  However, increased use of air marshals- armed plainclothes police officers who travel secretly on certain flights- means that even these desperate tactics are likely to be ineffectual.  Institutionalising prejudice and assumption will add legitimacy and grativas to terrorist propaganda that seeks to radicalise curious or confused young people.  Not only is profiling ineffectual, it is likely to exacerbate the situation.", "This opposition argument is potentially contradictory. It argues that the majority of Muslims are reasonable people and then, on the other hand, that the moment reasonable security measures are put into place there will be a massive increase in radicalised young people willing to act as suicide bombers.  Everybody accepts that security checks are necessary at airports and for the most part they are applied universally. However, if opposition is correct, it would seem absurd to suggest that millions of reasonable people would suddenly take affront at the simple fact that they happen to be part of a social group that has an unusually high number of rogue elements. Indeed, suggesting such a thing could be construed as a racist act; implying that the people concerned are in some way incapable of reaching this regrettable, if logical, conclusion."], "type": "binary", "id": "244"}
+{"question": "Are sham elections useful in understanding citizens' preferences?", "perspectives": ["Sham elections are useful in understanding citizens' preferences.", "ham elections are not useful in understanding citizens' preferences."], "docs": ["Even a sham election demonstrates what the people want  In an election the people show what their policy preferences will be. Even if the government is engaging in vote rigging or voter intimidation they will still know how the people voted or wanted to vote (if they stuffed the ballot they will know how many extra votes they added) so will have some guidance as to the policies that the people wish implemented. If there are multiple different parties competing in the elections then it will be possible to tell which party platforms are the most popular and so which to take ideas from.  If there are elections then there are opposition parties and independent MPs who are given much more space than they would be without elections. Being MPs gives the opposition some status and gives them a controlled setting in which to criticise the government. This provides the opposition with the chance to channel the voice of the people and encourage change from the governing party.", "If the government were genuinely interested in what the people want then there would be far more reliable ways than through an election. Polling could be done on each individual policy providing a much finer granularity of response to tell policymakers what they really want. All that a government will be able to tell from a sham election is that the people don\u2019t like the government."], "type": "binary", "id": "245"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing still necessary for medical research and advancements?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is still necessary for medical research and advancements.", "Animal testing is not necessary for medical research and advancements."], "docs": ["The laws that restrict animal testing only allow it where it\u2019s needed.  Animal testing isn\u2019t cheap, meaning that if universities and the drug industry have a good reason to end it if they can. If we ban animal testing we won\u2019t know what it would be able to do in the future. Animal research now has better results than other ways of doing research. [8]", "It isn\u2019t necessary  We don\u2019t know how we will be able to develop new drugs without animal testing until we end it. We now know how most chemicals work, and computer simulations of chemicals are very good.[6] Experimenting on tissue can show how drugs work, without the need for actual animals. Even skin left over from surgery can be experiment on, and being human, is more useful.  The fact that animal research was needed in the past isn\u2019t a good excuse any more. We still have all the advancements from animal testing in the past, but it\u2019s no longer needed. [7]"], "type": "binary", "id": "246"}
+{"question": "Should international disengagement be used as a strategy to pressure the Myanmar government into democratic reform?", "perspectives": ["International disengagement should be used as a strategy to pressure the Myanmar government into democratic reform.", "International disengagement should not be used as a strategy to pressure the Myanmar government into democratic reform."], "docs": ["The international community and political legitimacy  The military-controlled government in Myanmar clearly does not have popular domestic support - otherwise the artificial election process would not have been necessary. Therefore, it derives its strength from the fact that many international players other than the US and the EU have continued to recognise it, while there is historic precedent for concerted international opinion having influenced illegitimate regimes (Haiti and South Africa, for instance). Having a nationalised economy increases the control the military has over trade and investment, while a majority of the country finds itself in poverty. The choice for the international community is between continuing to strengthen the military by engaging with it, or by disengaging (like the EU and the US) until the ruling elite runs out of resources and options. The former option does not give hope to any real democratic reform, while the latter option would take away the legitimacy of the government in the international arena.", "While international support is important to some extent for the government, Myanmar has significant political and economic relations with many countries in the region, including China and North Korea, whose stance is strategically motivated and is not going to be influenced by what the US and the EU do. It is hard to fathom a situation in the foreseeable future where the military and government leadership will be forced to bow down to international pressure, whether or not certain countries choose to engage with it. The only way for the international community to remain relevant to Myanmar would be by engaging with it. The situation is different from that in South Africa and in Haiti because of the existence of strong allies, whose interests are different, if not opposed to in some respects, from those who follow a policy of disengagement with Myanmar."], "type": "binary", "id": "247"}
+{"question": "Is Putin's leadership beneficial for Russia?", "perspectives": ["Putin's leadership is beneficial for Russia.", "Putin's leadership is not beneficial for Russia."], "docs": ["A strong leader has more benefits than harms  Putin is the strong leader that Russia has been waiting for. His electoral success and consistently high approval rates show that the people of Russia are ready for someone who can rid their society of increasing corruption and restore a sense of calm and equality. His ability to maintain a high level of support despite what some have called authoritarian tendencies shows that people are ready to sacrifice a certain degree of freedom for the promise of stability. Enthusiasm for Putin among the young also shows that he does not only appeal to those looking back to past certainties.", "Putin\u2019s initial support was based mainly on strong promises, a series of arrests of corrupt businessmen and tough action towards Chechnya that at first seemed to give positive results. His support base, however, has been significantly damaged following his increasing tendencies to control the media and to replace elected governors with presidential appointees, and by scandals surrounding the disappearance and murder of several important journalists. He has lost the support of the NGO community and most of the intelligentsia and also the originally strong backing of the USA and President Bush."], "type": "binary", "id": "248"}
+{"question": "Is the Hyperloop the most feasible option for short-distance travel?", "perspectives": ["The Hyperloop is the most feasible option for short-distance travel.", "The Hyperloop is not the most feasible option for short-distance travel."], "docs": ["Fastest possible transportation over a short distance  Public transportation has not been getting much faster over the last few decades. The fastest method of transport, supersonic jets in the form of Concorde ceased operation in October 2003. [1] Even if at some point a new generation of supersonic planes are built these will not be ideal for travelling between cities that are comparatively close together. The time spent getting the plane up and down from cruising altitude means they would take longer over these short distances than a slower option at ground level. The Hyperloop at more than 700mph will be twice as fast as high speed rail. To take the different options on the San Francisco-Los Angeles route cars take 5hours 30minutes, the proposed high speed train would take 2hours 38minutes, by plane takes 1hour 15minutes whereas the Hyperloop would only take 35minutes. [2]  [1] \u2018End of an era for Concorde\u2019, BBC News, 24 October 2003,   [2] Musk, Elon, \u2018Hyperloop Alpha\u2019, SpaceX, 12 August 2013,  p.8, 56", "People are not always interested in the fastest possible option; they often want comfort as well. Trains allow riders to work or relax as well as travel the Hyperloop has little space for passengers to move around in. This means that passengers may actually be more productive on a train on which they can move around and work as they travel than they would be in a confined space on the Hyperloop."], "type": "binary", "id": "249"}
+{"question": "Does political engagement matter in the value of a degree?", "perspectives": ["Political engagement matters in the value of a degree.", "Political engagement does not matter in the value of a degree."], "docs": ["Maintaining the value of the degree  Employers and others expect certain degrees to mean certain things; they are more than just an expensive badge. In the case of elite western universities part of what that means is a critical approach to the world and the willingness to challenge ideas, regardless of the authority that holds them. Part of their exclusivity derives from their admission standards, partly from the academic rigour of their scholars and partly from the simple fact that there are only a relatively small number of graduates.  In other areas universities are all too aware of selling their reputation \u2013 impartiality, avoiding plagiarism and so forth \u2013 the same should be true here. If a degree from a western university does not mean that it recognises issues such as creativity and free thinking then it devalues the degree itself.  As a result the very governments that are so keen to acquire the creative, critical skills offered by graduates of western-style education will end up undermining the very thing that they seek. This impacts not only the graduates from Asian campuses of western universities but also their peers at the home institution [i] .  [i] US-China Today. Jasmine Ako. Unraveling Plagiarism in China. 28 March 2011.", "Employers measure degrees by the academic results they indicate. The level of political engagement of the individuals is not critical \u2013 or even relevant \u2013 to that measure. In a global market of tens of millions of students graduating every year [i] an increase of a few thousand in those graduating from top universities will do little to dilute their iconic brands while taking advantage of communications technologies to justify their global reputation. University Senates determine whether degrees can be awarded in their name and it is scarcely in their interest to damage their own reputation. [ii]  [i] There are approximately 150 million students in the world and for the purposes of this debate, that number has simply been divided by three. Source material can be found here .  [ii] Jones et al., \u2018The Academic Senate and University Governance in Canada\u2019, The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, Vol.XXXIV, No.2, 2004, pp.35-68, p.50, 57"], "type": "binary", "id": "250"}
+{"question": "Is there a need for affirmative action in university admissions procedures?", "perspectives": ["There is a need for affirmative action in university admissions procedures.", "There is no need for affirmative action in university admissions procedures."], "docs": ["Overcomes prejudice  Affirmative action is required to overcome existing prejudice in universities\u2019 admissions procedures. There is clear prejudice in the job market, as shown in a study by Marianne Bertrand, an associate professor at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and Sendhil Mullainathan of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [1] [2] Following this line of thinking, it is therefore not a far-fetched idea that admissions departments in top universities are likely to be discriminating against applicants from minority backgrounds, even if this process is not deliberate. A senior academic will look to see in applicants qualities they see in themselves, so, given the overwhelmingly white, affluent, male makeup of the academic community, minorities are at a disadvantage even if the admissions officer is not intending to discriminate against them. Prejudice towards certain types of applicants is blatantly unfair, and also undermines meritocracy (as explained above). Since we do not expect applicants from minority backgrounds to actually be worse applicants, it makes sense to require universities to take more of them, so as to protect the system from any bias that may exist.  [1] Bertrand, M. \u201cRacial Bias in Hiring\u201d. Spring 2003.   [2] BBC News Magazine. \u201cIs it wrong to note 100m winners are always black?\u201d August 27, 2011.", "There is little or no evidence of bias in universities admissions procedures. Universities admissions departments go to great lengths to ensure fairness, not least because it is in their own self-interest to take only the best applicants, to maintain the intellectual credibility of their institution. Any overt or explicit discrimination would be illegal, and should be guarded against by using a wide range of admissions procedures and interview (where applicable) by more than one academic. Any charge of prejudice would be an argument for \u2018colour-blind\u2019 (or school-blind) admissions, in which the background of the applicant is hidden from the admissions officer, so as to prevent any possibility of discrimination, subconscious or otherwise. The presence of positive discrimination would, if anything, raise the incidence of racism and prejudice on university campuses, with lecturers and fellow students resentful of members of the university perceived to have been given a helping hand."], "type": "binary", "id": "251"}
+{"question": "Is relying solely on alternative medicine advisable?", "perspectives": ["Relying solely on alternative medicine is advisable.", "Relying solely on alternative medicine is not advisable."], "docs": ["Statistics for alternatives are difficult to generate as patients will often move between practitioners and frequently self-medicate.  Clearly there are also conditions that any responsible practitioner would refer to a specialist in that particular field.  However, many people are mistrustful of so-called conventional medicine and the alternative medicine sector has proven both popular and has often brought about changes in lifestyle as well as direct health benefits, if anecdotal evidence is to be believed.  Responsible practitioners have welcomed the actions of those governments who have licensed and regulated the Complementary and Alternative sector.  Although science may struggle to explain the benefits of these therapeutic technics, as they do not lend themselves to the tools of commercial medicine.", "Overwhelmingly alternative therapies are used in conjunction with established remedies - oddly the latter tends not to get the credit for the miracle cure  Thankfully only 4.4% of the 60million or so Americans who say they use alternative therapies rely on them exclusively. It is odd that in the cases of anecdotal accounts of the success of alternative medicines this statistic is rarely mentioned [i] .  Equally, the impact of other treatment which may have been used by patients eager to credit complementary and alternative medicines with curing their conditions, tend not to get a look in, neither do the relative successes of conventional medicine.  This is probably why in every trial alternative medicine has a success rate of between 0% and 0%. By contrast there needs only be one instance of harm caused to demonstrate that this motion must stand. Interestingly, although conventional medicine publishes its mistakes in an effort to correct them, nothing similar exists for alternatives. Moreover, there are many accounts of fatalities caused by alternatives \u2013 both directly and indirectly through delaying accurate diagnosis as seen above (Oh, the same applies to animals too [ii] ).  The food supplements industry alone is worth $250 a year worldwide, with little examination of the medical impact of merrily shoving things into your system that were bought at WalMart or Tesco.  [i] JA Astin \u201cWhy patients use alternative medicine: results of a national survey\u201d Journal of the American Medical Association 279 (19) 1548-53. May 1998.  [ii]"], "type": "binary", "id": "252"}
+{"question": "Should airport security checks be random or based on profiling?", "perspectives": ["Airport security checks should be random or based on profiling.", "Airport security checks should not be random or based on profiling."], "docs": ["In other areas of enforcement it is routine to use simple common sense when identifying security risks. A group of students coming off a cheap flight from Amsterdam are simply more likely to have illegal drugs in their possession than a group of pensioners returning from a tour of museums in St Petersburg.  Of course it is important that airport authorities should be vigilant and avoid making damaging assumptions, but that is no reason for them to be reckless.  There are a limited number of people that can be stopped and searched or questioned at an airport; wasting that time on passengers who are extremely unlikely to pose any threat presents a substantial risk of peoples\u2019 lives and safety.", "Randomly checking passengers\u2019 identities is much safer than allowing terrorists to know in advance who the authorities are seeking.  Making statements in advance as to who is likely to be stopped at airports is the most dangerous action any government could take. There are innumerable ways in which it would be possible to perform a terrorist act, and random checks mean that all possible routes are equally likely to be apprehended.  By contrast, actively and visibly subjecting members of particular ethnic groups to stricter security checks will enable terrorists to determine where surveillance in airports is at its most lax. The most dangerous terrorist groups operate on an international level, recruiting attackers from a wide range of backgrounds and ethnic groups. It would therefore be comparatively easy for an organisation such as al Qaeda to mount an attack using only individuals who do not conform to the authorities\u2019 profile of a potential terrorist.  More importantly random checks mean that all people, regardless of the background, age or appearance are equally deterred from considering criminal or terrorist acts.  On the basis that it would be impossible to search everyone at a major international airport, the deterrence factor offered by random stops is far more effective than searching a tiny proportion of a designated group."], "type": "binary", "id": "253"}
+{"question": "Should the state enforce organ donation?", "perspectives": ["The state should enforce organ donation.", "The state should not enforce organ donation."], "docs": ["People ought to donate their organs anyway  Organ donation, in all its forms, saves lives. More to the point, it saves lives with almost no loss to the donor. One obviously has no material need for one\u2019s organs after death, and thus it does not meaningfully inhibit bodily integrity to incentivize people to give up their organs at this time. If one is registered as an organ donor, every attempt is still made to save their life {Organ Donation FAQ}. The state is always more justified in demanding beneficial acts of citizens if the cost to the citizen is minimal. This is why the state can demand that people wear seatbelts, but cannot conscript citizens for use as research subjects. Because there is no good reason not to become an organ donor, the state ought to do everything in its power to ensure that people do so.", "Even granting the premise that people ought to donate their organs anyway, the role of the state is not to coerce people to do things they ought to do. People ought to be polite to strangers, exercise regularly, and make good career choices, but the government rightly leaves people free to do what they want because we recognize that you know what\u2019s good for you better than anyone else. Moreover, the premise that people simply ought to donate their organs is highly contentious. Many people do care deeply about what happens to them after they die; even an enthusiastic organ donor would probably prefer that their body be treated respectfully after death rather than thrown to dogs. This concern for how one\u2019s body is treated after death affects the psychological wellbeing of the living. This is particularly true for members of some religions which explicitly prohibit the donation of organs. Any government campaign that acts as if it is one\u2019s duty to donate forces them to choose between their loyalty to their beliefs and the state."], "type": "binary", "id": "254"}
+{"question": "Is online gambling beneficial in preventing crime?", "perspectives": ["Online gambling is beneficial in preventing crime.", "Online gambling is not beneficial in preventing crime."], "docs": ["Criminals will always try to exploit any system, but if governments allow legal online gambling they can regulate it. It is in the interest of gambling companies to build trustworthy brands and cooperate with the authorities on stopping any crime. Cheats in several sports have been caught because legal websites reported strange betting patterns. Betfair for example provides the authorities with an early warning system \u2018BetMon\u2019 to watch betting patterns.", "Online gambling encourages crime  Human trafficking, forced prostitution and drugs provide $2.1 billion a year for the Mafia but they need some way through which to put this money into circulation. Online gambling is that way in. They put dirty money in and win clean money back [8]. Because it is so international and outside normal laws, it makes criminal cash hard to track. There is a whole array of other crime associated with online gambling; hacking, phishing, extortion, and identity fraud, all of which can occur on a large scale unconstrained by physical proximity [9]. Online gambling also encourages corruption in sport. By allowing huge sums of money to be bet internationally on the outcome of a game or race, it draws in criminals who can try to bribe or threaten sportsmen."], "type": "binary", "id": "255"}
+{"question": "Is the International Criminal Court necessary for prosecuting war crimes?", "perspectives": ["The International Criminal Court is necessary for prosecuting war crimes.", "The International Criminal Court is not necessary for prosecuting war crimes."], "docs": ["Domestic courts are often incapable of providing a fair trial, when they fail the ICC fills the void.  Domestic legal systems will often suffer from a lack of judicial independence and potentially politicised prosecutions, and are also open to allegations of victors\u2019 justice, or whitewashes by a judiciary biased towards the winners of the conflict.  The ICC, as an effective court and with an independent judiciary, provide a suitable and unbiased climate for these cases to be heard in. While it is difficult to give any former head of state a fair trial, it is even more so in cases involving states divided along ethnic and political fault lines where any conviction could be seen as one based on continuing hatreds rather than evidence and criminal procedure.  It is clearly in the interests of the United States and Israel to support the principle that where there is no independent judiciary cases can be moved to a higher level. These states as much as any other desire that those who commit large scale international crimes be brought to book. The ICC for example might provide an alternative method of going after terrorists.  In addition, the principle of complementarity \u2013 that the ICC should only prosecute where states have shown themselves unable or unwilling to prosecute - means that when a state can take effective action against war crimes, there will be no role for the ICC. This means that the US and Israel with independent judiciaries should have nothing to worry about unless their judiciary proves unwilling to prosecute if one of their own nationals commits a crime prosecutable by the ICC.", "Independent nations are capable of trying war crimes themselves.  The ICC is an unnecessary intrusion on national sovereignty. It should be up to each state to determine its own legal system as to how criminal matters should be prosecuted.  If the US and Israel do have issues where military officials have broken the international criminal law, they can be dealt with by the existing Courts-Martial of their respective militaries. Both Israel and the US are states that obey the rule of law. The ICC was unnecessary when the US military convicted William Calley for the My Lai massacre, or the Mahmudiyah case.  The principle of complementarity is no guarantee as it is up to the ICC itself to determine if the state is unable or unwilling, meaning it could take over a case for its own ends."], "type": "binary", "id": "256"}
+{"question": "Would public acknowledgement of states' nuclear capabilities increase the security of nuclear weapons stockpiles?", "perspectives": ["Public acknowledgement of states' nuclear capabilities would increase the security of nuclear weapons stockpiles.", "Public acknowledgement of states' nuclear capabilities would not increase the security of nuclear weapons stockpiles."], "docs": ["Public acknowledgement of the right to nuclear deterrence will benefit the public regulation of nuclear weapons generally  When nuclear deterrence is an acknowledged right of states, they will necessarily be less concealing of their capability, as the deterrent effect works only because it is visible and widely known. Knowledge of states\u2019 nuclear capability allows greater regulation and cooperation in development of nuclear programs from developed countries with more advanced nuclear programs. [1] Developed countries can help construct and maintain the nuclear weapons of other countries, helping to guarantee the safety protocols of countries\u2019 programs are suitably robust. This will cause a diminution in clandestine nuclear weapons programs, and will reduce the chances of weapons-grade material falling into the hands of terrorists. Thus, greater openness and freedom in the development of nuclear weapons will increase the security of nuclear stockpiles.  [1] Sagan, Scott D. 1993. The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons. Princeton: Princeton University Press.", "It is very unlikely that many states will invite their neighbours to help them in the development of their weapons and in securing them, as doing so would open the risk to sabotage and would disclose potential weakness in their defences. Furthermore, terrorists will not be substantially deterred by greater openness in weapons development, as there will be more potential suppliers of weapons."], "type": "binary", "id": "257"}
+{"question": "Does terrorism effectively raise sympathy and support for a cause?", "perspectives": ["Terrorism effectively raises sympathy and support for a cause.", "Terrorism does not effectively raise sympathy and support for a cause."], "docs": ["Terrorism can bring attention  Terrorism can raise the profile of a neglected cause. The hi-jackings of the 1970s and 1980s brought publicity to the Palestinian cause, helping to bring it to the attention of the world. [1] States can use their wealth and media to put across their side of the story; their opponents do not have these resources and perhaps need to resort to terrorism to publicise their cause. In this way, limited and focused use of violence can have a dramatic international impact.  [1] Tristam, P. (n.d.). The 1970 Palestinian Hijackings of Three Jets to Jordan. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from About.com:", "Not all attention that follows terrorism is positive. After the 9/11 attacks, aid workers in Afghanistan were forced to cut off food supplies in the country, even though 7 to 8 million civilians were dependent on them. [1] The kind of terrorist attacks that attract the most attention are the violent ones, and they are likely to be met with reactions of disgust and grief. This means that the international community is less likely to sympathize with their cause, which results in less support.  [1] Chomsky, N. (2001, October 18). Terrorism Works. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from Media Monitors Network:"], "type": "binary", "id": "258"}
+{"question": "Is it inappropriate for teachers to have personal interactions with students through social media?", "perspectives": ["It is inappropriate for teachers to have personal interactions with students through social media.", "It is not inappropriate for teachers to have personal interactions with students through social media."], "docs": ["A teacher-student relationship is not one between friends or equals.  According to Carol Shakeshaft an expert in sexual misconduct by teachers: \u201c[e]ducators who use social media for personal and intimate conversations and contact are not much different from those who spend their time hanging out with students at the beach. You have to ask why a teacher would do this. The honest answer is that it rarely has anything to do with student learning. [1] \u201d Interacting with one\u2019s teachers the same way as with one\u2019s friends, sharing personal information, can only erode the respect and distance that a teacher needs in order to be an authority figure and a mentor for her young charges. Even if such \u2018friendships\u2019 were entirely innocent, they would still cast enough suspicion on the teacher-student relationship to put considerable strain on the teacher\u2019s role as educator and their ability to do the job.  [1] Shakeshaft, Carol. \u201cUsing Social Media to Teach: Keep it Transparent, Open and Safe.\u201d The New York Times. 19 December 2011.", "This law assumes the worst of teachers and frames all teacher-student interaction in a negative way. Yet so many educators have found contact through social media to be a powerful tool in facilitating learning and expanding knowledge. It may be more appropriate to establish some guidelines for how to use such media safely and professionally, rather than banning their use altogether."], "type": "binary", "id": "259"}
+{"question": "Should non-state actors be prohibited from engaging in cyber activities?", "perspectives": ["Non-state actors should be prohibited from engaging in cyber activities.", "Non-state actors should not be prohibited from engaging in cyber activities."], "docs": ["The use of the internet undermines the state by demonopolizing the use of force  Ever since the state rose to ascendancy over powerful internal actors, such as the nobility in a feudal system, the state has had a monopoly on the use of force. The state quickly became the only institution with the resources to maintain military forces and has become the only legitimate wielder of force. The internet however changes this. Cyber-attacks are often by individuals or groups who can carry out a cross border attack without the aid of their home country.  In 2011 CIA director Leon Panetta told Congress \u201cwhen it comes to national security, I think this represents the battleground for the future. I've often said that I think the potential for the next Pearl Harbor could very well be a cyber-attack.\u201d [1] If cyber-attacks are so important it stands to reason that the groups who are able to engage in such activities should be as limited as possible. While it is not always possible states try to make sure that the weapons of war for the most part remain in the hands of responsible actors. This should apply as much in cyberspace as elsewhere. While terrorist groups do exist \u2013 and are occasionally armed by states \u2013 for the most part they are seen by every government as being illegitimate.  [1] Serrano, Richard A., \u2018U.S. intelligence officials concerned about cyber attack\u2019, Los Angeles Times, 11 February 2011,", "While it is true that governments for the most part seek to prevent non-state actors that engage in violence we should not assume that the response will be the same for activities that are not violent. The rise of multinational companies has sometimes (particularly in the 1970s) been mentioned as a threat to the state (particularly poorer states where the MNC may be richer than the state) yet many countries promote their MNCs because they bring them wealth and therefore power. [1] Similarly having non state groups that are able to engage in cyber-attacks bring an advantage to those states that have them as they provide benefits both in conflicts (essentially creating a cyber-militia) and in peace where they engage in espionage so damaging competitors businesses.  [1] Kobrin, Stephen J., \u2018 Sovereignty@Bay : Globalization, Multinational Enterprise, and the International Political System\u2019, The Oxford Handbook of International Business, 2000,"], "type": "binary", "id": "260"}
+{"question": "Does advertising provide an equitable platform for both small and large businesses?", "perspectives": ["Advertising provides an equitable platform for both small and large businesses.", "Advertising does not provide an equitable platform for both small and large businesses."], "docs": ["Small businesses need advertisements to make their products known.  If there wasn't advertising then small businesses would have no chance at all to make their product well known. Adverts can actually level the playing field - if you have a good new product, and market it in a clever way then it doesn't matter how small your company is, you can still make consumers interested. The more you restrict the freedom of information, the more this helps the large companies who everyone already knows about.", "Advertising in fact gives an unfair advantage to big businesses. Small companies might have much better products, but they cannot afford to advertise them as well and so people don't find out about them. In the film industry, the big film studios spend more than $75 million on advertising alone1. Small films cannot compete. This restricts the quality of products for consumers, and places a huge roadblock to the success of small businesses.  1 When Is Too Much Advertising Too Much? Spinoff Online."], "type": "binary", "id": "261"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey's economic growth a strong argument for its admission into the European Union?", "perspectives": ["Turkey's economic growth is a strong argument for its admission into the European Union.", "Turkey's economic growth is not a strong argument for its admission into the European Union."], "docs": ["The admission of Turkey will help the economy of the EU develop more dynamically.  Turkey has a booming economy with one of the fastest growing economies of the world [1] . Turkey has a young, skilled and vibrant workforce contributing in the fields of innovation, industry and finance. Having a young and growing population means that Turkey is in the opposite situation to the European Union, whose population is declining. As a result Turkey joining would be very complementary to the European Economy. In Turkey 26.6% of the population are under 15 [2] while in the EU only 15.44% is. [3] This is significant because the population of the European Union as a whole will be declining by 2035 [4] and because of the aging population the working population will be declining considerably before this. Aging obviously means that the EU will not be able to produce as much, but also that much more of EU resources will be devoted to caring for the elderly with a result that there is likely to be an drag on GDP per capita of -0.3% per year. [5] One way to compensate for this is to bring new countries with younger populations into the Union.  [1] GDP growth (annual %). The World Bank.  Accessed on: September 3, 2012.  [2] \u2018Turkey\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,   [3] \u2018European Union\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,   [4] Europa, \u2018Population projections 2008-2060 From 2015, deaths projected to outnumber births in the EU27\u2019, STAT/08/119, 26 August 2008,   [5] Carone, Giuseppe, et al., \u2018The economic impact of aging populations in the EU 25 Member States\u2019, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, n.. 236, December 2005,  p.15", "Turkey may have a growing economy, but this does not make it a good candidate for EU membership. Despite its growth there is still a lot of poverty in Turkey. Its GDP per capita is less than half the average of the EU. [1] When looking at Turkey, everyone thinks of Istanbul, forgetting the other \u2018\u2019invisible\u2019\u2019 Turkey, where there are major economic problems, such as unemployment, low wages, bad infrastructure and high immigration rates. [2]  [1] \u2018Turkey\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,  \u2018European Union\u2019, The World Factbook, 24 August 2012,   [2] Daily News. Economy. Number of poor people increasing in Turkey.  Accessed on September 3, 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "262"}
+{"question": "Is total free market capitalism beneficial for society?", "perspectives": ["Total free market capitalism is beneficial for society.", "Total free market capitalism is not beneficial for society."], "docs": ["Republicans more enthusiastically support market capitalism  A free market is at the core of many of the other freedoms we enjoy. When government gets too involved in the running of commerce \u2013 whether through taxation, regulation or the state ownership of companies, history has shown us that they start controlling other aspects of citizens lives in an effort to get the economic outcomes that they want. Corporations \u2013 along with organised religion \u2013 provide useful counter-balance to too much government power. As nice as it sounds that we should divert the wages of the rich to bring the poor up to middle class standards of living, it just doesn\u2019t work [i] .  [i] \u201cWhy am I a Republican?\u201d Early Riser. 7 February 2006.", "The idea that free markets are innately linked to democracy in some way is simply untrue. Equally there is a difference between markets that are free and those that are unfettered.  Free markets are good to the extent that they create jobs and generate wealth. They cease to be good when they become an end in themselves, indeed when that happens, it very rarely encourages democracy.  In a situation where corporations are, by law, required to maximise profits no matter what there is clearly a role for government in setting some parameters in terms of what terms of what can be considered acceptable behaviour for corporate citizens within a civilized society."], "type": "binary", "id": "263"}
+{"question": "Should all states be given the right to possess nuclear weapons?", "perspectives": ["All states are given the right to possess nuclear weapons.", "Not all states are given the right to possess nuclear weapons."], "docs": ["It is true that most states will not develop nuclear weapons, whether they are recognized as a rightful possession of states or not. The important thing is that those states that do want nuclear weapons can have them, which will likely be only a handful. As to arms races, it is unlikely that they will occur, as the defence pacts between many states, such as NATO defend non-nuclear states without requiring them to possess such weapons themselves. [1] Furthermore, if a state feels vulnerable due to the nuclear armament of its neighbours, it should absolutely have the right to defend itself.  [1] Sagan, Scott D. 1993. The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons. Princeton: Princeton University Press.", "Possessing nuclear weapons will be counter to the peaceful interests of states  Most states will not benefit at all from possessing nuclear weapons. Developing a nuclear deterrent is seen in the international community as a sign of belligerence and a warlike character. Such an image does not suit the vast majority of states who would be better suited focusing on diplomacy, trade, and economic interdependence. [1] The loss of such diplomatic and economic relations in favour of force can seriously harm the citizens of would-be nuclear powers, as has occurred to the North Koreans, who have been isolated in international relations by their government\u2019s decision to develop nuclear weapons. If the right to nuclear weapons were recognized for all states, only those states that currently want them for strategic reasons will develop them, and they will do so more brazenly and with greater speed. These countries might try to develop them even if proliferation is outlawed, but giving them license increases the likelihood that they will succeed. Furthermore, when countries develop nuclear weapons, their neighbours may feel more vulnerable and thus be compelled by necessity to develop their own weapons. This will lead to arms races in some cases, and generally harm diplomacy.  [1] Sartori, Anne. 2005. Deterrence By Diplomacy. Princeton: Princeton University Press."], "type": "binary", "id": "264"}
+{"question": "Is a fully binding treaty the most effective approach to international climate agreements?", "perspectives": ["A fully binding treaty is the most effective approach to international climate agreements.", "A fully binding treaty is not the most effective approach to international climate agreements."], "docs": ["There is little reason why countries can\u2019t voluntarily come up with their quotas and then be bound to them by treaty. Being willing to be bound by a treaty would show that the targets submitted are really the targets that countries are setting for themselves rather than a public relations exercise.", "Only a non-binding agreement would get the targets necessary  Fully binding treaties with mechanisms for compliance are the gold standard for agreements between nations. But because they are onerous they are the most difficult kind of treaties to get agreed to start with. If the aim were such an agreement it would unfortunately never happen. This has been demonstrated by the years of successive failures in crafting climate agreements. COP 15 is the most notable; expectations were immensely high for a binding international treaty but there was a failure to deliver, largely because governments did not want a binding international solution which is what was being negotiated at Copenhagen. [1]  [1] BBC News, \u2018Why did Copenhagen fail to deliver a climate deal?\u2019, 22 December 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "265"}
+{"question": "Do increased security measures negatively impact economic growth?", "perspectives": ["Increased security measures negatively impact economic growth.", "Increased security measures do not negatively impact economic growth."], "docs": ["It impedes economic progress.  Extra-security measures only impede, or halt the flow of trade [1] , make the country harder to deal with - less internationally \u2018friendly\u2019, and disrupt communities. Security states almost always have slower growth than freer states because there is extra red tape, transport networks are slowed down, for example airport check ins take much longer. The U.S. Travel Association, says on average, in the United States as a result of the airport security measures each person avoids two to three trips a year because of the hassles of airport-security screening. That amounts to an estimated $85 billion in lost business for hotels, restaurants, airlines and other travel suppliers. [2] And this is even before the losses caused by unproductive hours, and deterred investment. All these things will decrease incomes and GDP growth.  [1] Verrue, Robert, \u2018Tighter Security Must Not Slow Down World Trade\u2019, The European institute, Spring 2004,   [2] McCartney, Scott, \u2018Aiming to Balance Security and Convenience\u2019, Wall Street Journal, 1 September 2011,  , accessed 9 September 2011", "Admittedly, extra-security measures do halt economic growth. But then again, so do a lot of things like inertia, or lack of consumer confidence. It is, however, a matter of degree; if the trade-off is between a lessening of economic growth and lives saved, then it is not hard to decide in which direction reason is behind. When lives are saved the economy benefits as those people will remain productive workers. And having lots of security is not all negative, the security business does very well."], "type": "binary", "id": "266"}
+{"question": "Does the existence of suffering contradict the existence of a good and all-powerful God?", "perspectives": ["The existence of suffering contradicts the existence of a good and all-powerful God.", "The existence of suffering does not contradict the existence of a good and all-powerful God."], "docs": ["The problem of suffering  The world is full of suffering and pain among innocent people. If God is good and all-powerful then why is this the case? Either God does not exist or he is not worth believing in since he does not care about human suffering.", "Most suffering and pain can be accounted for by the free will that humans exercise; God made us free and we use that freedom for evil as well as for good. As for illness and disease, it is hard for us to know the mind of God, but it may be that these trials are a necessary part of a world in which free and spiritual human beings can evolve and develop."], "type": "binary", "id": "267"}
+{"question": "Is there sufficient scientific evidence to support the theory of creationism?", "perspectives": ["There is sufficient scientific evidence to support the theory of creationism.", "There is not sufficient scientific evidence to support the theory of creationism."], "docs": ["Evolutionists point to all kinds of evidence \"proving\" their case, yet they still fail to offer a practical demonstration of their theory that would prove that all life could have evolved from a common ancestor. That still requires a great deal of faith on the part of the scientists. As to positive proof for Creationism, there are many co-dependent species relationships, as well as irreducibly complex biological structures which evolutionists have consistently been at a loss to explain. Creationism offers the explanation evolution cannot.", "There is no empirical evidence supporting Creationism, whereas all evidence supports abiogenesis and evolution.  Creationists have never once offered a positive evidence for their claims. When challenged, they respond with vitriolic, and often deliberately false, criticisms of evolution and abiogenesis. They behave as if delegitimizing an alternative theory necessarily gives credence to their own. Unfortunately for Creationism, that is not how science works. Positive claims require positive evidence. Even if the Creationists were able to provide evidence that actually refutes evolution it would do nothing to support a theory that intelligent agency is behind the existence and development of life. For Creationism to be true, there would need to be demonstration of living organisms that are unambiguously designed, and not the product of evolution by means of mutation and natural selection. Proponents of Creationism have consistently failed to do so. When they point to things they claim to be irreducibly complex they are invariably forced to back off as soon as scientists appear on the scene to test their claims. [1] The truth is there are no examples of organisms that could not have evolved. Abiogensis and evolution, on the other hand are thoroughly proven by observation and data. [2] In the case of abiogenesis, self-assembling molecules have been observed that are akin to the first proto-life, and hopes have never been higher that they will be able to observe the development under laboratory conditions of fully-formed new life. Evolution likewise is extensively demonstrated. Speciation, phylogenetic mapping, a more and more complete fossil record, structural atavisms, junk DNA, and embryology provide just some of the proofs of evolution. [3] All of these disciples are in agreement with evolution. In fact, only in light of evolution does anything in biology make any sense at all. Clearly, Creationism has no basis in science and thus no place in the classroom.  [1] Miller, Kenneth. 2004. \u201cThe Flagellum Unspun: The Collapse of \u2018Irreducible Complexity\u2019\u201d in Ruse, Michael and William Dembski (ed.). Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  [2] Lenski, Richard. 2011. \u201cEvolution: Fact and Theory\u201d. Action Bioscience.  [3] Colby, Chris. 1997. \u201cEvidence for Evolution: An Eclectic Survey\u201d. TalkOrigins Archive."], "type": "binary", "id": "268"}
+{"question": "Is an International Criminal Court (ICC) enforcement arm beneficial for maintaining trust and relations between the ICC and state parties?", "perspectives": ["An International Criminal Court (ICC) enforcement arm is beneficial for maintaining trust and relations between the ICC and state parties.", "An International Criminal Court (ICC) enforcement arm is not beneficial for maintaining trust and relations between the ICC and state parties."], "docs": ["Those arguments are similar ones to those used against the ICC. An ICC police force, comprised of officers from individual state and supervised by an independent authority appointed by a similar mechanism to the judges, would use the existing frameworks in place for the use of the ICC. If states are happy to have their nationals indicted for international crimes then it stands to reason that these nations should welcome a force that can enforce such indictments and bring these war criminals to trial.", "An ICC enforcement arm would be highly detrimental to the relations between the ICC and state parties  Currently the ICC functions based on a relationship of trust and understanding with the state parties to the ICC \u2013 a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. This is backed up by the court\u2019s respect for the for the principle of complementarity \u2013 it is hoped that national courts are capable of prosecuting the crimes, and the ICC only takes a role if the state is unwilling or unable to do so. Being willing to use an international force to catch criminals would make a mockery of this determination to leave power and responsibilities at the national level wherever possible.  Having ICC forces on a country\u2019s territory would be humiliating, showing that the international community does not trust that nation to catch war criminals itself. While this model did not provide for attempting to snatch government officials who have been indicted it does leave open the possibility of an international force intruding on states sovereignty without consent. This would diplomatically backfire and could even lead to an ICC force being involved in fighting with government forces protecting their national sovereignty."], "type": "binary", "id": "269"}
+{"question": "Is it morally justified to conduct experiments on animals for human benefit?", "perspectives": ["It is morally justified to conduct experiments on animals for human benefit.", "It is not morally justified to conduct experiments on animals for human benefit."], "docs": ["Animals' rights are of less moral worth than human rights  Humans are complex beings with large well developed brains, that form sizeable social groups, have significant ability to communicate with one another, possess interconnected desires, preferences and interests about the world, have an awareness of their own existence and mortality, and as such are beings worthy of moral consideration. Animals too express some of these characteristics to some degree and thus animals too are worthy of moral consideration. However, animal lives and human lives are of unequal value. This is due to the fact that no animal possesses all of these characteristics to the same degree as the average human, or even comes particularly close. Thus any rights ascribed to animals should be truncated relative to the rights we ascribe to humans. [1] Therefore animals should not rightly possess the same rights to not be experimented upon as humans might. To the extent to which causing some harm to animals brings great benefit to humans, we are morally justified in creating some moral harm, to achieve a far greater moral good.  [1] Frey, R. G., \u201cMoral Standing: The Value of Life and Speciesism\u201d, in La Follette (ed.), Ethics in Practice, (Malden, Mass; Oxford : Blackwell Pub, 2007)", "To argue that the ends justify the means does not justify research upon animals. Firstly we do not know the extent to which animals are capable of holding interests or experiencing suffering, as they are unable to communicate with us. Our shared similarities give us cause to believe they must have at least a truncated experience of the world to us, but we cannot know the level of that truncation. Thus in order to avoid committing a significant moral harm upon a being we do not fully understand, a precautionary principle of non-experimentation would be well advised. Secondly, even if we would be achieving a net gain on the utilitarian calculator, that is insufficient justification on its own. By that same logic, experimenting on one person to save the lives of many could be justified, even if it caused them suffering, and even if they did not consent. Common morality suggests that this is an objectionable position to hold, as the moral principle would allow us to treat any being as a means to an end rather than existing as a being of independent value. [1] In short such logic would allow us to experiment not only on animals but also on non-consenting people, and we posit that to be an unreasonable position to hold in this debate.  [1] Crisp. R., Mill on Utilitarianism, (Routledge, 1997)"], "type": "binary", "id": "270"}
+{"question": "Is the main reason for Turkey's potential exclusion from the EU due to its Islamic majority?", "perspectives": ["The main reason for Turkey's potential exclusion from the EU is due to its Islamic majority.", "The main reason for Turkey's potential exclusion from the EU is not due to its Islamic majority."], "docs": ["Turkey is not a Christian country but a Muslim one, unlike all the current or prospective EU states, which have been shaped by a shared legacy of Christian values, history and culture. Turkeys AK party has brought on many changes that are interpreted as being non-secular or rooted in Islam. Indeed Turkey\u2019s history represents a clear rejection of any Christian tradition, from the centuries-long Ottoman Muslim conquest of Byzantine Christian territories, to the early twentieth-century population exchange with Greece which removed millions of long-established Christian families from Turkish territory. Most recently, Turks have several times elected to government a party with Islamist roots, suspected of wishing to undermine the country\u2019s secular constitution [1] . Turkey is not as moderate a country as it would seem.  [1]  \u2018Turkey denies break with Europe\u2019, BBC 10th June 2010", "Turkey would be an unstable Muslim state in a traditionally Christian union  Turkey\u2019s citizens may be Muslims, but the state is as firmly secular as France in terms of its constitution and government. The new Justice and Development Party (AK) which is currently in government is not seeking to overturn the secular constitution, although it does want to amend some laws that positively discriminate against devout Muslims. These include rules such as the ban on women wearing headscarves in government buildings; restrictions on expressing religious belief which would break human rights laws within the EU.  Regardless of one's beliefs surrounding Turkey's possible ascension to the European Union, the fact that the nation's predominant religion is Islam is surely not one of the issues to be considered. Millions of Muslims already live within the EU; excluding Turkey from membership on the grounds of religion would suggest these European Muslims were second-class citizens in a Christian club. It would also presumably rule out future EU entry for Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo. If the EU is to be regarded as an institution that promotes freedom for the citizens of its member states then surely this also means that it promotes freedom of religion. If EU member states are fearful of building closer relations with Islam, which they will inevitably have to, proceeding with the world's most moderate and 'western' Islamic country is the most logical first step. The EU should welcome a state which could provide a positive example of how Islam is completely compatible with democracy, progress and human rights."], "type": "binary", "id": "271"}
+{"question": "Should cameras be introduced in courtrooms for transparency and efficiency?", "perspectives": ["Cameras should be introduced in courtrooms for transparency and efficiency.", "Cameras should not be introduced in courtrooms for transparency and efficiency."], "docs": ["Cameras encourage efficiency and high standards.  Placing cameras into courtrooms encourages the judiciary and lawyers to increase their efficiency and have high standards of behaviour, because they are aware that it will be carried outside of the courtroom by public viewing. The introductions of cameras to the Houses of Parliament in the UK resulted in significantly improved standards of debate, greater punctuality, and greater attendance of MPs [1] . We can expect this same principle to continue in courtrooms when cameras are put in place.  [1]  , accessed 06/08/11", "Putting this kind of pressure on the judiciary and lawyers does not have the same kinds of benefits that it might in the House of Commons. Politicians often focus on, and are expected to uphold, the general interest of the public, which is why having public access to televised debates is an incentive for them to push those interests through as far as possible. However, the rule of law does not always correlate to public opinion. Particularly in high-profile cases, the public may wish to see the accused given the harshest sentence possible; however, this might not be the legally correct sentence to give in those circumstances. Public outrage has been known to tamper with judicial verdicts in places such as India [1] , and is damaging to the principle of a fair trial.  [1]  , accessed 06/08/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "272"}
+{"question": "Should all government actions be reported by news outlets?", "perspectives": ["All government actions should be reported by news outlets.", "Not all government actions should be reported by news outlets."], "docs": ["Citizens deserve the right to know what is happening in their name.  It is up to the public to decide whether those actions that are reported are right or wrong, journalists and broadcasters should not act as a filter in that process. Many of these actions \u2013 imprisonments, internments, brutality and others \u2013 are conducted by governments in the name of the people. Sometimes this is done under euphemisms such as \u2018protecting public morality\u2019 or in the name of a majority religion. This is used as a catch all as shown by the case of journalist Sofiene Chourabi who was arrested for \u2018harming public morals\u2019 in response to calling for a protest against the governing party in Tunisia. [1] It seems only reasonable that people have the right to know what is being done in their name, how their morality is being \u2018protected\u2019 or what their faith is being used to justify.  The failure to do so assumes that the public \u2013 individually and collectively \u2013 are either to foolish to understand or too callous to care. Either or both of those things may be true, although it seems unlikely, but it is certainly not the role of the individual journalist or editor to make such an assumption. Even was that assumption true, it still does not change the facts. In the words of C.P. Snow, \u201cComment is free but facts are sacred\u201d. [2] These events happened, they happened to citizens of that country, they affect how the rest of the world views that country and how the government views and treats its citizens. On every count, that is news.  [1] \u2018Tunisian journalist faces \u2018public morals\u2019 charge after criticizing government\u2019, Amnesty International, 8 August 2012,   [2] \u2018Comment is free\u2019, guardian.co.uk,", "If Op\u2019s argument were true then news programmes would never end \u2013 and never need to repeat a story. Governments undertake an enormous number of actions every day that in some way impact upon their citizens and have wider implications for the wider world. By any objective standard, it is quite routine for all but the most important of these to go unreported \u2013 most consumers of news have little interest in or understanding of many of the complexities of economics or foreign policy. For example in 1999 only 29% of Americans said they were very interested in news about other countries. [1] Likewise many important developments in science or literature \u2013 frequently involving public money \u2013 are barely mentioned by a media that knows its consumers to be uninterested.  [1] Bostrom, Meg, 1999 \u2018Public Attitudes Towards Foreign Affairs An Overview of the Current State of Public Opinion\u2019, Frameworks Institute  p.11"], "type": "binary", "id": "273"}
+{"question": "Is gun ownership for self-defense beneficial?", "perspectives": ["Gun ownership for self-defense is beneficial.", "Gun ownership for self-defense is not beneficial."], "docs": ["Gun ownership is an integral aspect of the right to self defence  Law-abiding citizens deserve the right to protect their families in their own homes, especially if the police are judged incapable of dealing with the threat of attack. Would-be rapists and armed burglars will think twice before attempting to break into any house where the owners may keep firearms for self-defence. (This can also be applied to the right to carry concealed weapons, deterring potential rapists, muggers, etc.)", "Burglary should not be punished by vigilante killings of the offender. No amount of property is worth a human life. Perversely, the danger of attack by homeowners may make it more likely that criminals will carry their own weapons. If a right to self-defence is granted in this way, many accidental deaths are bound to result.  Moreover the value of guns for self-defence is overrated. A firearm kept in the home for self-defence is six times more likely to be used in a deliberate or accidental homicide than against an unlawful intruder. [1]  [1] Drinan, Robert F. \u2018Gun Control: The Good Outweighs the Evil\u2019. The Civil Liberties Review. August/September 1976"], "type": "binary", "id": "274"}
+{"question": "Does the legality of drugs significantly impact their usage rates?", "perspectives": ["The legality of drugs significantly impacts their usage rates.", "The legality of drugs does not significantly impact their usage rates."], "docs": ["More people will take drugs if they are legal  Considering that drug use has so many negative consequences, it would be disastrous to have it increase. However, the free availability of drugs once they are legal will make it far easier for individuals to buy and use them. In most cases, under 1% of the population of OECD countries regularly use illegal drugs; many more drink alcohol or smoke tobacco. [1] This must at least partly to do with the illegality. Indeed, in an Australian survey, 29% of those who had never used cannabis cited the illegality of the substance as their reason for never using the drug, while 19% of those who had ceased use of cannabis cited its illegality as their reason. [2]  [1] UN Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2009,   [2] NSW Bureau of Crime and Statistics, \u2018Does Prohibition Deter Cannabis use?\u2019, 23 August 2001,  $file/mr_cjb58.pdf", "When drugs are illegal, this does not stop people from using them. A Canadian report on the matter concluded, \"The licit or illicit status of substances has little impact on their use.\" [1] In addition, even though drugs are illegal, it is not hard to access them. In a Spanish survey, 92.9% of Spanish students said that it was very easy to access illegal drugs \u2013 even though only 11.6% used cannabis, which was the most used. [2] Even using the survey quoted by opposition, it is clear that the majority of people surveyed did not view the illegality of cannabis as a reason not to use it.  [1] Parliament of Canada House of Commons, Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs, report issued November, 2002,   [2] Eurocare, \u201892.9 % of Spanish students say that access to drugs is very easy\u2019, 26 March 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "275"}
+{"question": "Is it acceptable for the government to curtail freedom of speech for national security reasons?", "perspectives": ["It is acceptable for the government to curtail freedom of speech for national security reasons.", "It is not acceptable for the government to curtail freedom of speech for national security reasons."], "docs": ["It may be necessary in the interests of national security  The Government must protect its citizens from foreign enemies and internal enemies - thus freedom of speech can be acceptably curtailed during times of war in order to prevent propaganda and spying which might undermine the national interest. This has happened in almost all states during times of war, during the second world war the United States even had a government department dedicated to it; The Office of Censorship. [1]  [1] Hanyok, Robert J., \u2018Secrets of Victory: The Office of Censorship and The American Press and Radio in World War II\u2019, Studies in Intelligence, Vol 46, No. 3,", "The ends do not justify the means. The government may well wish to suppress publication of information that would be prejudicial to its success in the next elections or its war campaign, but it\u2019s in the public interest to know about their dirty dealings or illegal activities.  Moreover secrecy in the name of security often leads to injustice; the rendition of British residents and secret evidence given at control order hearings are but a couple of examples."], "type": "binary", "id": "276"}
+{"question": "Should smoking in public be allowed?", "perspectives": ["Smoking in public is allowed.", "oking in public is not allowed."], "docs": ["Smokers have a right to enjoy themselves.  Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that \"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood\"1. So, smokers have the same rights as non-smokers and should not be targeted because of how they choose to live their lives. Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that \"Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay\" 1.If some people get their rest and leisure by smoking with friends in a pub, it seems that governments should make it possible, by at least having smoking areas in pubs, restaurants, etc. A ban on smoking in all public places would mean smokers could never enjoy themselves like they want to, at least not legally. There are many groups which feel that the rights of the smoker are being ignored, e.g. \"Forest\".  1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, General Assembly of the United Nations,", "While all humans do have the right to rest and leisure, they should not be allowed to do so at the expense of the health and safety of other human beings. Serial killers enjoy killing people1, but it is against the law to commit murder. Smoking in public places should be banned despite the fact that smokers enjoy doing it, because it endangers the health of others.  1 Blackwelder, Edward, 'Serial Killers: Defining Serial Murder', Criminology Research Project Inc."], "type": "binary", "id": "277"}
+{"question": "Is the adoption of a federal model beneficial for European Union states?", "perspectives": ["The adoption of a federal model is beneficial for European Union states.", "The adoption of a federal model is not beneficial for European Union states."], "docs": ["The federal model has proved to be a success previously  The success of federal states elsewhere in providing peace and prosperity for their citizens, alongside democratic safeguards, point to the advantages of pursuing this model in Europe. The USA, Australia and Canada provide standards of living for their citizens which most Europeans would envy, while federal India is the best example of a long-term democratic success in the developing world.  The application of the principles of federalism to the European social and environmental policy s the key to European success. The creation of the single market meant that much national regulation of social and environmental issues ceased to be effective: only a European approach at the same level as the regulation of business would be able to work. Otherwise, companies might simply transfer from one member state with a great deal of regulation in these areas to another member state with less. If what economists call \u201cexternalities\u201d were not to go unaddressed altogether, European social and environmental policies became necessary. Therefore only federal unity can bring EU states closer together in order for them to work as successfully as others federal countries.", "Europe is not like America and Australia, which were founded by immigrants with considerable homogeneity of language and culture. Canada\u2019s relations with Quebec show that where such differences exist they can be politically destabilising, while federal states such as Brazil and the USSR have not avoided dictatorship, human rights problems and economic backwardness. Within the EU there is often no commonality of interests on key federal issues such as defence and foreign policy. Even today there are big splits on major issues such as agricultural reform and trade policy.  In actuality, Europeans don\u2019t envy Americans because right now EU is far better in every aspect than the US \u2013 \u201cLoory: What we have heard today is that the problems here in the U.S. are certainly much worse than in Europe.\u201d [1] \u201dAnybody who claims that the US provides a model which the EU should copy needs to consider the basic economic facts of the case.\u201d [2]  [1] Loory, \u2018Europe's economy doing better than US\u2019  [2] Irvin, \u2018Europe vs. USA: Whose Economy Wins?\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "278"}
+{"question": "Is it necessary to maintain an open and free internet regardless of the costs?", "perspectives": ["It is necessary to maintain an open and free internet regardless of the costs.", "It is not necessary to maintain an open and free internet regardless of the costs."], "docs": ["Threats to Freeware, Shareware and Objectivity  There are very real concerns that ISPs have a commercial interest in guiding people away from certain sites \u2013 especially when those sites provide services or products for nothing when the ISP or a related company charges for a competing product. File sharing more generally is an obvious target. The example of Comcast against NetFlix and other file sharing sites is simply the most obvious [i] .  There are also concerns about the impact on objectivity more generally; the Internet works most effectively as a tool because it is, by definition cross-referencing. Although there are many mistakes on many sources as a whole it is possible to reach something resembling the truth. Essentially, \u201cWe need freeware, we need shareware, and we need open access. People need to be able to trust sources that they can find on the internet, rather than have them controlled in a small number of hands or by the government.\u201d [ii] Making some sites more accessible than others reduces users\u2019 choice and their ability to check multiple sites so preventing this cross-referencing.  [i] A useful overview of some of the more notorious examples can be found here .  [ii] Bob Gibson, Executive Director of the University of Virginia\u2019s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, on the Charlottesville, VA, politics interview program Politics Matters with host and producer Jan Madeleine Paynter discussing journalism", "The idea that there is a virtue in providing things for free takes a somewhat cavalier attitude toward jobs. It is a predicate of this, and many other, arguments that the Internet should be either free or very cheap, but this does little for protecting genuine sources of expertise. Equally the costs incurred by ISPs for carrying the huge data loads of heavy users will simply end up being met by users who aren\u2019t using that level of data. It doesn\u2019t seem that unreasonable that those using the data should be paying for that at least. After all, they\u2019re already avoiding paying the studio, the writer, the actors, musicians [i] and many others involved in the production of goods. Freeware may be freely given, but plenty of other pieces of intellectual property aren\u2019t. Why should those people then have the data usage subsidised by others as well?  [i] Songwriters Guild of America. Rick Carnes. \u201cDemythologizing Net Neutrality."], "type": "binary", "id": "279"}
+{"question": "Does the House of Lords predominantly uphold conservative views?", "perspectives": ["The House of Lords predominantly upholds conservative views.", "The House of Lords does not predominantly uphold conservative views."], "docs": ["The House of Lords has an inbuilt conservative majority.  The traditional provenance of the House of Lords translates to an in-built Conservative majority. Even so called Liberal and Labour peers are usually conservative in their opinions. They represent a social and economic elite and seem to flaunt diversity monitoring in a house with only 181 female peers and a staggeringly low 31 peers from ethnic minorities. [1] This unfair skew in the favour of the conservative has the power to slow down and revise legislation and is a gross misrepresentation of the British population. The House of Lords should be reformed in order to better reflect the British people so that their actions and decisions benefit the whole of society and not just their own.  [1] Smith, Ben, \u2018Ethnic Minorities in Politics, Government and Public Life\u2019, House of Commons Library (18 November 2008) and see  viewed 1 June 2011", "The accusation that the House of Lords is inherently conservative is an unjust accusation, as proven by their siding with the people on unpopular government policies such as student tuition fees and the 42 days detention. Today no party has a majority in the Chamber, with independent peers holding the balance of power in any vote."], "type": "binary", "id": "280"}
+{"question": "Does televising court trials lead to entertainment rather than justice?", "perspectives": ["Televising court trials leads to entertainment rather than justice.", "Televising court trials does not lead to entertainment rather than justice."], "docs": ["Televising turns justice into entertainment  Broadcasting trials would be likely to turn the court in to entertainment. The Simpson trial showed how harmful a televised high profile trial can be degenerating into a freak show. The ICC trials are among the most high profile in the world so are likely to be susceptible to this. Much of the interest in the SCSL Charles Taylor trial came along when Naomi Campbell gave evidence so giving the trial celebrity interest that had little to do with the legalities involved [1] .  Jurisdictions where cameras are not permitted in courts still can and do have accurate, informative and timely reports of cases, however high profile, without filming them. Courtroom sketches, written transcripts and other tools allow reportage without the use of original footage in a tawdry manner.  [1] Bowcott, Owen, \u2018Charles Taylor and the \u2018dirty-looking stones\u2019 given to Naomi Campbell\u2019, theguardian.com, 26 April 2012,", "Court proceedings themselves aren\u2019t, in general, entertaining. Live broadcasts would largely involve lawyers discussing intricate details of issues, including complex points of law. If there was a real prospect of an ICC trial becoming a matter of entertainment, it probably would have occurred with the existing trials.  Even high profile court cases will not get large viewing figures \u2013 the UK Supreme Court case in to the extradition of Julian Assange only got 14,500 viewers [1] . Existing regulations for the use of Supreme Court footage in the United Kingdom allow excerpts of the footage to be used in news and current affairs programmes, or educational uses, but bars the use of the footage in light entertainment or other programmes.  [1] Ministry of Justice, \u2018Proposals to allow the broadcasting, filming, and recording of selected court proceedings\u2019, gov.uk, May 2012,  at p10"], "type": "binary", "id": "281"}
+{"question": "Is it legitimate for foreign states to circumvent censorship to promote freedom of expression?", "perspectives": ["It is legitimate for foreign states to circumvent censorship to promote freedom of expression.", "It is not legitimate for foreign states to circumvent censorship to promote freedom of expression."], "docs": ["It is legitimate to enable freedom  Circumventing censorship is a cost effective method of promoting freedom. When a country has refused to recognise the right to freedom of expression of its own people and indeed is actively stopping them from exercising this right then it is legitimate for other countries to step in to act as an enabler of those rights. By circumventing censorship so the freedom of expression is returned to those that have had their voice stripped from them. Doing this costs the state that is acting almost nothing; thus Britain\u2019s Foreign Office is devoting a mere \u00a31.5million to promoting expression online, [1] and yet the benefits for those who it helps can be considerable by helping them to publicise and organise themselves by providing a platform. The small cost should be compared to the benefit of keeping activists one step ahead of the authorities by, for example providing software that helps make sure online communication is anonymous, which can save lives.  [1] \u201cWilliam Hague promises \u00a31.5m to promote freedom of expression online\u201d, BBC News, 30 April 2012,", "As foreign states are not the legitimate representative of the people it is not legitimate for them to set themselves up as the arbiter for those whom it believes are being deprived of rights. These states that are meddling in the affairs of others cannot know the full consequences of their actions; circumventing censorship could end up simply undermining a stable state without enabling anything to replace it. This is just as the Arab Spring has undermined the Syrian government but has only resulted in a conflict not the creation of a stable democracy. Countries that undermined the Syrian government cannot say that their contribution has been positive when there have been 70,000 killed [1] as a result of the collapse of the state.  [1] Nichols, Michelle, \u201cSyria death toll likely near 70,000, says U.N. rights chief\u201d, Reuters, 12 February 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "282"}
+{"question": "Should social media be shut down during times of riots?", "perspectives": ["Social media should be shut down during times of riots.", "ocial media should not be shut down during times of riots."], "docs": ["Would stop riots from spreading  The police must try to stop riots from spreading and stop copycat rioting elsewhere. Knowledge of rioting happening elsewhere is often the Oxygen of riots; the riots in Manchester and elsewhere outside of London in 2011 were mostly as a result of media exposure. According to Greater Manchester Police chief Peter Fahy \"A certain group of people saw what was happening in London and decided they seemed to be getting away with it. We knew what was absolutely critical was that there needed to be control of London. Because that was just creating more and more copycat violence up here.\" [1] Cutting off social media would have helped prevent the riots from spreading so ensuring that they remain small and a localised problem.  [1] Pilkington, D., \u201cRioting in London sparked 'copycat' behaviour\u201d, The Independent, 14 November 2011.", "Preventing word from getting out through social media and stopping those who inevitably try to take advantage of the rioting to ferment violence elsewhere is not something the police should be doing. In a free country anyone should be allowed to report on what they are doing and on riots that are occurring. Moreover a shutdown would be ineffective at preventing the news getting out as the traditional media would still be broadcasting. In 270 interviews done by researchers into the riots more than 100 people said they heard about the riots through TV news, more than through social media. [1]  [1] Adegoke, Y., and Ball, J., \u201cTwitter? Facebook? Rioters saw it on TV\u201d, guardian.co.uk, 7 December 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "283"}
+{"question": "Is it responsible for the Catholic Church to permit the use of barrier methods of contraception?", "perspectives": ["It is responsible for the Catholic Church to permit the use of barrier methods of contraception.", "It is not responsible for the Catholic Church to permit the use of barrier methods of contraception."], "docs": ["More casual sex with barrier contraception is preferable to the current amount without contraception. The amount of consensual sex is not going to change no matter what the church teaches. As long as the use of barrier contraception was promoted along with this promotion of casual sex, it would be a huge net reduction in the cases of contraction of HIV. Therefore, condoning the use of barrier contraception would be the more responsible stand to take on the part of the Catholic Church.", "Going back on this rule would promote casual sex  Condoning the use of barrier methods of contraception would be implicitly condoning casual sex since their primary function is within that context. This is particularly important since the Catholic Church's teachings on casual sex are not taken particularly seriously already. Any action, such as the Catholic Church allowing the use of barrier contraception, that would promote casual sex in countries with severe AIDS/HIV problems, would be an incredibly irresponsible one. Pope Paul VI argued that when considering \"the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards.\" The Church's current stance on barrier contraception, therefore, is the most responsible one1. 1 Pope Paul VI. \"Humanae Vitae.\" 1968."], "type": "binary", "id": "284"}
+{"question": "Is the cost of rehabilitation programs for criminals justified?", "perspectives": ["The cost of rehabilitation programs for criminals is justified.", "The cost of rehabilitation programs for criminals is not justified."], "docs": ["Philosopher Peter Landry believes that it takes a whole group of specialists to determine what kind of punishment to mete out to criminals. [1] There is no hard and fast rule. Money spent on rehabilitation may cost a lot, but is well worth it, when you consider cuts to the rate of reoffending, leading to reduced expense related to those who reoffend and less crowded prisons. In Britain, it costs \u00a3140,000 a year to jail a young criminal, imagine if that money was spent on his or her rehabilitation instead? [2] Furthermore, in America, where measures like the \u2018three-strike policy\u2019 were introduced and rehabilitation discouraged, \u2018more than four out of ten adult American offenders still return to prison within three years of their release\u2019. [3] Retribution simply does not work, and it is certainly not saving the government any money.  [1] Landry, P. \u2018On The Theory of Punishment\u2019. Blupete, 2011 .  [2] Doyle, J., \u2018\u00a3140,000: the annual cost of jailing a young criminal\u2019. The Guardian, 1 March 2010.  [3] Pew Center on the States. State of Recidivism. The Pew Charitable Trusts. 2011, Washington, D.C., P.2.", "Rehabilitation Constitutes an Unjustifiable Further Expense  The evidence from all over the world suggests that recidivism rates are difficult to reduce and that some offenders just can\u2019t be rehabilitated. It therefore makes economic sense to cut all rehabilitation programs and concentrate on ensuring that prisoners serve the time they deserve for their crimes and are kept off the streets where they are bound to re-offend. As it can be seen that some deserving of a longer sentence only receive short sentences due to lack of time and space and some who have committed shorter sentences are given long sentences aimed at making a point or sending a message.  Currently, the government will continue to be gambling tax payers\u2019 money on programs that will not give anything back into the society that it took from. Britain spends \u00a345,000 a year on each of its prisoners and yet 50% will go on to re-offend, \u2018which translates into a dead investment of \u00a32 billion annually. [1] Rehabilitation programs should be scrapped and taxpayers asked only to pay the bare minimum to keep offenders off the streets. They can\u2019t harm society if they are behind bars.  [1] Bois, N. D., \u2018Retribution and Rehabilitation: A Modern Conservative Justice Policy\u2019. Dale & Co. 20 July 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "285"}
+{"question": "Is neo-functionalism a comprehensive and accurate explanation for the integration of sectors?", "perspectives": ["Neo-functionalism is a comprehensive and accurate explanation for the integration of sectors.", "Neo-functionalism is not a comprehensive and accurate explanation for the integration of sectors."], "docs": ["Neo-functionalism explains the cause of integration  Spill-over is the following concept \u2013 in order to enjoy the full benefits of integration of the first sector you need to integrate the related sectors. An example of this is the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community) evolving into other energy sectors and forming Euratom. There are three types of spill-over \u2013 functional spill-over, political spill-over and cultivated spill-over. Firstly, functional spill-over, which regards spill-over in an economic context. For example, this might involve integrating coal and steel, then integrating transport systems so that coal and steel are moved around more easily. Secondly, there is Political spill-over, where political actors shift their allegiance to a new centre, for example from the national parliament to Brussels. Thirdly, there is cultivated spill-over, which is the idea that institutions drive further integration by being in practice; for example the European Commission\u2019s growing autonomy. [1]  [1] Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Jeppe \"Neo-functionalism: Obstinate or Obsolete? A Reappraisal in the Light of the New Dynamism of the EC Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp.1-22,", "The counter theory to spill-over is the logic of diversity. Neo-functionalism is flawed as it assumes that integration in low politics (economic) will lead to integration in areas of high politics. This is not possible as issues of high politics are integral to the national interest; so integration will only be possible when national interests coincide, which is possible but unlikely. Neo-functionalism believes areas of high politics can be cultivated into integration, whereas intergovernmentalism believes that the fate of the nation-state should never be subject to the decisions of others."], "type": "binary", "id": "286"}
+{"question": "Does the International Criminal Court (ICC) offer effective justice and lasting peace for war crime victims?", "perspectives": ["The International Criminal Court (ICC) offers effective justice and lasting peace for war crime victims.", "The International Criminal Court (ICC) does not offer effective justice and lasting peace for war crime victims."], "docs": ["The ICC offers justice to victims of war crimes.  The ICC offers a multilateral means by which international law can be brought to bear on the perpetrators of war crimes. As Amnesty International argues, 'the ICC ensures that those who commit serious human rights violations are held accountable. Justice helps promote lasting peace, enables victims to rebuild their lives and sends a strong message that perpetrators of serious international crimes will not go unpunished'. Furthermore, and for the first time, the ICC has the power to order a criminal to pay reparations to a victim who has suffered as a result of their crimes. Such reparations may include restitution, indemnification and rehabilitation. Judges are able to order such reparations whether the victims have been able to apply for them or not. Though reparations will often not be sufficient on their own for lasting peace, they are a step in the right direction and only made possible by the establishment of the ICC.", "The ICC does not offer lasting peace to victims, but can instead re-open old wounds. 'It is by no means clear that 'justice' as defined by the Court and Prosecutor is always consistent with the attainable political resolution of serious political and military disputes' argues John Bolton. The ICC deals with individual criminals and specific crimes in a vacuum, it is unable to appreciate the, albeit paradoxical, notion that it may be in the best interests of the resolution of conflict for the perpetrators to go unpunished and victims to forego reparations. 'Circumstances differ, and circumstances matter'1 the ICC in offering lasting peace to victims of war crimes is unable to weigh the circumstances in the manner of an ad hoc tribunal tailored to the specific conflict.  1 Bolton, J. (2002, November 12). The United States and the International Criminal Court. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from"], "type": "binary", "id": "287"}
+{"question": "Does the Catholic Church's stance against the use of barrier contraception contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS?", "perspectives": ["The Catholic Church's stance against the use of barrier contraception contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS.", "The Catholic Church's stance against the use of barrier contraception does not contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS."], "docs": ["AIDS/HIV can be spread outside of having casual sex. The HIV epidemic is spread not just through people having casual sex. In many cases, wives contract HIV after their husband being unfaithful or having had premarital sex. There are also many cases where a woman has little choice in being sold off to a man and is forced to have sex with him. There are also a huge number of cases of rape where HIV is contracted. In all of these cases, if the Catholic Church had condoned barrier contraception, the likelihood of HIV being contracted as a result would have been dramatically reduced; whether that is through contraception being used in that particular instance of intercourse or through the man not contracting HIV in the first place.", "In context of other teachings, does not promote the spread of AIDS/HIV.  The Catholic Church does not only forbid the use of barrier contraception but also of casual sex. The issue is not that the Church is being irresponsible by banning the use of barrier contraception but that people are choosing to follow some of the Church's teachings but not others. Pope Benedict XVI argues AIDS is \"a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems\"1. If people followed the Church's teachings on casual sex as well as their teachings on barrier contraception, the AIDS epidemic would be dramatically decreased. Given, therefore, that it also forbids any sex outside of marriage, the Catholic Church is totally justified in forbidding barrier methods of contraception2. 1 Wynne-Jones, Jonathan. \"The Pope drops Catholic ban on condoms in historic shift.\" The Telegraph, 20 November 2010, 2 Pope John Paul II. \"Evangelium Vitae.\" 1995."], "type": "binary", "id": "288"}
+{"question": "Is there a significant gender shift occurring in the workplace?", "perspectives": ["A significant gender shift is occurring in the workplace.", "A significant gender shift is not occurring in the workplace."], "docs": ["Where are the men?  Is the feminisation of labour emerging with a de-masculinisation of jobs? If so, how do women cope in the work environment? Are methods being integrated to ensure a just work environment is maintained?  Overa\u2019s (2007) study on gender relations within the informal economy indicates how tensions emerge with women and men being forced into similar occupations. The informal economy of retail trade in Ghana is becoming overcrowded as men enter into female jobs; competition is causing reductions in returns, and further, frustrations are rising against the state. Therefore if more women are entering male jobs, what are the reactions?", "Within Gender and Development the importance of bringing men into the picture of gender discrimination has been recognised. Therefore working with men will change enable gender roles to be changed."], "type": "binary", "id": "289"}
+{"question": "Should religious symbols be banned in schools?", "perspectives": ["Religious symbols should be banned in schools.", "Religious symbols should not be banned in schools."], "docs": ["Religious symbols cause problems in schools.  As well as division in society in general, religious symbols are also a source of division within school environments. The Hijab causes schools many problems. It is potentially divisive in the classroom, marking some children out as different from the others and above the rules that the school enforces for everyone else. This may lead to alienation and bullying. Full headscarves may also be impractical or dangerous in some lessons, for example PE, swimming, or in technology and science lessons where machinery is being operated. In the same way, there have been discussions as to whether to ban the display of Crucifixes in public classrooms. Authorities in Italy have followed through with the ban saying that such a Christian symbol segregates those who are not Christian.1  1 'Decision due in Crucifix ban case', Times of Malta, March 17th 2011 , accessed on 24th July 2011", "Intolerant schools cause more problems for not allowing freedom of religious expression. In a multicultural society, students should be aware of the different religious practices and cultural traditions of their classmates, and be taught to understand and respect these. Without such respect, religious groups with distinctive symbols, such as Orthodox Jews, Sikhs and Christians, will be driven out of mainstream education and forced to educate their children separately.1 As for the worry about safety issues, particularly concerning hair length, most classroom accidents occur when loose, long hair gets caught in machinery or in a flame which would not be a problem when hair is held in place under a headscarf.  1 'Religious Rights and Wrongs', The Economist, 4th September 2008, accessed 24th July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "290"}
+{"question": "Is linking animal endangerment and poaching to terrorism a valid approach to warrant stricter protection measures?", "perspectives": ["Linking animal endangerment and poaching to terrorism is a valid approach to warrant stricter protection measures.", "Linking animal endangerment and poaching to terrorism is not a valid approach to warrant stricter protection measures."], "docs": ["Poaching is linked to terrorism  Stronger protection of animals should be implemented to reduce the funding for terrorist groups. Certain terrorist organisations use the illegal ivory and horn trade as funding for their operations. Al-Shabaab, the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army (LRA), and the Sudanese Janjaweed all use the illicit trade as a source of income, with the former using the trade for 40% of its expenditure. [1] This enables them to carry out attacks such as the 2013 Westgate siege in Kenya. [2] Tougher protection of endangered animals would reduce the ability of these groups to fund themselves. In turn, this would decrease their operational capability, increasing stability in Africa.  [1] Stewart, C. \u2018Illegal ivory trade funds al-shabaab\u2019s terrorist attacks\u2019  [2] Tackett,C. \u2018How elephant poaching helped fund Kenya terrorist attack\u2019", "Linking animal endangerment and poaching to terrorism as a justification for action unnecessarily securitises the issue. This will only serve to create a situation where state actors can use poaching as an excuse to exploit threats. As with the war on drugs and the war on terror, this power is apportioned to actors who are then capable of abusing it for the sake of national security. [1]  [1] Crick,E. \u2018Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "291"}
+{"question": "Is the wearing of religious symbols, such as the Muslim Hijab, oppressive to women?", "perspectives": ["The wearing of religious symbols, such as the Muslim Hijab, is oppressive to women.", "The wearing of religious symbols, such as the Muslim Hijab, is not oppressive to women."], "docs": ["Many symbols are seen as a symbol of oppression on women.  Religious symbols are seen to, in some cases, increase the equality divide between genders. As an example, the Muslim Hijab is considered by some as a very powerful symbol for the oppression of women, particularly in countries such as Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan where it is compulsory. Therefore, when it is worn in Western countries that encourage democracy and equality, the wearing of the Hijab is seen as almost counter-productive to the goals of democratic society. For this reason Belgium has recently banned the wearing of the full Muslim veil, much like France in 2010.1 Often Muslim dress rules for women are seen as more severe than those for men. Inequality between men and women is a form of discrimination and liberal societies should fight all forms of discrimination.  1 ' Belgian ban on full veils comes into force', BBC News Europe, 23rd July 2011, accessed on 23rd July 2011", "Religious symbols are not seen as oppressive by those who choose to wear them. Many Muslim women view the veil as a means to protect their modesty and privacy. Just as we would not force any women to be seen in public in her underwear if she did not feel comfortable doing so, why should a woman be forced to show her hair if she does not want to? Modesty is a personal judgement call; some are comfortable in the smallest bikini while others prefer a lot more clothing. No one but the woman herself should make that decision. In fact, concerning the ban of the veil in Belgium, Muslim women have immediately challenged it and regard the ban as discriminatory.1  1 'Belgian ban on full veils comes into force', BBC News Europe, 23rd July 2011 , accessed on 23rd July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "292"}
+{"question": "Does the prosecution of war crimes serve as an effective deterrent for future offenses?", "perspectives": ["The prosecution of war crimes serves as an effective deterrent for future offenses.", "The prosecution of war crimes does not serve as an effective deterrent for future offenses."], "docs": ["Deters future offences  By prosecuting those who commit crimes against humanity and war crimes future leaders are dissuaded from committing such acts [1]. When criminals are held accountable, the belief in the reliability of the legal system is enhanced, society is strengthened by the experience that the legal system is able to defend itself and the sense of justice is upheld or rectified [2].  Since the Office of the Prosecutor announced its interest in Colombia in 2006, the government has taken a number of measures particularly the Peace and Justice Law to ensure domestic prosecution of those who could potentially be tried by the ICC. The threat of ICC prosecution appears to have concerned former President Pastrana. Vincente Castrano (AUC) a paramilitary leader was fearful of the possibility of ICC prosecution, a fear that reportedly directly contributed to his group\u2019s demobilisation[3].  [1] Safferlin, Christoph J.M., \u2018Can Criminal prosecution be the answer to massive Human Rights Violations?\u2019, issafrica.org,   [2] Grono, Nick, \u2018 The Deterrent Effect of the ICC on the Commission of International Crimes by Government Leaders \u2019, globalpolicy.org, 5 October 2012,", "Deterrence doesn\u2019t work as people who commit these atrocities usually don\u2019t believe they will be caught, or don\u2019t care. Further, prosecutions can actually cause more offenses in the future, as supporters of those prosecuted seek revenge for the prosecution occurring. We have seen this in Sudan where President Bashir\u2019s indictment by the ICC has done little to halt attacks on civilians in both Darfur and, more recently, South Kordofan [1].  [1] Jennifer, Christian and James, Bair, \u2018 Why does the world allow Sudan\u2019s Bashir to target civilians? \u2019, globalpost.com, 30 July 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "293"}
+{"question": "Is the use of enhanced interrogation techniques effective in obtaining accurate information quickly?", "perspectives": ["The use of enhanced interrogation techniques is effective in obtaining accurate information quickly.", "The use of enhanced interrogation techniques is not effective in obtaining accurate information quickly."], "docs": ["Time is of the essence in a crisis. When confronted with extremists who see a virtue in their own death, extraordinary methods may be required.  The use of force and fear in enhanced interrogation gives quick results. In the event of a bomb hidden somewhere in Manhattan, it\u2019s vital to have information quickly. Nobody, even the most diehard proponents of enhanced interrogation, would suggest that it is pleasant or should be used on a routine basis; the point is that techniques such as waterboarding are effective and fast.  Responding to terrorist threats is something that needs to be dealt with in minutes or hours. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of due process and legal procedure that they trials and questioning take place in a framework of days or weeks.", "The primary difficulty with the use of torture is not one of principle but one of practice \u2013 it doesn\u2019t work. You simply have no way of checking whether the information is accurate. By using force or the threat of force, suspects are under pressure to say something- anything- that will stop the pain they are experiencing. However, information acquired this way will not necessarily be true  In the light of this, the use of torture actually slows things down the process of investigating and preventing terrorist threats. This is particularly true of terror suspects for whom death has no fear and for whom it may, in fact be a goal. A much safer approach to rooting out terrorist who seek to martyr themselves is old fashioned, and perfectly legal, investigation."], "type": "binary", "id": "294"}
+{"question": "Would the inclusion of video footage in court trials improve the appeal process?", "perspectives": ["The inclusion of video footage in court trials would improve the appeal process.", "The inclusion of video footage in court trials would not improve the appeal process."], "docs": ["Video footage of a court case would provide valuable information for both defendant and judiciary.  If the defendant is convicted of a crime, they have a right to appeal in the UK [1] and US [2] . However, this is made difficult for another court to re-assess the conviction if they cannot know how reliable evidence was in the first trial. Without film recordings of court trials, judges who have the duty to re-examine the case are unable to see witness testimonies; though new evidence does sometimes come to light during the course of an appeal [3] , it would be easier to assess this new evidence if the judges also had knowledge of how the first trial went. If the judges could watch a video of the first trial, they could judge the demeanour, body language and general impression given by each witness in the first trial. Body language can affect a court\u2019s perception of a witness [4] , but this information could not be gained by a transcript. However, this evidence may be important for a new verdict to be reached.  [1]  , accessed 18/08/11  [2]  , accessed 18/08/11  [3]  , accessed 18/08/11  [4]  , accessed 18/08/11", "A stenographer already records every word spoken during the course of the trial, which already serves to help with potential appeals [1] [2] . Furthermore, appeal court judges rarely interfere with the verdicts of lower courts because they were not present at the original trial. Using a video record to overturn the verdict of a previous court would essentially eradicated the role of a jury; which is to reach a decision based on the fact presented, guided by the judge\u2019s knowledge of the law [3] [4] . Far from making court proceedings more democratic and transparent, using cameras in courtrooms would actually be damaging because it undermines the position of normal people to reach a verdict of \u2018guilty\u2019 or \u2018not guilty\u2019. In this case, a judge\u2019s choice to hang a new verdict on video information would make the law a very exclusive practice where very few individuals can determine the fates of others, and the role of jury would become irrelevant.  [1] In the UK:  , accessed 18/08/11  [2] In the US:  , accessed 18/08/11  [3] in the UK:  , accessed 18/08/11  [4] In the US:  , accessed 18/08/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "295"}
+{"question": "Should democratic nations grant asylum to individuals persecuted for advocating for democracy in their home countries?", "perspectives": ["Democratic nations grant asylum to individuals persecuted for advocating for democracy in their home countries.", "Democratic nations do not grant asylum to individuals persecuted for advocating for democracy in their home countries."], "docs": ["We must practice what we preach  Democratic nations preach the language of freedom, human rights and justice. They encourage those who live under oppression to oppose their rulers and work towards these goals. This is all rendered hollow, and hypocritical if they then refuse to protect individuals who are persecuted for taking the brave and noble step of working to improve their societies. Not only is this a moral failing but practically very harmful too. It is in the interests of democratic nations to spread democracy and peaceful forms of government. If the people of authoritarian nations don't feel they have the support of other, then the incentive for them to risk everything and stand up in the name of freedom is diminished, and so too the best chance of change in such oppressive regimes.", "Democratic nations can support like-minded groups in all manner of other ways, such as funding and training opposition groups, giving them international representation, and by applying pressure to oppressive governments. With individual asylum applicants they are still faced with the same problem of assessing who has genuinely taken a \u201cbrave and noble\u201d step, which is very hard. Furthermore it is not at all clear that the hope of asylum is a motivator towards political action. Revolutions and resistance forces existed long before the creation of any formal asylum regime, and continue in the contemporary absence of any access to them. Often by harbouring those who have opposed oppressive regimes, perhaps in a similarly violent manner, states drastically reduce their ability to negotiate with and apply leverage to the authoritarian governments that are the problem in the first place."], "type": "binary", "id": "296"}
+{"question": "Does the copyright system effectively incentivize artistic creation?", "perspectives": ["The copyright system effectively incentivizes artistic creation.", "The copyright system does not effectively incentivize artistic creation."], "docs": ["The lack of control over, and profit from, art will serve as a serious disincentive to artistic output  Profit is as much a factor in artists\u2019 decision to produce work, if not more so, than the primordial urge to create. Without the guarantee of ownership over one\u2019s artistic work, the incentive to invest in its creation is certainly diminished. Within a strong copyright system, individuals feel free to invest time in their pursuits because they have full knowledge that the final product of their labours will be theirs to enjoy. [1] Without copyright protections the marginal cases, like people afraid to put time into actually building an installation art piece rather than doing more hours at their job, will not opt to create. If their work were to immediately leave their control, they would most certainly be less inclined to do so. Furthermore, the inability of others to simply duplicate existing works as their own means they too will be galvanized to break ground on new ideas, rather than simply re-tread over current ideas and to adapt existing works to markets. Art thrives by being new and original. Copyright protections shield against artistic laziness and drive the creative urges of the artistically inclined to ever more interesting fields.  [1] Greenberg, M. \u201cReason or Madness: A Defense of Copyright\u2019s Growing Pains\u201d. John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law. 2007.", "Few artists ever see much profit from their work anyway, many choosing the life of bohemian squalor in order to keep producing art rather than taking up more profitable pursuits. Vincent van Gogh sold almost nothing, but his drive to create never abated. No doubt the true artists will continue to feel the urge to create under this policy, and the loss of a few marginal cases must be weighed against the massive losses to art in general, such as the huge curtailment of exploration of and response to existing works, which are often artistically meritorious in their own right, and also the rendering unavailable of much of the artistic output of the world."], "type": "binary", "id": "297"}
+{"question": "Is an amnesty policy beneficial in promoting dialogue and reform with repressive regimes?", "perspectives": ["An amnesty policy is beneficial in promoting dialogue and reform with repressive regimes.", "An amnesty policy is not beneficial in promoting dialogue and reform with repressive regimes."], "docs": ["All countries, even authoritarian ones, desire to be considered legitimate and valued in the international community. The weight of condemnation that a policy of amnesty creates is one that bears down heavily on repressive regimes and can galvanize them to reform. Furthermore, it is essential that Western governments nurture dissidents and give them shelter so they can continue their mission to attain justice rather than be thrown into jail.", "An amnesty policy will serve only to alienate regimes, shutting down the possibility of discourse or reform  It is a natural conclusion that a repressive regime, which operates largely by force and the control of its population, will react rather negatively to an action by the West that appears to be a calculated, public, and on-going subversion of their power in favour of criminal dissidents. The result of such action by Western democracies will not be any positive discourse between the targeted regime and the West, but will rather cause a breakdown in communication. They will be reticent to engage for the very reason that the states seeking to influence them are clearly not interested in dealing on an equal footing, but rather wish to undermine their way of life in favour of asserting their own superiority. The best way to actually get talks about reform started, and to empower those who wish for more democracy and press freedom, is to patiently engage with these regimes, to coax them peaceably toward reform without threatening their core aims. [1] Aggression toward them will generate aggression in return as is shown again and again by North Korea and the responses to its actions by the United States. While incremental change may feel glacial, the long game is the only way to get changes without letting blood flow through the streets. The only possible outcome of this policy would be a harsher crackdown on bloggers by these governments.  [1] Larison, D. \u201cEngagement is Not Appeasement\u201d. The American Conservative. 17 December 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "298"}
+{"question": "Do animals have the same moral rights as humans?", "perspectives": ["Animals have the same moral rights as humans.", "Animals do not have the same moral rights as humans."], "docs": ["Animals have a right not to be harmed  The differences between us and other vertebrates are a matter of degree rather than kind. [1] Not only do they closely resemble us anatomically and physiologically, but so too do they behave in ways which seem to convey meaning. They recoil from pain, appear to express fear of a tormentor, and appear to take pleasure in activities; a point clear to anyone who has observed the behaviour of a pet dog on hearing the word \u201cwalk\u201d. Our reasons for believing that our fellow humans are capable of experiencing feelings like ourselves can surely only be that they resemble us both in appearance and behaviour (we cannot read their minds). Thus any animal sharing our anatomical, physiological, and behavioural characteristics is surely likely to have feelings like us. If we accept as true for sake of argument, that all humans have a right not to be harmed, simply by virtue of existing as a being of moral worth, then we must ask what makes animals so different. If animals can feel what we feel, and suffer as we suffer, then to discriminate merely on the arbitrary difference of belonging to a different species, is analogous to discriminating on the basis of any other morally arbitrary characteristic, such as race or sex. If sexual and racial moral discrimination is wrong, then so too is specieism. [2]  [1] Clark, S., The Nature of the Beast: are animals moral?, (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1982)  [2] Singer, P., \u201cAll Animals are Equal\u201d, in La Follette (ed.), Ethics in Practice, (Malden, Mass; Oxford : Blackwell Pub, 2007)", "Animals do not have such a right not to be harmed; even if they are similar to humans in terms of their feelings (that opposition does not concede) this right is impossible to argue for. The right of a human not to be harmed is a part of a quid pro quo that we will also not do harm to others. Animals are unable to engage in such a contract either to us or to other animals. Animals are not about to stop hunting other animals because the animal that is hunted feel\u2019s pain when it is caught and it even if animal experimentation was to be ended it is unlikely that humanity would stop killing animals either for food, to prevent overpopulation or by accident all of which would have to be the case if animals feeling of pleasure and pain and resulting rights had to be taken into account."], "type": "binary", "id": "299"}
+{"question": "Is compensation an effective means to address issues of cultural appropriation and racism?", "perspectives": ["Compensation is an effective means to address issues of cultural appropriation and racism.", "Compensation is not an effective means to address issues of cultural appropriation and racism."], "docs": ["The use of compensation is effective in combating more 'deep-rooted' issues of racism in society. This is because compensation gives the minority communities the recognition, credit and any financial benefit that comes with this, of which they deserve. Highlighting other cultures and their achievements by preventing cultural appropriation will change attitudes so encouraging equality of treatment.", "Reparations and the use of the term 'cultural appropriation' is a mask for more deep-rooted issues of racism in society.  The use of compensation as a means of redress for cultural appropriation doesn\u2019t tackle the root problems that are expressed. The problems given as examples of cultural appropriation, like a Caucasian person wearing their hair in dreadlocks- a style that has meaning and historic prejudice to the afro-Caribbean community is redirecting attention and division. The individuals wearing their hair in this fashion however are not the problem. Demanding compensation from them 'does not challenge racism in any meaningful way' [1]. Instead targeting and punishing those who actively discriminate against those with the dreadlock style of hair is more effective and encourages equality.  [1] Malik, Kenan, \u2018The Bane of Cultural Appropriation\u2019, AlJazeera, 14th April 2016,"], "type": "binary", "id": "300"}
+{"question": "Should unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material be penalized by law?", "perspectives": ["Unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material should be penalized by law.", "Unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material should not be penalized by law."], "docs": ["The unauthorised downloading of copyrighted material should be addressed and prevented by the state  Copyrighted material is intellectual property: someone worked hard for it to produce it. Downloading this content without paying the proper rights holder for it amounts to theft.  Furthermore, downloading copyrighted material from an unauthorized source creates an impossible market for producers of copyrighted content, because they have to \u2018compete with free\u2019. Why would the average consumer want to pay for a download from an authorized website, when she can get the same movie from a pirate-site for free? To build a commercially viable content industry online, we need to protect this industry from the unfair competition of the parallel market. [1]  [1] Piotr Stryszowski , Danny Scorpecci, Piracy of Digital Content. 2009, OECD Publishing. URL for purchase:", "Downloading isn\u2019t a crime  Downloading content is not comparable to theft of material things, like cars: after downloading the original owner can still use his or her own copy.  Moreover: governments have always allowed consumers some leeway for replicating content for themselves under the \u2018private copying exception\u2019 or \u2018fair use\u2019-policy. [1] Before the internet came along, this exception ensured it was legal that one person could copy a song from a radio broadcast transmission for personal use. Why should downloading a song from the internet be any different?  Finally, research has shown that those who download the most from pirate sites are also the ones who buy the most music online legally \u2013 why would the content industry want to punish their biggest and most loyal customers?. [2]  [1] Natali Helberger & P. Bernt Hugenholtz, \u2018No place like home for making a copy: private copying in European copyight law and consumer law\u2019. 2007. Berkely Technology Law Journal, volume 22, p. 1061 -1098. URL for PDF:   [2] Ars Technica, \u2018Study: pirates biggest music buyers. Labels: yeah, right\u2019. April 2009. URL:"], "type": "binary", "id": "301"}
+{"question": "Should the state intervene in arranged marriages?", "perspectives": ["The state should intervene in arranged marriages.", "The state should not intervene in arranged marriages."], "docs": ["When the harm spills over into society, the personal becomes public. Arranged marriages do pose provable harms to the women of diaspora communities in the European Union. In such situations where vulnerable individuals are at risk, the state has a right to step in. This is already the case in other issues linked to inter-marital relations, such as the criminalisation of rape within marriage in Britain. [1]  Although the threats posed by arranged marriages are not always so clear-cut, the fact that within them they contain the potential for women to be abused and ill-treated means that state intervention is required. The harm that could arise as a result is that of continued threats to women in African and Asian ex-patriot communities across the EU.  [1] \u2018Guideline on rape: in marriage or by a partner,\u2019 Rape Crisis -  (accessed 23 September 2012)", "The state should not be allowed to intrude in such personal matters  Matters relating to how individuals conduct themselves in a private and consensual environment are arguably not the concern of the state. This extends to how people get married and within which tradition, religion or denomination. European states are increasingly allowing non-traditional marriages such as gay marriages [1] so not allowing arranged marriages for those who want them would be a perverse step backwards. Given that arranged marriages in themselves do not have any proven harms, and that, as it has already been asserted, the harmful side of arranged marriages, like forced marriages have already been outlawed, the state cannot keep regulating something with such an arbitrary and wide-ranging definition that includes so many consenting adults.  Were EU states to do this, the harm caused would risk infringing on the very rights of the people the proposition claims they are meant to be protecting in the first place.  [1] \u2018Countries Where Gay Marriage Is Legal: Netherlands, Argentina & More, The Daily Beast, 9 May 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "302"}
+{"question": "Should news outlets cover controversial topics potentially offensive to their audience?", "perspectives": ["News outlets should cover controversial topics potentially offensive to their audience.", "News outlets should not cover controversial topics potentially offensive to their audience."], "docs": ["It seems perverse to suggest that consumers of news would be likely to abandon a channel on the basis of one story \u2013 or even several. Decisions by consumers of news are determined far more by the general outlook of a channel than by particular stories \u2013 it is rare to find individuals who are interested in the entire output of a news organisation.  In addition, new organisations clearly have an interest in covering areas that are ignored by their competitors because it gives them a commercial advantage both through appealing to new groups but also through enhancing their reputation for impartial reporting. There is clearly a gap in the market to provide reporting of gay issues and it therefore should be in news organisations interests to fill that gap. This is exactly what al Jazeera did when it was set up; it filled a gap left by the closure of BBC Arabic for a broadcaster that is willing to \"report the news as they see it.\" [1]  [1] \u2018History of Al Jazeera Television\u2019, Allied Media Corp,  accessed 14 August 2012", "Where there is a clear objection to discussing a certain subject, insisting on doing so is not news, it\u2019s propaganda.  Ultimately all news outlets report that which is of interest to their viewers. Where there is no interest or, more frequently, an active lack of interest, news outlet do not - and should not \u2013 impose a particular set of judgements or interests on their customers. Doing so would arguably be patronizing and certainly be financial suicide [1] .  As a result they report what is both interesting and acceptable to those who consume the news and, for the vast majority of news outlets, the companies that advertise on the station, website or in the paper. Expecting news outlets to ignore those simple realities is asking them to self-destruct by ignoring their market. It is a clear example of sacrificing the good in the name of the best \u2013 in the example given, the writer mentions that Al Jazeera covers stories relating to gay rights but does so on its English language channels. [2] This exactly shows the market in action; Al Jazeera English broadcasts mostly to a European audience who are not offended by reports on gay rights whereas \u201cAl Jazeera Arabic is geared towards a Middle Eastern audience and does not challenge cultural values or orthodox religion\u201d. [3]  [1] For example the actions of advertisers and readers killed the News of the World.  [2] Pellot, Brian, 2012, \u2018(Not) reporting homosexuality in the Middle East\u2019, Free Speech Debate,   [3] Krajnc, Anita, \u2018Al Jazeera Arabic ignores gay news\u2019, Toronto Media Co-op, 2 August 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "303"}
+{"question": "Is the free exchange of ideas fundamental for the operation and survival of universities?", "perspectives": ["The free exchange of ideas is fundamental for the operation and survival of universities.", "The free exchange of ideas is not fundamental for the operation and survival of universities."], "docs": ["The academic tradition of the West  The growth of universities as beacons of free speech has been a fundamental part of their history in the West; notably during the renaissance, reformation and enlightenment. The democratisation of that process with the expansion of the university sector in recent decades is merely the latest stage in an ongoing process.  However, that entire process has been driven (along with the artistic, cultural and scientific changes they have inculcated) on the basis that universities allow for the free exchange of ideas and flourish in environments where that approach is standardised throughout society [i] . Marxist scholars have gone further in calling for a critical pedagogy in which perspectives other than academic orthodoxy are normalised within universities.  Such institutions produce the best graduates because they have the best academics and the best academics will stay where they are free to publish whatever their research is and express their own views. For example in the 1990s 55.7% of those who had immigrated to the USA from the USSR described themselves as academics, scientists, professional or technical workers. [ii] Those academics in turn respect the intellectual tradition of dissent and critical scrutiny of which they are the inheritors. To take something else and slap the name \u2018Yale\u2019\u2013 or for that matter Oxford, Harvard or ETH Zurich \u2013 on it and pretend that nothing has changed devalues the qualification. Without the intellectual dissent and freedom of academic inquiry it is intellectually dishonest to call the degree the same thing.  [i] The Nebraskan. Doug Anderson. Learning depends on the free exchange of ideas, Nebraskan says.  [ii] Harvard, \u2018Russians and East Europeans in America\u2019", "Universities also survived the inquisition, the French revolutionary terror and the tyrannies of twentieth century Europe. The issue being discussed here is not in the same league as any of those. There is, as a result, clearly nothing innate that requires an appreciation of free speech for universities to operate. Furthermore universities do not locate or relocate en masse depending on the direction of the political wind."], "type": "binary", "id": "304"}
+{"question": "Are cluster bombs warranted in modern warfare?", "perspectives": ["Cluster bombs are warranted in modern warfare.", "Cluster bombs are not warranted in modern warfare."], "docs": ["Cluster bombs, when used sensibly are used in uninhabited areas to take down military personnel. They are only intended for military targets and collateral damage when attacking military targets is something that is accepted as a regrettable problem in war.  Further, cluster bombs are simply a very effective weapon in battles between standing armies in most war. Given that cluster bombs help sides achieve victory quicker and with less resistance, they justify their use in the prevention of strife in the future by causing wars to end quickly as well as enabling assaults on well-defended sites to be performed more smoothly.  Due to their niche, cluster bombs will simply be replaced by the military with substitutes that are just as harmful.4", "Cluster Bombs Cause Unacceptable Harm to Civilians  In a modern warfare scenario, the vast majority of combat takes place in civilian areas, such as cities. Whilst cluster bombs are obviously not used for peacekeeping purposes they are used in initial assaults on these areas, particularly against larger formations of enemy troops. This means that due to the indiscriminate nature of cluster bombs, in the same way as with land mines, often both military and civilian targets are encompassed in the blast radius. This is what happened in Zagreb as Martic was targeting Croat forces but the attack due to the use of cluster weapons also killed civilians.  Further, cluster bombs often have a few bomblets which are duds and do not go on initial impact. The issue with bomblets is that they are often brightly coloured and when used in cities or populous areas they can often attract the attention of children who are very unlikely to know to be careful around them. This can result in significant harm to civilian populations well after the attack has been carried out.  Further, due to the sheer volume of duds that cluster bombs put out, attempts to demine cluster bomb bomblets is an incredibly dangerous process that in of itself costs lives.1,2,3"], "type": "binary", "id": "305"}
+{"question": "Is the cost of having a mayor financially justified?", "perspectives": ["The cost of having a mayor is financially justified.", "The cost of having a mayor is not financially justified."], "docs": ["While there may be some extra costs to having a mayor this is likely to be marginal and overall costs may well fall, as Prime Minister Cameron argues \u201cif you end up with a mayor, you\u2019ll actually save money, because mayors can bang heads together, get rid of bureaucracy, and right now, any mayor worth their salt will be trying to get bills down.\u201d [1] There are many layers of funding which create needless overlaps and administration; in Leicester it is estimated for economic development it costs \u00a3135 million in overheads to spend \u00a3176 million on projects, [2] an inefficiency the new mayor would be in a good position to get to grips with.  [1] ITV News, \u2018Bristol mayor will save money, says Prime Minister\u2019, A Mayor for Bristol, 24, April 2012.  [2] Carter, Andrew, \u2018Mayors and Economic Growth\u2019, in Tom Gash and Sam Sims eds., What can elected mayors do for our cities? Institute for Government, 2012, pp.37-42, p.42", "Mayors will come at a cost  Having Mayors is costly. First of all there is the referendum and the election of the Mayor himself which Bristol council has said could cost up to \u00a3400,000. [1] This is then followed by the extra administrative cost created by having a Mayor who will of course have to have deputies, staff, offices, cars and a publicity budget, which could mean up to \u00a33 million a year. [2] This is money that at a time where councils are facing budget cuts could be better spent on shoring up the services councils provide.  [1] The Economist, \u2018Why elected mayors matter\u2019, 19 April 2012.  [2] McCabe, Steve, \u2018An executive mayor \u2013 can we afford it?, Birmingham Mail, 17 April 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "306"}
+{"question": "Should sexist advertising be banned?", "perspectives": ["Sexist advertising should be banned.", "xist advertising should not be banned."], "docs": ["Women have a right to be free of stereotyping.  Women's rights to be free from stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and objectification should be a matter of deep concern as they infringe on human rights related to gender. Advertising messages influence younger generations as well as send stereotypical images of men. As a result the objectification and violence against women will continue. Gender inequality and sexual harassment in the work place is not likely to diminish.1 This means that women will continue to suffer from discrimination based upon their gender. 1 Newswise.com, \"Study Find Rise in Sexualized Images of Women.\" 2010", "Bans on sexist advertising will not necessarily solve the harms presented and could instead cause harm to businesses through restricting their ability to compete for audiences and consumers. Gender differences and beliefs about sex existed before advertising. There is no certainty changing the content of ads would bring about change within individual societies and cultures which have their own independent attitudes. Cultures have a right to their own ideals and own values."], "type": "binary", "id": "307"}
+{"question": "Is foreign intervention to bypass internet censorship beneficial for citizens in repressive regimes?", "perspectives": ["Foreign intervention to bypass internet censorship is beneficial for citizens in repressive regimes.", "Foreign intervention to bypass internet censorship is not beneficial for citizens in repressive regimes."], "docs": ["If a regime is so intolerant as to threaten its citizens for using lines of communication that have been opened by another country then that country is clearly in need of greater openness towards freedom of expression and information. This is something that undermining censorship achieves. Clearly in a few cases the attempt to circumvent censorship may be used by the government but the creation of the path to circumvent censorship alone shows that foreign governments are watching. Even the most repressive regimes are less likely to use force when they know the outside world is watching.", "This policy is not necessary and may be counterproductive  Unless a state wishes to pull the plug on the internet entirely state censorship on the internet is never complete. Dissidents and those who are interested in getting around censorship will manage with or without help from other governments, they will use privately developed software, or proxies to get around censors and protect themselves. Having help from foreign governments to bypass censorship may even put the people this policy is trying to empower in an even worse position. The use of software that is meant to undermine censorship helps to prove that the dissident\u2019s intent is hostile towards the government and the state\u2019s policies \u2013 otherwise they would not need to software, and would not resort to using methods developed by foreign countries. Russia is increasingly cracking down on those who have contact or receive help from \u2018foreign agents\u2019 particularly foreign NGOs, such a policy could be as easily applied to online help as financial aid. [1]  [1] Earle, Jonathan, \u201cHundreds of NGOs Checked for Foreign Agents, Extremism\u201d, The Moscow Times, 19 March 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "308"}
+{"question": "Is it financially viable for states to provide free university education?", "perspectives": ["It is financially viable for states to provide free university education.", "It is not financially viable for states to provide free university education."], "docs": ["It is far from impossible to pay for free university education. States waste money in many activities, and if they were to cut back on other discretionary (optional) spending then the cost of free higher education would be entirely possible. Cuts to defense spending in countries with overinflated militaries, or ending farm subsidies in many European states, are just some of things states can do.", "The cost to the state is far too great to sustain universal free university education  The system of paying for universal healthcare, education, pensions, etc. threatens to bankrupt countries. The cost of paying for free university education is ruinously high. [1] In the OECD 1.9% of GDP, a third of education expenditure, is spent on tertiary education. [2] For countries to survive, they must rethink what they can afford to provide freely to citizens. It seems fair that all states should offer access to their citizens to primary and secondary education opportunities. University, on the other hand, is not essential to life in the same way. People can be functional and responsible citizens without it. For this reason, the state must consider university in the same way it does any non\u00adessential service; people may pay for it if they wish to partake, but it is not an entitlement owed by the state.  [1] Ullman, Ben. 2007. \u201cShould Higher Education Really Be Free For All?\u201d. The New Statesman. Available:  \u00adradicals/2007/01/higher\u00adeducation\u00adfree\u00adstudents  [2] \u2018What proportion of national wealth is spent on education\u2019, Education at a glance, OECD, 2011, p.225,"], "type": "binary", "id": "309"}
+{"question": "Was the deregulation of the banking and financial sectors the primary cause of the 2009 economic crash?", "perspectives": ["The deregulation of the banking and financial sectors was the primary cause of the 2009 economic crash.", "The deregulation of the banking and financial sectors was not the primary cause of the 2009 economic crash."], "docs": ["Deregulation contributed to the banking crises and, therefore the 2009 economic crash  It is clear that the economic meltdown was, in large part, caused by deregulation of the banking and financial sectors. The Republican obsession causes not only environmental damage and low wages but it doesn\u2019t even succeed in its avowed aim of leaving the market free to generate wealth. In just a way of letting the parties friends in the boardrooms of corporate America to get even richer by gambling with the homes and pensions of ordinary, hard-working Americans [i] .  The Congressional Republican response to the 2008 crash was to pass a bill that curtailed 38 environmental regulations, blaming the EPA for the stalled economy. Why is anyone\u2019s guess.  [i] \u201cWhy Government Becomes the Scapegoat\u201d. Governemtnisgood.com", "The events of late 2008 had a variety of complex causes. To try and blame them on one thing alone is not to understand the problem.  What is clear however is that an active financial sector creates jobs and wealth for the American people providing them with the security of a job, a pension and a home in a way that government can only dream of.  There is also no doubt that light regulation allows business to grow and create jobs, the only way out of recession is to allow business to do what it does best; grow America for all our futures.  As Ronald Reagan put it \u201cGovernment is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem\u201d."], "type": "binary", "id": "310"}
+{"question": "Would an enforcement arm of the ICC be effective in executing arrests in native countries?", "perspectives": ["An enforcement arm of the ICC would be effective in executing arrests in native countries.", "An enforcement arm of the ICC would not be effective in executing arrests in native countries."], "docs": ["Apart from the visibility due to the diversity of the force the ICC force may well be very similar to national forces in this regard. Often a problem with arresting wanted international criminals is their support in the community \u2013 that they have often been claiming to be fighting for. The national government\u2019s enforcement arm may be as unwelcome as the ICC. In such circumstances the ICC at least has the advantage of being a new quantity with a blank slate rather than being known for any excesses, human rights violations or bribery. The ICC force will be able to treat the local populace fairly and win their trust.", "ICC enforcement would create resentment  There are good reasons for why an ICC enforcement arm would be ineffective on its own. It may have all the necessary equipment and training but it would be a foreign force, that may or may not be seen as legitimate, attempting to arrest a native of that country. The result would be resentment in the community at the intrusion. This regularly occurs to national police forces when policing in minority areas. In London the Brixton race riots were seen by one inquiry as \u201cessentially an outburst of anger and resentment by young black people against the police\u201d as the police did not represent them. [1] The result with the ICC as elsewhere would likely to at the least be a lack of cooperation, and with most of the force unable to speak the native language altering perceptions would be difficult. Such a force may bring even fewer results than using local forces and would provide a scapegoat for local politicians. [2]  [1] Bowling, Ben, and Phillips, Coretta, \u2018Policing ethnic minority communities\u2019, LSE Research Online, 2003,  p.4  [2] Perritt, Henry H., \u2018Policing International Peace and Security: International Police Forces\u2019, Chicago-Kent College of Law, March 1999,  p.294"], "type": "binary", "id": "311"}
+{"question": "Is relocating teachers the most effective solution to tackle geographical disparities in education?", "perspectives": ["Relocating teachers is the most effective solution to tackle geographical disparities in education.", "Relocating teachers is not the most effective solution to tackle geographical disparities in education."], "docs": ["Incentivising movement so there are teachers where they are needed  Although the extent of rural-urban disparities remains debatable, geographical disparities in living standards and education are articulated across Africa. The location, and provision, of teachers does not always match need.  In Uganda, the universalisation of education has been met with inequities, regionally and across socioeconomic groups, in the quality of education (Hedger et al, 2010). Incentives are required to deploy teachers to districts according to need; and encourage teachers to relocate. For example, awards need to be provided for teachers to move to rural areas, and the development of teacher housing schemes - providing teachers with houses in new locations.", "A positive intervention to tackle geographical disparities in education is by introducing long-distance learning. ICT and technology makes such a reality possible.  Such proposals require institutional change. The capacity of local, and regional, government bodies need to be built to enable decentralisation. Community centres can be used for distance learning, forming schools that are adaptable to the needs of rural children and families. However, for such proposals we need to focus on decentralisation and ensuring good governance amongst local and regional actors."], "type": "binary", "id": "312"}
+{"question": "Is the New START treaty beneficial for global peace?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty is beneficial for global peace.", "The New START treaty is not beneficial for global peace."], "docs": ["The New START treaty will make for a safer world.  Reducing US and Russian nuclear weapons stockpiles makes for a safer world, as Dr. David Gushee states: \"The issue on the table is a nuclear arms reduction and verification treaty between the United States and Russia. The treaty, called New START, would reduce Russian and American deployed nuclear weapons to 1,550 and delivery vehicles to 700 each. This would be a 33 percent reduction in the existing arsenals, which is worth achieving and celebrating even as we know that countless cities and millions of precious human beings could be destroyed by the use of even part of the remaining arsenals. Still, these reductions would be a great step on the way to a safer world, as would the re-establishment of bilateral, intrusive verification measures for both sides, also part of the treaty.\" [1]  The world is simply a much less secure place without New Start, and not just because New START means there are physically fewer nuclear weapons and thus a lesser chance of nuclear disasters (although this in itself is compelling). Rather, New START also has immense symbolic value, in demonstrating that the two greatest powers have enough in common and are interested enough in their mutual security that they can agree to deduce nuclear weapons together. It shows that these nations regard each other as partners for world peace, not as enemies.  The alternative world, without New START, would be one in which the mutual suspicion and animosity of the Cold War might continue. It is notable that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in an interview released in early December 2010 that Russia might be forced to build up its nuclear forces against the West if the United States fails to ratify the New START treaty. [2] The threat of Russia, or even the US, resuming nuclear build-ups is a frightening thought for both nations, for the world and for peace.  On top of its other benefits, New START is key to opening Russian nuclear weapons up for verification, which contributes to trust and peace. As former Secretaries of State Kissinger, Shultz, Eagleburger, Baker and Powell argue \u201cthe agreement emphasizes verification, providing a valuable window into Russia's nuclear arsenal. Since the original START expired last December, Russia has not been required to provide notifications about changes in its strategic nuclear arsenal, and the United States has been unable to conduct on-site inspections. Each day, America's understanding of Russia's arsenal has been degraded, and resources have been diverted from national security tasks to try to fill the gaps. Our military planners increasingly lack the best possible insight into Russia's activity with its strategic nuclear arsenal, making it more difficult to carry out their nuclear deterrent mission.\u201d [3] Therefore New START should be supported as it represents a positive step for peace and cooperation in the world.  [1] Gushee, Dr David P. \"Security, Sin and Nuclear Weapons: A Christian Plea for the New START Treaty\". Huffington Post. 4 December 2010.   [2] Abdullaev, Nabi. \u201cPutin Issues Warning on New START\u201d. The Moscow Times. 2 December 2010.   [3] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.", "New START is about national politics, not about the interests of the world or peace. As George Will argued in 2010: \"The (Obama) administration's ardor for ratification is understandable, as is Russia's. The president needs a success somewhere; Russia needs psychotherapy. It longs to be treated as what it no longer is, a superpower, and it likes the treaty's asymmetries.\" [1] New START is about serving these domestic political interests, not securing peace, which it will not achieve as the inspections it puts in place are highly flawed, and there remains a high probability that Russia will cheat on the treaty and augment its nuclear capabilities regardless. All this treaty does is weaken the US, and a situation where one power weakens and the other grows stronger is not good for world peace.  [1] Will, George. \"Obama's time-warp focus on the New START treaty\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "313"}
+{"question": "Is censorship necessary for the protection of minors?", "perspectives": ["Censorship is necessary for the protection of minors.", "Censorship is not necessary for the protection of minors."], "docs": ["Protection of Minors  We need to protect minors (those under the age of majority) from exposure to obscene, offensive or potentially damaging materials. While this would be a restriction on the freedom of speech it should be something that the government is responsible for and we would all agree needs some kind of restriction or regulation.", "Arguments that invoke censorship of materials for minors are just that - arguments for the censorship of materials for minors. They do not concede the general principal that censorship is good because until the age of majority the state has a duty to respect (and to take limited measures to ensure others respect) the parental responsibility of those bringing up children."], "type": "binary", "id": "314"}
+{"question": "Should English be imposed as the official language across the United States?", "perspectives": ["English should be imposed as the official language across the United States.", "English should not be imposed as the official language across the United States."], "docs": ["All of those accents are varieties of English. The meaning of English as a unifying force is that across Americans\u2019 differences of religion, politics, history, and yes dialect, at the end of the day they are all brought together by a common language and a common ability to communicate within it.", "Even within the United States people speak English differently  Even within the United States people speak many different dialects. From Boston to New York to the rural South, accents and diversity within the English language express the exact same types of historical, cultural, and even political traditions that those pushing English find so horrifying if made in another language.  It would be hard to set a standard for what is English, and ignore the fact that Americans have long used linguistic differences as a sign of identity. It therefore makes no sense to try to paper over these linguistic differences by imposing English as an official language; rather the diversity of languages and dialects should be celebrated."], "type": "binary", "id": "315"}
+{"question": "Is the free market the best determinant of product and service pricing?", "perspectives": ["The free market is the best determinant of product and service pricing.", "The free market is not the best determinant of product and service pricing."], "docs": ["The market should determine the price of products and services  A free market gives the power to the people to choose and decide what products and services should be offered to them. If many people want the same thing the demand will be higher and it will be profitable to offer them on the market since it will sell, therefore the people are in command of what products are being offered to them through their own want. The market is thus decided upon what people need and therefore there will be no excess products or services offered e.g. let us presume that many people want to see high quality basketball, a person like Michael Jordan who has a talent for basketball and has honed his basketball skills would in this case be much in demand. People are ready to pay for the service he offers (excellent basketball) and consequently his high wage will be justified. On the other hand a mediocre basketball player would not be paid at all since there is no demand to see mediocre basketball, his service does not have an attraction on the market and will thus be eliminated1/2. This is all part of what could be called a \"dynamic capitalist system\" which values individuality (honing your basketball skills), rewards ability (having basketball skills) and risk-taking (risking that you will succeed with it).  1 Adam Smith. (n.d.). The concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Retrieved June 20, 2011  2 Nozick, R. (1974). Anarchy State and Utopia (pp. 54-56, 137-42). Basic Books.", "Often when consumers buy things they might ostensibly believe that they have a choice, when in reality they do not, since they are presented with several options; I could e.g. either watch this blockbuster movie or that blockbuster movie on the cinema. However, there is no option to watch anything else than a blockbuster movie and consequently there is no real choice offered. Capitalism has already decided what is going to be produced and the consumer is left with nothing else than purchasing whatever is provided. Another example could be that there might be a whole range of food options in the supermarket, but the good food is expensive and therefore the people with less income end up eating unhealthy food since they cannot afford the good food, therefore in practice there is no real choice since one of the options is not available for the people with less income because it is too expensive1. An additional counterargument might also be to question the validity that a product/service's price should be determined by the pure fancy of the market, is it really justifiable that Michael Jordan earns much more than e.g. a nurse? The nurse provides a service which saves lives while Michael Jordan only supplies entertainment, even if it is only Michael Jordan who can play a certain kind of high quality basketball and many more people are qualified nurses, it does not justify at all the wage difference between the two2.  1 Adorno, T., & Horkheimer, M. (2005). The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception. Retrieved June 7, 2011  2 Sandel, M. (2004). Justice: What is the right thing to do? Allen Lane."], "type": "binary", "id": "316"}
+{"question": "Should a leader's health information be made public?", "perspectives": ["A leader's health information should be made public.", "A leader's health information should not be made public."], "docs": ["When leaders choose to serve the country they should be ready to sacrifice their privacy for the country. There is clearly a different standard for those who are in government and should be publicly accountable to those who are not. Even more minor illnesses can damage the running of the country through either affecting the judgment of the leader or limiting the amount of time he can work. The people have the right to demand their leader has his full attention of the issues affecting the nation. If he can't do that then he should resign.", "Denial of privacy to the leaders  The leaders of states deserve privacy in exactly the same way as anyone else. Just like their citizens leaders want and deserve privacy and it would be unfair for everyone to know about their health. Leaders may suffer from diseases such AIDS/HIV or embarrassing illnesses which could damage a leader.  The people only a need for the people to know when the illness significantly damages the running of the government. The government can function on its own without its leader for several days; only if the illness incapacitates the leader for a long period is there any need to tell the people. Clearly if the President is working from his bed he is still doing the job and his government is functioning. William Pitt the Younger, Prime Minister of Great Britain was toasted as 'the Saviour of Europe' while he was seriously ill but still running the country during the height of the Napoleonic Wars. 1  1 Bloy, Marjie, 'William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806)', Victorian Web, 4 January 2006,"], "type": "binary", "id": "317"}
+{"question": "Should heads of state be immune from prosecution in international courts?", "perspectives": ["Heads of state should be immune from prosecution in international courts.", "Heads of state should not be immune from prosecution in international courts."], "docs": ["Head of state immunity  Traditionally, heads of state have had immunity in foreign courts. This is for the normal functioning of diplomacy \u2013 so heads of state can engage in business at other states and travel to summits without the risk of harassment by vexatious claims in foreign courts, or foreign governments trying to attack the decisions of other governments in their own courts.  The ICC trying sitting heads of state would set a terrible precedent of a method of regime change \u2013 not even by foreign militaries, but by the ICC prosecutor. Regimes should change according to democratic mandate not foreign courts.", "It is accepted as a position of international criminal law that head of state immunity does not apply before international tribunals [1] . Any such immunity that Kenya had was waived by them joining the ICC, which they did voluntarily.  Even so, just because someone has a position of power does not mean they should have impunity from liability for very serious crimes.  [1] Case Concerning the Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 (Democratic Republic of the Congo v Belgium), 14 February 2002,"], "type": "binary", "id": "318"}
+{"question": "Is the cost and difficulty of enforcing copyright laws a valid reason to move away from traditional copyright protections?", "perspectives": ["The cost and difficulty of enforcing copyright laws is a valid reason to move away from traditional copyright protections.", "The cost and difficulty of enforcing copyright laws is not a valid reason to move away from traditional copyright protections."], "docs": ["The costs of monitoring copyright by states, artists, and lawyers far outweigh the benefits, and is often simply ineffective  The state incurs huge costs in monitoring for copyright infringement, in arresting suspected perpetrators, in imprisonment of those found guilty, even though in reality nothing was stolen but an idea that, once released to it, belonged to the public domain more or less. [1] Furthermore, the deterrent effect to copyright piracy generated by all the efforts of the state and firms has proven generally minimal. In fact, the level of internet piracy of books, music, and films has increased dramatically year on year for several years, increasing by 30% in 2011 alone. [2] This is because in many cases copyright laws are next to unenforceable, as the music and movie industries have learned to their annoyance in recent years, for example ninety percent of DVDs sold in China are bootlegs while even western consumers are increasingly bypassing copyright by using peer to peer networks. [3] Only a tiny fraction of perpetrators are ever caught, and though they are often punished severely in an attempt to deter future crime, it has done little to stop their incidence. Copyright, in many cases, does not work in practice plain and simple. Releasing works under a creative commons licensing scheme does a great deal to cope with these pressures. In the first instance it is a less draconian regime, so individuals are more willing to buy into it as a legitimate claim by artists rather than an onerous stranglehold on work. This increases compliance with the relaxed law. Secondly, the compliance means that artists are given the vocal crediting under the license rules that gives them more public exposure than clandestine copying could not. Ultimately this adaptation of current copyright law would benefit the artist and the consumer mutually.  [1] World Intellectual Property Organization. \u201cEmerging Issues in Intellectual Property\u201d. 2011   [2] Hartopo, A. \u201cThe Past, Present and Future of Internet Piracy\u201d. Jakarta Globe. 26 July 2011.   [3] Quirk, M., \u201cThe Movie Pirates\u201d, The Atlantic, 19 November 2009,", "It may be costly and sometimes ineffective to police copyright, but that does not make them any less of a right worth protecting. If artists or firms feel that they might benefit from fighting infringers of their rights, they should have the right to do so, not simply be expected to roll over and give in to the pirates and law breakers. The state likewise, has an obligation to protect the rights, physical and intangible, of its citizens and cannot give up on them simply because they prove difficult and costly to enforce. Furthermore, the ensuring health of the economy is a primary duty of the state and this means aiding its domestic businesses and one of the ways it does that is by acting to enforce copyright both internally and if possible externally."], "type": "binary", "id": "319"}
+{"question": "Is the impact of increased GHGs on the environment predictable and understood?", "perspectives": ["The impact of increased GHGs on the environment is predictable and understood.", "The impact of increased GHGs on the environment is not predictable and understood."], "docs": ["Consequences of increased GHGs  Increased GHGs in the atmosphere have numerous significant consequences:  -glaciers, ice sheets, and perma frost will continue to melt. This will increase water levels, release more GHGs (methane, which is twenty times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2 and CO2), and reflect less heat back into the atmosphere exacerbating climate change1.  -the oceans (which are a natural carbon sink) are becoming increasingly acidic which will significantly damage ecosystems such as coral reefs. Additionally, changes in the chemistry of the ocean could affect the amount of CO2 it can absorb and process annually.  -there will be increasing incidents of extreme weather such as hurricanes, floods, and record high/low temperatures. Extreme weather can destroy ecosystems that capture CO2 such as forests and peat bogs leading to less natural CO2 absorption.  These events will accelerate climate change making it more difficult for humans to reduce GHG ppms to a sustainable level. Once average temperatures are above 2.5C, events will be triggered that will be irreversible and it will take 1000s of years of lower GHG emissions for the earth to return to normal 2.  1. Connor, Steve, 'Exclusive: The methane time bomb', The Independent, 23rd September 2008,  2. Wikipedia, \"Climate Change Feedback\". Retrieved 2011-08-08.", "These consequences are often speculation. With such a large and complex system we have no way of knowing what the consequences of climate change. There may well be some tipping points that will accelerate climate change but we do not know when each of these will become a problem and there may also be tipping points that act in the other direction.(See Earth's Resiliency)"], "type": "binary", "id": "320"}
+{"question": "Is the switch to generic drugs guaranteed to reduce healthcare costs?", "perspectives": ["The switch to generic drugs is guaranteed to reduce healthcare costs.", "The switch to generic drugs is not guaranteed to reduce healthcare costs."], "docs": ["Savings can be used in other sections of medical care  The decreased cost of pharmaceuticals allows African states to focus on other aspects of medical schemes. Pharmaceuticals are not the only aspect in treatment, there needs to be sufficient staff, medical equipment and infrastructure [1] . These requirements cost money, which the savings made on pharmaceuticals provide. In Europe, 50% of dispensed medicines are generic yet they cost only 18% of pharmaceutical expenditure, with a similar model predicted for South Africa. This allows the state to focus on other aspects of medical schemes [2] .  [1] Ibid  [2] Health24, \u2018South Africans embrace generic meds\u2019", "The use of generic drugs can sometimes fail to bring about a reduced price. For the cost of drugs to decrease, there must be competition within the industry to drive prices down. The switch from patented to generic drugs in Ireland failed to bring about any significant saving for this reason [1] . African countries must therefore ensure competition in order for generic drugs to become truly affordable which could be problematic due to continued protectionism in some states.  [1] Hogan,L. \u2018Switch to generic drugs fails to bring expected savings for HSE\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "321"}
+{"question": "Does the implementation of microfinance face insurmountable obstacles?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of microfinance faces insurmountable obstacles.", "The implementation of microfinance does not face insurmountable obstacles."], "docs": ["Realistic barriers  There are significant barriers to introducing microfinance. Microfinance can\u2019t reach everywhere; a lack of infrastructure, or poor infrastructure, can mean that microfinance initiatives often can\u2019t reach where need is greatest. Those who are poorest most need money just to get buy, not to invest. They would be unable to repay even tiny loans. It returns to the question of who is the poorest, and what do we know about them - where they are, what they need, and why are they poor?  Secondly, structural constraints limit the ability for microfinance to be sustainable and provide a long term solution. Bad governance, inadequate structures to regulate microfinance, and political instability, mean the theoretical benefits of microfinance may not become a lived reality.  Thirdly, who is involved in the supply? The involvement of multiple actors - NGOs, communities, the state, and private sector, complicates how microfinance is being run and therefore the effectiveness. Tensions emerge with such partnerships as each actor has the different objectives and motivations.", "All policies have barriers and potential disadvantages and for a scheme to be rolled out the advantages must outweigh the costs. In the case of microfinance advantages are higher. Microfinance has a low cost for implementation, and can therefore be distributed nationwide. Rolling out microfinance schemes means a majority of the population will become able to access vital services through a flexible loan.  Microfinance not being able to reach everyone is not a reason to enable it for those it can reach. If bad governance prevents sustainability then something needs to be done about governance \u2013 it does not invalidate microfinance as a concept. And all those involved in supply do have close enough objectives to run the scheme there simply needs to be compromises to ensure they remain the same."], "type": "binary", "id": "322"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of creative commons licenses an infringement on an artist's rights to their work?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of creative commons licenses is an infringement on an artist's rights to their work.", "The implementation of creative commons licenses is not an infringement on an artist's rights to their work."], "docs": ["Artists have a fundamental property right over their creative output  Whatever the end product, be it music, film, sculpture, or painting, artistic works are the creations of individuals and a property right inheres within them belonging to their creators. An idea is just an idea so long as it remains locked in someone\u2019s mind or is left as an unfinished sketch, etc. But when the art is allowed to bloom in full, it is due to the artist and the artist only. The obsession, the time, the raw talent needed to truly create art is an incredible business, requiring huge investment in energy, time, and effort. It is a matter of the most basic, and one would have hoped self-evident, principle that the person who sacrificed so much to bring forth a piece of art should retain all the rights to it and in particular have the right to profit from it. [1] To argue otherwise would be to condone outright theft. The ethereal work of the artist is every bit as real as the hard work of a machine. Mandating that all forms of art be released under a creative commons license is an absolute slap in the face to artists and to the artistic endeavour as a whole. It implies that somehow the work is not entirely the artist\u2019s own, that because it is art it is somehow so different as to be worthy of being shunted into the public sphere without the real consent of the artist. This is a gross robbing of the artist\u2019s right over his or her own work. If property rights are to have any meaning, they must have a universal protection. This policy represents a fundamental erosion of the right to property, and attacks one sector of productive life that is essential for the giving of colour to the human experience. This policy serves only to devalue that contribution.  [1] Greenberg, M. \u201cReason or Madness: A Defense of Copyright\u2019s Growing Pains\u201d. John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law. 2007.", "People deserve recompense for their work, but the stifling force of current copyright prevents the proper sharing and expansion of the artistic canon, to the intellectual and spiritual impoverishment of all. Creative commons licenses strike an important balance, by leaving artists with the power over commercial uses of their work, including selling it themselves, while permitting it to permeate the public sphere through non-commercial channels. This is the best way to weigh these competing needs in a complex society. It is not preventing the creator from profiting from his work. It is not a total abrogation of people\u2019s rights, but a giving over of some rights for the benefit of all."], "type": "binary", "id": "323"}
+{"question": "Should the recipient's consent be necessary for a life-saving donation?", "perspectives": ["The recipient's consent is necessary for a life-saving donation.", "The recipient's consent is not necessary for a life-saving donation."], "docs": ["The recipient is forced to receive the sacrifice of another  In many cases, the recipient is not in position to consent to the donation. Thus, even if it saves his or her life, it is comes with an intrusion on his or her moral integrity that he or she might value higher than survival. If we are to receive such a drastic sacrifice from someone that we love \u2013 surely we must have a right to veto it? [1] This means that to enable the choice of the donor the choice of the receiver has been ignored, there seems to be little reason to simply switch those two positions around as is proposed.  [1] Monforte-Royo, C., et al. \u201cThe wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies.\u201d Psycho-Oncology 20.8 (2011): 795-804.", "Firstly, this case is about emergencies. Consent is important, but it cannot be compared to the importance of saving a life. Secondly, the person whose consent matters is the donor who is making the sacrifice. The recipient can be expected to want to live, even if he or she cannot communicate this. [1]  [1] Monforte-Royo, C., et al. \u201cThe wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies.\u201d Psycho-Oncology 20.8 (2011): 795-804."], "type": "binary", "id": "324"}
+{"question": "Is the existing arms ban effective in curbing China's access to high-tech weaponry?", "perspectives": ["The existing arms ban is effective in curbing China's access to high-tech weaponry.", "The existing arms ban is not effective in curbing China's access to high-tech weaponry."], "docs": ["Prevents a competitor from building a high tech military  The arms ban is very effective in preventing the Chinese military gaining access to the best modern technologies. A convincing code of conduct has yet to be drawn up, but even if it looks very tight, it has a major flaw. Individual EU member states will be able to judge for themselves whether a proposed arms sale breaks the code. Past experience suggests that when exports are at stake, perhaps with the risk of job losses in an election year, then politicians interpret codes like this very loosely, so for example despite this code UK arms exports may have been used in the conflict against the Tamils in Sri Lanka. [1] This will be made worse by the thought of an EU state that if it refuses a particular military sale to China, then another member state will be more flexible. This means that each individual member will make decisions based upon what is best for it individually and not think of what is best for the Union as a whole \u2013 such as providing high tech weapons that bring in export dollars but helps undermine security.  [1] Prince, Rosa, \u2018UK arms used against civilians in Sri Lanka and Gaza\u2019, 2009.", "China is increasingly able to develop its own high tech weapons so by continuing to have a ban in place will make very little difference to China\u2019s capacity to build high tech weapons. This is shown by China\u2019s unveiling of a prototype stealth fighter the J-20. [1] Even if the code of conduct is not watertight neither is the current arms ban as some weapons are still sold in spite of the ban.  [1] Foster, Peter, \u2018China stealth fighter a \u2018masterpiece\u2019 of homegrown technology\u2019, 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "325"}
+{"question": "Is free university education an efficient use of state resources?", "perspectives": ["Free university education is an efficient use of state resources.", "Free university education is not an efficient use of state resources."], "docs": ["Maintaining a system of free university education leads to an inefficient allocation of state resources.  First, tax money is wasted on paying civil servants to deal with university bureaucracy. Second, when the state funds all university education for free, funding will be allocated to unprofitable courses. Thirdly a moral hazard problem emerges among such students attending for free. They are allowed to reap all the benefits of education, while needing to incur none of the costs so won\u2019t feel they need to work at their degree. The fourth problem of free university education is saturation of degree\u00adholders in the market. [1] When everyone has a degree, the value of such a qualification plummets. Thus, a system of fees is superior to free education as it allows for more efficient allocation of resources to universities determined by which universities produce the best educated students and research.  [1] Chapman, Bruce. 2001. \u201cThe Higher Education Finance Debate: Current Issues and Suggestions for Reform\u201d. Australian Review of Public Affairs. Available:  \u200b", "While there will of course be people who do not try to get the most out of their university educations, what matters is that everyone has access to it. It is a fair trade between inefficiencies created by inattentive students and diligent students who would have lacked the facility to attend without it being free. More degree\u00adholders thus do not automatically diminish the value of having degrees; they make the grades gained and degree subject more important."], "type": "binary", "id": "326"}
+{"question": "Is promoting a unified labor market an effective solution to overcome Africa's colonial history and current divisions?", "perspectives": ["Promoting a unified labor market is an effective solution to overcome Africa's colonial history and current divisions.", "Promoting a unified labor market is not an effective solution to overcome Africa's colonial history and current divisions."], "docs": ["Policies towards a free labour market will create unity.  National borders are a result of Africa\u2019s colonial history. The boundaries constructed do not reflect meaning or unite ethnic groups across the continent. The border between Togo and Ghana alone divides the Dagomba, Akposso, Konkomba and Ewe peoples. [1] Therefore encouraging freedom of movement across Africa will erase a vital component of Africa\u2019s colonial history.  The erasing of boundaries, for labour markets, will have significant impacts for rebuilding a sense of unity, and reducing xenophobic fears, of which have been politically constructed.  A sense of unity will motivate citizens to reduce disparities and inequalities of poverty.  [1] Cogneau, 2012, pp.5-6", "A unified labour market will not be achieve if root issues remain unresolved.  Within East Africa, the construction of an East African Community has been met with political tensions. The recent evictions of nearly 7,000 Rwandan refugees from Tanzania indicate the idea of free movement does not provide a sufficient basis for unity [1] . Despite regional agreements for free movement, political tensions, the construction of ethnicity and illegality meant forced deportation was carried out by Tanzanian officials. Political hostilities amongst heads of government is continuing to divide the nations within East Africa.  Further, cases of xenophobia remain prevalent across Southern Africa. Frequently reported cases of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals - including nationals from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi [2] - indicate the inherent tensions of migration when jobs remain scarce and poverty high. Dangers occur in advocating a free labour market when the perception of migration is misunderstood, and/or politically altered.  [1] See further readings: BBC News, 2013.  [2] See further readings: IRINa."], "type": "binary", "id": "327"}
+{"question": "Would a Greek default trigger a domino effect on other Eurozone countries?", "perspectives": ["A Greek default would trigger a domino effect on other Eurozone countries.", "A Greek default would not trigger a domino effect on other Eurozone countries."], "docs": ["A Greek default would have a negative domino-effect on other Eurozone countries.  A Greek default will leave tremendous shockwaves across the Eurozone. Investors will instantly become wary of default in Portugal, Spain, Italy or Ireland, particularly given the sudden nature of the Greek default. Consequently, huge volumes of capital will flow out of these countries and into other more secure ones like Germany and the Netherlands. [1] This will, in turn, heighten speculation about the danger of default of other Eurozone nations. Speculation of default is particularly dangerous because it drives demand for government bonds down. This leads to the interest payments on government bonds rising which in turn raises the interest rates governments need to pay on their outstanding debt. The new, higher payments governments must make on their debt increases their budget deficit % GDP ratio, thus making it more likely that the country will actually default. We thus see how increased fears about the future of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland that will arise from a Greek default, will cause big problems and will put even more strain on the ECB and primarily Germany in providing financial support.  [1] Kapoor, Sony, \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,", "The situation in Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal is not as extreme as that faced by Greece. It is therefore highly unlikely that a Greek default would have as severe a domino effect as the opposition suggests. Greece is the main source of political and economic uncertainty in the Eurozone, and their departure would ease the situation, facilitate investors and allow for the Eurozone to rally strongly. [1]  [1] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012"], "type": "binary", "id": "328"}
+{"question": "Is the current application of client-attorney privilege adequate?", "perspectives": ["The current application of client-attorney privilege is adequate.", "The current application of client-attorney privilege is not adequate."], "docs": ["Client-Attorney Privilege is already qualified appropriately  In exceptional circumstances, solicitors are told that they may depart from the rule of confidentiality contained in Rule 4 of the Solicitors' Code of conduct. Note 9 states that there are some regulatory bodies that are entitled to be informed of apparently confidential client communications. [1] In cases of suspected money laundering, solicitors have a duty under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 [2] to inform relevant bodies of any suspected money laundering or any handling of the proceeds of crime. This means that there is flexibility in the rule of client confidentiality and client-attorney privilege which allows for justice to take its course in serious circumstances.  [1] Rule 4: Confidentiality and disclosure, Solicitors\u2019 Code of Conduct 2007,  accessed 18/05/11  [2] The Money Laundering Regulations 2007, legislation.gov.uk, No2157, 2007,", "The circumstances under which Note 9 allows such a break in the rule of client-attorney privilege is for the HM Revenue and other bodies that act for the benefit of the Government. It is rather archaic that a principle such as that of attorney-client privilege is loosened only for bodies that act for the benefit of the Government. This does not show that attorney-Client privilege is necessary but that it is not. If the Government is willing to do away with it for their monetary benefit, why can we not do away with it in the interest of justice for society? There should be a system that encourages the adversarial system, and attorney/client privilege but yet allows a variety of circumstances to override this principle, such as public interest and public security. These principles are often used to justify potential Human Rights breaches, so we should also be able to use them to justify the breach of attorney/client privilege."], "type": "binary", "id": "329"}
+{"question": "Is employment the main source of empowerment for women?", "perspectives": ["Employment is the main source of empowerment for women.", "Employment is not the main source of empowerment for women."], "docs": ["How we define empowerment is broad - encompassing all changes that women are able to make, through agency, to tackle their subordinate position. Therefore labour force participation does provide empowerment. Labour participation provides an opportunity for women to control household resources, demand rights, and organise for equal justice. There is no silver bullet, or objective, to achieve women\u2019s empowerment.", "Women need alternatives for empowerment  Empowerment cannot be gained for women through employment, alternatives are required. A gender lens needs to be applied to women\u2019s life course from the start. To tackle the discriminatory causes of gender inequality access to sexual and reproductive health rights is required for women. Access to such rights ensures women in Africa will be able to control their body, go to school, and choose the type of employment they wish to enter into.  The importance of enabling sexual and reproductive health rights for women is being put on the agenda for Africa [1] . There is a lot to be done beyond workforce participation - ending violence against women, promoting equal access to resources, opportunities and participation. Such features will reinforce women\u2019s labour market participation, but in the jobs they want.  [1] See further readings: Chissano, 2013; Puri, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "330"}
+{"question": "Does Facebook usage enhance social abilities?", "perspectives": ["Facebook usage enhances social abilities.", "Facebook usage does not enhance social abilities."], "docs": ["Facebook encourages socialisation  One of the most crucial elements in any child's development is the ability to socialize with peers. By having a large circle of friends to talk to and share interests, the child gains trust, self-esteem and self-confidence. If you have people to talk to when you have a problem, it is much easier to overcome any problems.  Facebook and social networks in general help teenagers on multiple levels to maintain and expand their circle of friends. Firstly, it lets you remain in touch with friends even if you are very far apart. As we live in an increasingly globalized world, friend circles tend to be broken up very easily. As a result, individuals need to be able to keep in touch in spite of the physical distance. Facebook enables them to do that. (1)  Secondly, by allowing people with shared opinions, hobbies or interests to gather, social networks allow users to expand their circle of friends, something that is more applicable the bigger the social network. Thirdly, it allows young people to spend more time with the friends and people they already know through chat conversations, shared photos or status updates. As a result, people who are engaged on these social networks have more self esteem, more confidence in them, feel more appreciated and tend to be happier in general due to their wide circle of friends. (2)  (1) Keith Wilcox and Andrew T. Stephen \u201cAre Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control\u201d Journal of Consumer Research, 2012   (2) Brittany Gentilea, Jean M. Twengeb, Elise C. Freemanb, W. Keith Campbella \u201cThe effect of social networking websites on positive self-views: An experimental investigation\u201d 2012", "On this point, there are two levels of analysis which will demonstrate that, at the end of the day, Facebook has a detrimental effect on one\u2019s social abilities.  First of all, of course having a lot of friends has numerous advantages and it is undoubtedly beneficial to one\u2019s development, but being active on a social network isn\u2019t an indispensable prerequisite for this. As an individual, you can meet, talk, connect and share feelings and emotions in real life with your friends without any problems. People nowadays are not more socially bonded than before the appearance of Facebook and other social networks, because what Facebook did was merely shifting the face-to-face socialization to an online version of it. Moreover, you don\u2019t need the \u201cRock Fans\u201d group on Facebook in order to meet new people who are also interested in rock music, as you have real rock events and concerts where you can meet with people with whom you have shared interests and thus expand your friend group.  Secondly, when using social networks as a tool to socialize, teenagers tend to rely too much on them, getting comfortable chatting behind a glass monitor, but this can mean having problems exiting this comfort-zone. This happens as you feel less exposed if you are not talking to someone in person, but when you are forced to socialize in the real world you feel uncomfortable and awkward. As a result, their ability to socialize is diminished even more."], "type": "binary", "id": "331"}
+{"question": "Does having an elected mayor lead to an excessive centralization of power?", "perspectives": ["Having an elected mayor leads to an excessive centralization of power.", "Having an elected mayor does not lead to an excessive centralization of power."], "docs": ["Mayors would result in too much centralisation of power.  An elected mayor would have too much power, making the prospect of its misuse alarming. If the mayor has the power to choose their own cabinet of councillors, this could be as small as three members, all of whom could be sacked at will for opposing the wishes of the mayor. If the mayor has the right to delegate powers to his cabinet members, they equally have the authority to reserve all the real powers to themselves. And those councillors outside the cabinet would have little to do other than to monitor broken streetlights and the standard of refuse collection in their ward. Why would talented and ambitious people stand for council in these circumstances, and what would the absence of such people do for the council\u2019s oversight of the mayor?", "Electing a mayor would not concentrate power too much in the hands of one individual. Although models of local government vary, mayors usually have to pick a cabinet from among the elected councillors and to seek approval for their policies and budget from the whole elected council. A mayor would thus have to persuade and build a consensus in order to govern effectively. This is a more transparent approach to local decision making than the present one, and should therefore be free from the accusations of corruption and nepotism that have been levied at the old system."], "type": "binary", "id": "332"}
+{"question": "Should court cases be televised for public viewing?", "perspectives": ["Court cases should be televised for public viewing.", "Court cases should not be televised for public viewing."], "docs": ["It is unlikely that people will use court cases as a form of entertainment; if the entire case is televised, then a lot of the case will be \u2018boring\u2019 discussion of applying law and legal theory [1] , rather than doling out punishment Judge Judy-style. Even if a few people do try to use it as entertainment, the potential benefit to wider society as they can literally see how their legal system works to protect them outweighs the very small number of people who might group court cases and reality television shows together. Furthermore, if somebody is convicted of a serious crime like murder, their chances of rehabilitation are already slim (and convicts often re-offend), whether it is televised or not [2] . Indeed, some would argue that they have forfeited their right to rehabilitation by committing murder in the first place [3] . However, if they were acquitted of a serious crime on television, future employers could be more likely to accept them as they could see exactly how the court progressed and arrived at that conclusion, rather than having it shrouded in mystery which could breed suspicion.  [1] Transcript of a court case:  , accessed 18/08/11  [2]  , accessed 19/08/11  [3]  , accessed 19/08/11", "This turns court cases into entertainment, rather than legitimate legal proceedings.  Several television shows, such as \u2018Judge Judy\u2019, assert the style of a legal courtroom [1] . These shows are based on entertainment value from scrutinising the accused and defendant; it would be dangerous to remove a barrier which currently separates genuine legal proceedings from entertainment by televising them. The risk that the public would see them as one and the same is increased by an incident where a man really did believe that the Judge Judy trial was a real trial [2] . The trial of Casey Anthony in Florida, where cameras are allowed, escalated into a media frenzy where legal justice became unimportant in comparison to television ratings [3] . Court cases, then, are at risk of not being taken seriously and used instead for the public to satisfy their curiosity into other peoples\u2019 lives. Televising court cases also immediately undermines some fundamental principles of the justice system, such as rehabilitation. If somebody is convicted of a crime on national television, his or her anonymity or chance of future employment is severely compromised. The rights of the victims, their families, and the defendants should be placed ahead society\u2019s assumed \u2018right\u2019 to sensationalist portrayals of the courtroom.  [1]  , accessed 18/08/11  [2]  , accessed 18/08/11  [3]  , accessed 19/08/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "333"}
+{"question": "Do nuclear weapons increase the risk of war?", "perspectives": ["Nuclear weapons increase the risk of war.", "Nuclear weapons do not increase the risk of war."], "docs": ["The threat represented by potential nuclear powers will instigate pre-emptive strikes by countries fearing the future behaviour of the budding nuclear powers. Until a state develops a nuclear capacity that its rivals believe they cannot destroy in a first strike, nuclear weapons increase the risk of war. For example, Israel will have a very real incentive to attack Iran before it can complete its development of nuclear weapons, lest it become an existential threat to Israel\u2019s survival. The United States military even considered attempting to destroy the USSR\u2019s capability before they had second strike capability General Orvil Anderson publicly declared: \u201cGive me the order to do it and I can break up Russia\u2019s five A-bomb nests in a week\u2026And when I went up to Christ\u2014I think I could explain to Him that I had saved civilization.\u201d [1] The development of nuclear weapons can thus destabilize regions before they are ever operational, as it is in no country\u2019s interest that its rivals become capable of using nuclear force against it. Clearly, it is best that such states do not develop nuclear weapons in the first place so as to prevent such instability and conflict.  [1] Stevens, Austin \u201cGeneral Removed over War Speech,\u201d New York Times, September 2, 1950, p. 8  improve this  If a country is surrounded by hostile neighbours that are likely to attempt a pre-emptive strike upon it, then nuclear weapons are all the more desirable. With nuclear weapons a country cannot be pushed around by regional bullies. It seems perfectly fair that Iran would covet the ability to resist Israeli might in the Middle East and defend itself from aggression by it or the United States.", "The threat of a state developing nuclear weapons could instigate pre-emptive strikes from its neighbours and rivals to prevent the acquisition of such weapons  The threat represented by potential nuclear powers will instigate pre-emptive strikes by countries fearing the future behaviour of the budding nuclear powers. Until a state develops a nuclear capacity that its rivals believe they cannot destroy in a first strike, nuclear weapons increase the risk of war. For example, Israel will have a very real incentive to attack Iran before it can complete its development of nuclear weapons, lest it become an existential threat to Israel\u2019s survival. The United States military even considered attempting to destroy the USSR\u2019s capability before they had second strike capability General Orvil Anderson publicly declared: \u201cGive me the order to do it and I can break up Russia\u2019s five A-bomb nests in a week\u2026And when I went up to Christ\u2014I think I could explain to Him that I had saved civilization.\u201d [1] The development of nuclear weapons can thus destabilize regions before they are ever operational, as it is in no country\u2019s interest that its rivals become capable of using nuclear force against it. Clearly, it is best that such states do not develop nuclear weapons in the first place so as to prevent such instability and conflict.  [1] Stevens, Austin \u201cGeneral Removed over War Speech,\u201d New York Times, September 2, 1950, p. 8  improve this  COUNTERPOINT  If a country is surrounded by hostile neighbours that are likely to attempt a pre-emptive strike upon it, then nuclear weapons are all the more desirable. With nuclear weapons a country cannot be pushed around by regional bullies. It seems perfectly fair that Iran would covet the ability to resist Israeli might in the Middle East and defend itself from aggression by it or the United States."], "type": "binary", "id": "334"}
+{"question": "Does the universe require a creator for its existence?", "perspectives": ["The universe requires a creator for its existence.", "The universe does not require a creator for its existence."], "docs": ["Everything that begins to exist must have a cause. Since the Universe began to exist it must be caused:  Every human, every being, every object in the Universe is a finite and contingent being. These all have causes, yet a causal chain cannot be infinitely long. Humans are born, stars form from gases, even the Universe had a beginning 4.3 billion years ago. Nothing in the Universe causes itself. In order to escape the logical impossibility of the infinite causality loop it is necessary to posit the existence of an uncaused cause. This cause exists outside of the Universe, as it is cause of the Universe. [1] Without a creator, the Universe is a logical absurdity. Atheism cannot provide an alternative explanation to a creator, and thus fails quite literally from the beginning.  [1] Craig, William Lane. 1979. The Kalam Cosmological Argument. London: MacMillan.", "If everything has a cause, then so too must the creator. Trying to place the deity outside of the spatio-temporal realm of the Universe is not a good argument, as nothing can be said meaningfully about what is \u201coutside\u201d the Universe, since we cannot observe or detect it. [1] Furthermore, saying God, or a creator, is uncaused and always existed is a poor argument because again this cannot be verified in any meaningful way. Irrespective of these problems, however, the argument falls down because it presupposes that the Universe has a cause, which is not necessarily the case. The very notion of causation is built into a temporal understanding of physics, which may not have been the case in the \u201cpre-Universe\u201d. Atheism can survive in the presence of science, theism cannot. If theism cannot survive, then neither can the agnostic middle ground based on the plausibility of theism.  [1] Mackie, J. L. 1982. The Miracle of Theism. Oxford: Oxford University Press."], "type": "binary", "id": "335"}
+{"question": "Is arming the Syrian opposition a violation of international law?", "perspectives": ["Arming the Syrian opposition is a violation of international law.", "Arming the Syrian opposition is not a violation of international law."], "docs": ["Sovereignty and non intervention in internal affairs  It is a clear international rule that nations are sovereign and other states are simply not allowed to be making interventions into another country\u2019s domestic affairs. The UN Charter emphasises \u201cNothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state\u201d. [1] Within a state only the government is legitimate as the supreme authority within its territory. [2] This is to prevent the bigger and richer powers from doing exactly this sort of thing to obtain the result they want inside another country. This is why Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated \"International law does not permit the supply of arms to non-governmental actors and our point of view is that it is a violation of international law,\" in response to suggestions that the UK would arm the Syrian rebels. [3]  [1] UN General Assembly, Article 2, Charter of the United Nations, 26 June 1945  [2] Philpott, Dan, \"Sovereignty\", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)  [3] Abbas, Mohammed, \u2018Russia says arming Syrian opposition would be illegal\u2019, Reuters, 13 March 2013", "This makes the assumption that the Assad government is considered the legitimate authority within Syria, the Russians accept this, but other countries are less sure. Both the US and UK now recognise the Syrian opposition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people [1] which would mean arming them would be legal in the same way that the Russians consider arming Assad to be internationally legal.  [1] Malas, Nour, and Solomon, Jay, \u2018U.S. Formally Recognizes Syria\u2019s Main Rebel Group\u2019, The Wall Street Journal, 12 December 2012"], "type": "binary", "id": "336"}
+{"question": "Would a ban on smoking lead to financial benefits?", "perspectives": ["A ban on smoking would lead to financial benefits.", "A ban on smoking would not lead to financial benefits."], "docs": ["Lower healthcare costs  Smoking caused disease causes large expenses for healthcare systems, something which is particularly burdensome in countries without the rich well developed healthcare systems of the developed world. In the UK lung cancer, one of the diseases caused by smoking, costs \u00a390 per person or \u00a39071 per patient. 1 Even the cost per head of population is higher than Ghana\u2019s entire healthcare budget of $83.4 (about \u00a350) per person. 2  The reduction in smoking, which would be triggered by the ban, would lead to a drop in smoking related illness. A study in the US state of Arizona showed that hospital admissions for smoking related diseases dropped after a ban on smoking in public places 3 .  This would allow resources to be focused on the big killers other than tobacco \u2013 including HIV AIDS.  1 The National Cancer Research Institute, \u2018Lung cancer UK price tag eclipses the cost of any other cancer\u2019, Cancer Research UK, 7 November 2012,   2 Assuming Ghanaian health spending of 5.2% of GDP which is $40.71 billion split between a population of 25.37 million from World Bank Databank    3 Herman, Patricia M., and Walsh, Michele E. \u201cHospital Admissions for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Angina, Stroke, and Asthma After Implementation of Arizona\u2019s Comprehensive Statewide Smoking Ban\u201d, American Journal of Public Health, March 2011,", "The argument that states will save money due to less people smoking based upon healthcare costs from treating smoking related diseases is over-simplistic. While smoking does cause medical costs, taxation can counterbalance this \u2013 in 2009, the South African government gained 9 billion Rand (\u20ac620 million) from excise duties on tobacco 1 . Paradoxically, less people smoking could lead to less money for other projects. Indeed, some countries in Europe raise the amount of health expenditure it causes from tobacco taxation 2 .  1 American Cancer Society, \u201cTobacco tax success story: South Africa\u201d, tobaccofreekids.org, October 2012,   2 BBC News, \u201cSmoking disease costs NHS \u00a35Bn\u201d, BBC News, 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "337"}
+{"question": "Should the international trial against Kenyan government officials be delayed for national security reasons?", "perspectives": ["The international trial against Kenyan government officials should be delayed for national security reasons.", "The international trial against Kenyan government officials should not be delayed for national security reasons."], "docs": ["A delay is necessary for national security  Kenya is at risk of terrorist attack. Al-Shabab, a group linked to Al Qaeda have launched a number of attacks against Kenya. In addition to the Westgate massacre, there have been grenade attacks on bus terminals [1] and suicide bombings in refugee camps [2] .  Kenya\u2019s waters are also used by Somali based pirates as a ground for attacks on international shipping, including possibly targeting ships travelling towards the port of Mombasa.  It is more important to the international community to have credible action taken in order to protect the Kenyan people from terrorism. This needs a strong Kenyan government \u2013 which means that there cannot be a change due to an international trial.  [1] Associated Press, \u201cTwo grenade blasts rattle Nairobi; 1 dead\u201d, USA Today, 25/10/2011   [2] Ombati, Cyrus, \u201cTerror suspects die after bombs explode on them\u201d, Standard Digital News,", "Kenya is an advanced state with a functioning system of the rule of law \u2013 except for those in power. With modern video technology, Ruto and Kenyatta could oversee the governance of the country from The Hague, or, alternatively, participate in the trial through videolink.  Even so, Al-Shabab are unlikely to be defeatable within the terms of Kenyatta and Ruto. Such a delay would only be useful if there was government reform or fresh elections necessary, rather than anti-terrorist action."], "type": "binary", "id": "338"}
+{"question": "Is the D&X abortion procedure the safest option for women?", "perspectives": ["The D&X abortion procedure is the safest option for women.", "The D&X abortion procedure is not the safest option for women."], "docs": ["Partial birth abortions are safer than any available alternative  The D&X abortion procedure generates the minimum of risk for the mother. Banning it means that the only alternatives are premature labour induction for which mortality rates are 2.5 times higher and is emotionally very difficult due to the length of time it takes [1] (it is also likely to be unacceptable to the proposition) and hysterotomy (which results in removal of the womb). Finally as those who are having late partial birth abortions are likely to be suicidal, or at least will be very determined to get rid of their child they are the most likely to resort to back-street methods that cause damage to themselves.  [1] The Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, \u2018Abortion\u2019,", "There is no medical consensus on this issue. Where Dilation and Extraction is performed without inducing partial birth then it has the potential to be just as safe for the mother."], "type": "binary", "id": "339"}
+{"question": "Is banning child performers a feasible solution?", "perspectives": ["Banning child performers is a feasible solution.", "Banning child performers is not a feasible solution."], "docs": ["Just as the state creates laws to protect child performers it could ban child performers  Child performers are currently protected by laws about all sorts of things from the minimum amount of education they may get to their pay and how many hours they can work. Many of these laws would be much more difficult to enforce than a blanket ban. It would be simple to enforce as child performers would in most cases be easy to spot \u2013 as they are performing for the public. The government could then bring charges against those who are employing the child and fine them.", "Banning child performers could be successful for professional child performers in regulated industries but it would be much more difficult to prevent child performers on a small scale. It will also be very difficult to get a balance between allowing children to develop in their chosen profession or sport while preventing them from actually engaging in any performance that displays that talent."], "type": "binary", "id": "340"}
+{"question": "Should governments block social networks during times of riots and protests?", "perspectives": ["Governments should block social networks during times of riots and protests.", "Governments should not block social networks during times of riots and protests."], "docs": ["Even if their message is worth being spread, rioting and violence is not the way to do it. Using the tactic of riot to further an aim only serves to alienate the public which is brutalized by the violence in the streets. In effect when a protest turns into a riot it delegitimises itself and tarnishes its message. Blocking social networks will not occur when those protests are seeking to spread their message relatively peacefully but will only happen when they have already turned to violence when it becomes a useful tool in the arsenal of the state to forestall the worst violence by denying its ability to be spread rapidly through the internet.", "Blocking social networks denies people the ability to mobilize on genuine social issues  The state may not be the best placed to gauge the legitimacy of riots. Oftentimes riots are the result of massive social pressures, like poverty or limited integration of immigrant communities. When these issues are not properly addressed, or outright ignored by the ruling elites, they boil over. Positive things can come from riots. They can put the issues on the table and bring them screaming into the public consciousness. This is the difference between the Arab Spring that was considered legitimate and the London riots that were not, apart from the initial peaceful protests the riots did not have an agenda to create change. [1] The government suppressing legitimate demonstrations, whether they do it with physical force or internet repression, ultimately serves only to push away the problem, to continue to ignore it. [2] Blocking social networks therefore only seeks to muzzle the expression of outrage that is sometimes entirely justified. The media attention and organizing power of social networks serves to get people engaged, motivated, and visible. The government should not seek to stop that. They should seek to prevent protest and demonstration from spilling into violence. Blocking access to social networks will not aid in that endeavour.  [1] Stylianou, A., \u201cCyber Regulation and the Riots\u201d, Legal matters, Autumn 2011.   [2] Dugan, L. \u201cBlocking Twitter During Riots a Bad Idea, Study Proves\u201d. Media Bistro. 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "341"}
+{"question": "Should university education be free?", "perspectives": ["University education should be free.", "University education should not be free."], "docs": ["The burden of fees and loans are too great to expect young people to shoulder  University fees are usually quite high. When fees are put in place in countries, many people find it extremely difficult to find the funds to pay for it, leading many people to seek school loans. In the United States, obtaining loans for university is the norm. These loans can put pressure on students to perform well. [1] But can lead to students dropping out. Debt encourages individuals to take jobs for which they are not necessarily best suited in order to get started on debt repayment immediately after leaving higher education. Furthermore, repayment of loans can take many years, leaving individuals with debt worries for much of their working lives. [2] With free university education everyone can go to college without crushing debt burden allowing them to study what they wish.  [1] Kane, Thomas. 1999. The Price of Admission: Rethinking How Americans Pay for College. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.  [2] Hill, Christine. 2007. \u201cStill Paying Off that Student Loan\u201d. National Public Radio. Available:", "Every action has an opportunity cost. If people are willing to take loans it shows they consider the education worth the cost. It can actually be quite beneficial to society at large that university graduates seek swift employment due to debt, since it forces them to become productive members of society more rapidly than they might have done. For example, in Ireland where higher education is free graduates often take a year or two to travel and \u201cfind themselves\u201d while giving little or nothing back to the state that has financed their degrees. It is good that people begin contributing to the economic life of society after graduating from university, rather than frittering away their youths in unproductive pursuits."], "type": "binary", "id": "342"}
+{"question": "Is the SAT an equitable and effective measure for university admissions?", "perspectives": ["The SAT is an equitable and effective measure for university admissions.", "The SAT is not an equitable and effective measure for university admissions."], "docs": ["Alternative factors that can be considered in the admissions process  SATs are mathematical and it is therefore possible to objectively evaluate them. This is why they are so popular, they provide a benchmark of comparison across the whole education system in a way that any non-standardized assessment never could. This does not only benefit universities in providing an objective measure to compare admissions candidates but it also gives the government statistics with which to measure the progress of schools.  Any other form of assessment would mean switching to much more subjective factors. Traditionally such factors, such as extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and even access to references are all more easily available to high income students. Opportunities may not even be offered in poorer school districts. Complaining that poorer and minority students do less well on the SAT ignores the fact that the test provides one of their best opportunities to impress admissions officials.", "The objectivity of SATs does not matter to individual students, many of whom are discriminated against by the tests. Subjective factors can be comparative if students\u2019 backgrounds are taken into account. By contrast, the SAT, by its very use and existence, legitimizes its results as an \u201cobjective\u201d measure of ability and capacity, which in turn legitimizes schools in discriminating against the vast majority of poor students who do worse on the exam, even if it helps a few out on an individual level. It would be much better to offer preferences in admission to poorer students than to legitimize discrimination.  Subjective criteria can also be successful in determining how successful someone will be in university. In a 1972 study by psychologist Jonathan R. Warre it was found that \u201cMotivation was the quality most frequently cited by over 3400 college teachers\u201d when asked what it takes to succeed in college. [1] Motivation cannot be objectively measured.  [1] Elert, \u2018The SAT Aptitude of Demographics?\u2019, 1992"], "type": "binary", "id": "343"}
+{"question": "Should employees be allowed to wear religious symbols at work?", "perspectives": ["Employees should be allowed to wear religious symbols at work.", "Employees should not be allowed to wear religious symbols at work."], "docs": ["The confession of religious faith is far more important than the rather petty rules that banned the wearing of the cross.  People of faith attest that those beliefs determine the nature of their own identity and their place in the Universe. In the case of Nadia Eweida, at least, the employer\u2019s case was based on the idea that wearing a symbol of that faith might not enhance their uniform. The difference between the significance of the claims could not be greater.  Indeed, British Airways, Eweida\u2019s employer, has since changed their policy to permit staff to wear religious or charitable imagery [i] in large part because of the absurdity of the position.  The case against Chaplin was based on health and safety legislation - but not because the cross and chain posed a risk to others but to herself [ii] ; a risk she was, presumably, prepared to accept.  On one hand there are individuals protecting their sincere beliefs in the most profound of issues and, on the other, managers applying what the Archbishop of Canterbury described as \u201cwooden-headed bureaucratic silliness\u201d. [iii] There is no suggestion that harm to another could have been caused here and, therefore, no reason not to respect the heartfelt beliefs of the individuals involved.  [i] BBC News Website. \u201cChristian Airline Employee Loses Cross ban Appeal\u201d. 12 February 2010.  [ii] Daily Mail. \u201cIt's a very bad day for Christianity: Nurse's verdict after tribunal rules she can't wear crucifix at work\u201d  [iii] The Telegraph, \u2018Archbishop of Canterbury hits out at cross ban\u2019, 4 April 2010,", "Virtually every employee dresses differently for work than they do outside. We accept the fact that there are behaviours and attitudes that must be left at the door when we enter the workplace. Those unwilling to make such an accommodation simply don\u2019t work for organisations with those requirements. If the women concerned had such a great commitment to their faith, then they should find a different job."], "type": "binary", "id": "344"}
+{"question": "Should cyber attacks be considered as acts of war?", "perspectives": ["Cyber attacks should be considered as acts of war.", "Cyber attacks should not be considered as acts of war."], "docs": ["Cyber attacks are no different from traditional attacks  The world has developed along with the new digital medium. Lots of crucial business and government services have moved online. While the military modernised in relation to digital developments, a definition of an act of war has not caught up with it yet. It is now being suggested that the digital domain is the new realm of warfare for the 21st century. States have already been using cyber attacks in hostilities and as acts of aggression against each other. For instance, USA and Israel have released a virus Stuxnet that sabotaged parts of Iran's nuclear programme in 2010, followed by retaliatory cyber attacks by Iran on USA [7]. In the 1998 war over Kosovo the USA successfully hacked Serbia's air defence systems, which left Serbia vulnerable to air attacks [8] [9]. Cyber attacks are thus attacks that can be perpetrated by states against other states in an effort to weaken the other state, the same way armed attacks are used. Given these realities large scale cyber attacks should be considered acts of war.", "An important thing about recognising something as an act of war is that it allows countries to retaliate. This includes military retaliation that causes human casualties, and political and economic sanctions, which impose suffering on the civilian population. The crucial difference between armed conflicts and cyber conflicts, is that in cyber attacks people, military or civilians, do not actually get killed. However, if we recognise cyber attacks as acts of war, this would allow an attacked state to retaliate with force resulting in human casualties. There is no way one could equate disruption in computer services to that of loss of human lives, therefore recognising cyber attacks as acts of war would be disproportional and unjust. Serbia's example that included human casualties following a cyber attack is not relevant as the cyber attack was as a part of a larger military attack."], "type": "binary", "id": "345"}
+{"question": "Does open-source software bring cost savings to governments?", "perspectives": ["Open-source software brings cost savings to governments.", "Open-source software does not bring cost savings to governments."], "docs": ["While open source software is not always free, it tends to be significantly cheaper than closed source alternatives. For instance, the Brazilian government\u2019s decision to adopt open source software for its housing department in 2005 has generated savings of $120m a year. [i]  Given that, the United States government alone spends $80 billion a year on information technology, the potential for total cost savings is enormous. [ii] The money saved could be used to fund more important government expenditure such as healthcare or education \u2013 the very activities that, it was claimed, could be delivered more efficiently and cheaply following widespread adoption of IT systems. Furthermore, simply by discussing adopting open source software, Microsoft has been forced to reduce its prices; it cut its prices by $35m to match Linux\u2019s offering to the city of Munich and, when Brazil began discussing its future software plans, Microsoft was forced to offer to release a cheaper version of its new operating system, Windows Vista. [iii] Ultimately, this not only helps governments, but also helps Microsoft, as many developing nations currently rely on pirated copies of Microsoft software which undermines attempts to stop copyright fraud.  [i] Kingstone, Steve, \u2018Brazil adopts open-source software\u2019, BBC News, 2/05/2005.  [ii] \u2018Using Technology to Drive Productivity Gains\u2019, Performance.gov, accessed 25/07/2013  [iii] Bailey, Dave. \u201cMicrosoft faces value challenge.\u201d Computing. 18/06/2003.", "Open source software is more expensive for governments in the long run.  Open source software is often confused with free software; in fact, it is usually provided at some cost to the user. More importantly, if a Microsoft product fails, a government IT department knows that it can rely on a patch or technical support. Whereas, with open source software, they are left waiting on a community to get round to tackling the problem. This has meant that governments which choose open source software have had to pay for expensive support packages, which makes the total cost of the IT solution similar to that of the closed source software. This has been to the advantage of major consultancy firms, which are often chosen to put together IT solutions and who can make more money from pushing expensive support contracts than on upfront costs for software.  In the rush to find the software with the cheapest sticker price, there is a risk that governments will end up paying more overall for open software that lacks the accessibility and features of the closed source alternatives."], "type": "binary", "id": "346"}
+{"question": "Is the capitalist model failing and causing increases in inequality?", "perspectives": ["The capitalist model is failing and causing increases in inequality.", "The capitalist model is not failing and isn't causing increases in inequality."], "docs": ["The idea that wealth should be more fairly and evenly distributed has never had so many supporters and the failure to do so has rarely been more keenly felt  In the model of Blair and Clinton, it didn\u2019t matter if the rich got a lot richer, as long as the poor got a bit richer. That model has now been shown not to work and the rather timid new leaders of the left are starting to return to concepts of fairness and equality rather than the rather bland concepts of \u2018opportunity\u2019 and \u2018choice\u2019.  Europe is increasingly governed by unelected technocrats who seem to think that the opinions of a handful of international bankers are somehow more important than the jobs and livelihoods of millions. This may always have been the case but it tends not to show during times of plenty. Now these latent inequalities are becoming apparent and people are angry.  It is perhaps one of the great ironies of history that one of the aspirations of early nineteenth century Socialists- nationalising the banks- required Capitalists to actually achieve it.", "Setting the crises of the last few years against decades of prolonged growth under market capitalism really shows the lie of this idea. There is no doubt that certain sectors over-reached themselves in the latter part of the last decade but to suggest that this is a collapse of the Capitalist model makes about as much sense as the idea that a handful of idealists camped outside St Pauls are the emergence of a new political movement.  Both ideas are preposterous and only give credence to some of the madder parts of the Right whom would like nothing more than to be able to demonise the protesters and their demands."], "type": "binary", "id": "347"}
+{"question": "Is the expansion of community radio in areas with high sectarian divisions beneficial for democracy?", "perspectives": ["The expansion of community radio in areas with high sectarian divisions is beneficial for democracy.", "The expansion of community radio in areas with high sectarian divisions is not beneficial for democracy."], "docs": ["Opposition is letting state-sanctioned media off the hook fantastically lightly. Just staying within the Arab world, the number of broadcasters that sully the name of journalism by acting as apologists for butchers and torturers is astonishing. One example of this \u2013 selected utterly at random from an embarrassment of riches \u2013 was the state media\u2019s declaration of historic victories by both Milosovich and Saddam Hussein after both had received drubbings from Western allies [i] . There is at least a chance that a broadcaster won\u2019t be just a voice for the state if it isn\u2019t funded or run by the president or one of his closest allies or appointees.  [i] Ash, Timothy Garton, Facts are Subversive. The Strange Toppling of Slobodan Milo\u0161evi\u0107. Atlantic Books. 2009. This account is one of many, many others that highlight the importance of the control of media centres in democratic shift. However, it highlights the Serbian state media\u2019s proclamation of Milo\u0161evi\u0107\u2019s \u2018victories\u2019 against the west but also the impact of this when, fallowing the dictator\u2019s fall, it was the seizure of the state TV and Radio stations, rather than parliament or the presidential palace, that denoted victory.", "Community radio just gives a megaphone to extremists.  Experience suggests that the airwaves, unregulated, tend to attract pedagogues seeking followers more than democrats seeking the views of others. Particularly in areas of high sectarian divisions, technologies that propagate the views of every mullah with a mic are unlikely to help democracy in the middle east. Indeed the experience with the nearest equivalent in the US, talk radio, shows how fantastically divisive it can be. [i]  Community radio in areas that do not have a history of plurality and diversity of opinion would be likely to see the spread of radio stations pandering to the specific views of every shard and splinter of opinion, reinforcing that particular set of beliefs while ignoring all others \u2013 it is difficult to imagine a more toxic \u2013 and less democratic \u2013 option to encourage in the Arab world [ii] .  The difficulty, as shown in the reference given in the previous paragraph, is that exactly the same ease of access applies to fanatics as to democrats \u2013 who may, frequently, be the same people. In the instance of Rwanda, extremists inciting violence (almost entirely Hutus) had acquired small scale radio equipment. The government couldn\u2019t afford the jamming equipment (the US jamming flights would cost $8500 per hour) and sought assistance from the Americans. The UN objected as such actions were clearly sectarian. However, the wide use of Radio \u2013 initially funded by the West \u2013 which, in part at least had lead to the genocide then left a toxic legacy of fanatics dominating the airwaves, those involved were eventually convicted in 2003. [iii]  [i] Noriega, Chin A, and Iribarren, Francisco Javier, \u2018Quantifying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio\u2019, Chicano Studies Research Center, November 2011.  [ii] Wisner, Frank G., \u2018Memorandum for deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs, national security council, Department of Defense, 5 May 1994.  [iii] Smith, Russell, \u2018The impact of hate media in Rwanda\u2019, BBC News, 3 December 2003.  Dale, Alexander C., \u2018Countering hate messages that lead to violence: The United Nations\u2019s chapter VII authority to use radio jamming to halt incendiary broadcasts\u2019, Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law, Vol 11. 2001."], "type": "binary", "id": "348"}
+{"question": "Do Private Military Companies (PMCs) have a vested interest in perpetuating conflicts?", "perspectives": ["Private Military Companies (PMCs) have a vested interest in perpetuating conflicts.", "Private Military Companies (PMCs) do not have a vested interest in perpetuating conflicts."], "docs": ["PMCs have an interest in conflict.  ncreased reliance on mercenaries is destabilising in the long term. It allows invaders and local governments to feel that they can get away with not providing sufficiently trained or numerous security forces because there are men on the ground. It also means that the most influential actors, large multi-national companies, no longer have to pressure governments so hard to provide security guarantees for everyone because they can buy their own. That leaves those without influence or money high and dry. This then leads to a proliferation of armed forces in the country, some working for the central government, others for local governments and some for private individuals and firms. These PMCs are hired provide security and to help create stability yet that is not where their interests lie. If the country returns to stability they are out of a job so it is in their interest to keep an unstable situation unstable to result in more work. (Wennmann, 2008)", "PMCs do not really have an interest in conflicts never ending. Like any other organisation in a conflict zone they lose men and material while carrying out their missions. They may wish there to be an environment where they can still be useful but this does not mean stoking a conflict. Even if PMCs were helping to increase conflict to increase their own business it would still only be a very small factor in any conflict."], "type": "binary", "id": "349"}
+{"question": "Do Filipino values align with Catholic Church teachings on premarital sex and contraception?", "perspectives": ["Filipino values align with Catholic Church teachings on premarital sex and contraception.", "Filipino values do not align with Catholic Church teachings on premarital sex and contraception."], "docs": ["The appropriate setting for sexual relations is within marriage, contraception encourages pre-marital sex  The population of the Philippines are overwhelmingly Catholic, it seems reasonable to accept that many, if not most, accept the teaching of the Church that safe sex is married sex. Appropriate sexual relations between husband and wife can lead to a fulfilling family life including children.  However, freely available contraception leads to a rise in premarital sex with the rises in unwanted pregnancies that go along with that. In the US, women having premarital sex increased from 2% in 1920 to 75% in 1999, a period that saw a massive increase in the availability of contraception [i] .. This runs against the teaching of the Church, which, itself, is one of the cornerstones of Filipino culture.  The first Mass was celebrated in 1521 and by the early 1600s, Catholicism was unquestionably the countries\u2019 dominant creed [ii] . The teaching of the Church on this issue is absolutely clear \u2013 and for four centuries those have been the values of the Filipino people. This bill undermines that understanding, it will lead to an increase in pre-marital sex with devastating consequences for, particularly, the young people of the archipelago [iii] . There is a reason why the Church argues against contraception and those values \u2013 that sex should take place within marriage, are deeply ingrained in the Filipino way of life.  [i] Greenwood, Jeremy and Nezih Guner \u201cSocial Change: The Sexual Revolution.\u201d Population Studies Center PSC Working Paper Series University of Pennsylvania.2009   [ii] Wikipedia. Roman Catholicism in the Philippines.  [iii] Bishop Filomeno Bactol, \u2018Naval diocese continues fight against RH\u2019,. CBCP News., 23 December 2012,", "It is simply untrue to suggest that Catholic hegemony is one and the same as Filipino values and that the two are \u2013 or have ever been \u2013 indistinguishably intertwined. Even where popular support for this very bill not sufficient proof, the very fact that the Filipino constitution states quite clearly that there is a division between the secular and ecclesiastical should be enough [i] .  [i] Constitution of the Philippines. Article III (Bill of Rights). Section Five."], "type": "binary", "id": "350"}
+{"question": "Is incentivizing people to become teachers the best solution to improve the education system?", "perspectives": ["Incentivizing people to become teachers is the best solution to improve the education system.", "Incentivizing people to become teachers is not the best solution to improve the education system."], "docs": ["Social Policy: encouraging teaching careers  UNESCO (2013) report the need for 6.8mn teachers by 2015 for the right to primary education to be achieved. The teaching workforce requires includes both replacements and additional teachers. Africa has a reality of low teacher-student ratios. In 2012, 80 students were reported per teacher in the Central African Republic (World Bank, 2013). Positive schemes are needed to incentivise potential teachers to enter the profession and meet demand.  Careers can be encouraged through multiple paths. For example, providing incentives to study teaching as a profession. Tanzania\u2019s Ministry of Education provides grants to students entering University to study teaching.", "Firstly, encouraging teaching as a employment path does not ensure committed or motivated teachers are gained. Secondly, the problem is advocating \u2018universal\u2019 education when the infrastructure does not match. Low teacher ratios per student indicate the need for new buildings, and bigger schools. Facilities need to be improved with space for more classes. Schools need to be designed to enable diverse learning - such as space for IT, games, and public discussions.  The experience of learning is broader, and goes beyond the classroom. Good education is not solely reliant on the teacher, but on what the student is able to engage in and how they can learn to raise new ideas and questions. Investment is therefore required in new schools and universities."], "type": "binary", "id": "351"}
+{"question": "Is education the most effective method to combat colorism and other societal biases?", "perspectives": ["Education is the most effective method to combat colorism and other societal biases.", "Education is not the most effective method to combat colorism and other societal biases."], "docs": ["Run education campaigns instead  Education is an alternative. Campaigns such as #darkisbeautiful (dark is beautiful) in India are the model for advancing equality and marginalizing colourism in India. The campaign has had some success attracting stars, including some such as Vishaka Sing who have modelled for fairness creams, to campaign against the prejudice against darker skin tones. [1]  The heavy hand of legislation is not the correct tool \u2013 other methods from social media campaigns to changing practices in the fashion, beauty and media industries (such as has occurred in Dakar Fashion Week [2] ) will reduce the cultural demand.  [1] Krupa, Lakshmi, \u2018Dark is beautiful\u2019, The Hindu, 8 September 2013,   [2] Reuters, \u201cDakar fashion week bans models who use skin lightning cream\u201d, South China Morning Post, 01 July 2013,", "Educational campaigns can and do work on many issues. However, they can only do so much in terms of making genuine progress. If you want to change attitudes \u2013 generally subconscious \u2013 more concrete action is needed. Legislation affects everyone while a campaign will only ever reach comparatively small numbers."], "type": "binary", "id": "352"}
+{"question": "Does self-determination lead to increased ethnic and national conflicts?", "perspectives": ["Self-determination leads to increased ethnic and national conflicts.", "lf-determination does not lead to increased ethnic and national conflicts."], "docs": ["Self-determination can destabilise nation states, sometimes with very destructive consequences.  If we accept self-determination as such an important principle that it trumps all others, this will encourage people to self-identify along nationalistic, racial or religious lines, at a time in human development when we are moving away from racist and nationalist ideologies. Nationalism is about difference, which flies in the face of the idea of the global citizen. Taken to its extremes, it encourages increased conflict, separatist terrorism. For example, the ethnic conflicts that led to the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s were fuelled by nationalist ideologies and the stressing of the differences between ethnic and religious groups that made up that country.", "In many cass, it is not self-determination that causes tensions, but the lack of opportunity for minorities to choose their own future. Conflicts and civil wars generally take place not because people want self-determination but because they are not allowed it. In the Yugoslav example, if the Milosevic government had recognised the right of the country's component ethnic groups to self-determination, rather than seeking forcibly to suppress it, then there would have been no armed conflict. In contrast, by the time Montenegro sought to secede from Serbia, the now-democratic Serb government accepted their right to do so, and the split was carried out without bloodshed1.  1 \"Montenegro declares independence\", BBC News, 4 June 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "353"}
+{"question": "Should HIV positive employees be required to disclose their status to their employers?", "perspectives": ["HIV positive employees are required to disclose their status to their employers.", "HIV positive employees are not required to disclose their status to their employers."], "docs": ["It\u2019s in the interests of employees  It\u2019s in the interests of the HIV positive employee. Right now, although in many countries it is illegal to fire someone for having HIV [1] prejudiced employers can claim that they didn\u2019t know their employer had HIV when they fired him, so they must have been acting on other grounds. The employee then has to try and prove that they did know, which can be very hard. Furthermore, once informed the employer can reasonably be expected to display a minimum level of understanding and compassion to the employee.  [1] Civil Rights Division, Ouestions and Answers: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Persons with HIV/AIDS\u2019, U.S. Department of Justice,", "It\u2019s not as if the employee can\u2019t tell their employer at present \u2013 it\u2019s that he or she could, but doesn\u2019t want to. They get to decide what\u2019s in their best interests (including what\u2019s likely at trial) \u2013 and sadly, that will often be keeping quiet about his condition."], "type": "binary", "id": "354"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action create effective role models for disadvantaged youths?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action creates effective role models for disadvantaged youths.", "Affirmative action does not create effective role models for disadvantaged youths."], "docs": ["By having more students from disadvantaged backgrounds get into university and ultimately have access to top professions, and more likely to enter politics, law, or become the heads of major corporations, affirmative action will generate more role models for the poor and ethnic minorities. As a consequence, the aspirations of disadvantaged youths will change \u2013 it will become more realistic for them to see themselves in public life, and will thus have a better incentive to work hard at school. Not only is this good for their own development, but it will also help wider society by tackling social problems such as petty crime and truancy.", "Achievements should be earned not given  There is a great possibility that beneficiaries of positive discrimination may not be regarded as good role models as their achievements may be viewed as unearned. [1] A role model is someone others can look up to and admire for the things they achieved through hard work and talent \u2013 by parachuting people into university, their ability to act as a role model is undermined. It is also patronising to assume that young people from ethnic minorities can only look up to people who have the same colour skin, or went to the same type of school \u2013 in a society that admires diversity and cosmopolitanism, we should surely accept that anyone can act as a role model.  [1] The British Psychological Society. \u201cThe Hillary Clinton effect - how role models work for some people but not others\u201d."], "type": "binary", "id": "355"}
+{"question": "Are cyber-attacks severe enough to require regulations similar to those for conventional warfare?", "perspectives": ["Cyber-attacks are severe enough to require regulations similar to those for conventional warfare.", "Cyber-attacks are not severe enough to require regulations similar to those for conventional warfare."], "docs": ["Clearly cyber-attacks are not currently deadly but this does not mean they will not become so in the future. Leon Panetta has warned \u201cA cyber-attack perpetrated by nation states or violent extremist groups could be as destructive as the terrorist attack of 9/11\u201d. Such an attack would be indirect \u2013 unlike setting a bomb \u2013 but could be just as effective \u201cAn aggressor nation or extremist group could gain control of critical switches and derail passenger trains, or trains loaded with lethal chemicals. They could contaminate the water supply in major cities, or shut down the power grid across large parts of the country.\u201d [1] At the moment systems are not really connected enough to allow this but it is pretty much certain that technology will become more sophisticated, control more systems, and become more and more connected. This is immensely beneficial economically but does create vulnerability.  [1] Garamone, Jim, \u2018Panetta Spells out DOD Roles in Cyberdefense\u2019, American Forces Press Service, 11 October 2012,", "Unlike warfare cyber-attacks don\u2019t kill so they don\u2019t need to be restricted in the same way  Warfare needs to be closely regulated because of the numbers of people who can be killed and the devastation that can result. This is not something that is a concern with cyber-attacks. So far cyber-attacks have not been very effective. \u2018Stuxnet\u2019 was a computer worm targeted an important control system in the Iranian nuclear program sabotaging gas centrifuges by making them run out of control. It was created by US and Israeli intelligence yet was not particularly effective, and certainly did not kill anyone. [1] Other major attacks have infected a large number of machines, such as \u2018Shamoon\u2019 that attacked the Saudi state oil company ARAMCO which affected 30,000 computers, but again this is simply destruction of property. [2] No matter how indiscriminate cyber-attacks may be that they don\u2019t cause large numbers of deaths means there is little need to ban such attacks \u2013 it simply does not matter if attackers don\u2019t follow a set of conventions like the Geneva conventions.  [1] Barzashka, Ivanka, \u2018Are Cyber-Weapons Effective? Assessing Stuxnet\u2019s Impact on the Iranian Enrichment Programme\u2019, RUSI Journal, Vol.158, Issue 2, 28 April 2013,   [2] Garamone, Jim, \u2018Panetta Spells out DOD Roles in Cyberdefense\u2019, American Forces Press Service, 11 October 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "356"}
+{"question": "Can honesty in not holding elections build trust in government?", "perspectives": ["Honesty in not holding elections can build trust in government.", "Honesty in not holding elections cannot build trust in government."], "docs": ["Having no elections is honest  Holding sham elections is fundamentally dishonest as it is asking the people to choose a government and then ignoring their choice. Not holding elections is at least honestly telling the people that they get no say in who is in power. Holding a sham election inevitably means having to lie to the people somewhere along the line; whether it is in preventing people registering, or voting, or in manipulating the results. The people usually know the result is a sham or at least are suspicious \u2013 in the latest Zimbabwean election the headlines in the newspapers included \u201cZANU-PF gloats over victory\u201d. [1]  Without a sham election the government can at least be honest with their people so enabling a level of trust or even a kind of contract between the two \u2013 the government and the people each lets the other get on with it. Thus for example in China trust in government in 2012 was 76% against the world average of 51%. [2]  [1] Chinaka, Cris, \u2018Africa and West at odds over disputed Zimbabwe election\u2019, Reuters, 4 August 2013,   [2] Sedghi, Ami, and Rogers, Simon, \u2018Do we trust our government? See how your country compares\u2019, TheGuardian.com, 24 January 2012,", "Being honest about depriving the people of their right to choose the government is not beneficial. An unwillingness to hold elections does not build any trust even when the government has proved itself capable at governing because an unwillingness to hold elections fundamentally shows distrust by government of the people. If the government trusted the people in return it would trust them to elect a competent government and representatives."], "type": "binary", "id": "357"}
+{"question": "Is the protection of endangered species more important than economic development in Africa?", "perspectives": ["The protection of endangered species is more important than economic development in Africa.", "The protection of endangered species is not more important than economic development in Africa."], "docs": ["Natural habitats being are destroyed  A tougher approach to the protection of animals is needed to prevent their natural habitats from being destroyed by locals. As humans expand their agricultural activity in Africa they are destroying the environments of endangered animals and pushing others towards being endangered. Due to an increase in large scale cotton plantations and food crops, the West African lion has seen a marked decrease in population; numbering less than 400 in early 2014 [1] . Tougher protection, such as fencing off areas from human activity, has been suggested and has seen success in South Africa [2] .  [1] BBC, \u201cLions \u2018facing extinction in West Africa\u2019\u201d  [2] Morelle,R. \u201cFencing off wild lions from humans \u2018could save them\u2019\u201d", "Human development is of great importance to the African continent, arguably more so than conserving endangered animals. In 2010 it was estimated that there are 239 million sub-Saharan Africans living in poverty. [1] Poverty can be the cause of a wide array of political, security and socio-economic issues. Possible sources of income, such as cotton plantations and food crops, should therefore be embraced as they will have a more positive impact on the region than the survival of endangered species.  [1] World Hunger, \u2018Africa Hunger and Poverty Facts\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "358"}
+{"question": "Can the requirement of disclosing one's HIV status deter individuals from getting tested?", "perspectives": ["The requirement of disclosing one's HIV status can deter individuals from getting tested.", "The requirement of disclosing one's HIV status cannot deter individuals from getting tested."], "docs": ["It is a disincentive to get tested in the first place  The requirement to disclose their condition if known would be a disincentive to get tested in the first place. This is especially the case for many people in places like sub-Saharan Africa, but also applies widely elsewhere. Their job is so important to them (since there\u2019s no safety net to speak of if they lose it) that they\u2019d prefer to go in ignorance of their HIV status than find out and risk being fired for it. The medical repercussions of that are obvious.", "Some very few people may do this and it\u2019s the job of the government to attempt to educate people about the enormous dangers of doing so to minimise that. Nevertheless, most people will quite properly prioritise their lives and health over their job, which in any case legislation should safeguard by stopping unfair dismissal."], "type": "binary", "id": "359"}
+{"question": "Is assisted suicide a rational choice that should be legalized?", "perspectives": ["Assisted suicide is a rational choice that should be legalized.", "Assisted suicide is not a rational choice that should be legalized."], "docs": ["Suicide is a rational choice in many situations.  When confronted with chronic pain or with diseases that steadily remove our sense of self \u2013 or at least the self of whom we are aware \u2013 death has proven to be a sensible option taken by sensible people [i] . It is a simple fact that we all die, our objections to it tend to be based on the idea that it can happen at the hands of others or at a time, or in a manner, not of our choosing.  Neither of these issues arise with either assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia. Proposition has no difficulty at all with the suggestion that both procedures should be regulated and take place in safe, medically supported, environments.  However, if an individual accepts that death is their preferred option in such a scenario, it is difficult to comprehend of reasons why they should not be allowed to proceed. Our social rejection of murder does not, ultimately relate to death itself but to the denial of choice. With murder someone is denying that person all their future potential so denying their freedom of choice, and this remains the case even if the murder was completely painless. Here, reason tells us, the virtuous act is death and the reservation of that choice.  The determining element of humanity is that we are rational beings; a blanket ban \u2013 legal and social \u2013 on choosing the time and manner of our deaths reflects our primeval fear of a death that comes, unwanted, in the dark of the night, not the mature judgement of modern, thinking (and long-lived) humans.  [i] Andy Bloxham. Husband films assisted suicide of wife to prove it was not murder. The Daily Telegraph. 10 March 2011.", "It is the mark of a civilised society that we accept the inconvenience of laws in some circumstances because we also require their protection in others. To take a trivial example we take away the choice for people to drive on the other side of the road to everyone else. Here the protection offered by a full moratorium on killing requires that we accept all of its implications. The challenge is to use medical science to make it a moot point. Proposition has therefore made a powerful argument in favour of better painkillers and more research into mentally debilitating illnesses. Many of those developments have come about as a result of the very human attributes prop is so keen to cite. Realising that they have an opportunity of future free of pain and illness, humans have found ways of delivering it. It is precisely because death can now be managed that the process of self-imposed triage prop suggests is increasingly unnecessary; a fact to be applauded, not discarded"], "type": "binary", "id": "360"}
+{"question": "Is cultural significance a valid reason to increase protection for endangered species in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Cultural significance is a valid reason to increase protection for endangered species in Africa.", "Cultural significance is not a valid reason to increase protection for endangered species in Africa."], "docs": ["Endangered animals are a source of pride for African countries  Endangered animals warrant a tougher degree of protection in Africa as they have notable cultural significance. Some groups believe that African elephants have mystic powers attached to them and have coveted them for centuries. [1] African lions have been depicted on the coat of arms for states and institutions both past and present. [2] They are intrinsically linked with Africa\u2019s past and its identity. The extinction of these animals, therefore, would have a negative cultural impact and should be prevented.  [1] University of California, Los Angeles, \u2018Elephant: The Animal and its Ivory in African Culture\u2019  [2] Coleman, Q. \u2018The importance of African lions\u2019", "Not all endangered animals have such cultural significance within Africa. Pangolins are armoured mammals which are native to Africa and Asia. Like rhinoceros, pangolins are endangered due to their demand in East Asia. They are relatively unknown however, and therefore have little cultural significance. [1] This is the case for many of Africa\u2019s lesser known endangered species. Any extension of protection for endangered animals based on their cultural significance would be unlikely to save many of these species.  [1] Conniff, R. \u2018Poaching Pangolins: An Obscure Creature Faces Uncertain Future\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "361"}
+{"question": "Is the ban on coca chewing justified?", "perspectives": ["The ban on coca chewing is justified.", "The ban on coca chewing is not justified."], "docs": ["Coca chewing is harmful and should be proscribed  The original decision to ban coca chewing was based on evidence that this was indeed harmful to human health. A 1950 report elaborated by the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Coca Leaf with a mandate from ECOSOC states that: \"We believe that the daily, inveterate use of coca leaves by chewing ... is thoroughly noxious and therefore detrimental.\" [1] Therefore the risk of health harms should not be dismissed or undermined. Coca is also different to caffeine and other similar products in in its capacity to be diverted to highly potent, dangerous, and damaging use in cocaine. Therefore it has unique health considerations which make its prohibition acceptable.  [1] Jelsma, Martin. \u201cLifting the Ban on Coca Chewing\u201d. Transnational Institute, Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 11. March 2011.", "The burden of evidence lies on the side trying to prove its harm, not on the side asserting that it is not harmful, and so the lack of categorical proof of its harm is in itself an argument for legalizing its cultivation and chewing. If proof of health risks arise then they can be addressed, but until then the ban is inappropriate and should be lifted."], "type": "binary", "id": "362"}
+{"question": "Is Neo-functionalism an effective theory for explaining European integration?", "perspectives": ["Neo-functionalism is an effective theory for explaining European integration.", "Neo-functionalism is not an effective theory for explaining European integration."], "docs": ["Ernst B. Haas was the founder of Neo-functionalism in 1951, Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen identified the 3 types of spill-over within the theory. However neither author placed a time limit on how long the integration process would take. The revival of European integration in 1985 shows it may be many years between instances when Neo-functionalism is an adequate theory for explaining integration. This may be equally coming true in the financial crisis as the Euro is necessitating further reforms and may well lead to much greater integration in order to have the tools prevent members being forced out. The political spill-over concept makes account for the fact that national elites 'will undergo a learning process, developing the perception that their interests will be better served by seeking supranational than national solutions'. [1]  [1] Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Jeppe, \u2018Neo-functionalism: Obstinate or Obsolete? A Reappraisal in the Light of the New Dynamism of the EC\u2019, Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp.1-22,", "The assumption of the automaticity of Spill-over is wrong.  The core of Neo-functionalism that spill-over being the main driving force behind continuing integration assumed the automaticity of integration. Once integration has started it will be a self-continuing force that will eventually integrate the whole of Europe - is clearly wrong. Supranational functionalism 'assumed first, that national sovereignty, already devalued by events, could be chewed up leaf by leaf like an artichoke'. [1] The functional method of spill-over is very limited, its success in the relatively painless area in which it works relatively well lifts the participants to the level of issues to which it does not apply well any more. For example no common defence or foreign policy within the community project has been successful. This failure in high politics is fundamental, without a coordinated foreign and security policy the role of the EU in the world is open to question. Opposition too much further enlargement reduces the role the EU can play outside the union unless a common foreign policy can be agreed. [2]  [1] Hoffmann, S. \u2018Obstinate or obsolete? The fate of the nation-state and the case of Western Europe.\u2019, Daedalus, Vol. 95, No. 3, 1966, pp. 862-915, p882  [2] Pabst, Adrian, \u2018The EU as a Security/Defence Community?\u2019, Luxembourg Institute for European and International Studies, 2/3 July 2004,"], "type": "binary", "id": "363"}
+{"question": "Can compulsory voting be successfully implemented in all countries?", "perspectives": ["Compulsory voting can be successfully implemented in all countries.", "Compulsory voting cannot be successfully implemented in all countries."], "docs": ["Compulsory voting has been implemented successfully.  Australia is one of the most notable examples of compulsory voting and shows how it can be implemented. In Australia Compulsory voting was introduced at federal elections in 1924 1. Every Australian citizen who is over eighteen has to vote unless they have a \u2018valid and sufficient reason for failing to vote\u2019 which is decided by the electoral commission whether a reason is sufficient 2. If the elector who fails to vote does not provide such a reason they pay a penalty and if (s)he does not pay then the matter is dealt with in court 3. There is little reason to believe that this would be more difficult to implement in any other country. 1 Evans, Tim, 'Compulsory voting in Australia', Australian Electoral Commission, (January 2006), (accessed 4/8/11) 2 Harrison, Brianna, and Lynch, Philip. Votes for the Homeless, (March 2003), (accessed 4/8/11) 3 Voter Turnout for Referendums and Elections 1901 , Australian Electoral Commission, 2010", "That it has been implemented successfully in Australia does not mean that compulsory voting will work everywhere. Australia has a small population so the system does not have to be as bureaucratic as it would be in a much bigger nation. Moreover Australia has a law abiding culture and fast and efficient courts so most people will vote even if they object to it being compulsory. In a country with either a slower court system or a population that is less inclined to follow the law the number of cases of failing to vote facing the court could be overwhelming."], "type": "binary", "id": "364"}
+{"question": "Are referendums an effective way to gauge public opinion on specific issues?", "perspectives": ["Referendums are an effective way to gauge public opinion on specific issues.", "Referendums are not an effective way to gauge public opinion on specific issues."], "docs": ["All politics is PR. If democracy was abandoned every time that the media held sway with the public, then government would soon become a dictatorship. It is a government's job to take up this PR war and to inform the public about the pros and cons of possible reform so that they can make an informed decision. It is not simply good enough to declare that referendums don't work", "Referendums are more about PR than politics.  Referendum votes always end up being about something other than the issue on the ballot paper. In many referendum campaigns the real issue becomes one of confidence in the government of the day and its management of the economy, law and order, public scandals, etc. So when people vote they are expressing their unhappiness at their national government rather than making a considered judgment about the future of the EU. This is exactly what happened in the French and Dutch votes on the EU Constitution in 2005. When asked what influenced their decision, most voters said that they disliked aspects of EU enlargement, especially the arrival of Eastern European workers who might take local jobs, and the proposed entry negotiations with Turkey \u2013 but none of this was anything to do with the Constitution [1]. Furthermore a referendum would be pray to media distortion, which could have swayed the votes with biased coverage. Referendums are too often about government confidence rather than the issue at hand, people may have voted to express other grievances with their current government and not the future of the EU.  [1] The Further Enlargement of the EU: threat or opportunity?\u2019 House of Lords European Union Committee (23 November 2006) viewed on 13 June 2011  , p.10"], "type": "binary", "id": "365"}
+{"question": "Should client-attorney privilege be upheld in legal proceedings?", "perspectives": ["Client-attorney privilege should be upheld in legal proceedings.", "Client-attorney privilege should not be upheld in legal proceedings."], "docs": ["It supports the principle that everyone is entitled to a defence  In criminal, civil or commercial matters, it is important that everyone has equal access to the law. This ensures a fair and just system. In order to facilitate this principle, even those in the wrong need to know that what they say to their legal representative will not be used against them at a later date. It is this principle that provides equality in the court room and therefore the principle of client attorney privilege needs to be maintained.", "Surely the best way to ensure justice is to let the truth be known. By allowing the communication between an attorney and their client to be privileged, the system is catering for a system of arbitrary loopholes and cleverly worded arguments. These are the tools that a solicitor/ attorney would have in order to protect the interests of their client in the face of information they may not wish to divulge to the opponent. This only caters for an adversarial system whereby two parties oppose each other and they each have lawyers to assist them. Surely a better system would be one that encouraged open communication of the truth in order for the court to establish the most just outcome."], "type": "binary", "id": "366"}
+{"question": "Is the proliferation of online courses beneficial for the overall education system?", "perspectives": ["The proliferation of online courses is beneficial for the overall education system.", "The proliferation of online courses is not beneficial for the overall education system."], "docs": ["Online courses encourage sharing of academic information  One of the technical features of MOOCs is that content of courses can easily be shared between universities and learners (as content is freely downloadable). This is useful in two ways. First, people who are not earning credit from the course can have full access to educational materials, which expands knowledge of those not enrolled in the university. Second, less prestigious universities can benefit by learning how to design courses better, so they can offer better services. MOOCs even offer opportunities for universities to cooperate together to offer shared courses that would decrease duplication and increase quality of education [16], which would be of even greater benefit to financially stressed institutions. Shared educational resources would expand access to education even further and drive educational standards higher through university cooperation.", "Though it is good for personal development opportunities to access educational material don\u2019t mean anything in the labour market that requires verification of understanding through grading. As regards to universities cooperating; that might actually result in the same course being offered by many smaller universities, which decreases the room for free thinking and interpretation, which is an integral part of academic development [17]. Moreover, if with MOOCs prestigious universities can accept more students, this might mean an end to many less prestigious universities altogether as they would not be able to compete. This could actually diminish access to university education for many people who cannot make the cut for the prestigious universities."], "type": "binary", "id": "367"}
+{"question": "Is hip hop music a positive form of expression for marginalized communities?", "perspectives": ["Hip hop music is a positive form of expression for marginalized communities.", "Hip hop music is not a positive form of expression for marginalized communities."], "docs": ["A ban will further marginalise young members of impoverished communities  Hip hop is an extremely diverse musical genre. Surprisingly, this diversity has evolved from highly minimal series of musical principles. At its most basic, raping consists of nothing more than rhyming verses that are delivered to a beat. This simplicity reflects the economically marginalised communities that hip hop emerged from. All that anyone requires in order to learn how to rap, or to participate in hip hop culture, is a pen, some paper and possibly a disc of breaks \u2013 the looped drum and bass lines that are used to time rap verses. Thanks to its highly social aspect, hip hop continues to function as an accessible form of creative expression for members of some of impoverished communities in both the west and elsewhere in the world.  Point 7 suggests that free speech flourishes when we respect believers but are not forced to respect their beliefs. Free Speech Debate discusses this principle in the light of religious belief and religious expression. However, it is also relevant when we consider how our appraisal of an individual\u2019s background, culture and values affects our willingness to accept or dismiss what she says.  The positive case for banning- or at least condemning- hip hop often rests on its ability to reinforce the negative stereotypes of impoverished and marginalised communities that are propagated by majority communities. Critics of hip hop note that black men have often been stigmatised as violent, uncivilised and predatory. They claim that many hip hop artists cultivate a purposefully brutal and misogynist persona. The popularity of hip hop reflects the acceptance of this stereotype, and further entrenches discrimination against young black men. This line of thinking portrays hip hop artists as betrayers or exploiters of their communities, reinforcing damaging stereotypes and convincing adolescents that a violent rejection of mainstream society is a way to achieve material success.  Arguments of this type fail to recognise the depth of nuance and meaning that words and word-play can convey. They are predicated on an assumption that the consumers of hip hop engage with it in a simplistic and uncritical way. In short, such arguments see hip hop fans as being simple minded and easily influenced. This perspective neglects the \u201crecognition respect\u201d, the recognition of equality and inherent dignity that is owed to all contributors of a debate. Moreover, it also bars us from properly assessing the \u201cappraisal respect\u201d owed to the content of hip hop and other controversial musical genres. When hip hop is seen as being inherently harmful, and as being targeted at an especially impressionable and vulnerable part of society, we both demean members of that group and prevent robust discussion of rap lyrics themselves. Academics such as John McWhorter see only the advocacy of violence and nihilism in lyrics such as  \u201cYou grow in the ghetto, living second rate/ and your eyes will sing a song of deep hate\u201d.  But these are words that can also be interpreted as astute observation on the brutality that is bred by social exclusion. In point of fact, there is little in the previous verse, or those that follow it,  \u201cYou\u2019ll admire all the numberbook takers/ thugs, pimps and pushers, and the big money makers\u201d,  that could be interpreted as permitting, popularising or endorsing violence. That is, unless the individual reading the verse had already concluded that its intended audience lacked his own critical perspective and understanding of social norms and values.  Even if an observer were ultimately conclude that a particular hip hop track had no redeeming value, a broad interpretation of point 7 suggests that he should, at the very least, credit its artists and listeners with a modicum of intelligence and reflectiveness. When we approach music with a custodial mind-set, determined to protect young listeners from what we see as harm or exploitation, we prevent those individuals from access a form of speech that may be the only affordable method of expression open to them.  Just as we allow individuals the right to be heard in a language of their choosing (see point 1), we should also accept that perspectives from marginalised communities may not appear in a conventional form. Under these circumstances, it would be dangerous for us to curtail and marginalise a form of speech geared toward discussing the problems faced by impoverished young people that has, against the odds, penetrated the mainstream. We are likely to deepen existing prejudices by viewing rappers and their fans as infantile, impressionable and in need of protection.", "This argument makes a claim of bias against academics and commentators who portray the audiences that hip hop music is targeted at as vulnerable. Unfortunately, this is a viewpoint that is closer to the truth than the aspirational narrative provided in the opposition side\u2019s case.  Hip hop emerged from environments that were extremely poor and that had been pushed to the margins of society. This situation has persisted until well into this century. The cyclical effects of racism and discrimination continue to be felt in minority communities. Although anti-discrimination laws now protect access to employment and government services, inequalities in cultural capital and high-impact policing have led to the exclusion of large numbers of young men from the social economic opportunities that are made available to middle class society. Under these circumstances, it is entirely appropriate to describe the adolescent inhabitants of impoverished urban communities as vulnerable.  Poverty- either financial or of opportunity- breeds desperation. An individual placed in a situation of urgent need will not have the ability to reason clearly. This is especially true of young people undergoing the difficult transition to adulthood. Adolescence is characterised by a desire to test the boundaries of social norms and parental authority. Therefore, expression that legitimatises and encourages ever more dangerous forms of rebellion should be kept out of the hands of young people. They are unusually susceptible to the behavioural distortions that side opposition goes out of its way to deny.  We limit the content of the media that children and young people can consume all the time, recognising that the process of education and socialisation changes the individual\u2019s relationship to wider society and their ability to which forms of behaviour will best help them to live freely and happily.  Children and teenagers are more impressionable than adults. Similarly, the rate at which individuals mature and develop can vary wildly. We recognise that, for example, exposure to pornography or violent cinema could have serious behaviour consequences for young children. Objections to the restricted availability of pornography are nonsensical, given that they do a great deal to protect children, and present only a minor inconvenience to an adult\u2019s attempts to access such material.  Although we do not place onerous restrictions on the ability of adults to access media of this type, we can be strict in regulating children\u2019s access. This does not constitute a permanent form of censorship, but instead fulfils the broad remit that the state is granted to protect its citizens. Moreover, classification of expression that is geared toward protecting the vulnerable also aids in protecting the primacy and utility of free speech itself. Free expression- as has been restated throughout this exchange- can harm as easily as it liberates. In some instances, the state must temporarily restrict the access of certain classes of people to certain forms of free expression, in order to ensure that free, frank and controversial discussion and expression can take place in society in general."], "type": "binary", "id": "368"}
+{"question": "Would a UN standing army be more effective than the current system?", "perspectives": ["A UN standing army would be more effective than the current system.", "A UN standing army would not be more effective than the current system."], "docs": ["A UN standing army would be more effective in operations themselves.  A UN standing army would be more effective than the variety of troops staffing missions under the current system. At present most UN operations are supplied by developing nations who hope to make a profit from the payments they receive for their services, but who are under-equipped and badly trained. Forces from the major powers are provided sparingly and only after substantial public pressure or when there exists an incentive for their use. A UN standing army would be better prepared, both in regards to training and equipment, and its soldiers would have greater motivation as they would have made a choice to enlist, rather than being conscripts forced by their own states to fight someone else\u2019s war. A single UN force would also have better command and control than in current situations, when different national forces and their commanders often fail to work effectively together in the field for cultural and linguistic reasons. Successful forces such as the French Foreign Legion, the Indian army and the Roman army show that issues of language and culture need not be problems in combat situations. They can be overcome through a strong professional ethos and a commitment to a mutual cause, values that can only be expected to develop if troops prepare, train and fight together.", "A UN standing army would still have the same drawbacks as the current model. Differences in language, culture, etc. will seriously mar operational effectiveness, especially in combat situations, irrespective of whether they have been trained together. In the heat of the battle, troops that have grown up in different cultures, speaking different languages will understandably fall back upon what they know. Cultural instincts cannot be retaught or unlearned in a military barracks; they will prove an obstacle to operational effectiveness. In addition, in a truly multinational force there will always be a great many individual soldiers who could be suspected of taking sides in a particular conflict (e.g. Muslims or Orthodox Christians in the Balkan conflicts); are such soldiers to be pulled out from a particular mission, thereby perhaps weakening the whole force? A UN army might also end up being very poorly equipped, for if the advanced military powers start to see the UN as a potential rival or adversary, they will refuse to provide it with quality arms and armour. In that case, the UN standing army becomes both another rival in the global balance of power and may drive opposition to the institution itself and its long fight to garner respect."], "type": "binary", "id": "369"}
+{"question": "Should arranged marriages be outlawed due to increased cases of domestic violence?", "perspectives": ["Arranged marriages should be outlawed due to increased cases of domestic violence.", "Arranged marriages should not be outlawed due to increased cases of domestic violence."], "docs": ["Women in arranged marriages in Europe are disproportionately likely to suffer abuse  Arranged marriages are often different when practiced in the home countries of many immigrant families in Europe, where women often have networks of friends and relatives to rely on. The danger with allowing arranged marriages to happen in EU countries are that the women at the centre are often far more vulnerable, away from their own family, unfamiliar with the local language and fully reliant on their husband\u2019s family. This makes it easier for domestic abuses to go undetected which is simply compounding problems of underreporting. [1] It is therefore likely that there is more domestic violence within arranged marriages. [2]  This is shown even amongst women who still consented to arranged marriages but faced abuse from their husbands \u2013 such as with the case of Razia Sodagar, whose husband abandoned her for another woman after she failed to fall pregnant. [3]  This illustrates how it is not always easy to draw a clear division between arranged marriages and forced marriages, as the former can often bear the same characteristics as the latter. It would therefore be safer to outlaw both.  [1] \u2018Ethnic domestic violence \u2018hidden\u2019\u2019, BBC News, 20 September 2007,   [2] Gotrik, Jennifer, \u2018India domestic abuse more common in \u2018arranged\u2019 marriages\u2019, Womennewsnetwork, 12 September 2011,   [3] \u2018Fighting Arranged Marriage Abuse,\u2019 BBC, 12 July 1999 -", "Domestic violence is hardly exclusive to arranged partnerships. Surely focusing exclusively on arranged marriages is missing the point somewhat. Domestic violence, especially against women, pervades many relationships across many European countries. There are just as many arranged marriages that are abuse-free, just as is the case with non-arranged marriages. To be logically coherent, the natural conclusion of the proposition\u2019s argument would be to ban every kind of relationship so as to completely eliminate the risk of domestic violence.  One can find numerous examples to illustrate this. One is that of Sai Srinivasan and Uma Viswanathan, who were brought together by their families, each with the choice of rejecting the other if they felt there was no fit, and have had a happy union ever since. [1]  More resources should therefore be channelled towards addressing violence against women (and men) in relationships of any sort \u2013 not simply targeting those that have more uninformed \u2018western\u2019 prejudices attached to them.  [1] Black, Lisa, \u2018Arranged \u2013 not forced - marriages a good match in many cultures,\u2019 Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2011 -"], "type": "binary", "id": "370"}
+{"question": "Should juries be informed about a defendant's past convictions during a trial?", "perspectives": ["Juries are informed about a defendant's past convictions during a trial.", "Juries are not informed about a defendant's past convictions during a trial."], "docs": ["Juries need to have all the information possible in order to reach a fair verdict.  It is nonsensical to withhold evidence from a jury that might be necessary for them to reach an accurate verdict. Just because their verdict might be more prone to conviction rather than acquittal does not necessarily mean that this is an unfair or even inaccurate conclusion; given that violent offenders are likely to re-offend [1] , it may illuminate the truth rather than confuse it. Jurors should be allowed to weigh the relevance of previous convictions and compare them with the accusations of the trail at hand. A criminal justice system which currently relies on the ability of the jury to make a decision [2] cannot legitimately choose to withhold evidence from them without innately biasing the trial itself. As the UK Government\u2019s White Paper states, \u2018we want less evidence to be withheld from the courts, on the principle that relevant evidence should be admissible . . . magistrates, judges and juries have the common sense to evaluate relevant evidence and should be trusted to do so\u2019 [3] . If we cannot trust juries to decide which evidence is relevant to the verdict and which is not, then the entire use of juries in the criminal justice system should be reconsidered.  [1] CBC News, \u2018Getting out of prison\u2019, March 2008.  [2] Direct Gov, \u2018Jury service \u2013 what happens in court and after the trial\u2019, 10 October 2011.  [3] CPS, \u2018Justice for all\u2019, The Stationary Office, July 2002.", "The verdict of an individual trial should not be predicated on trials which have already been carried out and concluded. The evidence which is being \u2018withheld\u2019 here is in fact irrelevant to the case at hand. While these countries recognise that juries have great value as a representative of the people [1] , it is also important to recognise that people are vulnerable to bias \u2013 as shown by the huge increase in convictions when previous offences are disclosed [2] . The benefits of disclosing past convictions is outweighed by the benefits of the jury remaining impartial as far as possible, as this is the best way to reach a fair and just verdict.  [1] Tickner, Joel and Ketelsen, Lee, \u2018Democracy and the Precautionary Principle\u2019, The Networker, Vol. 6 No.3, May 2001  [2] The Economist, \u2018Tilting the balance\u2019, 2 January 2003"], "type": "binary", "id": "371"}
+{"question": "Would establishing an enforcement arm increase the ICC's credibility?", "perspectives": ["Establishing an enforcement arm would increase the ICC's credibility.", "Establishing an enforcement arm would not increase the ICC's credibility."], "docs": ["An ICC enforcement arm would make the ICC more credible as an organization  To its critics, the ICC is an organization that can be mocked with Stalin\u2019s dismissal of the influence of the Pope: \u201chow many divisions does he have?\u201d  An ICC capable of arresting its own fugitives would become a more credible organization, not only due to the show of competence through the arrests \u2013 it would lead to more trials, and more convictions, that would help contribute to the acceptance of the ICC as a serious court that is effective at bringing international criminals to justice. A legal institution needs to be effective to remain credible. [1] This would make countries much more likely to cooperate because the ICC would be doing more to help them by providing some of the necessary resources.  Henry Kissinger apparently said \u201cWho do I call if I want to speak to Europe?\u201d (he is not sure he said it) because there is no single European leader, and if the US wants political or military cooperation it calls the UK or France. In much the same way if countries need help apprehending and convicting someone they are much more likely to call in the ICC if it can actually help them catch the wanted person. [2]  [1] Perritt, Henry H., \u2018Policing International Peace and Security: International Police Forces\u2019, Chicago-Kent College of Law, March 1999,  p.293  [2] Sobczyk, Marcin, \u2018Kissinger Still Lacks a Number to Call Europe\u2019, The Wall Street Journal, 27 June 2012,", "Just creating a force to bring suspects to trial would not necessarily be enough to make the ICC a more credible organization. That would have to come through more measures and building multilateral support in areas where situations have been referred to the council. This increase in credibility of the ICC also comes at the expense of the sovereignty of the states that call the ICC force in. Many nations would much prefer the current system where it is clearly solely within their purview to arrest criminals on their soil, creating a competitor with its own police force will be considered by many to be undermining their sovereignty so damaging not improving the chances of a state being willing to involve the ICC."], "type": "binary", "id": "372"}
+{"question": "Will the voucher scheme improve educational equality for poorer families?", "perspectives": ["The voucher scheme will improve educational equality for poorer families.", "The voucher scheme will not improve educational equality for poorer families."], "docs": ["Equality of opportunity between richer and poorer children  State education in some areas of the UK is continuing to fail, despite increased investment. This will allow those pupils who are currently locked into sub-standard state education access to the private schools enjoyed by their more privileged peers (because you can spend the vouchers anywhere). Even if private school fees can only be subsidised by the voucher scheme, most private schools are charitable organisations that do not run a profit, and so in the vast majority of circumstances the voucher will make private schools accessible to poorer families.", "The best schools will continue to differentiate themselves (there is competition amongst the top schools in an area to attract the brightest pupils), and as the voucher scheme will subsidise those currently paying for private education the market will be able to support higher fees. The result of this is that the voucher scheme will subsidise better facilities for the best schools, whilst poorer children will remain trapped in the schools with lower standards."], "type": "binary", "id": "373"}
+{"question": "Does undermining state censorship qualify as aggressive foreign policy action?", "perspectives": ["Undermining state censorship qualifies as aggressive foreign policy action.", "Undermining state censorship does not qualify as aggressive foreign policy action."], "docs": ["Aggressive foreign policy is not legitimate foreign policy  Foreign policy is legitimate when it is peaceful and based upon mutual respect. It is no surprise that the most controversial foreign policy actions are those that are aggressive whether this is invading another state such as the Iraq war, attempting humanitarian intervention as in Kosovo, or engaging in clandestine actions such as Iran-Contra. This is because there is a powerful norm against aggressive action in international relations in order to maintain stability.  Undermining states by circumventing censorship is simply a new method of engaging in aggressive actions against another state. NATO has accepted that cyber operations can be considered to constitute an armed conflict, [1] so it is increasingly accepted that actions on the internet can be aggressive action. Indeed \u201cIf such cyber operations are intended to coerce the government\u2026 the operation may constitute a prohibited \u2018intervention\u2019\u201d. [2] While no one would argue that this policy will create a war it is not a very big step from considering cyber attacks to be armed conflict to considering undermining states through circumventing censorship to be an aggressive action.  [1] Bowcott, Owen, \u201cRules of cyberwar: don't target nuclear plants or hospitals, says Nato manual\u201d, The Guardian, 18 March 2013,   [2] Schmitt, Michael N., ed., \u201cThe Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare\u201d, Cambridge University Press, 2013, p.17.", "The NATO manual does specifically state \u201cnetwork intrusions, the deletion or destruction of data\u2026 computer network exploitation, and data theft do not amount to a non-international armed conflict.\u201d [1] Instead it has to be persistent, and be carried out by organised armed groups; likely not criteria that would be ever satisfied by undermining censorship.  [1] Schmitt, Michael N., ed., \u201cThe Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare\u201d, Cambridge University Press, 2013, pp.87-88."], "type": "binary", "id": "374"}
+{"question": "Is joining the Euro beneficial for the employment rate in Britain?", "perspectives": ["Joining the Euro is beneficial for the employment rate in Britain.", "Joining the Euro is not beneficial for the employment rate in Britain."], "docs": ["No; Unemployment will rise if Britain stays out of the single currency. Britain's indecision over joining the single currency has already discouraged foreign investors from doing business with her, and this will only worsen if she stays out, thus reducing the number of jobs there. Britain has to be in the single currency to retain a presence in the European business scene if she is to prosper and make any profit at all. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?; \"Without access to the single currency zone, foreign investors who are here will move out, closing factories and businesses; new ones will set up in Euroland in preference to the UK.\" London's position as the European financial centre has already been depleted by Frankfurt and this situation will only deteriorate if Britain stays out of the Euro. The pound is no longer a source of hope for Britain. 1 Anthony Browne, The Euro: Should Britain join? Page 52", "For Britain to join the single currency is simply unthinkable; jobs will be lost  The EU creates economic conditions that threaten jobs. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?, \"Joining the Euro would damage the British economy with 'one size fits all' interest rates, and so destroy jobs.\"1 This is not merely a product of anti-EU propaganda created by the British tabloid press; The evidence speaks for itself; \"In 2000, (Euro was launched 1st January, 1999) unemployment in Euroland averaged about 10 per cent, compared to under 6 per cent in the UK\" Britain must also learn from the mistakes of history; \"Past experience has already shown us that locking ourselves into inappropriate interest rates destroys jobs. After we joined the Exchange Rate Mechanism, 100,000 businesses went bankrupt and unemployment doubled before we were finally forced out in 1992.\" Repetition of this is to be avoided at all costs and by Britain staying out of the Euro.  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join?\""], "type": "binary", "id": "375"}
+{"question": "Should Google intervene in China's domestic politics by promoting access to information?", "perspectives": ["Google should intervene in China's domestic politics by promoting access to information.", "Google should not intervene in China's domestic politics by promoting access to information."], "docs": ["Google\u2019s business is inseparable from basic human rights  The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a UN conference, affirmed that access to information is a basic human right, a corollary to the freedom of opinion and expression as articulated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [1] It is a right because access to information is often basic to human life; to how to live in society, to work and to educate ourselves. China ratified the Universal Declaration back in 1948 when it was accepted by the UN\u2019s General Assembly, and was a party to the WSIS 2003 conference. This means that, if China is to be a responsible member of the international community, we can expect them to uphold the principles they publicly declare.  Google\u2019s mission is \u2018to organize the world\u2019s information and make it universally accessible and useful\u2019. Note that this mission happens to coincide with the basic human right of access to information. This is why Google\u2019s choice to interfere with China\u2019s domestic politics isn\u2019t just \u2018big business interfering with a state\u2019s sovereign politics\u2019 \u2013 it\u2019s a case of a big business whose business model happens to be providing a basic human right the sovereign state should have, by its own accord, provided a long time ago.  [1] World Summit on the Information Society, \u2018Declaration of Principles. Building the Information Society: a global challenge in the new Millennium\u2019, December 12, 2003. URL:  Last consulted: December 22, 2011", "As a business, Google shouldn\u2019t interfere with domestic politics  Business is business and politics is politics \u2013 and the two shouldn\u2019t mingle. When a company wants to operate in a foreign country, it should respect the government and its regulations. We require the same when a company wants to operate within our territory: suppose a big Chinese company came to our home country and suddenly started criticizing our domestic policies \u2013 these are the policies of the sovereign state whose territory it is, and outsiders have no place to tell it how to run itself. [1]  [1] Nicholas Deleon, TechChrunch, \u2018China has every right to be upset with Google right now\u2019, March 23, 2010. URL:  Last consulted: December 22, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "376"}
+{"question": "Is socialism the best solution to avoid economic crises?", "perspectives": ["Socialism is the best solution to avoid economic crises.", "ocialism is not the best solution to avoid economic crises."], "docs": ["Socialism is a more secure system than the free market in Capitalism  'Credit bubbles' and resultant credit crunches (financial crisis) are inherent in the capitalist system. The economy undergoes a crisis whenever productive economic sectors begin to undergo a slowdown resulting in falls in profits. The recent crisis was caused due to the fact that there was an inflated investment in real estates. It was invested in with the purpose of keeping up profits which lead to a rise in the price of properties. Because of the increased price in property many people took out loans on their house and bought goods for the credit, thinking they could easily pay back their loans since their house would be more valuable at sale. However, since the rise of price was fabricated and not corresponding to an actual need (it was a bubble), house prices had to invariably go down at some point. When the prices eventually went down people could no longer afford to pay back what they had bought on their loaned houses and the installed payments were the trigger of the financial crisis. It could perhaps be said that the economy was surviving on money which did not exist (thereof the name 'credit bubble'). The result was that there were countless goods which no one could buy because no one could afford to pay for them, in turn this lead to a stagnation in the economy and hence to a crisis. A socialist system would not produce overconsumption since its aim is not profit but human needs, it would not have a reason to fabricate an investment for the sake of keeping up the profits and would therefore not cause a capitalist crisis1.  1 Roberts, M. (2008). The credit crunch - one year on. In Defence of Marxism. Retrieved June 7, 2011", "In order to avoid economic crisis there is a need to return to a separation of commercial banking from investment banking which was e.g. implemented as legislation in the U.S.A. under the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act (scrapped under President Clinton in the 1990s). It is dangerous to allow banks to get into a position where they can be shut down by pursuing exciting, but high risk investment banking activities such as real estate speculations. The rationale for this separation is that it was a commercial banking crisis which posed the systemic risk, investment banks should be left alone from state interference and left to the influence of the market. \"This leaves a much more limited, and practicable, but still absolutely essential, role for bank supervision and regulation: namely, to ensure that the core commercial banking system is thoroughly sound and adequately capitalised at all times. The crisis can thus be resolved through a separation of the banks since the commercial banking won't be affected when investment banks go bust, the whole system will not be dragged down if only a few investment banks misbehave since commercial banks are the backbone of the economy. Financial crisis doesn't have to be something \"inherent\" in the capitalist system due to overproduction but can be accommodated through some regulations1.  1 Lawson, N. (2009). Capitalism needs a revived Glass-Steagall. Financial Times. Retrieved June 14, 2011 1."], "type": "binary", "id": "377"}
+{"question": "Does a divided government offer a better system of checks and balances?", "perspectives": ["A divided government offers a better system of checks and balances.", "A divided government does not offer a better system of checks and balances."], "docs": ["Checks and balances  By having both parties in charge of different parts of the Government, there can be a greater degree of scrutiny over policy as the opposition party will force the president to justify his policies.  Under single-party rule, there is a risk of a President being able to push through his/her agenda with little oversight from a legislative branch that is largely in agreement with the policy. One need only look to authoritarian governments the world over to see that governments with too much power are likely to abuse that power.  Divided Government provides a check on the executive, preventing agendas to be pushed through, allowing for compromise to be made between the two major parties, ensuring that the best possible policy for Americans is enacted. As Benjamin Franklin wrote \u201cIt is not enough that your Legislature should be numerous; it should also be divided.\u201d [1]  [1] Franklin, Benjamin, Writings, \u2018III. On the Legislative Branch.\u2019 10:55 \u2013 60, 1789,", "Proposition makes the assumption that Single-Party Government prevents Checks and Balances to be enacted within the United States Government. This is simply not true as there are still institutional breaks on the executive such as the Supreme Court.  In particular the most powerful check of all is still in place, no matter how powerful a party is it will still have to face presidential elections in at most four years\u2019 time and elections in the house within two years. A single partly government will therefore not have long to take advantage of their weak opposition.  Even in congress supermajorities - the high threshold required for a filibuster proof majority \u2013 are rare; 60 out of 100 senators which before 2009 had not happened since 1979 and previously 1937 means that congress will still be a check. [1] This along with the ideologically fractured nature of the two major parties forces the executive to compromise with Congress and the opposition to provide a policy which is the best for the electorate.  [1] Tumulty, Karen, \u2018A Filibuster=Proof Majority\u2019, Time, 28 April 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "378"}
+{"question": "Is the opposition to partial-birth abortion necessarily indicative of an opposition to all abortions?", "perspectives": ["The opposition to partial-birth abortion is necessarily indicative of an opposition to all abortions.", "The opposition to partial-birth abortion is not necessarily indicative of an opposition to all abortions."], "docs": ["Although many people who are against partial-birth abortion are against abortion in general, there is no necessary link, as partial-birth abortion is a particularly horrifying form of abortion. This is for the reasons already explained: it involves a deliberate, murderous physical assault on a half-born baby, whom we know for certain will feel pain and suffer as a result. We accept that there is some legitimate medical debate about whether embryos and earlier foetuses feel pain; there is no such debate in this case, and this is why partial-birth abortion is uniquely horrific, and uniquely unjustifiable.", "Opposition to partial birth abortion is part of a strategy intended to ban abortion in general  Partial-birth abortions form a tiny proportion of all abortions, but from a medical and psychological point of view they ought to be the least controversial. The reason for this focus is that late-term abortions are the most obviously distasteful, because late-term foetuses look more like babies than embryos or foetuses at an earlier developmental stage. Late-term abortions therefore make for the best pro-life campaigning material. By attempting to focus the debate here, campaigners are aiming to conflate all abortions with late-term abortions, and to increase opposition to all abortion on that basis."], "type": "binary", "id": "379"}
+{"question": "Is the wearing of religious symbols, like the Hijab, oppressive towards women?", "perspectives": ["The wearing of religious symbols, like the Hijab, is oppressive towards women.", "The wearing of religious symbols, like the Hijab, is not oppressive towards women."], "docs": ["Many symbols are seen as a symbol of oppression on women.  Religious symbols are seen to, in some cases, increase the equality divide between genders. As an example, the Muslim Hijab is considered by some as a very powerful symbol for the oppression of women, particularly in countries such as Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan where it is compulsory. Therefore, when it is worn in Western countries that encourage democracy and equality, the wearing of the Hijab is seen as almost counter-productive to the goals of democratic society. For this reason Belgium has recently banned the wearing of the full Muslim veil, much like France in 2010.1 Often Muslim dress rules for women are seen as more severe than those for men. Inequality between men and women is a form of discrimination and liberal societies should fight all forms of discrimination.  1 ' Belgian ban on full veils comes into force', BBC News Europe, 23rd July 2011, accessed on 23rd July 2011", "Religious symbols are not seen as oppressive by those who choose to wear them. Many Muslim women view the veil as a means to protect their modesty and privacy. Just as we would not force any women to be seen in public in her underwear if she did not feel comfortable doing so, why should a woman be forced to show her hair if she does not want to? Modesty is a personal judgement call; some are comfortable in the smallest bikini while others prefer a lot more clothing. No one but the woman herself should make that decision. In fact, concerning the ban of the veil in Belgium, Muslim women have immediately challenged it and regard the ban as discriminatory.1  1 'Belgian ban on full veils comes into force', BBC News Europe, 23rd July 2011 , accessed on 23rd July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "380"}
+{"question": "Is increasing security measures in response to terrorism equivalent to letting the terrorists win?", "perspectives": ["Increasing security measures in response to terrorism is equivalent to letting the terrorists win.", "Increasing security measures in response to terrorism is not equivalent to letting the terrorists win."], "docs": ["It would be letting the terrorists win  It is the aim of all terrorists to influence by violent means government policy. If we changed how our country was run we would be letting the terrorists win \u2013 they would be getting what they wanted. If we changed the way we lived [1] , greater security measures or something else, we would be shaping our society to the tune of the terrorist. So more security measures at airports limit the freedom to travel, turning the country into a surveillance society makes everyone nervous; ultimately the country is no longer the same as it was having lost the freedoms which are the best way to combat terrorism. This is something perversely wrong.  [1] Symanovich, Steve, \u2018If you don\u2019t read this, the terrorists win\u2019, Washington Business Journal, 24 December 2001,", "If the opposition\u2019s argument is correct then there is simply no way to win. The argument is illogical; they would have the terrorists pick us off slowly until we were all victims all because we simply let them. In short, governments have to do something instead of being completely irrational and holding the immature high ground \u2013 \u201cletting them win\u201d is a childish argument."], "type": "binary", "id": "381"}
+{"question": "Is it a violation of privacy if personal information is stored in a giant computer database but not disclosed to anyone?", "perspectives": ["It is a violation of privacy if personal information is stored in a giant computer database but not disclosed to anyone.", "It is not a violation of privacy if personal information is stored in a giant computer database but not disclosed to anyone."], "docs": ["Loss of Privacy  It is wrong to state that we only have anything to \u2018fear\u2019 if we have done something wrong; a great many people want to keep things private where what they have done is morally perfectly right and justifiable. It is perfectly justified for a married couple to want to keep a video of them having sex private \u2013 even if it is sent from one partner to the other by email, or for someone to keep his/her sexual orientation secret even if they have told someone about it. [1] If we want such information to be kept private does the state have any business picking that information up from our emails? It may not go any further than the intelligence agency, it is possible no one there will look at it but it is still an invasion of privacy.  [1] Phillipson, Gavin, \u2018Q&A: The right to privacy\u2019, BBC Religion, 14 June 2013,", "Is it really an invasion of privacy if no one else knows about it even if that information is added to some giant computer database? The information we wish to keep secret remains a secret, in the unlikely event that some analyst reads the information they are never going to broadcast it to others as keeping secrets is a part of what intelligence agencies do."], "type": "binary", "id": "382"}
+{"question": "Should all nations have the right to possess nuclear weapons?", "perspectives": ["All nations have the right to possess nuclear weapons.", "Not all nations have the right to possess nuclear weapons."], "docs": ["Government legitimacy is defined in its most limited form as the ability to provide security and stability within its jurisdiction. It seems fair to say that international institutions and states with a stake in international order, as most do, will have an interest in keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of failing and failed states, which do not retain the same legitimacy of states that can provide the baseline of security to their people. Furthermore, the openness created by the public recognition of the right to nuclear weapons will allow advanced countries to offer assistance in security and protection of nuclear stockpiles, making it less likely that nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of terrorists.", "The threat of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of rogue states and terrorists increases as more countries possess them  There are many dangerous dictators and tyrants, many of who covet the possession of nuclear weapons not just for the purpose of defence, but also for that of intimidating their neighbours. [1] Such leaders should not possess nuclear weapons, nor should they ever be facilitated in their acquisition. For example, Iran has endeavoured for years on a clandestine nuclear weapons program that, were it recognized as a legitimate pursuit, could be increased in scale and completed with greater speed. The result of such an achievement could well destabilize the Middle East and would represent a major threat to the existence of a number of states within the region, particularly Israel. Furthermore, the risk of nuclear weapons, or at least weapons-grade material, falling into the hands of dissidents and terrorists increases substantially when there are more of them and larger numbers of countries possess them. Additionally, many countries in the developing world lack the capacity to safely secure weapons if they owned them, due to lack of technology, national instability, and government corruption. [2] Recognizing the rights of these countries to hold nuclear weapons vastly increases the risk of their loss or misuse.  [1] Slantchev, Branislav. 2005. \u201cMilitary Coercion in Interstate Crises\u201d. American Political Science Review 99(4).  [2] Sagan, Scott D. 1993. The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons. Princeton: Princeton University Press."], "type": "binary", "id": "383"}
+{"question": "Is granting immunity a beneficial way to achieve peace and reconciliation?", "perspectives": ["Granting immunity is a beneficial way to achieve peace and reconciliation.", "Granting immunity is not a beneficial way to achieve peace and reconciliation."], "docs": ["Peace more important than Justice  In practice, prosecutions often come at the expense of other forms of reconciliation. For instance before Truth and Reconciliation Commissions can work amnesties have to be given for people to be willing to tell their stories. In order for people to put down weapons, or agree to tell stories, prosecutions must be given up.  This is evident with the conflict is South Sudan; the opposition which had signed the ceasefire agreement to restore stability in the region, breached it and started fighting again when many of its members were indicted for the crimes they had committed [1]. In such case the most important thing is to prevent future atrocities as healing can only start when there is no conflict or atrocities going on.  [1] Deustche Welle, \u2018South Sudan: Rebels Strike Oil Centre, Breaching Ceasefire\u2019, allafrica.com, 18 February 2014,", "This often leads to a scenario where leaders grant themselves immunity, or continue to commit atrocities, in the comfort of knowing that immunity is coming. Those in the CIA who committed what many consider to have been torture were granted immunity by the justice department claiming that it would be unfair to prosecute men and women working to protect America [1]. Such an immunity or amnesty can then be used to close discussions to find the truth and effectively shut of the healing process.  [1] Greenwald, Glenn, \u2018Obama's justice department grants final immunity to Bush's CIA torturers\u2019, thegurdian.com, 31 August 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "384"}
+{"question": "Is militarization an effective solution to poaching in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Militarization is an effective solution to poaching in Africa.", "Militarization is not an effective solution to poaching in Africa."], "docs": ["Poaching is becoming more advanced  A stronger, militarised approach is needed as poaching is becoming far more advanced. Poachers now operate with high-calibre rifles, night vision scopes, silencers and use helicopters to hunt their prey. [1] These methods are used particularly against rhinoceroses in South Africa, whose horns have become extremely valuable on the Asian market for their supposed medical properties. [2] In response to this, South African rangers are being given specialised training and use their own aerial surveillance to track poachers down with success, [3] supporting the argument for a militarised response to protect endangered animals.  [1] WWF, \u2018African rhino poaching crisis\u2019  [2] Zapwing, \u2018The Rhino Poaching Crisis\u2019  [3] ibid", "Tougher protection of Africa\u2019s nature reserves will only result in more bloodshed. Every time the military upgrade their weaponry, tactics and logistic, the poachers improve their own methods to counter them. In the past decade, over 1,000 rangers have been killed whilst protecting Africa\u2019s endangered wildlife. [1] Every time one side advances its position the other side matches it. When armed military patrols were sent out, poachers switched their tactics so every hunter has several \u2018guards\u2019 to combat the military. The lack of an advantageous position in the arms race has ensured that the poaching war is yet to be won. [2]  [1] Smith, D. \u2018Execute elephant poachers on the spot, Tanzanian minister urges\u2019  [2] Welz, A. \u2018The War on African Poaching: Is Militarization Fated to Fail?\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "385"}
+{"question": "Does media coverage of trials potentially jeopardize the integrity of witness testimony and jury verdicts?", "perspectives": ["Media coverage of trials potentially jeopardizes the integrity of witness testimony and jury verdicts.", "Media coverage of trials does not potentially jeopardize the integrity of witness testimony and jury verdicts."], "docs": ["Witnesses and jurors could easily become involved in the media coverage of the case and place the trial at jeopardy.  Newspaper interviews with witnesses have already caused trials to be cancelled in the past [1] because the judiciary recognises that media coverage can change people\u2019s incentives and warp their priorities. This interference may affect the reliability of the witness\u2019 evidence or the jurors\u2019 verdict. Following the televised trial of O. J. Simpson, several witnesses and jurors gave interviews to the media, or wrote their memoirs of the case [2] . If witnesses and jurors know that their public lives could be affected by how the rest of society perceives them through a court case, they might have an incentive to be more harsh or more lenient; public outrage when the criminal sentence does not match their own interpretations is likely to be laid on those who caused that sentence. This is particularly dangerous for America, where they have trial by jury [3] . Here, the jury has more control over the sentencing of criminals \u2013 which obviously becomes a problem if the jury has a vested interest in giving harsh sentences to offenders in order to gain public support. Cameras in court can only encourage witnesses and jurors to distort their true recollection or their opinions in order to profit from the media circus.  [1]  , accessed 19/08/11  [2]  , accessed 19/08/11  [3]  , accessed 19/08/11", "Juror involvement is made less likely by the proposition line that jurors\u2019 faces will be blanked out during the broadcast. For witnesses, the potential to warp and distort the truth already exists; they could be trying to avoid a sentence, or to make sure that justice is done if they have been wronged. They are already emotionally involved. If anything, video footage of the trial could encourage them to temper their responses and make absolutely sure that they are accurate in order to avoid questioning by the media or incrimination for giving an inaccurate statement."], "type": "binary", "id": "386"}
+{"question": "Is Julian Assange a legitimate journalist?", "perspectives": ["Julian Assange is a legitimate journalist.", "Julian Assange is not a legitimate journalist."], "docs": ["It is worth noting the people who are happy to say that he is a journalist \u2013 in addition to many other journalists around the world. He has received the 2008 Economist Freedom of Expression award, the 2009 Amnesty International Media Award, La Monde Person of the Year (2010) [1] and the Martha Gelhorn Prize for Journalism in 2011. [2] Wikipedia\u2019s media partners include Der Spiegel, The New York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian and El Pais. If we accept the idea that \u2018by his works shall you know a man\u2019 then the fact that Wikileaks has produced game changing information \u2013 and stories that have changed policy - on extra-judicial killings in Kenya, the dumping of toxic waste in Cote d\u2019Ivoire, the Church of Scientology, procedures at Guantanamo bay [3] and the financial dealings at Kaupthing and Julius Baer [4] \u2013 all before the revelations about the State Department imbroglio that is suddenly of interest to \u2026 well, to the State Department.  There are few other journalists in the word that could make such claims.  [1] AFP, 'Assange named Le Monde Man of the Year', ABC News, 24 December 2010,   [2] Deans, Jason, 'Julian Assange wins Martha Gellhorn journalism prise', guardian.co.uk, 2 June 2011,   [3] Chivers, Tom, 'Wikileaks' 10 greateststories', The Telegraph, 18 October 2010,   [4] The Economist, 'Be afraid' 9th December 2010,", "Assange is mostly interested in self-promotion, not being a serious journalist.  Journalists are judged by far more than their ability to acquire and disseminate knowledge or information. The quality of their writing, the skills and contacts developed to acquire it, the training used to enter the trade (which incidentally would have included the difference between the legitimate use of privileged information and espionage) and many other characteristics.  Assange doesn\u2019t seem to have taken any interest in any of this. He undertook no formal training \u2013 he studied but did not graduate in Physics \u2013 and worked as a computer programmer and hacker before founding Wikileaks. His interest in data seems to do with the technological side of the process rather than the ideas.  Were a printer in the same situation to attempt the same defence, it would be ignored. Assange is an irresponsible geek, self-proclaimed hacker and someone who clearly has no interest in, or understanding of, the notion that there are occasions when a responsible journalist does not release information, frequently out of concern for those whose lives it might engender.  His entire background has been in hacking, he is described as a cryptographer in articles written by or about him before the launch of Wikileaks. This sudden commitment to journalism seems awfully convenient in the event of the threat of a trial."], "type": "binary", "id": "387"}
+{"question": "Is North Korea's regime irrational and a direct threat to neighboring great powers?", "perspectives": ["North Korea's regime is irrational and a direct threat to neighboring great powers.", "North Korea's regime is not irrational and not a direct threat to neighboring great powers."], "docs": ["North Korea is an irrational regime that is a strategic threat to numerous great powers  North Korea is an irrational and irresponsible regime that can\u2019t simply be ignored. As the United States National Security Council spokesman Tonny Vietor said in response to the 12th December 2012 missile test \u201cThis action is yet another example of North Korea's pattern of irresponsible behavior.\u201d As a power that is willing to defy international sanctions and resolutions such as \u201cResolution 1874, which demands the DPRK not to conduct \"any launch using ballistic missile technology\" and urges it to \"suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme\"\u201d [1] it is essential that there is engagement to prevent the regime breaking more international norms.  It is impossible simply to ignore a regime with such a propensity to engage in provocative actions when it borders you, as is the case with China and Russia, or when it has tested missiles that can potentially hit targets 6000km away, so most of Asia, including numerous US bases. [2]  [1] \u2018North Korea rocket: International reaction\u2019, BBC News, 12 December 2012,   [2] \u2018North Korea\u2019s missile programme\u2019, BBC News, 12 December 2012,", "North Korea is not an irrational regime, and is certainly not going to use its missiles to hit one of its neighbouring great powers. North Korea has shown time and time again that its number one objective is regime survival [1] and its provocations are one method it uses to try and ensure such survival through getting concessions and building deterrence against any possible pre-emptive attack either by the South or the United States. [2] North Korea will therefore never invite such retaliation from the surrounding great powers. All provocations it takes are just to the extent that it thinks it can get away with them. It is notable that since South Korea altered its stance from \u2018controlled response\u2019 to \u2018manifold retaliation\u2019 in the wake of the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island [3] the provocations from North Korea have been much less provocative i.e. missile testing rather than military actions.  [1] Lankov, Andrei, \u2018Weep Not for Kim Jong Il\u2019, Foreign Policy, 23 December 2011,   [2] \u2018The Conventional Military Balance on the Korean Peninsula\u2019, The International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2012,   [3] Mc Devitt, Michael, \u2018Deterring North Korean Provocations\u2019, Brookings, February 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "388"}
+{"question": "Is animal research ethically acceptable?", "perspectives": ["Animal research is ethically acceptable.", "Animal research is not ethically acceptable."], "docs": ["What then is the interest of the animal? If releasing these animals into the wild would kill them then surely it is humane to put them down after the experiment. It must also be remembered that the interest of the animal is not the main and is outweighed by the benefits to humans. [5]", "Animal research causes severe harm to the animals involved  The point of animal research is that animals are harmed. Even if they don\u2019t suffer in the experiment, almost all are killed afterwards. With 115 million animals used a year this is a big problem. Releasing medical research animals in to the wild would be dangerous for them, and they would not be usable as pets. [4]. The only solution is that they are wild from birth.  It is obvious that it\u2019s not in the interest of animals to be killed or harmed. Research should be banned in order to prevent the deaths of millions of animals."], "type": "binary", "id": "389"}
+{"question": "Is capital punishment consistent with African values?", "perspectives": ["Capital punishment is consistent with African values.", "Capital punishment is not consistent with African values."], "docs": ["African values  Human rights are a concept that take on different conclusions and priorities when applied in different cultural contexts. Protecting the community as a whole, by removing dangerous offenders from circulation, and by a deterrence effect, capital punishment is a manifestation of a form of \u201cAfrican Values\u201d that place more emphasis on the community over the individual than western legal tradition. Capital Punishment has traditionally used for the most serious crimes such as murder as well as some serious religious offenses which it was feared might bring serious consequences for the entire community. [1]  [1] Balogun, Oladele Abiodun, \u2018A Philosophical Defence of Punishment in Traditional African Legal Culture: The Yoruba Example\u2019, The Journal of Pan African Studies, Vol.3, No.3, September 2009,  , p.47", "The idea of a unified \u201cAfrican values\u201d is as manifestly absurd as unified \u201cEuropean values\u201d, or the \u201cAsian values\u201d used as an excuse by anti-democratic leaders such as Matahir Mohamed and Lee Kuan Kew, (heads of government of Malaysia and Singapore respectively in the 1980s), to reject political freedoms.  Even so, capital punishment can be seen as opposed to the \u201cAfrican value\u201d of ubuntu - a broader concept of treating people with humanity. Religious leaders are often also against, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria described capital punishment as savagery and expressed its desire to join the \u201ccivilised world in ending the death penalty\u201d. [1]  [1] Uduma, Uche, \u2018Nigeria: Much Ado About the Return of Death Penalty\u2019, Leadership, 14 July 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "390"}
+{"question": "Is absolute freedom of speech more important than preventing potential harms?", "perspectives": ["Absolute freedom of speech is more important than preventing potential harms.", "Absolute freedom of speech is not more important than preventing potential harms."], "docs": ["Individual Liberty outweighs any potential harms  Whatever the potential harms that may arise from unrestrained free speech; they pale in comparison to the harm that arises from banning an individual from freely expressing his own mind.  It is a matter of the upmost individual liberty that one\u2019s thoughts and feelings are one\u2019s own, and that individuals are free to express those thoughts and feelings openly. A prohibition on this liberty is a harm of incalculable value \u2013 it strikes right to the core of what it means to be in individual person.", "Liberty is an intangible right \u2013 restrictions on liberty can be equally intangible and entirely transitory based on the circumstances.  What we know though is that real harm is derived from defaming an individual\u2019s reputation, broadcasting racist abuse and shouting \u2018fire\u2019 in a crowded theatre. It is wrong to ignore real, tangible harm in favour of preventing fanciful and intangible harms."], "type": "binary", "id": "391"}
+{"question": "Is personal autonomy a valid justification for allowing potentially harmful actions?", "perspectives": ["Personal autonomy is a valid justification for allowing potentially harmful actions.", "Personal autonomy is not a valid justification for allowing potentially harmful actions."], "docs": ["Personal autonomy  Like many other debates, this simply boils down to personal autonomy. Individuals should be free to take actions, even ones harmful to them as long as they do not harm others, at least not without good reason. Thus things that are almost entirely harmful such as smoking are allowed.  It is a matter of personal choice \u2013 to suggest otherwise non-white women do not have the capacity to make that choice.", "States can and do ban products that are physically or socially harmful \u2013 that\u2019s not illiberalism, it is common sense. It clearly does not suggest that non-white women do not have the capacity; white countries such as the USA engage in similar bans for health reasons.  Anyway, In a society with mass media and celebrity-lead marketing campaigns, do people really make entirely autonomous decisions? Consumers almost never have complete information about what they are buying. When they don\u2019t the government has to prevent them from making mistakes that may be harmful to themselves."], "type": "binary", "id": "392"}
+{"question": "Should the health status of a head of state or government be disclosed to the public at all times?", "perspectives": ["The health status of a head of state or government should be disclosed to the public at all times.", "The health status of a head of state or government should not be disclosed to the public at all times."], "docs": ["The head of state/government must be accountable to the people  Secrecy in relation to the leader\u2019s health shows a distrust or distain of the electorate. Not being open about health issues almost invariably means that the administration is lying to those who elected them, those who they are accountable to. A couple of days before John Atta Mills died Nii Lantey Vanderpuye a candidate for Mills\u2019 party stated \u201cHe [Mills] is stronger and healthier than any presidential candidate\u201d, information that in retrospect was clearly untrue. 1  1 Takyi-Boadu, Charles, \u2018Confusion Hits Mills\u2019, Modern Ghana, 21 July 2012,", "If a candidate has a condition during an election campaign then there is a clear right to know when the electorate is making the decision. But does such a right to know apply at other times when it will make no difference to the people? There can only be a right to know if it is going to affect the people, something that many illnesses won\u2019t do."], "type": "binary", "id": "393"}
+{"question": "Should laws be enacted to limit teachers' virtual interactions with students?", "perspectives": ["Laws should be enacted to limit teachers' virtual interactions with students.", "Laws should not be enacted to limit teachers' virtual interactions with students."], "docs": ["Speech can be restricted in order to protect the vulnerable groups, like children, from harm. Such a law does not attempt to keep educators from communicating or associating with their students. It merely insures such interactions happen in an appropriate manner and forum.", "The law would violate freedom of speech and association.  Under this law a random person who the student has never met, even a potential predator, would be allowed to send a message via facebook or twitter. And yet a teacher doing the same thing, regardless of the content of that message, would be instantly committing an offence. Every person is allowed to speak to and associate with whomever they choose. That is a fundamental right that the government is not allowed to take away [1] . A person\u2019s status as a teacher should not be an excuse to violate their rights.  [1] Solove, Daniel. \u201cMissouri Bans Teachers from Friending Students on Social Networking Webistes.\u201d The Huffington Post. 02 August 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "394"}
+{"question": "Is self-determination irrelevant in the contemporary world due to the rise of universal human rights?", "perspectives": ["Self-determination is irrelevant in the contemporary world due to the rise of universal human rights.", "lf-determination is not irrelevant in the contemporary world due to the rise of universal human rights."], "docs": ["The rise of universal human rights makes self-determination increasingly irrelevant.  Across the developed world, modern nation states are bound into a complex network of treaties and international organisations which together go a long way to guaranteeing citizens very similar rights wherever they live. These supra-national rules make it less and less important on what side of an international boundary you happen to live. What matters is not so much self-determination as whether or not an individual citizen is able to enjoy the same rights and privileges as those of the majority culture.  For example, EU citizens enjoy many common rights, common European citizenship, freedom of movement between member states and so on. Minorities who fifty years ago might have taken up arms to \"free\" themselves from an oppressive nation state \u2013 such as Catholics in Northern Ireland \u2013 don\u2019t need to do this now, because they have new rights against discrimination, guaranteed and enforced by international treaty.", "Many minorities live in states where international human rights law is applied inconsistently or indeed not at all. It may not make a life-changing difference to a French-speaking Belgian which side of the France \u2013 Belgium border they happen to be born, but to a Palestinian in the West Bank or a Tamil in Sri Lanka, their right to self-determination is absolutely crucial, because other rights may well be denied to them through direct or indirect state discrimination.  It is relatively easy for states to explain away individual human rights breaches, since these occur in all nations from time to time. It is much harder for them to justify denying an entire people their right to determine their own futures."], "type": "binary", "id": "395"}
+{"question": "Should the justice system use torture on suspected terrorists?", "perspectives": ["The justice system should use torture on suspected terrorists.", "The justice system should not use torture on suspected terrorists."], "docs": ["The era of battlefield warfare has passed. The war on terror may be a new form of combat, but the results are no less serious. Were a terrorist flying a military bomber aircraft to deliver a payload of death and destruction on one of the world\u2019s major cities, nobody would think twice about shooting it down, killing the crew and preventing the bombing.  There is no meaningful way in which the example above is morally different from leaving a bomb in a station or on a subway train. Societies have the right to defend themselves by all means necessary. The combatants involved in this process consider themselves to be at war and revel in the fatalities they cause. It is only sensible for states to treat these individuals as though that war were a reality in the more traditional meaning of the word.", "Introducing the use of violence into the justice system means that liberties that have taken centuries to secure are lost  The principle that all people are presumed innocent and, as a result, should not be abused either physically or mentally by officers of the state is one that took centuries- not to mention a great deal of blood and sweat- to establish. In the words of British Chief Justice Phillips this respect for human rights is, in and of itself, \u201ca vital part in the fight against terror\u201d, as if terrorism is to be defeated states that ascribe to such principles must show that they remain true to them in order to win the ideological battle.  Using torture on suspected terrorist would be to tear apart that basic principle in response to crimes, which, it has been noted, are on nothing like the scale of the industrialised warfare of the twentieth century, would be a massively damaging step. Regardless of the scale of the crime the individual must have protections against false accusation and punishment, this means that a fair trial is necessary in order to determine innocence or guilt."], "type": "binary", "id": "396"}
+{"question": "Are skin whitening creams safe for use?", "perspectives": ["Skin whitening creams are safe for use.", "kin whitening creams are not safe for use."], "docs": ["Skin whitening creams often contain a wide variety of harmful ingredients \u2013 in some cases, mercury. These can cause various health problems; mercury in particular causes renal (kidney) damage, major skin problems as well as mental health issues [1] .  States, throughout the world, ban consumer products because they are harmful regardless of whether this is for consumption or for cosmetics. This is just another case where that is appropriate in order to prevent the harm to health that may occur.  [1] World Health Organization, \u201cMercury in skin lightening products\u201d, WHO.int, 2011,", "These products are dangerous  Skin whitening creams often contain a wide variety of harmful ingredients \u2013 in some cases, mercury. These can cause various health problems; mercury in particular causes renal (kidney) damage, major skin problems as well as mental health issues [1] .  States, throughout the world, ban consumer products because they are harmful regardless of whether this is for consumption or for cosmetics. This is just another case where that is appropriate in order to prevent the harm to health that may occur.  [1] World Health Organization, \u201cMercury in skin lightening products\u201d, WHO.int, 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "397"}
+{"question": "Is transparency necessary for effective medical treatment of high-profile individuals?", "perspectives": ["Transparency is necessary for effective medical treatment of high-profile individuals.", "Transparency is not necessary for effective medical treatment of high-profile individuals."], "docs": ["A lack of transparency can endanger the leader  A person is most likely to survive when they have an accident, a heart attack, or some other condition if they get prompt treatment and doctors are aware of any underlying conditions. Mills may well have lived, or lived longer if there had been more transparency about his death. There had been no prior warning that the president might be rushed to hospital despite the doctors having been called in the previous day. For the same reason his outriders were not available leading to indecision over whether to send off the ambulance. And finally he was initially turned away from the emergency ward because they did not know it was the President they were being asked to treat. 1 Transparency would allow procedures to be in place and advance notice given possibly gaining a few minutes and enabling survival.  1 Daily Guide, \u2018How Mills died: Sister tells it all\u2019, My Joy Online, 31 August 2012,", "All of these procedures could be put in place even if there is secrecy. Doctors are already committed to patient-doctor confidentiality so are unlikely to tell the press if they are told beforehand to be ready to receive the President."], "type": "binary", "id": "398"}
+{"question": "Is affirmative action beneficial for the pursuit of equality in education?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action is beneficial for the pursuit of equality in education.", "Affirmative action is not beneficial for the pursuit of equality in education."], "docs": ["Equality of opportunity  Affirmative action is required for equality of opportunity. Under the status quo, it is easier for students who go to better schools to get into university. This is reflected in data from the UK - Oxford and Cambridge universities (the top academic institutions) take more than 50% of their students from private schools, despite 93% of UK schoolchildren state educated. [1] In addition, there is a clear underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in these universities. [2] A similar story is evident with regards to ethnic minorities in the USA - white students are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college than black and Hispanic ones. [3] [4] These examples reflect the opportunities granted to wealthier children from particular socioeconomic and racial groups, whose superior education and less disruptive home lives give them a leg-up. It is unfair that such random aspects, which have nothing to do with talent or hard work, have such a determining influence on one\u2019s life chances. Moreover, it undermines meritocracy \u2013 by allowing the rich to be advantaged, we create a society in which wealth, rather than ability, is rewarded.  [1] Sagar, P. \u201cThe truth about Oxbridge admissions: a reply To Dave Osler\u201d. Liberal Conspiracy. May 21, 2010.   [2] Vasagar, J. \u201cTwenty-one Oxbridge colleges took no black students last year\u201d. The Guardian. December, 2010.   [3] Orfield, Gary, et al., 'Losing Our Future; How Minority Youth Are Being Left Behind by the Graduation Rate Crisis', Urban Institute, 25 February 2004,   [4] Marklein, M.B. \u201cMinority enrollment in college still lagging\u201d. USA TODAY. October, 2006.", "Though affirmative action wishes to create an equality of opportunity for the poor and ethnic minorities, it also creates an unfair situation in which talented students lose their places. Ability may ultimately not be rewarded as the whole point of affirmative action is to promote a less able applicant ahead of a more able one, measured by their test scores. It undermines the fairness of the system if reasonable objective measures of a person\u2019s ability, such as exam performance and aptitude testing, are overlooked. Under a system of positive discrimination, able students from the majority group or who went to private school are required to achieve more than others to get the same reward. Furthermore, positive discrimination is bad for the talented students from the target group who would get into university even without affirmative action: the policy will undermine their achievement, making their peers (and even them) believe that they only got to where they were because of different standards. It would create a two-tiered university system, in which the achievements of one group were elevated above the achievements of another."], "type": "binary", "id": "399"}
+{"question": "Do random drug tests in schools disrupt the teacher-student relationship?", "perspectives": ["Random drug tests in schools disrupt the teacher-student relationship.", "Random drug tests in schools do not disrupt the teacher-student relationship."], "docs": ["Safeguarding the teacher-student relationship  Random drug tests change the student-teacher relationship from one of trust into one of suspicion, whereby the teachers and the school establishment become a body which many students will perceive as being out to catch them, and suspicious of all. The destruction of this trust makes it far harder for teachers to impart useful information on illegal drugs and the consequences of their use to students, and students may be less willing to seek teachers out on this information. This would lead to students relying increasingly on their peers and the internet for information on illegal drugs, and this information is far more likely to be of questionable policy or influenced by notions of drug use as 'cool' or glamorous. Thus schools' anti-drugs message may be harmed by random drug tests.", "Random drug tests may actually help remove mistrust between teachers and students. Individual suspicion will no longer be the cause of drug tests for students, but rather these tests will be something al students will face at one time or another. This means students may actually feel freer to approach their teachers, and they may feel the need to more keenly, as they know they may be tested at any time."], "type": "binary", "id": "400"}
+{"question": "Should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union?", "perspectives": ["Turkey should be allowed to join the European Union.", "Turkey should not be allowed to join the European Union."], "docs": ["Strategic position and energy benefits  There would be immense strategic benefits both to Europe and to Turkey if she were allowed to join the European Union. Turkey is already a important regional power with a lot of influence in the Middle East and Central Asia and it is already a member of NATO, which most members of the EU are also a part of. [1] This is in part because Turkey is in an immensely strategic geographic situation as the border between Europe and Asia. Historically this has meant Turkey is ideally located for trade, today it means it is strategically close to the oil and gas fields advanced economies like the EU\u2019s depend on.  Turkey is therefore vital for Europe\u2019s energy security. According to the EU energy minister \u201cTurkey comes first in these countries for cooperation\u201d on energy issues because of its location. [2] This is because Turkey is an important transit point for Oil coming through the Bosporus from the Caspian Sea and Russia and also for gas. Turkey acts as a bridge both to the Caspian and the Gulf and creates a second option for importing gas into Europe through pipelines that Europe needs as shown by the cut offs caused by Russian disputes with Belarus and Ukraine. Having gas pipelines through Turkey to the EU, such as the Nabucco pipeline, would shatter Russia\u2019s gas monopoly in Europe. [3]  [1] Solana, Javier, \u2018Why Turkey must join the European Union\u2019, CNN World, 13 June 2011,   [2] Kurtaran, G\u00f6khan, \u2018Turkey vital for energy, EU commissioner says\u2019, Daily News, 10 February 2012,   [3] Tekin, Ali, and Williams, Paul A., \u2018Europe\u2019s External Energy Policy and Turkey\u2019s Accession Process\u2019, Center for European Studies Working Paper Series #170, 2009,", "False, the EU values are present in Greece for more than three decades, but problems related with their traditional way of life are persisting more and more, knowing the fact that Greece and Turkey are sharing more or less the same cultural values. Not even to mention the cases of Bulgaria and Romania which have not changed in any way, surprisingly they are getting even worse than before. By citing the examples of how the European values will attain as far as Iran, Iraq and Syria, the argument is clearly saying that Turkey is indeed not an European country by bordering those three countries and the big question is how an actual European country as Turkey-as the case is willing to promote, \u2018\u2019has to get European values\u2019\u2019?"], "type": "binary", "id": "401"}
+{"question": "Should artists maintain full control over their publicly funded works?", "perspectives": ["Artists should maintain full control over their publicly funded works.", "Artists should not maintain full control over their publicly funded works."], "docs": ["Artists should retain the right to control their work\u2019s interaction with the public space even if their work is publicly funded  Art is the expression of its creator\u2019s sense of understanding of the world, and thus that expression will always have special meaning to him or her that no amount of reinterpretation or external appreciation can override. How a work is used once released into the public sphere, whether expanded, revised, responded to, or simply shown without their direct consent, thus remains an active issue for the artist, because those alternative experiences are all using a piece of the artist in its efforts. Artists deserve to have that piece of them treated in a way they see as reasonable. It is a simple matter of justice that artists be permitted to maintain the level of control they desire, and it is a justice that is best furnished through the conventional copyright mechanism that provides for the maximum protection of works for their creators, and allows them to contract away uses and rights to those works on their own terms. Many artists care about their legacies and the future of their artistic works, and should thus have this protection furnished by the state through the protection of copyright, not cast aside by the unwashed users of the creative commons. Samuel Beckett is a great example of this need. Beckett had exacting standards about the fashion in which in his plays could be performed. [1] For him the meaning of the art demanded an appreciation for the strict performance without the adulteration of reinterpretation. He would lack that power under this policy, meaning either the world would have been impoverished for want of his plays, or he would have been impoverished for want of his rights to his work. These rights are best balanced through the aegis of copyright as it is, not under the free-for-all of the creative commons license.  [1] Catron, L. \u201cCopyright Laws for Theatre People\u201d. 2003.", "Upon entering the public arena works of art take on characters of their own, often far different than their original creators did, or could have, imagined. The art is consumed, absorbed, and reimagined and takes on its own identity that the artist cannot claim full ownership over. It is important that art as a whole be able to thrive in society, but this is only possible when artists are able to make use of, and actively reinterpret and utilize existing works. That art does, due to its origination belong more to the people, who should have access, even if the artist, like Beckett has bizarrely rigorous feelings about the work."], "type": "binary", "id": "402"}
+{"question": "Is providing free university education a fair use of taxpayer's money?", "perspectives": ["Providing free university education is a fair use of taxpayer's money.", "Providing free university education is not a fair use of taxpayer's money."], "docs": ["Many state services are furnished that benefit a few and are not used by others. That is often just the way such services operate. So long as everyone has access to the service, then it is just to provide it out of tax revenues. Every individual, when higher education is free, can attend university without cost. That is a right every taxpayer can enjoy. If some choose not to do so, that is fine, but it does not delegitimize the government outlay.", "Free university education unjustly benefits one subset of society at the expense of everyone  The state funds essential services, but higher education is not such a service. The specific subset free university education tends to benefit not the disadvantaged, but rather the middle and upper classes who would have paid fees, but are now relieved of this burden. This pattern has been seen in Ireland where poorer communities still view higher education as something for the rich even though it is free. These groups continue to enter the workforce in similar numbers as they had before the ending of fees, and they still tend to prefer trade schools to universities if they do seek qualifications beyond the secondary level. [1]  [1] Brady, Hugh. 2008. \u201cWe Must Invest Now in Our Universities or Pay Later\u201d. University College Dublin News. Available:  \u200b 14 Government of Ireland. 1997. \u201cUniversities Act, 1997\u201d. Available:"], "type": "binary", "id": "403"}
+{"question": "Is restricting rural-urban migration beneficial for the development of rural areas?", "perspectives": ["Restricting rural-urban migration is beneficial for the development of rural areas.", "Restricting rural-urban migration is not beneficial for the development of rural areas."], "docs": ["Restrictions would benefit rural areas  Unlimited rural-urban migration erodes the economy of the cities, as shown in the previous argument, and limits their economic growth and available resources. On a national level, this causes decision makers to prioritise the cities, as the country relies more on urban than rural areas, thus preventing them from investing in the country-side. [1] China is a good example of this where urban privilege has become entrenched with \u2018special economic zones\u2019 being created in urban areas (though sometimes built from scratch in rural areas) with money being poured into infrastructure for the urban areas which as a result have rapidly modernised leaving rural areas behind. This leads to a whole culture of divisions where urbanites consider those from rural areas to be backward and less civilized. [2]  Moreover, there will be little other reason to invest in rural areas, as the workforce in those areas has left for the cities. By preserving resources in the cities and keeping the workforce in the rural areas, it becomes possible to invest in rural communities and change their lives for the better as these areas maintain the balanced workforce necessary to attract investors.  [1] Maxwell, Daniel., \u201cThe Political Economy of Urban Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d 11, London : Elsevier Science Ltd., 1999, World Development, Vol. 27, p. 1939\u00b11953. S0305-750X(99)00101-1.  [2] Whyte, Martin King, \u201cSocial Change and the Urban-Rural Divide in China\u201d, China in the 21st Century, June 2007,  p.54", "The argument is based on the idea that there is a lot of investment that is just waiting to be made in rural areas. In reality, this is not so. Until there are real investors who are prepared to change the conditions of rural areas in developing countries, it is morally bankrupt to force people to remain in an untenable situation as marketing material for hypothetical investment."], "type": "binary", "id": "404"}
+{"question": "Should a politician's personal criminal offense be grounds for dismissal from their position?", "perspectives": ["A politician's personal criminal offense should be grounds for dismissal from their position.", "A politician's personal criminal offense should not be grounds for dismissal from their position."], "docs": ["Politicians who commit crimes are likely unfit to serve.  The sort of person who commits an offense has demonstrated irresponsibility and so is unworthy of the public trust. Would any reasonable citizen wanted to be represented by a domestic abuser, or have a fraudster manage the public treasury? While almost all people are capable of atonement and redemption, someone who commits crimes worthy of prosecution while in office ought to be immediately removed for the betterment of the state.", "This is not necessarily true. A politician could be a brilliant diplomat who happens to commit a minor offence such as drink driving; very few indictable offences correlate directly with one\u2019s ability to discharge the mandate of a political office. Historically, politicians have often had their secret vices, including the rumored drug habits of many 19th century politicians, that have not impeded the performance of their duties."], "type": "binary", "id": "405"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing a reliable method for drug development?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is a reliable method for drug development.", "Animal testing is not a reliable method for drug development."], "docs": ["Animal research is necessary for the development of truly novel substances  Undoubtedly then, the most beneficial research to mankind is the development of truly novel drugs. Even according to the proposition this represents about a quarter of all new drugs released, which could be seen as significant given the great potential to relieve the suffering beyond our current capacity that such drugs promise.  After the effects, side effects and more complex interactions of a drug have been confirmed using animal and non-animal testing, it will usually pass to what is called a phase I clinical trial - tests on human volunteers to confirm how the drug will interact with human physiology and what dosages it should be administered in. The risk of a human volunteer involved in a phase I trial being harmed is extremely small, but only because animal tests, along with non-animal screening methods are a highly effective way of ensuring that dangerous novel drugs are not administered to humans. In the United Kingdom, over the past twenty years or more, there have been no human deaths as a result of phase I clinical trials.  Novel compounds (as opposed to so-called \"me-too\" drugs, that make slight changes to an existing treatment) are the substances that hold the most promise for improving human lives and treating previously incurable conditions. However, their novelty is also the reason why it is difficult for scientists to predict whether they may cause harm to humans.  Research into novel compounds would not be possible without either animal testing, or tremendous risk to human subjects, with inevitable suffering and death on the part of the trial volunteers on some occasions. It is difficult to believe that in such circumstances anyone would volunteer, and that even if they did, pharmaceutical companies would be willing to risk the potential legal consequences of administering a substance to them they knew relatively little about. In short, development of novel drugs requires animal experimentation, and would be impossible under the proposition's policy.", "This again highlights some of the problems with animal research. In the UK example cited, animal testing had been done, and the dose given to the human volunteers was a tiny fraction of the dose shown to be safe in primates. Animal research is an unreliable indicator of how drugs will react in the human body, and as such alternatives should be sought and improved upon."], "type": "binary", "id": "406"}
+{"question": "Should individuals be permitted to donate their organs at the expense of their own lives?", "perspectives": ["Individuals should be permitted to donate their organs at the expense of their own lives.", "Individuals should not be permitted to donate their organs at the expense of their own lives."], "docs": ["Providing the choice to donate at expense of one\u2019s life will simply increase the pressure on those who do not wish to donate as they now are presented with a much bigger burden when their loved one dies as they could lawfully have prevented it. Moreover the person who is receiving the donation would also have that sense of guilt of living with the knowledge that someone actively chose to sacrifice their life for them. This guilt may well be larger than having the possibility of saving someone but not acting. [1]  [1] Monforte-Royo, C., et al. \u201cThe wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies.\u201d Psycho-Oncology 20.8 (2011): 795-804.", "The guilt may be too heavy a burden for the relative who could have saved a life  It is not fair to ask of a parent to live with the guilt of having been able to save their child and not doing so. Believing that they are guilty of their child\u2019s death can cause Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which in turn is a major cause of suicides. [1]  [1] Monforte-Royo, C., et al. \u201cThe wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies.\u201d Psycho-Oncology 20.8 (2011): 795-804."], "type": "binary", "id": "407"}
+{"question": "Should profiling based on nationality or ethnicity be utilized in airport security checks?", "perspectives": ["Profiling based on nationality or ethnicity is utilized in airport security checks.", "Profiling based on nationality or ethnicity is not utilized in airport security checks."], "docs": ["When you know terrorists are likely to be members of particular national and ethnic groups, it is simply more practical to focus searches on those groups.  The reality is that all of the major terrorist attacks against Western targets in recent years have been perpetrated by young, Muslim men. It doesn\u2019t require any prejudice at all to realise that they are the most sensible group to check and recheck.  Although it is important to respect people\u2019s rights and liberties regardless of ethnicity or religious belief, a sensible security policy must force police officers and security officials to make decisions based on factual information. Everybody- including most members of the groups identified by profiling- has an interest in not being blown up on an aeroplane. They will, therefore, accept that this is a regrettable necessity. Airport staff can only stop so many people and it makes sense to target groups that terrorists are likely to be part of.", "The presumption of innocence is a principle worth defending and an important part of this is rejecting policing strategies that assume certain groups are more likely to be engage in criminal activity than others. In the last ten years, a few dozen people, at most, have been involved in terrorist acts at airports. Meanwhile, millions upon millions of young, Muslim men have flown across continents and oceans without the slightest disruption.  It is both unfair and foolish to target a single group as being more likely to contain terrorists. It builds resentment among the group concerned and is unlikely to reveal any practical results because of the numbers concerned."], "type": "binary", "id": "408"}
+{"question": "Is the international system mostly characterized by self-reliance and distrust among nations?", "perspectives": ["The international system is mostly characterized by self-reliance and distrust among nations.", "The international system is not mostly characterized by self-reliance and distrust among nations."], "docs": ["The international system is characterised by anarchy and the distribution of economic and military capabilities  Stanley Hoffman used a Neo-Realist view of International relations to build the theory of intergovernmentalism. In a neo-realist understanding the international system is characterised by anarchy and the distribution of economic and military capabilities is of primary importance. States will not trust each other but can still reach agreement, but the agreement will be characterised by bargaining and negotiation (not an automatic process!) \u2018Nations prefer the certainty, or the self-controlled uncertainty, of national self-reliance, to the uncontrolled uncertainty of the untested blender\u2019. [1]  [1] Wikipedia, \u2018Intergovernmentalism\u2019, en.wikipedia.org,", "Neo-functionalism has a liberal view of the international system; whereby agreements can be easily reached.  Actually the European Union has proven the exact opposite of the statement \u2013 \u201cNations prefer the certainty, or the self-controlled uncertainty, of national self-reliance, to the uncontrolled uncertainty of the untested blender\u201d as they give more and more power to the united institutions of the European Union \u2013 the European Commission and the European Parliament. The most recent treaty, the Lisbon treaty, proves this as it gives more rights to the EU on account of national power Lisbon\u2019 gives the European Parliament a much greater say in the EU\u2019s decision-making process, it reduced national vetos, created a president and a representative for foreign affairs. [1]  [1] Europa, \u2018Treaty of Lisbon: The Treaty at a glance\u2019, Europa.eu,"], "type": "binary", "id": "409"}
+{"question": "Is it beneficial to enforce copyright laws despite the cost and difficulty?", "perspectives": ["It is beneficial to enforce copyright laws despite the cost and difficulty.", "It is not beneficial to enforce copyright laws despite the cost and difficulty."], "docs": ["It may be costly and sometimes ineffective to police copyright, but that does not make them any less of a right worth protecting. If artists or firms feel that they might benefit from fighting infringers of their rights, they should have the right to do so, not simply be expected to roll over and give in to the pirates and law breakers. The state likewise, has an obligation to protect the rights, physical and intangible, of its citizens and cannot give up on them simply because they prove difficult and costly to enforce. Furthermore, the ensuring health of the economy is a primary duty of the state and this means aiding its domestic businesses and one of the ways it does that is by acting to enforce copyright both internally and if possible externally.", "The costs of monitoring copyright by states, artists, and lawyers far outweigh the benefits, and is often simply ineffective  The state incurs huge costs in monitoring for copyright infringement, in arresting suspected perpetrators, in imprisonment of those found guilty, even though in reality nothing was stolen but an idea that, once released to it, belonged to the public domain more or less. [1] Furthermore, the deterrent effect to copyright piracy generated by all the efforts of the state and firms has proven generally minimal. In fact, the level of internet piracy of books, music, and films has increased dramatically year on year for several years, increasing by 30% in 2011 alone. [2] This is because in many cases copyright laws are next to unenforceable, as the music and movie industries have learned to their annoyance in recent years, for example ninety percent of DVDs sold in China are bootlegs while even western consumers are increasingly bypassing copyright by using peer to peer networks. [3] Only a tiny fraction of perpetrators are ever caught, and though they are often punished severely in an attempt to deter future crime, it has done little to stop their incidence. Copyright, in many cases, does not work in practice plain and simple. Releasing works under a creative commons licensing scheme does a great deal to cope with these pressures. In the first instance it is a less draconian regime, so individuals are more willing to buy into it as a legitimate claim by artists rather than an onerous stranglehold on work. This increases compliance with the relaxed law. Secondly, the compliance means that artists are given the vocal crediting under the license rules that gives them more public exposure than clandestine copying could not. Ultimately this adaptation of current copyright law would benefit the artist and the consumer mutually.  [1] World Intellectual Property Organization. \u201cEmerging Issues in Intellectual Property\u201d. 2011   [2] Hartopo, A. \u201cThe Past, Present and Future of Internet Piracy\u201d. Jakarta Globe. 26 July 2011.   [3] Quirk, M., \u201cThe Movie Pirates\u201d, The Atlantic, 19 November 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "410"}
+{"question": "Is the commitment to free speech integral to the basic functioning and reputation of universities?", "perspectives": ["The commitment to free speech is integral to the basic functioning and reputation of universities.", "The commitment to free speech is not integral to the basic functioning and reputation of universities."], "docs": ["The academic tradition of the West  The growth of universities as beacons of free speech has been a fundamental part of their history in the West; notably during the renaissance, reformation and enlightenment. The democratisation of that process with the expansion of the university sector in recent decades is merely the latest stage in an ongoing process.  However, that entire process has been driven (along with the artistic, cultural and scientific changes they have inculcated) on the basis that universities allow for the free exchange of ideas and flourish in environments where that approach is standardised throughout society [i] . Marxist scholars have gone further in calling for a critical pedagogy in which perspectives other than academic orthodoxy are normalised within universities.  Such institutions produce the best graduates because they have the best academics and the best academics will stay where they are free to publish whatever their research is and express their own views. For example in the 1990s 55.7% of those who had immigrated to the USA from the USSR described themselves as academics, scientists, professional or technical workers. [ii] Those academics in turn respect the intellectual tradition of dissent and critical scrutiny of which they are the inheritors. To take something else and slap the name \u2018Yale\u2019\u2013 or for that matter Oxford, Harvard or ETH Zurich \u2013 on it and pretend that nothing has changed devalues the qualification. Without the intellectual dissent and freedom of academic inquiry it is intellectually dishonest to call the degree the same thing.  [i] The Nebraskan. Doug Anderson. Learning depends on the free exchange of ideas, Nebraskan says.  [ii] Harvard, \u2018Russians and East Europeans in America\u2019", "Universities also survived the inquisition, the French revolutionary terror and the tyrannies of twentieth century Europe. The issue being discussed here is not in the same league as any of those. There is, as a result, clearly nothing innate that requires an appreciation of free speech for universities to operate. Furthermore universities do not locate or relocate en masse depending on the direction of the political wind."], "type": "binary", "id": "411"}
+{"question": "Does technology alone boost entrepreneurship?", "perspectives": ["Technology alone boosts entrepreneurship.", "Technology alone does not boost entrepreneurship."], "docs": ["Credit is now becoming more accessible through technology. Mobile-banking schemes such as MPESA across East Africa and ZAAB in Somalia, use mobile phones to transfer money and payments. The mobile banking scheme is increasing the efficiency of borrowing money from social circles, enabling quick transactions to be carried out, and introducing users to a wealth of market opportunities.  Technology is integral to entrepreneurship.", "Technology will not result in entrepreneurialism without providing a foundational basis.  The key constraint for entrepreneurship is the lack of access to finance, credit, and basic infrastructure - whether a computer or technical skills on how to use different systems. Limited accessibility acts as an obstacle to entrepreneurialism.  In order to encourage an inclusive capability for youths to get involved in entrepreneurial ideas, technology training and equal start-up credit is required. Furthermore, dangers arise where credit has become easily accessible - putting individuals at risk of debt where a lack of protection and payment planning is provided.  Kenya\u2019s Uwezo Fund provides a positive example, whereby action has been taken to provide youths with safe credit. The government collaboration is calling for youths to apply for grants and loans in a bid to encourage entrepreneurial activity for all. Loans are interest-free."], "type": "binary", "id": "412"}
+{"question": "Is banning junk food in schools an effective way to improve students' dietary choices?", "perspectives": ["Banning junk food in schools is an effective way to improve students' dietary choices.", "Banning junk food in schools is not an effective way to improve students' dietary choices."], "docs": ["First of all, such loop holes can be fixed and are just a problem of practicalities, if it helps to educate the pupils, we should do it. For example, there can be an agreement that parents should not buy candy for children to take to school or just restrict stores in the neighborhood to only selling junk food during school hours as they did in Tower Hamlets (UK).  In one school surveyed, all 1,700 pupils were obliged to follow strict rules stating 'no chips, fatty foods, sweets, fizzy drinks' can be sold at the school.  A nearby fast food shop was initially allowed to sell to pupils, but parents and teachers objected, fearing it would jeopardize the school's healthy-eating policy. One resident, Edward Copeland, was so angry that he brought the case to the High Court, where the court decided, that junk food stores are not be opened during school [1] hours to support the schools strict rules.  [1] Borland S., 'Judges declare fast food takeaway near school is \u00bbunlawful\u00ab', The Daily Mail, 6 December 2010  , accessed 09/10/2011", "Pupils will bring unhealthy food with them to schools.  Frequently, a ban- whether or food, alcohol or forms of media- serves only to build interest in the things that has been prohibited. When a ban affects something that is a familiar part of everyday life that is generally regarded as benign, there is a risk that individuals may try to acquire the banned thing through other means.  Having had their perspective in junk food defined partly by attractive, highly persuasive advertising, children are likely to adopt an ambivalent perspective on any attempt to restrict their dietary choices. The extreme contrast between the former popularity of vending machines in schools and the austere approach required by new policies may hamper schools\u2019 attempts to convince pupils of the necessity and rationality of their decision.  Even though schools may be able to coerce and compel their pupils to comply with disciplinary measures, they cannot stop children buying sweets outside of school hours.  When rules at an Orange county school changed, and the cafeteria got rid of its sweets, the demand was still up high, so that the school had to figure out a way to fix the situation. They created a \u201ccandy cart\u201d \u2013 which now brings them income for sports equipment or other necessities. One of the pupils, Edgar Coker (18-year-old senior) explained that: \u201cIf I couldn\u2019t buy it here, I\u2019d bring it from home.\u201d [1]  It is difficult to regulate junk food consumption through unsophisticated measures such as prohibition. A ban my undermine attempts to alter pupil\u2019s mindsets and their perspective on food marketing and their own diets.  [1] Harris G., 'A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of School', New York Times, 2 August 2010  , accessed 09/10/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "413"}
+{"question": "Is ending inter-state conflict sufficient to solve the problem of war in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Ending inter-state conflict is sufficient to solve the problem of war in Africa.", "Ending inter-state conflict is not sufficient to solve the problem of war in Africa."], "docs": ["Not all conflict is war  What is War? The AU\u2019s declaration does not define it. Ending all conflict is ambitious, ending only inter state war in Africa on the other hand is not. The vast majority of conflicts in Africa have been internal. The only true inter state conflicts have been the wars between Israel and Egypt, the Eritrean-Ethiopian war, the Uganda-Tunisia war, and the Second Congo War. [1] None of these are ongoing. The only conflicts that might count as inter-state that might be considered ongoing are the situation in Western Sahara and border clashes between the Sudans. Western Sahara might be considered to be frozen with very few deaths as a result of it and the Sudan conflict is in large part a result of the border being new.  [1] Wikipedia, \u2018List of conflicts in Africa\u2019, accessed 10 January 2014,", "Fiddling around with what is considered to be a war is not resolving the problem of conflict in Africa. The most devastating conflicts have been internal conflicts \u2013 if we want to end war in Africa we need to prevent these conflicts from occurring too."], "type": "binary", "id": "414"}
+{"question": "Is it necessary to use child performers in films, television shows, and sports?", "perspectives": ["It is necessary to use child performers in films, television shows, and sports.", "It is not necessary to use child performers in films, television shows, and sports."], "docs": ["Child performers are necessary for roles in some films, television shows, etc., and for the survival of some sports  In some films or television shows, child actors are absolutely necessary in order to realistically portray society and the roles children play. The incredibly popular Harry Potter films, for example, would not have been half as convincing without the large cast of actors under the age of 18 playing the schoolchildren. Child actors are also necessary in the advertising industry, in order to make products appealing to a younger audience. Some sports, too, would be endangered if children were not allowed to compete. Ice skaters and dancers, for example, benefit greatly from training starting at an early age. [1]  [1] Sagolla, \u2018Dance Training for Children and Teens\u2019", "In a lot of films, television shows, and stage productions, it is possible to have young adult actors playing child roles. For example, in the popular American television show The O.C., the main characters were played by young adults ranging from 18 to 29 years of age but all portraying teenagers. [1] Sports needn\u2019t suffer either: the minimum age of competition for gymnastics has already been raised, [2] [3] and others can surely follow their example without suffering from it. If professional leagues are not allowed to roster athletes below the age of 18, for example, children will compete in amateur and educational leagues where the pressure and commitment is lower, but where they can still train for the professional arena.  [1] IMDB, \u2018The O.C.\u2019  [2] Hanley, \u2018Gymnastics \u2013 Minimum age will soon rise to 16.\u2019  [3] The Telegraph, London 2012 Olympics: artistic gymnastics guide"], "type": "binary", "id": "415"}
+{"question": "Is it justified for universities to profit from their educational and research services?", "perspectives": ["It is justified for universities to profit from their educational and research services.", "It is not justified for universities to profit from their educational and research services."], "docs": ["Universities deserve to profit from their work  Universities are providing a service just like almost any other business. They provide a service in terms of educating students who are enrolled with them and secondly they conduct research on a wide range of subjects. In both of these cases the university deserves to make a profit out of their work.  When acting as an educator universities are in an educational free market, this is the case even when the cost is provided by the state. All universities are aiming to attract as many students as possible and earn as much as possible from fees. If the university is successful it will be able to charge more as it will attract students from further afield.  While Universities may make a profit on research or even teaching this profit is for the benefit of society as a whole as the profits are usually simply reinvested in the University\u2019s education and infrastructure. [1]  [1] Anon. \u201cWhat does the money get spent on?\u201d The University of Sheffield, 2013.", "Academic work is not about profit. For most researchers the aim is to satisfy curiosity or to increase the sum of knowledge. Others are motivated by a desire to do good, or possibly for recognition. None of these things require there to be profit for the university.  Moreover we should remember that the profit is not going to the individual who did the research, there is therefore no moral justification that the person has put effort in and so deserves to profit from it. The university does not even take the risk, which is born by the taxpayer who pays the majority of the research budget. Much of the profit from publishing this knowledge does not even go to the university. Instead academic publishers make huge profits through rentier capitalism. They have profit margins of 36% despite not doing the research, or taking any risk that goes into funding the research. [1]  [1] Monbiot, George, \u201cAcademic publishers make Murdoch look like a socialist\u201d, The Guardian, 29 August 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "416"}
+{"question": "Should the government play a role in determining wage levels?", "perspectives": ["The government should play a role in determining wage levels.", "The government should not play a role in determining wage levels."], "docs": ["Democrats focus on increasing wages, creating better consumers.  Quality customers can only be created by paying people enough to allow them to purchase goods and services. You can create as many jobs as you like but if they\u2019re created at a level where consumers can\u2019t even afford to survive it does absolutely nothing to stimulate the economy. Instead Democrats believe in working with labour to ensure that wages are set at levels that both respect the worker and have a positive effect on the economy. [i]  [i] Mark Pash, CFP_ wi8th Brad Parker. \u201cProgressive Economic Principles: Creating a Quality Economy.\u201d", "It is really not up to the Government to decide when a job is \u201cgood enough\u201d, frankly when the alternative is welfare any job looks fairly attractive. It is also much easier to find new work when you are already in the job market. As well as providing an income, jobs also give the worker pride and self-respect.  It is in the interests of employers to pay as much as the market can bear \u2013 this way they get the best person for the job, however, it is not the role of government to tell them how much they should be paying as this removes the incentive to work hard."], "type": "binary", "id": "417"}
+{"question": "Would a boycott of Euro 2012 in Ukraine have negative impacts on Ukraine and Poland?", "perspectives": ["A boycott of Euro 2012 in Ukraine would have negative impacts on Ukraine and Poland.", "A boycott of Euro 2012 in Ukraine would not have negative impacts on Ukraine and Poland."], "docs": ["The boycott would affect Poland and the Ukrainian people as well as Yanukovych  A boycott of Euro 2012 even if it was meant to be limited to Ukraine would negatively impact on the whole tournament. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tust argued \"It is in Poland's undisputed interest to hold the games in Poland and Ukraine without a hitch and to prevent politics from ruining the great effort\", [1] any boycott would unnecessarily move the attention away from the games itself towards politics.  It should also be remembered that Viktor Yanukovych does not represent the whole of Ukraine and only won by a narrow margin with 48.95% of the vote compared to Yulia Timoshenko\u2019s 45.47% in the second round. [2] Arseniy Yatsenyuk leader of the Front for Change has urged leaders not to boycott \"The best scenario would be if the European leaders attended the championship, but did not meet President Yanukovych. It's supposed to be a visit to Ukrainians, not to Yanukovych\". [3] This would show that European countries support the Ukrainian people and their democratic aspirations and even hope they may be eventually will join the European Union while showing displeasure at Yanukovych\u2019s policies and lack of support for democracy.  [1] \u2018 Poland slams calls for Ukraine Euro 2012 boycott\u2019, The Warsaw Voice online, 4 May 2012.  [2] Nesterov, Andrei, \u2018How the News is Reported in Russia\u2019, School of Russian and Asian, 19 February 2010.  [3] Dorosh, Svitlana, \u2018Ukraine fights Euro 2012 boycott\u2019, BBC Ukrainian, 9 May 2012.", "A boycott of the events in Ukraine could even be good for the events in Poland as more will go there instead. It is difficult to see how the Ukrainian people are negatively affected by foreign leaders not attending matches in Ukraine. This is an action that only affects the elite."], "type": "binary", "id": "418"}
+{"question": "Has the United Nations become irrelevant in handling international issues?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations has become irrelevant in handling international issues.", "The United Nations has not become irrelevant in handling international issues."], "docs": ["Most international co-operation can takes place outside UN framework.  The major economic, political and trade issues around the world are almost all dealt with either through bilateral agreements between nations or by specialised bodies set up for that purpose \u2013 the World Bank, IMF, EU, ASEAN, NATO, WTO and so on. In all of these fields the UN is little more than an irrelevance. Even where the UN does get involved in international affairs \u2013 such as in the Libyan crisis of 2011 \u2013 it is other bodies, in that case NATO, which serve as the vehicle for international cooperation. [1]  [1] . Bolopion, Philippe. \u201cAfter Libya, the question: To Protect or Depose?\u201d. Los Angeles Times.25th August 2011.", "Despite the proliferation of supranational organisations, the United Nations remains the indispensable global forum for meeting to discuss world affairs. Indeed, in a way this expansion in the number and range of international organisations is a testament to the success of the UN model. Furthermore, many international organisations work very closely with the United Nations, or even partially within its system. For example, when the International Atomic Energy Authority assesses the compliance of nations such as Iraq or Iran with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, it is to the UN Security Council that it reports. [1]  In any case, this debate is about whether or not the United Nations has failed. Even if many decisions are now taken outside the UN framework that does not reflect badly on that body.  [1] \u201cHow many times has the IAEA reported cases to the UN Security Council?\u201d. IAEA Infolog. 15th February 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "419"}
+{"question": "Is offering amnesty to dissidents a valid method to promote free speech and reform in oppressive regimes?", "perspectives": ["Offering amnesty to dissidents is a valid method to promote free speech and reform in oppressive regimes.", "Offering amnesty to dissidents is not a valid method to promote free speech and reform in oppressive regimes."], "docs": ["This offer of amnesty serves as a powerful public statement in favour of free speech and rule of law  In offering amnesty Western governments make an exceptionally powerful public statement in the international arena, an area in which they already hold great sway as norm-setters. It is a statement that shows that they will not simply ignore the abuses of power used by repressive regimes to stifle dissent and the voices of reform. [1] Ultimately, the power of oppressors to act with impunity is the product of democracies\u2019 unwillingness to challenge them. Authoritarian regimes often claim to value freedom of the press, for example article 35 of the Constitution of the People\u2019s Republic of China guarantees it, [2] and this policy challenges them to make their practice more like what they preach. A policy of amnesty for those threatened with the lash of tyranny serves to actively protect those people while at the same time upholding the avowed principles of justice and fairness the West proclaims. This will show that the West does not play favourites or turn a blind eye to these repressions, but is an active player, willing to step in to shield those who share its dreams of a freer world. The international ridicule these policies can generate will serve to shame regimes into relaxing their policies and to embrace at least a road to reform. Nor should it be assumed that this rhetoric will have no real consequences, many authoritarian regimes encourage investment by companies from democratic countries, such investment is less likely when that company\u2019s home state is publically condemning that state by granting amnesties to dissident bloggers.  [1] Clinton, H. \u201cConference on Internet Freedom\u201d. U.S. Department of State, 8 December 2011.   [2] Fifth National People\u2019s Congress, \u201cConstitution of the People\u2019s Republic of China\u201d, 4 December 1982,", "This policy will not be a public statement of anything other than Western attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of others. It is also a powerfully hypocritical message; many democracies have libel laws that prevent libel and misrepresentation and authoritarian states should be allowed to have the same laws which will sometimes impact on bloggers. [1]  [1] Li, Eric X, \u201cThe Life of the Party\u201d, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "420"}
+{"question": "Should developed countries bear the primary responsibility for accepting migrants?", "perspectives": ["Developed countries should bear the primary responsibility for accepting migrants.", "Developed countries should not bear the primary responsibility for accepting migrants."], "docs": ["Developed countries have a greater responsibility to take in migrants  Developed countries have a responsibility to take in large numbers of migrants. There are several reasons for this. First they have a historical responsibility resulting from a legacy of colonialism, imperialism, and industrialisation that benefited the developed world at the expense of the developing world. This helped create the inequalities in the world that drive migration so developed countries should accept that a greater responsibility for migrants is the price.  Second developed countries have a much greater capacity to absorb migrants than developing countries. Developed countries have more jobs, and the ability to create more through using the state\u2019s financial resources to increase investment. They already have the legal framework for large numbers of migrants; laws that ensure equality and fair treatment regardless of religion or ethnicity. And in many cases they already have sizeable migrant communities (with some exceptions such as Japan) that help create a culture of tolerance that embraces the diversity migrants bring.", "An argument based upon \u2018historical responsibility\u2019 and capacity to absorb migrants runs into several problems. First not all developed nations bear historical responsibility for colonialism; should Switzerland and Denmark bear the same historical responsibility as the UK and France? What about countries that were themselves essentially colonies; Finland and Czech Republic? Identifying what counts towards this responsibility is tricky and very open to argument, and even more so working out how many migrants a certain responsibility should result in taking in.  Capacity to absorb migrants is also difficult to judge. A country may have a lot of migrants already showing tolerance but it could also mean that country is already at the point where it can take no more with racism and discrimination rising as a result."], "type": "binary", "id": "421"}
+{"question": "Is the Catholic Church's stance on contraception contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS?", "perspectives": ["The Catholic Church's stance on contraception is contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS.", "The Catholic Church's stance on contraception is not contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS."], "docs": ["In contradiction to the Catholic Church's responsibility to promote life.  Many Catholic countries in Africa and South America have huge problems with AIDS and HIV with thousands of people dying as a result. In a survey carried out in 20091, it was found that in sub-Saharan Africa 22.5 million people were living with HIV/AIDS and 1.3 million people died of AIDS. An enormous number of these people contracted HIV because they did not use a condom during intercourse, under the advice of the Catholic Church. It is clear, then, that the Catholic Church's stance on barrier contraception promotes the spread of AIDS. The opposition also believes that since the Catholic Church are in a position of power over a colossal number of people, they have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of those people. They must, therefore, reduce the likelihood that the people that they have power over will die as much as they can. Their ban over the use of barrier contraception is not in line with this responsibility. 1 UNAIDS global report.", "The Catholic Church also forbids sex outside of marriage. The opposition has tried to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church actually does not allow sex outside of marriage either. It is not a case of the Church saying it is acceptable to have casual sex as long as contraception is not used but saying that neither is acceptable. If abstinence were practised, there would be no HIV epidemic. Since the Church preaches abstinence outside of marriage it cannot be held accountable for the HIV epidemic."], "type": "binary", "id": "422"}
+{"question": "Is it necessary to impose International labour and business standards on developing countries?", "perspectives": ["It is necessary to impose International labour and business standards on developing countries.", "It is not necessary to impose International labour and business standards on developing countries."], "docs": ["International labour and business standards go hand in hand with development standards and will de facto increase implementation levels  What are international labour and business standards? They are globally acceptable methods of doing business and employing labour. These include Conventions Against Forced Labour [1] , Discrimination [2] and Child Labour [3] . These also form guideline structures for social policy such as labour dispute resolution bodies, employment services and good industrial relations. Therefore, this goes hand in hand with reducing poverty and increasing the standard of living of the employees, and hence the standard is a facet of development in itself. This helps in achieving the goals of a stable long term plan for economic growth as well paid workers are necessary for consumer spending. Employing higher standards would be a way to tackle the problems with distribution of aid at the grassroots and increase efficiency within the system organically. [4]  The poorest countries invariably have the lowest standards of labour and business. It is essential to raise these standards to an international level, implementing standards against practices like child labour. If this is done then the purpose of development aid, which is to increase the day to day standard of living of the people, will improve. In an absence of such a pre-requisite, a developing country will be free to employ standards that do not reflect the same principles of the donor nation. Thus, to avoid a hypocritical scenario, this pre-requisite is necessary.  [1] C029 - Forced Labour Convention, Adoption: Geneva, 14th ILC session, 28 June 1930,   [2] International Labour Office, \u2018Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention\u2019, International Labour Organisation, 1958 No.111,   [3] \u2018ILO Conventions and Recommendations on child labour\u2019, International Labour Organisation,   [4] \u2018How International Labour Standards are used\u2019, International Labour Organisation,", "Developing nations are plagued with corruption as well as desperate economic situations and are often in competition with each other in exporting whether that is manufacturing for slightly richer countries of South East Asia or natural resources in Africa.  In the context of such an economic rat race, it would be unfair to impose a western standard on these countries. An increase in standard is not a cheap process as it increases the costs of labour and will stretch resources resulting in cutting back the number of jobs and hence will increase unemployment and poverty just as happened in many Latin American countries [1] . It is better to employ many and provide some means of sustenance to all, as will happen with very low wages and standards, rather than employ less and give (relative) luxury to a few. Developing nations that have lower labour standards can gain a comparative advantage in trade: the lower the cost of the industry, greater the turnover of the industry. [2]  [1] Stern, R. and Katherine Terrell, \u2018Labor Standards and the World Trade Organization\u2019, Discussion Paper N 499,2003   [2] \u2018The benefits of International Labour Standards\u2019, International Labour Organisation,"], "type": "binary", "id": "423"}
+{"question": "Were the Bush administration's tax cuts detrimental to the economy?", "perspectives": ["The Bush administration's tax cuts were detrimental to the economy.", "The Bush administration's tax cuts were not detrimental to the economy."], "docs": ["Bush squandered an extraordinary economic legacy on tax cuts for the wealthy and too expensive and unnecessary wars.  The Clinton legacy was one of extraordinary economic health including an enormous $4,000 billion surplus. This could have been used to improve services and create jobs. Instead the Bush administration squandered this, mostly on tax cuts for the wealthy and two expensive wars. He turned the surplus on its head, leaving a budget deficit of $482 billion in 2009 with, frankly, not a lot to show for it [i] .  [i] Andrew Taylor. \u201cBush Leaving Next President Record Federal Deficit\u201d. Huffington Post. 28 July 2008.", "The logic behind tax cuts is two-fold. The first is that it isn\u2019t the government\u2019s money, it belongs to the people who worked hard to earn it. The second is that cash in people\u2019s pockets acts as a stimulus to the economy which it doesn\u2019t sitting in the government\u2019s vaults.  In terms of who benefited from the cuts, a single person earning $30,000 a year was paying $4,500 by the end of Bush\u2019s presidency as opposed to $8,400 at the end of Clinton\u2019s.  It\u2019s easy to create a surplus if you simply take people\u2019s money away from them [i] .  [i] \u201cTaxes: Clinton vs Bush\u201d. Snopes.com 22 April 2008."], "type": "binary", "id": "424"}
+{"question": "Should laws be introduced to prohibit acts of suicide?", "perspectives": ["Laws should be introduced to prohibit acts of suicide.", "Laws should not be introduced to prohibit acts of suicide."], "docs": ["The law and is to protect the state and the people from each other and to help guide people into making the right decisions for the whole of society. The important thing is that society should make a stand for what it believes is right and against what it believes is wrong. And suicide is clearly a wrongful, misguided and wasteful act from the point of view of society and the state.", "This is not the role of the criminal law  Criminal legislation is not the vehicle for society\u2019s pronouncements on questions of how one should live one\u2019s life. It instead involves the entirely practical exercise of ensuring that individuals are able to live freely and enjoy their freedom without fear of external interferences like theft, violence or murder. Criminal legislation should guarantee a safe space for autonomous individual action - like suicide."], "type": "binary", "id": "425"}
+{"question": "Should trials for minor offenses be conducted without a jury to save resources?", "perspectives": ["Trials for minor offenses should be conducted without a jury to save resources.", "Trials for minor offenses should not be conducted without a jury to save resources."], "docs": ["Having trial by jury for people accused of very small offences is a waste of resources.  Juries are very expensive and time consuming, and courts may not be capable of using them for all trials. Indeed, in both the UK and the United States, minor or petty offences can be tried without jury (such offenses are defined differently in different places; in the US petty offences are those carrying less than 6 months prison time or a fine of $5000)1. That is because in densely populated areas, the courts are simply not capable of handling all trials with juries 2. But even beyond the limitations already in place, there may be more small-scale trials which could function without juries, and free up resources. According to British government crime advisor Louise Casey, if all of the either-or cases (cases dealing with minor offences which can be tried in either a crown or a magistrates court) were shifted entirely to the latter, Britain would save \u00a330m in the costs of setting up juries. Such money could be used to help out victims of serious crimes, or otherwise improve the justice system 3. For example, if more time and money were freed up in the United States, the courts might not need to pressure so many defendants into plea bargaining, or pleading guilty without a trial in exchange for less harsh sentencing or the dropping of other charges (in 1996, about two thirds of American criminal case dispositions involved guilty pleas) 4. That would allow more trials to take place, and more justice to be done.  1.  )  2.Robert P. Connolly, \"The Petty Offence Exception and Right to a Jury Trial\"  3.Peter Wozniak, \"Trial by Jury Faces the Axe for Petty Crimes\"", "Trial by jury is too important to sacrifice it for the sake of efficiency. As explained in the Opposition case, trial by jury is one of the cornerstones of just democratic courts. There are other ways to free up resources: perhaps if we put fewer people in prison we could spend more time and money ensuring that the right people got there. As Judge McQuillan wrote, \"dedication, hard work, planning and resources are the means for dealing effectively and rationally with calendar delays.\"1  1Robert P. Connolly, \"The Petty Offence Exception and Right to a Jury Trial\""], "type": "binary", "id": "426"}
+{"question": "Is providing free school breakfast to all students financially beneficial for the government in the long term?", "perspectives": ["Providing free school breakfast to all students is financially beneficial for the government in the long term.", "Providing free school breakfast to all students is not financially beneficial for the government in the long term."], "docs": ["The upfront cost will be paid back. In the future there will be less health care costs. And there will be a more highly educated and skilled population which will mean more economic growth and tax for the government.", "A school breakfast for all is a greater cost on schools  Everything costs. Providing free school to all breakfasts will cost the government money for ingredients, cafeteria staff, administration, even possibly new facilities. In the USA the Breakfast Program costs $3.3 billion to provide free or reduced price breakfasts to 10.1 million students. [1] There is a limited total amount of money so the cost will mean there is something else the government will not be able to do. This proposal may mean, for example, that the government cannot afford to hire more teachers to reduce class sizes.  [1] Food and Nutrition Service, \u2018The School Breakfast Program\u2019, September 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "427"}
+{"question": "Is employment sufficient for women's empowerment?", "perspectives": ["Employment is sufficient for women's empowerment.", "Employment is not sufficient for women's empowerment."], "docs": ["How we define empowerment is broad - encompassing all changes that women are able to make, through agency, to tackle their subordinate position. Therefore labour force participation does provide empowerment. Labour participation provides an opportunity for women to control household resources, demand rights, and organise for equal justice. There is no silver bullet, or objective, to achieve women\u2019s empowerment.", "Women need alternatives for empowerment  Empowerment cannot be gained for women through employment, alternatives are required. A gender lens needs to be applied to women\u2019s life course from the start. To tackle the discriminatory causes of gender inequality access to sexual and reproductive health rights is required for women. Access to such rights ensures women in Africa will be able to control their body, go to school, and choose the type of employment they wish to enter into.  The importance of enabling sexual and reproductive health rights for women is being put on the agenda for Africa [1] . There is a lot to be done beyond workforce participation - ending violence against women, promoting equal access to resources, opportunities and participation. Such features will reinforce women\u2019s labour market participation, but in the jobs they want.  [1] See further readings: Chissano, 2013; Puri, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "428"}
+{"question": "Would implementing a racial quota system be beneficial in developing new players in South Africa's rugby scene?", "perspectives": ["Implementing a racial quota system would be beneficial in developing new players in South Africa's rugby scene.", "Implementing a racial quota system would not be beneficial in developing new players in South Africa's rugby scene."], "docs": ["Even if it doesn\u2019t increase the numbers at the grass roots and youth levels, it will create more players who can be selected by the provinces for Currie Cup competition. This, in turn, could give more non-white players the development and the experience they need to make it in to the national team.", "Racial quotas don\u2019t develop new players  The quota system could lead to moving players from the regional teams who generally have less non-white players pilfering them from other unions, rather \u201cHome growing\u201d them [1] .  Former Springboks coach Peter de Villiers, the first non-white person in that role, has described quotas as a \u201cwaste of time [2] \u201d.  Depending on the exact phraseology of the rules, this could even allow black players from outside South Africa (from, for example, England) to be used to fill the quota.  [1] McGregor, Liz, \u2018New Year, new model for SA Rugby? Here\u2019s hoping\u2019, Books Live, 30 December 2013,   [2] Peacock, James, \u2018Peter de Villiers says racial quotas are \u2018waste of time\u2019, BBC Sport, 15 August 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "429"}
+{"question": "Are genetically modified foods detrimental to the environment and biodiversity?", "perspectives": ["Genetically modified foods are detrimental to the environment and biodiversity.", "Genetically modified foods are not detrimental to the environment and biodiversity."], "docs": ["Genetically modified food is a danger to eco-systems.  GM foods also present a danger to the environment. The use of these crops is causing fewer strains to be planted. In a traditional ecosystem based on 100 varieties of rice, a disease wiping out one strain is not too much of a problem. However, if just two strains are planted (as now occurs) and one is wiped out the result is catastrophic. In addition, removing certain varieties of crops causes organisms, which feed on these crops, to be wiped out as well, such as the butterfly population decimated by a recent Monsanto field trial. [1] This supports the concerns that GM plants or transgenes can escape into the environment and that the impacts of broad-spectrum herbicides used with the herbicide tolerant GM crops on the countryside ecosystems have consequences. One of the impacts was that the Bacillus Thuringiensis toxin was produced by Bt crops (GMOs) on no-target species (butterflies), which lead to them dying. [2]  Another concern is also that pollen produced from GM crops can be blown into neighboring fields where it fertilizes unmodified crops. This process (cross-pollination) pollutes the natural gene pool. [3] This in turn makes labeling impossible which reduces consumer choice. This can be prevented with the terminator gene. However, use of this is immoral for reasons outlined below. Furthermore, not all companies have access to the terminator technology.  [1] Whitman D., Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful, published April 2000,  , accessed 09/02/2011  [2] WWF Switzerland, Genetically modified Organisms (GMOs): A danger to sustainable development of agriculture, published May 2005, www.panda.org/downloads/trash/gmosadangertosustainableagriculture.pdf , p.4 , accessed 09/02/2011  [3] Whitman D., Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful, published April 2000,  , accessed 09/02/2011", "The fears about GM food have been nothing more than a media spin. The media have created a story about nothing due to headlines such as 'Frankenfood'. Simply because people are scared they assert that there are not enough testing of the benefits of GM foods.  The proposition is mainly falling into a media trap because at the moment all reasonable precautions are being taken for ensured safety. There is no reason why many different strains of GM crops cannot be produced and planted - where this is not happening at present, it should be.  However, the need for many different strains is not an argument against some or all of those being GM. Adding or removing genes from natural varieties does not make the rest of their DNA identical. Furthermore, there is no concrete scientific evidence of what harm is done by the spreading of GM pollen. [1]  All these effects are considered when a genetically modified crop is to be approved for agricultural use, if a product would cause any of the above mentioned effects, it would not be approved. [2]  [1] Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, Biotechnology FAQ, Would the spread of GMO traits into traditional maize be a serious problem ?,  , accessed 09/07/2011  [2] Bionetonline.org, Is it safe to grow genetically modified foods ?,  , accessed 09/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "430"}
+{"question": "Is it fair for all viewers to fund the BBC regardless of their interest in its content?", "perspectives": ["It is fair for all viewers to fund the BBC regardless of their interest in its content.", "It is not fair for all viewers to fund the BBC regardless of their interest in its content."], "docs": ["Why should those who foot the bill have chunks of airtime from which they are, effectively, excluded.  How can it be okay for a broadcaster, funded by a compulsory levy on anyone who owns a television, to willingly produce programmes they know will cause offence to that consumer?  The charge of blasphemy is far more than saying \u2018I didn\u2019t enjoy this\u2019 or \u2018not my kind of show\u2019, it is a deeply held belief that what has been said is a deliberate and willful attack on values and beliefs that the viewer holds sacred and fundamental to who they are.  All major broadcasters, including the BBC, routinely test shows and monitor audience response and yet, in this particular regard, feel relaxed about producing material that certain viewers would consider it not only uncomfortable but sinful to watch. By definition, those viewers cannot watch those shows or, quite probably, that station and yet they are still expected to pay for it.  Even if a British viewer were to choose never to watch the BBC again because of the offence caused by programmes such as Jerry Springer: The Opera, they would still be paying the salaries of those who had caused the offence in the first place. That cannot be reasonable by any standard.", "The BBC may be unusual but it is designed to fulfill particular functions. The very reason for its existence is to provide a platform for the free expression of a wide range of views, tailored to a wide range of viewers. Within that context, it cannot be expected that everyone will feel equally comfortable with every programme \u2013 indeed if that were the case, they would be breaching their own commitments to reflect diverse, often special, interests. There are other services and broadcasters who receive support from the licence fee, so those who wish to view elsewhere are not throwing away their investment. [i]  [i] Holmwood, Leigh et al., \u2018Digital Britain: BBC licence fee to help fund broadband and ITV local news\u2019, the Guardian, 16 June 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "431"}
+{"question": "Should taxpayers of former colonial powers be obligated to pay reparations?", "perspectives": ["Taxpayers of former colonial powers should be obligated to pay reparations.", "Taxpayers of former colonial powers should not be obligated to pay reparations."], "docs": ["Taxpayers already fund the foreign aid which is distributed habitually [1] [2] ; they are not to blame for a famine in Somalia, for example, but they continue to pay for it [3] . There is frequently a disconnection between the people who pay for aid and the people who receive it. However, we recognise that the need is great enough in such countries to make it not only legitimate, but a moral duty. Most citizens of former colonial powers can recognise that some of the acts committed during colonial times was wrong and deserves repairing. Given that this is a productive means of doing so, and already has the precedent of foreign aid more generally, it is entirely appropriate.  [1] The Daily Mail. \u2018Foreign aid budget to cost every family \u00a3500\u2019. Published 22/10/2010. Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [3] BBC. \u2018Somalia famine: UK insists aid is \u201cgetting through\u201d\u2019. Published 18/08/2011. Accessed from  on 12/09/11", "Reparations unfairly target the taxpayers of former colonial powers who had nothing to do with the deeds committed under colonisation.  It is unclear who exactly is being punished under this mechanism. Ordering reparations rather than, for example, a public apology from a monarch or government, only serves to harm tax-paying citizens whose money would be used to pay such reparations. There is a huge disconnection between the people who actually committed wrongs and the people who are now forced to literally pay for them. This is likely to lead to an increase in hostility from the taxpayers who do not understand why they are being punished, towards the people of former colonies. It is no longer a case where reparations could ever be paid from the direct profits of exploitation as any profit from that must have been spent long ago. It is wrong to impose undue guilt and obligation of payment on to people who are entirely disconnected from that history."], "type": "binary", "id": "432"}
+{"question": "Does cooperation significantly influence a nation's policies and stance on human rights?", "perspectives": ["Cooperation significantly influences a nation's policies and stance on human rights.", "Cooperation does not significantly influence a nation's policies and stance on human rights."], "docs": ["Cooperation is the best way to gain influence  Cooperating with China is the best way to gain influence with the regime in order to promote democracy and human rights, engage it internationally, etc. The Chinese respond very badly to being publicly lectured or threatened, [1] but they will listen to those friendly nations who have earned their trust in ways like these. China for example often follows Russia, since the beginning of the 1990s its biggest arms supplier, when it comes to voting in the United Nations Security Council. Thus both vetoed sanctions against Syria in 2011 and shortly after Russia shifted its position to urging Assad to carry out reforms China followed. [2] The influence of the United States over other East Asian states in encouraging their democratization also shows that friends can apply influence on issues such as human rights as well as where interests coincide; The United States played a key role in sheparding Philippine dictator Marcos out of office and then encouraged Korean President Chun Doo Hwan to stick to a single term of office and not to use force against the opposition in 1988. [3] Lifting the ban is an investment in the future of the Europe-China relationship, and could be of benefit to the whole world, not just the EU.  [1] Byrnes, Sholto, \u2018David Cameron\u2019s China visit\u2019, 2010.   [2] Chulov, Martin, \u2018China urges Syria regime to deliver on promised reforms\u2019, 2011.   [3] Oberdorfer, Don, The Two Koreas, 2001, pp.163-4, 170.", "Cooperation has very little to do with influence in international affairs, what matters is how aligned the national interests of the two powers are. This is the case with Russia and China where both want to blunt western power, prevent separatism, and endorse what Russia calls \u2018sovereign democracy\u2019 which means a rejection of notions of universal human rights. [1] The areas that the EU most wants progress on among the least likely for there to be Chinese action without any kind of incentive. Lifting the ban will likely help with trade, something that China sees as being in its interest, but will make little difference to China\u2019s policies towards human rights and other areas where it considers any criticism to be outside interference.  [1] Menon, Rajan, \u2018The China-Russia Relationship\u2019, 2009, pp.13-15."], "type": "binary", "id": "433"}
+{"question": "Is a graduate tax an effective method to increase access to higher education?", "perspectives": ["A graduate tax is an effective method to increase access to higher education.", "A graduate tax is not an effective method to increase access to higher education."], "docs": ["Delivering funding via a graduate tax is the best way to encourage more students to enter higher education  A graduate tax is the best way to increase access to higher education without massively burdening the government with an open-ended financial commitment. It is not a deterrent to the poorer students in the way fees and loans-based schemes are and which simply appear to block access, yet it still delivers sufficient extra capital to fund the increase of students entering university. Australia\u2019s introduction of a graduate tax has been successful enough to allow university places to grow rapidly following its introduction with participation from both high and low income groups increasing by approximately one third. (Chapman, B. 1997). Therefore, a graduate tax removes the expensive barriers to entry that had previously kept out low-income groups, whilst not discouraging the high-income groups from tertiary education.", "The prospect of life-long higher-tax status will in fact act as a deterrent to many weaker students who doubt their abilities to make a success of a university degree, or those from poorer backgrounds with no family tradition of higher education. Introducing a graduate tax will simply come across as penalizing those who want to go into higher education rather than encouraging it. The real key to improved access to higher education lies in both better secondary education, as at present many potentially able students are failed by poor schools and are unable to achieve the qualifications needed to go on to university and by providing more bursaries for those from disadvantaged backgrounds."], "type": "binary", "id": "434"}
+{"question": "Is it necessary for western countries to enforce stricter labor standards?", "perspectives": ["It is necessary for western countries to enforce stricter labor standards.", "It is not necessary for western countries to enforce stricter labor standards."], "docs": ["There is uneven implementation of labour standards even in western countries  Western countries often do embrace high levels of labour standards or do not follow their labour regulations. Germany for example has no minimum wage [1] while the USA has no legal or contractual requirement to provide minimum amounts of leave. [2] Moreover it is the demand for the cheapest possible products that drives down labour standards worldwide. If western nations truly want to change labour standards then the way to do it is with the consumer\u2019s wallet not the aid chequebook. British clothing retailers such as Primark are often shown to be buying their products from sweatshops that use illegal workers, and exploit their labour [3] . If there is to be real lasting change in labour standards western firms need to be the ones pushing high labour standards and consumers would need to not automatically go for the cheapest product available.  [1] Schuseil, Philine, \u2018A review on Germany\u2019s minimum wage debate\u2019, bruegel, 7 March 2013,   [2] Stephenson, Wesley, \u2018Who works the longest hours?\u2019, BBC News, 23 May 2012,   [3] Dhariwal, Navdip. \"Primark Linked to UK Sweatshops.\" BBC News. BBC, 01 Dec. 2009. Web.", "It is irrelevant that some western countries do not always meet the highest labour standards; does it matter that Germany does not have a national minimum wage when there are minimum wages for each sector? These are countries where one labour standard can be sacrificed because the pay and standards elsewhere are much higher.  Of course consumers should be supporting attempts to increase labour and business standards but this is hardly exclusive; there is little reason for aid donors not to be demanding high standards at the same time as consumers are."], "type": "binary", "id": "435"}
+{"question": "Is the use of contraception against the teachings of the Catholic Church?", "perspectives": ["The use of contraception is against the teachings of the Catholic Church.", "The use of contraception is not against the teachings of the Catholic Church."], "docs": ["The Catholic Church believes that any limitation of procreation is against God.  Catholics consider the first commandment given to them by God to be to 'multiply'1. In light of this, anything that limits procreation, be it the use of contraception or even condoning the use of contraception, is against God. It is important to remember that the Catholic Church's primary obligation is not to its people but to God. The Church is, therefore, justified in any action where the alternative is going against what they believe to be the wishes of God, even if it is harmful to the people of the Church. 11:28, The Book of Genesis, The Bible.", "The commandment given is to 'go forth and multiply', not to multiply as much as possible with no thought for sustainability. Contraception can help monogamous couples control the amount of children they have and when so that they can ensure they don't have more children than they can sustainably provide for. The idea that any limitation of procreation is against God is a single interpretation of a very ambiguous passage. The Catholic Church has the freedom to choose the interpretation that is best for humanity."], "type": "binary", "id": "436"}
+{"question": "Does state control over universities compromise their academic independence?", "perspectives": ["State control over universities compromises their academic independence.", "control over universities does not compromise their academic independence."], "docs": ["State control of acceptance/curriculum criteria has negative effects  When the state has control of the purse strings, it wields a great deal of power over universities. In the case of Ireland, for example, the government has so much influence over higher education that it altered the governing structures of the major universities in 2000 through legislation and has representation on the Boards of each university. This degree of control is negative to the academic independence of universities.1 Universities operate best when they are independent of outside control and agendas. For the sake of free scholarship, free university education should not be instituted.  1 Government of Ireland. 1997. \u201cUniversities Act, 1997\u201d. Available:", "Publicly funded universities in practice do not become parrots of the state\u2019s agenda; far from it, in fact. Often it is public institutions that are the most outspoken against government activities. The University of California, Berkeley, for example, is one of the most politically active campuses in the United States and is a public institution. States tend to let universities govern themselves, accepting that they are generally better through self-governance. Similarly, the state controls both primary and secondary education, so would the privatisation of these too further benefit independent thinking?"], "type": "binary", "id": "437"}
+{"question": "Is the growing representation of women in African politics a significant factor in the continent's economic development?", "perspectives": ["The growing representation of women in African politics is a significant factor in the continent's economic development.", "The growing representation of women in African politics is not a significant factor in the continent's economic development."], "docs": ["Women provide a platform for economic development  Where women in Africa are treated more as equals and are being given political power there are benefits for the economy. Africa is already surging economically with 6 out of the world\u2019s ten fastest growing economies in the past decade being a part of sub-Saharan Africa [1] .  While some of the fastest growing economies are simply as a result of natural resource exploitation some are also countries that have given much more influence to women. 56% of Rwanda\u2019s parliamentarians are women. The country\u2019s economy is growing; its poverty rate has dropped from 59% to 45% in 2011 and economic growth is expected to reach up to 10% by 2018. Women become the driving force of the socio-economic development after the 1994 genocide with many taking on leadership roles in their communities. [2]  In Liberia, since Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took the presidency seat on January 2006, notable reforms have been implemented in the country to boot the economy, and with visible results. Liberia\u2019s GDP has grown from 4.6% in 2009 to 7.7% by the end of 2013.  Men in Africa on the other hand have often lead their countries into war, conflict, discord, and the resulting slower economic growth. Men fight leaving women behind to tend the household and care for the family. Giving women a greater voice helps encourage longer term thinking and discourages conflict, one of the main reasons for Africa\u2019s plight in the second half of the 20th century. The feminisation of politics has been identified by Stephen Pinker as one of the causes for a decline in conflict. [3] When peace brings economic growth women will deserve an outsize share of the credit.  [1] Baobab, \u2018Growth and other things\u2019, The Economist, May 1st 2013   [2] Izabiliza, Jeanne, \u2018The role of women in reconstruction: Experience of Rwanda\u2019, UNESCO,   [3] Pinker, S., The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, 2011", "While it is true that the quota of women in African politics is growing, it is still a far stretch from the control needed to have a credible influence on the economy. It is true; they have high representation in Rwanda, in South Africa, in Liberia and Malawi [1] . But the rest of the continent is lacking in women representation.  Africans appear to not be ready to empower their women; the overall representation of women in the continent is lower than in Europe or North America.  Politics is also not always central to running the economy. There may be women in parliament but do they have an influence on the economy as ministers? In South Africa only 19% of board members are women and they make up less than 20% of top management positions. [2] The future for Africa\u2019s economy hinges not on the representation of women in politics but in investments, good resource managements, developing infrastructure and a cleansing of the system of corruption.  [1] The Economist, \u2018Africa\u2019s female politicians: Women are winning\u2019, 9 November 2013,   [2] Thorpe, Jen, \u2018Why are there still so few female leaders?\u2019, women24,"], "type": "binary", "id": "438"}
+{"question": "Is unrestricted freedom of speech essential for societal progress?", "perspectives": ["Unrestricted freedom of speech is essential for societal progress.", "Unrestricted freedom of speech is not essential for societal progress."], "docs": ["Freedom of speech  Artists ought to be allowed to express themselves, and display the world they see, as they see it.  Freedom of speech is considered integral to the modern democracy, and with good reason! Free speech makes a vital contribution to a plurality of ideas. It is only when a great number of ideas are expressed and challenged, such that people\u2019s beliefs remain fluid, and can be formed and reformed, that we are able to arrive at such a point where we are likely to progress. This \u2018marketplace of ideas\u2019 prevents us from stagnating; from continuing harmful practices and modes of thought simply because they are traditional.  The more free speech is limited, the less able we are to access this plurality of ideas, and thus the less able we are to truly challenge harmful habits.", "Freedom of speech is evidently not an absolute right: it is not something that we consider to be inviolable and able to \u2018trump\u2019 all other rights. Note, for instance, that many countries have restrictions on freedom of speech preventing hate speech and other transgressions.  We can, therefore, limit freedom of speech in instances where the benefits outweigh the harm: the benefit in this instance being the prevention of harm to individuals as a result of the art."], "type": "binary", "id": "439"}
+{"question": "Will the economic future of Africa be primarily driven by men?", "perspectives": ["The economic future of Africa will be primarily driven by men.", "The economic future of Africa will not be primarily driven by men."], "docs": ["Africa's greatest needs are for infrastructure and education  Africa\u2019s greatest needs for development are infrastructure and education. Neither of these needs implies that women are about to become key to the African economy.  Africa is severely deficient in infrastructure; Sub Saharan Africa generates the same amount of electricity as Spain, a country with one seventeenth the population. The World Bank suggests \u201cif all African countries were to catch up with Mauritius in infrastructure, per capita economic growth in the region could increase by 2.2 percentage points. Catching up with Korea\u2019s level would increase economic growth per capita by up to 2.6 percent per year.\u201d [1]  There are numerous projects to alleviate this deficit such as immense projects like the Grand Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo which could power not just the country but its neighbours too. [2] However if construction is the key to the future then this implies men are going to continue to have more impact as the construction industry is traditionally dominated by men.  Africa has been making strides in education for women. Yet there still remains a gap. To take a few examples the youth female literacy rates in Angola 66%, Central African Republic 59%, Ghana 83% and Sierra Leone 52% is still lower than youth male literacy rates or 80%, 72%, 88%, and 70%. [3] And the gap often increases with further education. To take Senegal as an example there are actually more girls than boys enrolled in primary education, a ratio of 1.06 but for secondary this drops to 0.77 and to 0.6 for tertiary. The situation is the same in other countries; Mauritania 1.06, 0.86, 0.42, Mozambique, 0.95, 0.96, 0.63, and Ghana 0.98, 0.92, 0.63. [4]  With women not breaking through to the highest level in education it is unlikely that they will be the main driver of the economy in the future. Their influence may increase as a result of increasing education at lower levels but without equality at the highest level they are unlikely to become key to their countries economic future as the highest skilled jobs and the roles of directing the economy will still be carried out primarily by men.  [1] \u2018Fact Sheet: Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa\u2019, The World Bank,   [2] See the Debatabase debate \u2018 This House would build the Grand Inga Dam\u2019  [3] UNESCO Institute for Statistics, \u2018Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24)\u2019, data.worldbank.org, 2009-2013,   [4] Schwab Klaus et al., The Global Gender Gap Report 2013, World Economic Forum, 2013,  , pp.328, 276, 288, 208 (in order of mentioning, examples taken pretty much at random \u2013 though there are one or two where the ratios actually don\u2019t change much such as Mauritius, but that is against the trend)", "Neither education not infrastructure can discount the possibility of women being key to the economic future. Yes infrastructure is needed before many businesses can reach their full potential. But the same limits are on men and women. The lack of infrastructure does not necessarily mean that men will be the ones who benefit. Nor can we be certain that Africa will develop through building infrastructure in the manner than China has. Some infrastructure may become unnecessary; for example there is now no need to build extensive systems of landlines as a result of the use of mobile phones. Other technologies in the future may make other large scale infrastructure projects less necessary \u2013 for example community based renewable energy.  Similarly education is not destiny; those who do not go to university may well contribute as much as those who do. Moreover this education gap simply shows that when it is closed the impact from women will be all the greater."], "type": "binary", "id": "440"}
+{"question": "Does Scotland financially subsidize England?", "perspectives": ["Scotland financially subsidizes England.", "cotland does not financially subsidize England."], "docs": ["Scotland needs English economic muscle as through the Barnett formula England, especially the Southeast effectively subsidizes the rest of the UK in general and Scotland in particular  The Barnett established the model by which money is divided up within the regions and nations of the UK. The formula works greatly to Scotland\u2019s advantage with a net flow of funding heading north.  The English taxpayer subsidizes Scots to the tune of \u00a319bn a year (2009-10). [i] Without that subsidy The Scottish government would not have been able to give away the many benefits that have been handed out by the devolved authorities.  Scotland needs English support financially just as she does in terms of diplomatic representation or political muscle.  [i] McLaren, John et al., \u2018Financial Implications of Different Fiscal Arrangements For Scotland\u2019, CPPR Centre for Public Policy for Regions, June 2011,", "The Scottish budget runs at a surplus of about 1%, unlike the UK\u2019s, and so the Scots are actually subsidizing their neighbours. [i] It is also important to take into account the vast amount of wealth that has fled south in the shape of North Sea oil revenue and the talent that has been sucked up by London in terms of not only work but also with the number of Scots soldiers sent to fight English wars.  Perhaps the best example of this historically is Glasgow which literally built the British Empire \u2013 mostly to English benefit \u2013 only to be discarded to some of the worst poverty in the developed world when it was no longer useful  [i] Chakrabortty, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "441"}
+{"question": "Is genetically modified food safe for public consumption?", "perspectives": ["Genetically modified food is safe for public consumption.", "Genetically modified food is not safe for public consumption."], "docs": ["This debate should be decided on the basis of hard facts, not woolly assertions and environmental sentiment. Until scientific tests show there to be some real risk of harm from farming and eating GM food there is no case for a ban or a moratorium.  Not only is genetically modification well understood but extensive testing is applied to every new GM foodstuff before it is placed on the market.  The European Food Safety Authority explains that tests of GMOs include a comparative assessment between the GMO and its non-GMO counterpart and there is a case by case evaluation of every single GMO entering the market \u2013 however, because products are so different there is no \u201cby the book\u201d procedure for testing. [1]  Researcher Nina Fedoroff from the Penn State University explains: \u201cGenetically modified foods are as safe to eat as foods made from plants modified by more traditional methods of plant breeding. In fact, they are very probably safer, simply because they undergo testing that has never been required for food plants modified either by traditional breeding techniques or by mutagenesis, both of which can alter a plant's chemical composition.\u201d [2]  [1] European Food Safety Agency, FAQ on genetically modified organisms,  , accessed 09/05/2011  [2] Pacchioli D., Are genetically modified foods safe to eat ?,  , accessed 08/28/2011", "Genetically modified food is too new and little researched to be allowed for public use.  There are two problems associated with scientifically testing the impact of genetically modifying food. The first is that 'Peer review' (the checking of scientific test results by fellow scientists) is often made impossible by the unwillingness of biotechnology companies to give up their results for review. [1]  Furthermore, government agencies are often unwilling to stop GM foodstuffs reaching the shelf because of the clout that the companies have with their government. So in regards to research, there have not yet been unbiased findings showing that GMO crops are safe.  It is true, that in the US, there have been no adverse consequences from over 500 field releases in the United States. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) evaluated in 1993 data on genetically modified organisms regarding safety claims. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) believes that the USDA evaluation was too small scale, to actually asses the risks. Also many reports also failed to mention or even measure any environmental risks connected with GM food commercialisation. [2]  Also, there are a number of dangers associated with the food itself, even without scientific evaluations. For example, the addition of nut proteins to soybeans caused those with nut allergies to go into shock upon eating the soybeans. Although this was detected in testing, sooner or later a transferred gene will cause risk to human health because the scientists did not conceive it could be a problem. [3] This will become a greater problem as more modifications are introduced. There are also possible dangers associated with the scientific technique itself by which the DNA is modified, an example is the spread of antibiotic resistance.  [1] Pusztai A., Genetically modified foods: Are they a risk to Human/Animal Health ?, published June 2001,  , accessed 09/02/2011  [2] Shah A., Is GE food safe ?, Global Issues,  , accessed 09/02/2011  [3] European Federation of Biotechnology, Allergies from GM food, published September 2000,  , accessed 09/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "442"}
+{"question": "Is promoting self-determination a beneficial solution for resolving territorial disputes?", "perspectives": ["Promoting self-determination is a beneficial solution for resolving territorial disputes.", "Promoting self-determination is not a beneficial solution for resolving territorial disputes."], "docs": ["Self-determination offers a way to resolve otherwise intractable disputes.  Many modern nation states are the product of historical accident or hurried decolonisation processes that did not properly take account of ethnic or religious differences between peoples in the states that resulted. Examples can be seen all over the world but especially in Asia, Africa and the former Soviet Union, where postcolonial or post-Cold War boundaries separate people from their kin against their wills. Other territories may be disputed between one or more nation.  Allowing ethnic or religious groups self-determination may help to reverse the harmful effect of artificial, poorly-drawn borders. If self-determination is universally accepted (and applied) by the international community as a key principle in such disputes, they may in future be easier to resolve.  Two examples; Kashmir, which straddles the line of partition drawn up by the British when granting independence to India and Pakistan in 19471; and the Falkland Islands, which are the object of dispute between the UK and Argentina, including a brief war in 19822. History, law geography all offer competing and incompatible views of who should rightfully own these territories. If we recognise the principle of self-determination as key, however, it is clear that it is the view of the inhabitants that should decide its future. Indeed, if this principle is ignored, such disputes will rumble on for many years to come.  1 \"Kashmir: Run-up to Partition\", Globalsecurity.org 2 \"Falklands/Malvinas War\",Globalsecurity.org For the Falkland Islanders' view of self-determination, see Falkland Island Government website, \"Falklands call on UN Committee to uphold right to self-determination\",", "It is true that many modern states have somewhat artificial or arbitrary boundaries. However, this applies to some or other extent to all states everywhere in the world; indeed, the nation state as we know it is a relatively modern construct, and no nation state is completely ethnically or culturally homogenous. There are certainly places in the world where minorities are oppressed, but insisting on self-determination as a universal human right often merely encourages separatism, racial tension and conflict.  Furthermore, self-determination is often used by states as a casus belli and used to justify interference in neighbour's affairs and even invasion \u2013 as in the conflict between Russia and Georgia in 2008, ostensibly over the treatment of ethnic Russians in South Ossetia 1, or Hitler\u2019s invasion of the Sudetenland in 1938 on the pretext that ethnic Germans in that area should belong to the German Reich 2. If we place too much emphasis on the importance of self-determination in all situations it may lead to worse international relations, not better. At any rate, it has not helped us solve problems in places such as Kashmir or the Falklands, which are still disputed.  Additionally, self-determination may not help us in cases such as that of the Falklands, where almost all the inhabitants are of British descent, since Argentina argues that they are in effect illegal settlers who have no right to be there in the first place.  Finally, the broader international context may mean that other interests or legal agreements must take precedence. For example, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 not out of any desire of Hong Kong Chinese to self-determination but simply because Britain\u2019s 99-year lease on the bulk of the territory was due to expire.  1 Cornell, Svante: \u201cWar in Georgia, Jitters All Round\u201d, Current History, October 2008.   2 \u201cSudetenland\u201d, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "443"}
+{"question": "Is increasing teachers' salaries the best solution to improve the education system?", "perspectives": ["Increasing teachers' salaries is the best solution to improve the education system.", "Increasing teachers' salaries is not the best solution to improve the education system."], "docs": ["Social Policy for satisfied teachers  The creation of national social policies which provide secure, and stable, wages for teachers is fundamental. Social policy can make satisfied teachers. A key concern amongst teachers is finance - inadequate wages and insurance. Teacher wages is considerably lower than other formal professions - combining to enforce low morale and occupational motivation as pay is too low to sustain individuals and households (Bennell, 2004). In South Africa an average teaching salary is 19,535 ZAR in contrast to the 28,235 ZAR average granted in all jobs in South Africa (Salary Explorer, 2013).  Further, social policy is required to introduce teacher pension schemes. Pension schemes are provided for workers within the formal employment sector, by various public organisations - including the government and GEPF [1] . However, some national pension schemes are more developed than others and teachers need to be ensured the profession can provide investments for future security. An ageing population only reinforces its importance.  [1] See further readings: GEPF, 2013.", "A key concern for government\u2019s education policy is ensuring efficiency in the allocation of resources. Investment is required in management structures - to ensure teachers accept the social contract of responsibility, and duty, to the services provided and enable the efficient allocation of public resources.  Weaknesses have been identified with regards to resources being lost or misused in districts or schools. The rising cases of \u2018Ghost teachers\u2019 - teachers who are not real but created to exist on paper - indicates the scope of chaotic management structures and persistent corruption. Resources are being lost through cases of manipulation, whether by teachers or government officials embezzling money. Reports from Sierre Leone, Uganda, and Libya, showcase the concerning reality [1] . Before higher wages can be provided, forgeries need to be resolved. A system needs to be built which enables monitoring to ensure real teachers are paid and found.  [1] See further readings: All Africa, 2012; The Informer, 2013; and BBC News, 2008."], "type": "binary", "id": "444"}
+{"question": "Is the potential for information abuse a compelling argument against government surveillance programs?", "perspectives": ["The potential for information abuse is a compelling argument against government surveillance programs.", "The potential for information abuse is not a compelling argument against government surveillance programs."], "docs": ["Abuse of information and power by intelligence agencies  Even when the government does not intend harm there are still cases where direct harms can occur as a result of surveillance. The most worrying are where the state abuses the information it holds. Abuse of power and of the information held by government is perhaps the main reason why it is difficult to trust in intelligence agencies. In one historical example from the 1950s FBI agents interviewed a Brooklyn liquor importer for repeating a rumor that the FBI Director J Edgar Hoover might be a \u201cqueer\u201d. This clearly necessitated a reminder through questioning that Hoover\u2019s \u201cpersonal conduct is beyond reproach,\u201d leading to the man quickly agreeing that \u201che thinks Mr. Hoover has done a wonderful job.\u201d [1] Did this have anything to do with national security? No. Was it an abuse of power and surveillance? Yes. So far as we are aware the intelligence agencies don\u2019t do things quite like this anymore but the revelations like PRISM, or the waterboarding a decade ago, show they are still happy to abuse their position from time to time. This is hardly a good way to build trust.  [1] Gage, Beverly, \u2018It\u2019s Not About Your Cat Photos\u2019, Slate, 10 June 2013,", "The circumstances in the cold war were clearly different to today so this kind of abuse of power would be unlikely to happen. More broadly yes there is the potential for abuse in much the same way that there are people in banks who could steal large quantities of other people\u2019s money. That there is a potential opportunity does not mean it is ever used. Abuse can never be totally avoided but if abuse is a concern then whether or not there is a program of surveillance is not the highest concern. Even if there were not wide ranging surveillance problems those in intelligence looking to abuse their position would be able to obtain the information because they have the technology to do so."], "type": "binary", "id": "445"}
+{"question": "Does employment necessarily reduce poverty for women in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Employment necessarily reduces poverty for women in Africa.", "Employment does not necessarily reduce poverty for women in Africa."], "docs": ["The importance of jobs in livelihoods - money  Jobs are empowerment. Building sustainable livelihoods, and tackling poverty in the long term, requires enabling access to capital assets. A key asset is financial capital. Jobs, and employment, provide a means to access and build financial capital required, whether through loans or wages. When a woman is able to work she is therefore able to take control of her own life. Additionally she may provide a second wage meaning the burden of poverty on households is cumulatively reduced. Having a job and the financial security it brings means that other benefits can be realised such as investing in good healthcare and education. [1] .  Women working from home in Kenya, designing jewellery, shows the link between employment and earning an income [2] . The women have been empowered to improve their way of life.  [1] See further readings: Ellis et al, 2010.  [2] See further readings: Petty, 2013.", "The relation between employment, money, and household poverty is not a simple correlation when we consider the type of jobs women are entering. In developing countries work in the informal economy is a large source of women\u2019s employment (Chen et al, 2004). In the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, 84% of women in non-agricultural work are in the informal economy (ILO, 2002). Only 63% of men work in the informal economy. Women represent a large proportion of individuals working in informal employment and within the informal sector. Informal employment means employment lacks protection and/or benefits, and the informal sector involves unregistered or unincorporated private enterprises.  Such a reality limits the capability to use employment to escape poverty (see Chant, 2010). With wages low, jobs casual and insecure, and limited access to social protection schemes or rights-based labour policies, women are integrated into vulnerable employment conditions. Data has shown informal employment to be correlated with income per capita (negative), and poverty (positive) (ILO, 2011). Further, the jobs are precarious and volatile - affected by global economic crisis.  Women\u2019s employment in Africa needs to be met with \u2018decent\u2019 work [1] , or women will be placed in risky conditions.  [1] See further readings: ILO, 2014."], "type": "binary", "id": "446"}
+{"question": "Is the taxation of legal drugs beneficial to the state?", "perspectives": ["The taxation of legal drugs is beneficial to the state.", "The taxation of legal drugs is not beneficial to the state."], "docs": ["Legal drugs would increase tax revenue  In 2009-2010, the tax revenue from tobacco in the UK was \u00a310.5 billion. [1] If the state legalizes drugs, it can tax them and use the revenue from this practise to fund treatment. At the moment such treatment is difficult to justify as it appears to be spending ordinary taxpayers\u2019 money on junkies.  [1] Tobacco Manufacturers\u2019 Association, \u2018Tax Revenue From Tobacco\u2019, accessed 16th June 2011 -", "If the state is to make money from taxing drugs, this undercuts the (supposed) advantages of lower-priced drugs and will just encourage a black market to continue. In the UK, there is large black market for tobacco; it is suspected that tax has not been paid on 21% of cigarettes and 58% of hand rolling tobacco consumed. [1] Furthermore, for the state to take revenue from this practise is morally wrong, whatever use the money is put to. The point of drug treatment is to help abusers off drugs, but under the proposition\u2019s system the state would have a financial interest in prolonging addiction.  [1] Tobacco Manufacturers\u2019 Association, \u2018Tobacco Smuggling and Crossborder Shopping\u2019,"], "type": "binary", "id": "447"}
+{"question": "Is censoring social media sites an effective solution to prevent social disruptions and violence?", "perspectives": ["Censoring social media sites is an effective solution to prevent social disruptions and violence.", "Censoring social media sites is not an effective solution to prevent social disruptions and violence."], "docs": ["Even sites that appeared innocent have had a devastating effect on society.  Some governments, such as the Vietnamese government [1] , have already seen sufficient cause to ban social networking sites such as Facebook. Recently in the UK, many major cities witnessed devastation and destruction as social networking sites were used to co-ordinate wide-scale riots which rampaged over London, Manchester, Birmingham, Worcestershire, Gloucester, Croydon, Bristol, Liverpool and Nottingham [2] . Rioters contacted each other through Facebook and blackberry instant messenger to ensure that they could cause maximum damage [3] , which resulted in the destruction of property [4] , physical violence towards others [5] , and even the deaths of three young men [6] . These events prove that seemingly innocent Internet sites can be used by anybody, even apparently normal citizens, to a devastating effect which has caused harm to thousands [7] . To protect the population and maintain order, it is essential that the government is able to act to censor sites that can be used as a forum and a tool for this kind of behaviour when such disruption is occurring.  [1] AsiaNews.it, \u2018Internet censorship tightening in Vietnam\u2019, 22 June 2010,  09/09/11  [2] BBC News, \u2018England Riots\u2019, 8 February 2012,  on 09/09/11  [3] BBC News, \u2018England riots: Two jailed for using Facebook to incite disorder\u2019, 16 August 2011,  on 09/09/11  [4] Hawkes, Alex, Garside, Juliette and Kollewe, Julia, \u2018UK riots could cost taxpayer \u00a3100m\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 9 August 2011,  on 09/09/11.  [5] Allen, Emily, \u2018We will use water cannons on them: At last Cameron orders police to come down hard on the looters (some aged as young as NINE)\u2019, Mail Online, 11 August 2011,  on 09/09/11.  [6] Orr, James, \u2018Birmingham riots: three men killed \u2018protecting homes\u2019\u2019, The Telegraph, 10 August 2011,  on 09/09/11.  [7] Huffington Post, \u2018UK Riots: What Long-Term Effects Could They Have?\u2019, 10 August 2011,  on 09/09/11.", "Given the number of people who actually use Facebook [1] and other social networking sites, these occurrences were remarkably small [2] . These riots cannot be attributed to Facebook; it was the mindset of the rioters rather than Facebook itself which provided the raw determination for these riots to occur. If Facebook had been censored, they may have simply used mobile phones to co-ordinate their actions instead. Censoring these sites would not prevent such events, and would anger those who use Facebook to communicate with friends [3] and share photos [4] innocently.  [1] BBC News, \u2018Facebook hits 500m user milestone\u2019, 21 July 2010,  09/09/11.  [2] BBC News, \u2018UK Riots: Trouble erupts in English cities\u2019, 10 August 2011,  on 09/09/11.  [3] Santos, Elena, \u201cThe ultimate social network\u201d, softonic,  on 09/09/11.  [4] Santos, Elena, \u201cThe ultimate social network\u201d, softonic,  on 09/09/11."], "type": "binary", "id": "448"}
+{"question": "Is the position of High Representative effective in shaping and implementing common foreign policies in the EU?", "perspectives": ["The position of High Representative is effective in shaping and implementing common foreign policies in the EU.", "The position of High Representative is not effective in shaping and implementing common foreign policies in the EU."], "docs": ["The High Representative will be a catalyst and a facilitator for decision-making.  The High Representative will not only act as a spokesman for EU nations when they agree on foreign policies, but will act as a catalyst around which external policy will increasingly become coordinated. By chairing meetings of EU foreign ministers, he or she will be able to shape the agenda and influence the outcomes of meetings, encouraging member states increasingly to think in terms of common foreign policy positions. They will have added authority from their ability to speak for the EU in the UN Security Council. The High Representative will also direct the EU\u2019s new External Action Service, which brings together policy specialists from both the Council and Commission in a unique manner (ranging from the Arctic region to nuclear safety and enlargement) 1. With representatives all over the world the EU will develop a foreign service capable of creating and articulating policy positions in a manner that few national governments can match. Over time this will promote the evolution of a true EU foreign and security policy, and will contribute significantly to increased European consciousness among EU citizens and further moves to political unity.  1. European Union External Action, Policies, accessed 1/8/11", "The position of High Representative will be, and has been, largely powerless, because the member states have such divergent interests that agreement will be rare, and that attempts to devise a common foreign policy for the EU are doomed. Because control of foreign policy is such a key aspect of sovereignty, it would be wrong for national governments to give this power away to the EU, which is less democratically accountable. If the EU and its High Representative do try to pressure states into common positions this may well backfire, creating strong anti-EU feeling in both national governments and public opinion. Pushing too hard for a common foreign policy and giving too much power to an unelected High Representative may instead begin to tear Europe apart. 1  1. Traynor, Ian, 'EU foreign ministers round on Lady Ashton', guardian.co.uk, 23rd May 2011, accessed 1/8/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "449"}
+{"question": "Should animal testing be considered as animal abuse?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing should be considered as animal abuse.", "Animal testing should not be considered as animal abuse."], "docs": ["It would send out a consistent message  Most countries have animal welfare laws to prevent animal cruelty but have laws like the UK\u2019s Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, [10] that stop animal testing being a crime. This makes means some people can do things to animals, but not others. If the government are serious about animal abuse, why allow anyone to do it?", "There is a moral difference between harm for the sake of harming an animal and harm in order to save lives. Lifesaving drugs is a very different purpose to betting or enjoyment that animal welfare laws are aimed at."], "type": "binary", "id": "450"}
+{"question": "Should religious dress be protected under freedom of religion?", "perspectives": ["Religious dress should be protected under freedom of religion.", "Religious dress should not be protected under freedom of religion."], "docs": ["That the state is secular does not diminish the right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the UN charter, that all states have signed up to, and considered by many to be a basic human right.1 Some religions require special diets, others prayer at specific times. Why shouldn't a religious mode of dress receive as much protection as these other aspects of religious freedom? Surely equality in society is most accurately presented through allowing each individual, including their religious beliefs and modes of expression, to practice their religious traditions without hindrance.  1 'Declaration On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Intolerance And Of Discrimination Based On Religion Or Belief', 1981 Resolution of the UN Charter , accessed on 23rd July 2011", "It is their culture and religion.  Religions themselves tend to encompass their own distinctive culture and, to many of their members, this culture and its methods comes before anything secular. For this reason, Muslims should be allowed to wear personal items as it states in the ruling of their religious book to do so. Had a particular garment been required in the Christian religious book - The Bible - then no doubt those stout Christians would follow this particular ruling. The question is, would it be wrong to take away something close and meaningful to these religions? Surely, a religious symbol or method is purely personal, and, therefore, banning such symbols would be an intrusion into their individuality.1  1 Jessica Shepherd, 'Uniform Dissent', The Guardian, 9th October 2007 , accessed on 24th July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "451"}
+{"question": "Was the 2006 South Ossetian independence referendum legitimate?", "perspectives": ["The 2006 South Ossetian independence referendum was legitimate.", "The 2006 South Ossetian independence referendum was not legitimate."], "docs": ["Russia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the 2006 referendum as a \u201cfree expression of the will of South Ossetia\u2019s people through democratic procedures. Many countries in Europe and America could only envy the level of organization and democratic transparency [in South Ossetia].\u201d [1] (10)Similarly, Luis Tasc\u00f3n, a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela, stated during visit to S. Ossetia that \u201cThose people who wish to be free will be free. And the free peoples will help South Ossetia with it.\u201d [2] (13) Denying the legitimacy of this democratic referendum (whose flaws have not been proved to have been so severe as to discredit it entirely) is to deny the South Ossetian people the right to self-determination.  [1] Socor, Vladimir. \u201cMOSCOW\u2019S FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER SOUTH OSSETIA\u2019S REFERENDUM\u201d. Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 3 Issue: 212. The Jamestown Foundation. 15 November 2006.   [2] Enotes. \u201cSouth Ossetian independence referendum, 2006\u201d. Enotes.", "Illegitimacy of the 2006 referendum  South Ossetia was wrong to hold elections under conflict conditions. In 2006, South Ossetia can be said to have been in 8 conflicts with Georgia when it held its 2006 referendum on independence. Holding referendums under such conflict conditions is generally illegitimate because the results of the elections are skewed by the conflict, threats, and the various risks for the voters involved. This caused David Bakradze, the chairman of a Georgian parliamentary European Integration Committee, to comment, \u201cUnder conflict conditions, you cannot speak about legitimate elections.\u201d [1] This mirrors European human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe\u2019s, denunciation of the referendum as \"unnecessary, unhelpful and unfair\". [2] Furthermore Russia's involvement in the 2006 referendum arguably corrupted its validity, as many of the authorities in S. Ossetia were installed there by the Russian government. [3]  [1] Radio Free Europe. \u201cOverwhelming Support For South Ossetia Independence\u201d. Radio Free Europe. The Journal of the Turkish Weekly. 13 November 2006.   [2] Walker, Shaun. \u201cSouth Ossetia: Russian, Georgian...independent?\u201d. Open Democracy. 15 November 2006.   [3] Socor, Vladimir. \u201cMOSCOW\u2019S FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER SOUTH OSSETIA\u2019S REFERENDUM\u201d. Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 3 Issue: 212. The Jamestown Foundation. 15 November 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "452"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey's EU membership process being handled fairly compared to other countries like Romania and Bulgaria?", "perspectives": ["Turkey's EU membership process is being handled fairly compared to other countries like Romania and Bulgaria.", "Turkey's EU membership process is not being handled fairly compared to other countries like Romania and Bulgaria."], "docs": ["Turkey has precedents, such as Romania and Bulgaria, both of whom were accepted into the EU  Romania and Bulgaria, who have by far the worst human rights\u2019 records, were prioritized over Turkey when they were granted the right of accession, joining the EU in 2007. The EU rewarded states that have made a big effort to democratize and change policy in order to be allowed in to the EU. By essentially procrastinating on Turkey's case, the EU are discouraging Turkey from making the required changes to their legislature and norms and thus hindering their chances of accession. Countries such as Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic were pressurized to reform at a rapid pace after being promised by the EU they would likely be in the EU in a relatively short period of time; Turkey has been given no such promises. Turkey should have even more 'right' to be in the EU as these states, as it formally applied for membership long before these states and should thus be given priority over them.", "There are big differences between Romania and Bulgaria and Turkey; this is caused by the political situation regarding Turkey\u2019s support for North Cyprus. Cyprus is a member of the European Union having joined in 2005 and would be likely to block any attempt by Turkey to join so long as Turkey supports the breakaway north of the island, the European Union admitted that Cyprus would become an obstacle as soon as it joined. [1]  [1]  University of Miami study, \u2018Turkey\u2019s Membership Application: Implications for the EU\u2019, Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series, Vol 5 No 26 August 2005."], "type": "binary", "id": "453"}
+{"question": "Is the internet a superior replacement for traditional radio broadcasting?", "perspectives": ["The internet is a superior replacement for traditional radio broadcasting.", "The internet is not a superior replacement for traditional radio broadcasting."], "docs": ["Radio is yesterday\u2019s technology.  Proposition is right to point out the role that has traditionally been filled by relatively small scale radio \u2013 providing a relatively cheap method of getting in touch with anybody willing to listen. However, that has, effectively, been rendered redundant by Internet technology. The power of Facebook, Youtube and other sites to disseminate ideas and information as well as phone texting has not only matched that role but surpassed it.  With no capital costs in an era of internet cafes and omnipresent cell phones, the free exchange of information through digital and portable technology has met exactly the needs and concerns Proposition highlights. [i]  Suggesting that community radio will somehow supplement or enhance that process it taking a step backwards; support for the relatively monolithic radio model runs all of the risks of empowering extremists already mentioned without even equalling the benefits of texting and social media [ii] .  [i] Helling, Alex, \u2018This House would use foreign aid funds to research and distribute software that allows bloggers and journalists in non democratic countries to evade censorship and conceal their online activities\u2019, freespeechdebate.idebate.org, 18 May 2012.  [ii] Hood, Michael, NPR CEO: Internet will replace broadcast radio in 5-10 years. Blatherwatch, 3 June 2010.", "For all of its potential, the idea that the Internet is a worldwide force is something of a Western conceit. That fact is doubly the case when discussing the social media sites that Op seems to think are such a panacea. These sites \u2013 and the Internet in general \u2013 are overwhelmingly white, Western and wealthy."], "type": "binary", "id": "454"}
+{"question": "Would a Greek default increase stability within the Eurozone?", "perspectives": ["A Greek default would increase stability within the Eurozone.", "A Greek default would not increase stability within the Eurozone."], "docs": ["A Greek default would increase stability for the rest of the Eurozone  A Greek exit from the \u2018Eurozone does not mean the end of the euro. It will, instead, mark a new beginning. Germany has a long and proud tradition of currency strength, but it could not cope with going back to the deutschmark because it would rocket in value and destroy the country's competitiveness. Some 97% of the Eurozone's population will continue to use the single currency and their leaders will circle the policy wagons to protect what is left.\u2019 [`] A Greek default and departure from the Eurozone would decrease uncertainty and fear within the rest of the Eurozone. This, in turn is likely to attract higher levels of investment and transactions across Eurozone members.  [1] Parsons, Nick: \u201cEurozone crisis: what if\u2026 Greece leaves the single currency\u201d, 14 May 2012, The Guardian,", "Greece\u2019s default will not decrease uncertainty. If anything, the perceived risk of investing in other Eurozone members suffering from their own debt problems like Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland would rocket sky-high. The Eurozone project as a whole may struggle on with Germany trying to keep it together, but claiming that a Greek exit from the Eurozone would restore stability is short-sighted. Many of Greece\u2019s creditors are European banks and financial organisations. Greece\u2019s default would, therefore, be a heavy blow for many of their creditor companies who would be unlikely to be willing to invest in other nations suffering similar problems to Greece."], "type": "binary", "id": "455"}
+{"question": "Should the state intervene in individual's decision to smoke in public places?", "perspectives": ["The state should intervene in an individual's decision to smoke in public places.", "The state should not intervene in an individual's decision to smoke in public places."], "docs": ["Personal autonomy arguments sound reasonable, but often ignore the wider consequences. Public health is a key issue \u2013 the state has a role in stopping people harming themselves \u2013 they may be harming themselves but the cost often falls on government through public healthcare, and therefore on all taxpayers. Moreover smoking also harms others through passive smoking, this is particularly true in public places that are enclosed.", "Paternalistic  Personal autonomy has to be the key to this debate. If people want to smoke \u2013 and the owner of the public place has no issue with that \u2013 it is not the role of the state to step in. While smoking is dangerous, people should be free in a society to take their own risks, and live with their decisions. All that is required is ensuring that smokers are educated about the risks so that they can make an informed decision."], "type": "binary", "id": "456"}
+{"question": "Is it justifiable to harm animals for human benefits?", "perspectives": ["It is justifiable to harm animals for human benefits.", "It is not justifiable to harm animals for human benefits."], "docs": ["The right of a human not to be harmed is based not on appearance but on not harming others. Animals don\u2019t participate in this.  Animals won\u2019t stop hunting because of the pain and feelings of other animals. Even if animal testing were to be abolished people would still eat meat, and kill animals for other less worthwhile reasons than animal testing.", "Animals shouldn\u2019t be harmed  The difference between us and other animals is a matter of degree rather than type [2]. Their bodies resemble ours, as do their ways of conveying meaning. They recoil from pain, appear to express fear of a tormentor, and appear to take pleasure in activities; a point clear to anyone who has observed a pet dog on hearing the word \u201cwalk\u201d.  We believe other people experience feelings like us because they are like us in appearance and behaviour. An animal sharing our anatomical, physiological, and behavioural characteristics is surely likely to have feelings like us.  If people have a right to not be harmed, we must ask ourselves what makes animals different? If animals feel what we feel, and suffer like us, to condemn one to testing because of them being of a different species is similar to racism or sexism.[3]"], "type": "binary", "id": "457"}
+{"question": "Is suicide a selfish act that should be penalized?", "perspectives": ["Suicide is a selfish act that should be penalized.", "uicide is not a selfish act that should be penalized."], "docs": ["Suicide is a selfish act that causes suffering to others  Suicide is an entirely selfish act that causes immense pain and suffering for those loved ones that are left behind. It is also cowardly; rather than facing your problems and being strong, you instead take the easy way out and kill yourself. It is important, therefore, to instil a strong sense of responsibility to one\u2019s family and for one\u2019s affairs and to do this by punishing those who try and fail to perpetrate this selfish and cowardly act.", "This is only an objection to particular cases of suicide; it cannot be made into a general case because some suicides really do only affect the individual \u2013 those in which there is no extended family or friendship group. And that an act is, on occasion, selfish is not sufficient grounds to prohibit it. Indeed, ostracising one\u2019s friends or walking out on one\u2019s family can upset people but we are hardly likely to deny people the liberty to make such individual, private life choices. Nobody has the right to force people to live in circumstances that cause them unhappiness. Suicide should be viewed in exactly the same way.  Moreover it should be remembered that an attempt to prosecute survivors or in some way to punish relatives of those who succeed is clearly not going to help leaving grieving relatives in a worse position. [1]  [1] Holt, \u2018When Suicide was illegal\u2019, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "458"}
+{"question": "Should patent laws for pharmaceuticals be universally the same?", "perspectives": ["Patent laws for pharmaceuticals should be universally the same.", "Patent laws for pharmaceuticals should not be universally the same."], "docs": ["Pharmaceutical companies investing in R&D deserve to make a return on their investments. Research and development can take a long time and will cost significant sums of money. The cost of creating many new drugs was estimated to be as high as $5 billion in 2013 [1] . There is also a risk that the drug may fail during the various phases of production, which makes the $5 billion price-tag even more daunting. It is therefore necessary for these companies to continue to make a profit, which they do through patenting. If they allow drugs to immediately become generic or subsidise them to some of the biggest markets for some diseases then they shall make a significant financial loss.  [1] Herper,M. \u2018The Cost of Creating a New Drug Now $5 Billion, Pushing Big Pharma to Change\u2019", "Unfair to apply same patent laws universally  It is unrealistic to expect poorer countries, such as those in Africa, to pay the same price as the developed world\u2019s markets. Current patent laws for many countries dictate that prices for buying patented drugs should be universally the same. This makes it extremely difficult for African countries to purchase pharmaceuticals set at the market price of developed countries. In the US there are nine patented drugs which cost in excess of $200,000 [1] . To expect developing African states to afford this price is unfair and reinforces the exploitative relationship between the developed and developing world. Generic drugs escape this problem due to their universally low prices.  [1] Herper,M. \u2018The World\u2019s Most Expensive Drugs\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "459"}
+{"question": "Is corruption a pervasive problem within the United Nations?", "perspectives": ["Corruption is a pervasive problem within the United Nations.", "Corruption is not a pervasive problem within the United Nations."], "docs": ["Many UN bodies are corrupt or compromised.  As mentioned above, the Human Rights Council consists of some the worst human rights abusers in the world. The NGO UN Watch has accused the HRC focusing almost exclusively on alleged human rights abuses by Israel to the exclusion of almost every other country. [1]  There have been widespread allegations of corruption in UN bodies. [2] It is for these reasons that the US long refused to pay its full dues to the United Nations and threatens to do so again in future, as well as withholding funding from UNESCO in 2011 after it voted to recognise Palestine as an independent state. [3]  [1] \u201cAnti-Israel Resolutions at the HRC\u201d, UN Watch 2011.   [2] \u201cCorruption at the Heart of the United Nations\u201d, The Economist, 9th August 2005.   [3] \u201cUS cuts UNESCO funds over vote for Palestinian seat\u201c. BBC website. 31st October 2011.", "The United Nations is no more corrupt than any large organisation, much less national governments, and far more transparent than many comparable institutions.  It is true that the Human Rights Council contains some nations with bad records on civil liberties but it is surely better to engage with such regimes and shame them into slowly improving their human rights standards, than simply excluding them from UN organs and losing any influence over how they treat their citizens."], "type": "binary", "id": "460"}
+{"question": "Is the attorney-client privilege becoming irrelevant due to the rise of in-house lawyers?", "perspectives": ["The attorney-client privilege is becoming irrelevant due to the rise of in-house lawyers.", "The attorney-client privilege is not becoming irrelevant due to the rise of in-house lawyers."], "docs": ["The principle behind attorney-client privilege is declining in relevance  One of the principles behind allowing communications between a solicitor and their client to be privileged is that a solicitor is independent of their client and so will not breach laws themselves in order to attain their clients objectives. However, after the recession of 2008 and the Legal Services Act 2007 the position of in house lawyer is more prevalent [1] . In house lawyers are not financially independent. They are in fact employees of their 'client'. This eradicates the principle behind client-attorney privilege and therefore the privilege itself is now irrelevant and should be eradicated.  [1] In-house counsel on the rise, New Law Journal, 28 April 2010,  accessed 18/05/11", "This does not mean that client-attorney privilege should be done away with altogether. When it comes to European law and their investigations under the Treaty of Lisbon for uncompetitive practices, they do not count in house lawyer communications as privileged [1]  [1] Akzo Nobel Chemicals Limited C-550/07  accessed 18/05/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "461"}
+{"question": "Is banning smoking in public places an effective method to reduce smoking rates?", "perspectives": ["Banning smoking in public places is an effective method to reduce smoking rates.", "Banning smoking in public places is not an effective method to reduce smoking rates."], "docs": ["Reduce smoking  A ban on smoking in public places would help reduce the rates of people smoking, by making it appear socially unusual \u2013 people will have to leave enclosed public places to smoke, each time they want to smoke. This is particularly important in Africa which is at an early stage of the tobacco epidemic where it can be prevented from ever coming to be seen as being normal.  The ban both through the new obstacle and the change in norms could reduce smoking rates. In England, nine months after such a ban, the fall in smoking rates (such as with much of the Global North) accelerated 1 - it has been claimed by up to 400,000.  1 Daily Mail Reporter, \u201cSmoking ban spurs 400,000 people to quit the habit\u201d, Daily Mail, 4 July 2008,", "What those statistics mean could be questionable \u2013 did the ban make people stop, or only provide an extra incentive or assistance for those who already want to stop to do so? It could be suggested that this would simply lead to increased smoking within the home.  Even so, other measures could be more effective, if the goal is a simple reduction in smoking numbers."], "type": "binary", "id": "462"}
+{"question": "Is a dictatorship more economically beneficial and politically stable than a democracy?", "perspectives": ["A dictatorship is more economically beneficial and politically stable than a democracy.", "A dictatorship is not more economically beneficial and politically stable than a democracy."], "docs": ["Dictatorships assure low cost political stability  Due to the lack of rotation in office, a dictatorship allows for a more stable government with more ability to plan for the long term, which is crucial for attracting foreign investment.  Given that a democracy requires regular elections, each election can change the economic environment of a country. A change in government may lead to a switch in policies, partisan appointments to government bodies, and a medium term focus always set on the next election.  Close elections can lead to disorder as votes are recounted and appeals lodged in the courts. After the 2006 Mexican presidential election, tight results lead to popular unrest and mass protests calling for a recount. The president elect had to deal with a large legislative faction that did not recognise him, and his opponent refused to concede defeat. [1] Without a stable framework, the lack of foreign confidence may impede development. The countries that have developed rapidly have tended to be those that have managed to attract this foreign direct investment thus in 2012 China managed to get $243 billion of FDI (18% of the total) against only $175 billion for the United States which is still a much bigger economy. [2]  Additionally the resources needed to operate a democratic society and run elections are a large expense for the state and society as a whole; the US presidential election costs $6bn, [3] money which would be much better spent investing in building infrastructure or businesses.  [1] See for example the case of Mexico\u2019s 2006 elections. \u2018Mass protest over Mexico election\u2019, BBC News, 9 July 2006,  \u2018Fracas mars Mexico inauguration\u2019, BBC News, 2 December 2006,   [2] OECD, \u2018FDI in Figures\u2019, April 2013,   [3] Hebblethwaite, Cordelia, \u2018US election: How can it cost $6bn?\u2019, BBC News, 2 August 2012,", "In addition to the moral concerns, it is not proven that dictatorships are sustainable in the long term. There will always be groups seeking a democratic government, which could lead to revolution.  There is a particular issue with handovers of power in dictatorships, especially those with personality cults \u2013 for example the transition to democracy after the death of Francisco Franco in 1975, or the collapse and disintegration of Yugoslavia in to ethnic conflict following the death of Tito. Many authoritarian regimes require a lot of upkeep in terms of propaganda which counterbalances the cost of elections [1] .  An election may be costly but it is also a good indicator of the performance of a government, providing a mechanism of monitoring the performance of the \u201csocial contract\u201d. Democratic governments are accountable to their people at the ballot box, which gives those in power an incentive to perform well. If the government is not performing well they will be thrown out. In an authoritarian country if the government performs badly the people have no way to remove them and so change policies to ones that work.  Dictatorships have a different problem with political stability and that is on a smaller scale; it is difficult to know if an investment is safe because the government is arbitrary not bound by the rule of law. The results of this may not be the sweeping changes in economic policy found in democracies but can be more significant locally such as demands for high payments to operate, confiscation, or preferential treatment for competitors.  [1] Marquand, Robert, \u2018N. Korea escalates \u2018cult of Kim\u2019 to counter West\u2019s influence\u2019, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 January 2007"], "type": "binary", "id": "463"}
+{"question": "Is spending more time with patients beneficial for their treatment?", "perspectives": ["Spending more time with patients is beneficial for their treatment.", "pending more time with patients is not beneficial for their treatment."], "docs": ["Alternative medical practitioners tend to spend more time with their patients and get a better understanding of them as a whole, as a result they are more likely to treat the person than the symptom  Modern medicine tends to treat an individual symptom without putting it in the context of the whole person and so will often fail to see it as part of a wider pathology.  Alternative practitioners tend to spend more time with their patients and so are better placed to asses individual symptoms as a part of the person as a whole rather than just dealing with symptoms one as a time as the crop up.", "his is of course an excellent argument for more and better funded clinics, especially in parts of the world (including much of the West) where access to medicine is difficult.  It is also evidence that when people are genuinely worried about their health they tend to consult providers of conventional medicine who are, as a result, extremely busy.  It perhaps says more than anything else about many practitioners of alternative medicines that they have time to sit around bonding with their patients. Unsurprisingly, such a luxury is rare in an A and E ward or even in the average GP\u2019s surgery."], "type": "binary", "id": "464"}
+{"question": "Should religious dress codes be banned in public?", "perspectives": ["Religious dress codes should be banned in public.", "Religious dress codes should not be banned in public."], "docs": ["Religious symbols cause division within Western society.  Religious symbols can be seen as possible tools for fuelling division within society. When some women wear the Hijab it creates pressure on other Muslim women to also cover their heads. Pressure comes both socially from wanting to look like other women in their community and religiously from imams and family leaders pressing for observance. As such, Muslims themselves are divided and religious oppression against women is internalized.1 Approving of Muslim head coverings in society cements the Hijab as an essential tenet of Islam, in the minds of non-Muslims as well as believers. However, many different schools of Islam exist and as on other issues, they often disagree how to interpret the Koran's dress prescriptions. Moderate interpretations accept modest forms of modern dress while severe interpretations require full covering with the Burka or similar veil. Banning the veil furthers the cause of moderate interpretations and prevents the entrenchment of severe interpretations.  1 Rumy Hassan, 'Banning the hijab', Workers Power 283 February 2004, accessed on 24th July 2011", "Muslim women are not the only ones to feel a cultural division over their mode of dress. Most people are affected by the societal norms surrounding them. Fashion trends could be seen in exactly the same light as religious traditions. Banning head coverings is only likely to provoke a more extreme reaction among highly religious communities1. Framing laws to ban only Islamic forms of dress could be considered an attack on one religion. Feeling under attack could cause the Islamic community to close off into itself. They could set up religious schools where their children can dress as they want them to and not mix with children from other faiths. These effects could never be good for the integration of society and would further the influence of extremists. Internationally, the perceived attack on Islamic values would inflame wider Muslim opinion, feed conspiracy theories and add to the dangerous feeling that there is a clash of civilisations.  1 'France Bans Burqas: A Look At Islamic Veil Laws In Europe', Huffpost World, 4th April 2011 , accessed on 24th July 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "465"}
+{"question": "Should partial-birth abortions be banned in all cases?", "perspectives": ["Partial-birth abortions should be banned in all cases.", "Partial-birth abortions should not be banned in all cases."], "docs": ["Banning partial birth abortions is in line with popular and accepted moral standards  here is a vast amount of support in the United States for a ban on partial-birth abortion. Opinion polls have shown a consistent increase in support for a ban: as high as 70% in favour to 25% against in January 2003. [1] Furthermore, in 1997 the House of Representatives voted 295-136, and the Senate 64-36, in favour of a ban. For President Clinton to veto it was undemocratic; [2] for President Bush not to pass it would have been to break a campaign promise.  [1] Gallup, \u2018Abortion\u2019, 30 November 2011,   [2] Craig, Larry E., \u2018Clinton Claims on Partial-Birth Abortion Still Not True -- Not Even 'Legally Accurate'\u2019, United States Senate Republican Policy Committee, 15 September 1998,", "These opinion polls are misleading, as they force respondents to choose between an outright ban and no control at all \u2013 it is impossible for them to register support for partial-birth abortion in cases where the mother\u2019s physical or psychological health is in danger. A majority of Americans are still in favour of the right to abortion. More importantly, this should not be the business of the general public or of legislators. Nobody who would prefer not to have a partial-birth abortion will be made to have one. Most people who want it banned will never face a situation where it directly affects them in any case. We should leave decisions up to the people who are directly affected by them - not to outsiders, who are free to express their opinion but not to impose it on everyone else. This is a campaign promise George Bush should not keep."], "type": "binary", "id": "466"}
+{"question": "Is science able to fully explain the existence and development of the universe without the need for God?", "perspectives": ["Science is able to fully explain the existence and development of the universe without the need for God.", "cience is not able to fully explain the existence and development of the universe without the need for God."], "docs": ["Entirely natural theories can adequately explain the existence and development of the Universe and all it contains, making God irrelevant to the discussion of reality:  Physics and cosmology explain the development and evolution of the Universe and the bodies within it. Chemistry explains the interactions of substances and the origin of life. Biology explains the development of life\u2019s complexity through the long process of evolution. God, or gods, is a superfluous entity in the discussion of existence; He is entirely unnecessary to human scientific understanding. [1] At best, believers can point to various missing links in science\u2019s explanation, using God to fill the gaps. The God of the Gaps is a weak God whose domain grows smaller each day as science progresses. Furthermore, there is no evidence of the supernatural existing at all, if that is what God is meant to be. The burden of proof in a debate concerning the existence of something is on the individual making the positive claim. In a debate over the existence of God, it is up to the believer to provide evidence for that belief. [2] The rational position in the absence of evidence is atheism. It is not a positive claim about anything, but is merely the absence of belief in God, which makes sense in the light of there being no positive evidence of God\u2019s existence. If believers claim God lives outside the Universe, or that He cannot be empirically identified due to His ethereal nature, then in truth they are saying nothing. Only the natural world exists insofar as humans can demonstrate. The supernatural is pure fantasy.  [1] Boyer, Pascal. 2001. Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. New York: Basic Books.  [2] Russell, Bertrand. 1952. \u201cIs There a God?\u201d Campaign for Philosophical Freedom. Available:", "Science cannot explain everything. People have spoken of the existence of the soul and of God through the ages because reason and logic are sometimes not enough to explain the complexity and depth of the human experience. God is far more than the occupier of the gaps in scientific knowledge. However, the gaps are indicative of the limitations of science and show that faith and God can still have a place in human comprehension of the world."], "type": "binary", "id": "467"}
+{"question": "Can PMCs be relied upon to fulfill their contractual obligations?", "perspectives": ["PMCs can be relied upon to fulfill their contractual obligations.", "PMCs cannot be relied upon to fulfill their contractual obligations."], "docs": ["It is in the interest of PMCs to fulfil their contractual obligations to ensure future contracts and avoid the reputation of being treacherous. While PMCs are often considered to be untrustworthy there are very few examples, if any, of them actually running away or switching sides since the end of the cold war.", "PMCs are untrustworthy  The possibility of mercenaries pulling out will always remain a risk. PMCs are not fighting for their own country so they can never be threatened with a charge of desertion. PMCs are motivated by money and do not have the interests of their employer at heart. Loyalty is given to the highest bidder and is therefore delicately balanced. \u201cThe fact is, they have no other attraction or reason for keeping the field than a trifle of stipend, which is not sufficient to make them willing to die for you. They are ready enough to be your soldiers whilst you do not make war, but if war comes they take themselves off or run from the foe.\u201d(Machiavelli, 1515) Machiavelli considered that it was mercenaries that ruined Italy much as they are now doing in Iraq and Afghanistan."], "type": "binary", "id": "468"}
+{"question": "Will ISPs support and cooperate with a graduated response policy?", "perspectives": ["ISPs will support and cooperate with a graduated response policy.", "ISPs will not support and cooperate with a graduated response policy."], "docs": ["ISPs will gladly cooperate with graduated response  Almost a decade ago, ISPs engaged in a competitive battle to gain as much broadband penetration as possible. Now that markets have matured and broadband penetration has more or less \u2018maxed out\u2019 in developed countries, ISPs need to find new value propositions to attract customers. One of these value propositions is being able to offer high quality content at high speeds. To be able to offer this, ISPs will need the cooperation of content providers \u2013 who can ask something in return, like graduated response. [1] That this actually happens is borne out by the fact that in many countries ISPs are actually getting together to make sector-wide agreements, for example in the USA where the major ISPs have agreed to implementing graduated response. [2]  [1] Olivier Bomsel and Heritania Ranaivoson, \u2018Decreasing copyright enforcement costs: the scope of a graduated response\u2019. 2009. Review of Economic Research on Copyright Issues, Volume 6(2), p. 13 \u2013 29. URL for PDF:   [2] David Kravets, Wired, \u2018ISPs to Disrupt Internet Access of Copyright Scofflaws\u2019, July 7, 211. URL:", "ISP will not cooperate with a graduated response policy  The graduated response model requires cooperation from all Internet Service Providers. If just one ISP refuses, users will flock towards that ISP to be able to keep on downloading. Therefore there will always be an incentive to be the ISP that refuses so as to gain custom from others who have agreed to cooperate. ISPs will also have an incentive to not cooperate because the cost of monitoring and identifying is large, and significantly more so for smaller ISPs: initial estimates of the cost of graduated response for ISPs were around 500 million pounds over a period of ten years. [1]  [1] Michael Geist, \u2018Estimating the cost of a three strikes and you\u2019re out system\u2019, January 26, 2010. URL:"], "type": "binary", "id": "469"}
+{"question": "Is banning sexist advertising harmful to profitability?", "perspectives": ["Banning sexist advertising is harmful to profitability.", "Banning sexist advertising is not harmful to profitability."], "docs": ["Sexist advertising is profitable  Business has a compelling self interest to make a profit and advertising is integral to that endeavour. The profit from business allows for economic growth without which individual states and the world's economy could not survive. Competition drives the marketplace of products and ideas. And, advertising is the primary method through which those products, services and ideas are made known to the public. When banning is placed upon advertising, the ability to compete and survive in the economic marketplace is threatened. Therefore, the compelling need to make a profit is legitimizes the need for advertising.", "Although business has a compelling self interest to make a profit and advertising is integral to that endeavour, business does not necessarily sacrifice its profit when curbing sexist advertising. If messages are harmonizing with social attitudes, then advertising which appeals to the greater good of gender equality does not necessarily harm but could enhance business credibility. The Benneton ads have often embraced a social consciousness to promote the public good while making a profit. The affirmative has acknowledged that for advertising to be effective they have to connect to values held within the community. As more awareness develops about the negative influence of sexist advertising, business is likely to benefit from the banning of sexist ads."], "type": "binary", "id": "470"}
+{"question": "Is the universal possession of nuclear weapons beneficial for international relations?", "perspectives": ["The universal possession of nuclear weapons is beneficial for international relations.", "The universal possession of nuclear weapons is not beneficial for international relations."], "docs": ["Powerful states often couch their imperial ambitions and desires to further their own aims on the world stage in the language of humanitarian intervention. [1] Such interventions are rarely due solely to the abuses, real and imagined, committed by leaders upon their people, but are driven by geopolitical considerations. This is why interventions have been staged in the Middle East, as in Iraq where there were substantial oil reserves, while not in Sudan where civil war has been rife, but which possesses little in the way of strategic or economic significance. Recognizing the right of all states to possess nuclear weapons serves to diminish the number of political power plays of strong states against weaker ones, and entrenches the concept of national self-determination as an ideal that should not be infringed by strong nations against the weak.  [1] Walsh, John. 2011. \u201cLibya and the Hypocrisy of Humanitarian Intervention\u201d. Daily Paul.", "Humanitarian intervention becomes impossible in states that possess nuclear weapons  It has often proven to be necessary for the UN, the United States, and various international coalitions to stage humanitarian interventions into states fighting civil wars, committing genocide, or otherwise abusing the human rights of their citizens. [1] An example of such an intervention is the recent contributions by many states to the rebels in Libya. Were all countries permitted to possess nuclear weapons, such interventions would become next to impossible. Were, for example, countries to try and contribute to the Libyan rebels, they would find themselves the targets of Libyan nuclear warheads. The cost of intervention thus becomes too high for virtually any country to tolerate, in terms of both human and political costs. The world would be a worse place if tyrants were allowed to perpetrate whatever crimes they saw fit upon their people, while the international community could do nothing for fear of nuclear retaliation.  [1] Slantchev, Branislav. 2005. \u201cMilitary Coercion in Interstate Crises\u201d. American Political Science Review 99(4)."], "type": "binary", "id": "471"}
+{"question": "Does Google's decision to not censor its search results improve human rights in China?", "perspectives": ["Google's decision to not censor its search results improves human rights in China.", "Google's decision to not censor its search results does not improve human rights in China."], "docs": ["Not censoring its search results is a victory for human rights  The problem with Google censoring its results, is that in doing so, it is complicit in China\u2019s repression of free speech: it adapts its own search engine to display only the results the Chinese government wants, thereby limiting its citizens\u2019 basic human right to free access to information (a corollary to free speech). By avoiding this complicity, Google is taking a bold, praiseworthy step towards enhancing respect for human rights in China and with it, Google can set an important example for other businesses with dealings in China. [1]  [1] Human Rights Watch, \u2018China: Google Challenges Censorship\u2019, January 12, 2010. URL:", "Not censoring doesn\u2019t advance human rights in China at all  Human rights in China are violated on a daily basis. For example, the incidence of people \u2018disappearing\u2019 for no apparent reason has been on the rise. [1] These human rights violations won\u2019t suddenly end if Google were to stop censoring its results.  What\u2019s more likely to happen, when Google stops censoring results at google.cn, is that Google.cn will get shut down within days \u2013 thus, leaving Chinese citizens with no good way at all to access information, since google.com is on the other side of The Great Firewall and Baidu is a Chinese company fully compliant with the government\u2019s wishes. By staying, Google can at least broaden the access to information the Chinese citizens have, something Google itself had acknowledged in 2006 when entering the Chinese mainland. [2]  [1] Human Rights Watch, \u2018China: Enforced Disappearances a Growing Threat\u2019, November 9, 2011. URL:   [2] Karen Wickre, \u2018Testimony: The Internet in China\u2019, February 15, 2006. URL:"], "type": "binary", "id": "472"}
+{"question": "Is the International Criminal Court effective in enforcing international criminal law?", "perspectives": ["The International Criminal Court is effective in enforcing international criminal law.", "The International Criminal Court is not effective in enforcing international criminal law."], "docs": ["The ICC is a force for good, and the all states should be seen to be standing fully behind it.  The International Criminal Court is a major breakthrough in providing a permanent and durable system that can effectively prosecute and independently try war criminals.  In the past there was no permanent framework for dealing with grave breaches of human rights protection, often allowing states to perform evil acts with impunity. Only for the very worst atrocities were special courts and tribunals set up. It should also act as a deterrent to future violations; it may not reduce conflict but will encourage states to keep a tighter rein on their militaries.  An attempt at a solution to the problem of enforcement of international criminal law is something to be applauded, for the same reason the criminal law on the domestic sphere is \u2013 it saves lives, protects human rights and provides civilization to what would otherwise be anarchy.", "It took nearly two years for the ICC to launch an investigation into atrocities in the Central African Republic. This has helped defeat the argument that it would be faster than the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and International Tribunal for Rwanda were. So far being indicted by the ICC has had little impact; for example it failed to prevent the election of Uhuru Kenyatta, who is currently facing trial by the ICC for crimes against humanity, as President of Kenya.  The ICC is also hamstrung by its inability to capture defendants itself. It can only do so with the co-operation of its member states.  The US and Israel have nothing to gain from membership, and everything to lose in terms of being on the receiving end of politically motivated and abusive prosecutions."], "type": "binary", "id": "473"}
+{"question": "Is mandatory voting financially feasible and manageable?", "perspectives": ["Mandatory voting is financially feasible and manageable.", "Mandatory voting is not financially feasible and manageable."], "docs": ["Because mandatory voting means that no large campaign funds are needed to goad voters to the polls, the role of money in politics will decrease. Compulsory voting will reduce spending such as campaign spending on voter turnout. It can also lead to a reduction in the incentive for negative advertising \u201cas there is little to be gained from tactics aimed purely at persuading opposition voters to stay at home\u201d 1.  States that sanction fines usually sanction a very low fine, which even the poorest members can afford. Besides, government like the British seem to manage speeding fines just fine, there is no reason to think they wouldn\u2019t be able to manage non-voting fines. However, other measures such as disenfranchisement (Belgium) and denial of public services (Peru, Greece) can be used, which don\u2019t incur a cost for the individual.  1 Electoral Reform Society", "Policing and financing the system is unmanageable  If a large proportion of the population decided not to vote it would be impossible to make every non-voter pay the fine. For example, if just 10% of the UK voters failed to do so the government would have to chase up about \u00a34 million in fines. Even if they sent demand letters to all these people, they could not take all those who refused to pay to court. Ironically, this measure hurts most those who the proposition are trying to enfranchise because they are least able to pay.  The cost of policing this system will impact upon tax payers. The Government will need to expand and more civil servants positions will be needed to create, administer and enforce the processes. It is especially prudent that we look closely at the impact it would have financially on individual countries. For example, the US has more than ten times the voting population of Australia \u201cthe financial cost for the two nations is vastly different. Since it costs the Australian government roughly five dollars for every ballot they evaluate, the greater number of voters in America would exponentially increase bureaucratic costs\".1  1 Iowaprodigal"], "type": "binary", "id": "474"}
+{"question": "Is it still necessary to conduct animal testing for drug development?", "perspectives": ["It is still necessary to conduct animal testing for drug development.", "It is not necessary to conduct animal testing for drug development anymore."], "docs": ["The laws that restrict animal testing only allow it where it\u2019s needed.  Animal testing isn\u2019t cheap, meaning that if universities and the drug industry have a good reason to end it if they can. If we ban animal testing we won\u2019t know what it would be able to do in the future. Animal research now has better results than other ways of doing research. [8]", "It isn\u2019t necessary  We don\u2019t know how we will be able to develop new drugs without animal testing until we end it. We now know how most chemicals work, and computer simulations of chemicals are very good.[6] Experimenting on tissue can show how drugs work, without the need for actual animals. Even skin left over from surgery can be experiment on, and being human, is more useful.  The fact that animal research was needed in the past isn\u2019t a good excuse any more. We still have all the advancements from animal testing in the past, but it\u2019s no longer needed. [7]"], "type": "binary", "id": "475"}
+{"question": "Should EU reforms be decided solely by elected representatives?", "perspectives": ["EU reforms should be decided solely by elected representatives.", "EU reforms should not be decided solely by elected representatives."], "docs": ["Voters do not understand or care about EU reforms.  They would have found the legal jargon off-putting and a detailed knowledge of the existing EU Treaties is necessary to understand the amendments proposed 1. They have limited understanding of the current system and therefore cannot evaluate how reform treaties would benefit or harm the EU and their nation's interest. Due to this lack of understanding citizens are too likely to be swayed by media bias and anti Europe campaigners. All this is shown by the low turnout in European parliament elections. Elected representatives on the other hand, do understand the impact of the treaties and therefore can make an informed decision on the behalf of their people and in the nation's interest.  1 'An unloved Parliament', The Economist (7 May 2009), viewed on 13 June 2011 'Elections 2009', eu4journalists viewed on 13 June 2011", "Voters do care about EU reforms, and they are owed the respect of being told in layman's terms what specific treaty changes would do in real terms. The Lisbon Treaty was unnecessarily complicated and full of jargon (Browne, 'Gobbledegook'). It is the role of the politicians to make sure that treaties are easy to understand and accessible to all the citizens of the countries that they will affect. If the public is apathetic it is because they know their vote will ultimately be ignored. Democracy is paramount and in order to remain democratic EU reform needs to be passed by a public vote and not just the elected: prolonged elite avoidance of the engaging the public will be more detrimental in the long run1  1 Lu, Chien-Yi Lu, 'Fallacies in Embracing a"], "type": "binary", "id": "476"}
+{"question": "Is advertising necessary for the success of a sports team?", "perspectives": ["Advertising is necessary for the success of a sports team.", "Advertising is not necessary for the success of a sports team."], "docs": ["Advertising is only as annoying as you want it to be.  No-one is forced to put advertising on their property - for many companies it is an important part of their income. Football teams would have much less money if they were not sponsored. Manchester United's shirt sponsorship deal with Aon is worth \u00a380 million. For the small annoyance of having to have a logo on the shirt, the football club can afford to buy new players and hopefully win more games. And no-one is forced to look at advertising - you can turn the TV off between shows, or just flick past adverts in newspapers. If you don't want to see the adverts, then just ignore them.", "It is hard to ignore advertising when it is everywhere in modern life. Advertising may be welcomed by companies which profit from their sponsorship, but fans do not like it nor necessarily want it. Barcelona in Spain went without commercial advertising on their shirts for a long time, proving sponsorship is not necessary to win trophies and buy players."], "type": "binary", "id": "477"}
+{"question": "Would a free labor market increase human trafficking in Africa?", "perspectives": ["A free labor market would increase human trafficking in Africa.", "A free labor market would not increase human trafficking in Africa."], "docs": ["Migration reasonings and exploitation.  A free labour market perceives migration in a predominantly neoclassical light - people migrate due to pull factors, to balance the imbalance of jobs, people move due to economic laws. However, such a perspective fails to include the complex factors enticing migration and lack of choice in the decision. Promoting a labour market, whereby movement is free and trade enabled, makes it easier to move but does not take into account the fact migration is not only purely economical. By focusing on a free labour market as being economically valuable, we neglect a bigger picture of what the reasons for migration are.  Without effective management a free labour market raises the potential of forced migration and trafficking. Within the COMESA region trafficking has been identified as a growing issue with the 40,000 identified cases in 2012 being the tip of the iceberg (Musinguzi, 2013). A free labour market may mean victims of trafficking will remain undetected. Moving for \u2018work\u2019, how can distinctions be made to identify trafficked migrants; and clandestine migration be managed?  A free labour market, across Africa, justifies cheap and flexible labour to build emerging economies - however, remains unjust. Promoting free labour movement needs to be matched with a question on \u2018what kind of labour movement\u2019?", "The prevalence of trafficking across Africa today is not new so it is likely a free labour market will make little difference. Further, uncertainty remains as to whether or not the extent of human trafficking is actually rising. With the exact number of cases unknown [1] - are concerns sensationalised hype or a growing reality?  [1] See further readings: IRINb, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "478"}
+{"question": "Can we fully trust climate models to predict the consequences of rising GHGs?", "perspectives": ["We can fully trust climate models to predict the consequences of rising GHGs.", "We cannot fully trust climate models to predict the consequences of rising GHGs."], "docs": ["Earth's Resiliency  All the conclusions about the effects of rising atmospheric GHGs are based on computerized climate models. Even those that develop and use the models admit that the models are not nearly complex enough to be 100% accurate. Climate science is incredibly complicated and different models sometimes produce vastly different results 1.Increased carbon dioxide will increase plant life which may mitigate other damages of climate change and protect species currently considered threatened by climate change. Therefore, it is far too early to conclude that humanity is going to be destroyed. The earth's climate is continuously changing, with or without anthropogenic effects, and life has always found a way to continue.  1. Lemonick, Michael D., 'How much can we really trust climate models to tell us about the future?', 18th january 2011.", "While climate models may be imperfect they are the best tool presently available to predict the future. Most predict dire consequences if GHGs continue to rise through the 21st century, which is what seems most likely."], "type": "binary", "id": "479"}
+{"question": "Is defaulting and leaving the Eurozone a feasible solution for Greece's economic crisis?", "perspectives": ["Defaulting and leaving the Eurozone is a feasible solution for Greece's economic crisis.", "Defaulting and leaving the Eurozone is not a feasible solution for Greece's economic crisis."], "docs": ["In receiving financial support from the ECB and European Commission to prevent the escalation of a major banking collapse in Greece, the Greek Government would be expected to continue with reforms of the public sector. What\u2019s more, defaulting would grant the Greek Government more time to implement such reforms, making them more likely to succeed and less painful on the Greek populous. The oppositions fears are, therefore, unfounded.", "Defaulting would not solve Greece\u2019s problems  The proposition argue that the hardship endured by the default would only be temporary, but an analysis at the particular situation facing Greece indicates the opposite. Greece\u2019s problems arose from a horrifically inefficient public sector embedded within a mentality of corruption and tax evasion. Even if we assume that defaulting would eventually boost Greek exports and help the economy recover, this would not solve the underlying problems that caused the crisis in the first place. By leaving the Eurozone and defaulting, Greece would lose easy access to borrowing, meaning that taxpayers would soon have to face the reality that they would have to pay for the inefficiencies within the public sector and support all the other structures that need reform. [1] Greece must, therefore, address these underlying issues or face the exact same problems in the future. Given that solving these problems necessarily involve austerity measures and job cuts, it makes most sense for Greece to undergo these changes now (as it is with the current austerity measures), under the framework of IMF, ECB and European Commission funding and supervision.  [1] Barrell, Ray: \u201cEurozone crisis: what if\u2026 Greece leaves the single currency\u201d, 14 May 2012, The Guardian,"], "type": "binary", "id": "480"}
+{"question": "Is the elimination of standardized tests an effective solution to level the educational playing field between high-income and low-income students?", "perspectives": ["The elimination of standardized tests is an effective solution to level the educational playing field between high-income and low-income students.", "The elimination of standardized tests is not an effective solution to level the educational playing field between high-income and low-income students."], "docs": ["Standardized Tests are skewed in favour of the wealthy  Standardized tests are inherently skewed in favour of high-income students. Tutoring is and industry unto itself and the resulting rise in scores among high income students skews the scale against students whose families cannot afford it. By contrast, even if the money is available, the impact that tutoring can have on a student\u2019s academic performance is limited. A tutor cannot write papers or take tests for them, and nor can they answer questions in class, or participate in sports or other extracurricular activities. As a consequence, eliminating easily tutored standardized tests helps even the playing field between richer and poorer students.", "Every other indicator is also skewed in favour of high-income students. They tend to have parents who are better educated and are interested and much more involved in their children\u2019s education, as well as greater access relevant materials such as books and computers. Tutoring academically, while it may not involve having tutors test for a student, is probably much more impactful in the long-run, they may not be able to do extra-curricular activities but can help with homework (as can engaged parents), so would be just as likely to have an impact on coursework or another method of assessment as it does on the SATs."], "type": "binary", "id": "481"}
+{"question": "Is joining the Euro necessary for maintaining London's position as Europe's financial center?", "perspectives": ["Joining the Euro is necessary for maintaining London's position as Europe\u2019s financial center.", "Joining the Euro is not necessary for maintaining London's position as Europe's financial center."], "docs": ["Britain may not like losing the Queen's head on banknotes but London will be at a huge economic disadvantage if Britain stays out.  London will further lose its position as Europe\u2019s financial centre, and the financial influence this brings with it. Britain\u2019s staying out of the Euro has already depleted London\u2019s status as the European financial centre. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?, \u201cThe European Central Bank \u2013 the second most powerful in the world \u2013 had a natural home in London, but ended up in Frankfurt because of our indecision over the Euro.\u201d1 Germany used this to her advantage, for it \u201creinvigorated Germany\u2019s bid to ensure that Frankfurt becomes Europe\u2019s financial centre, with a massive office-building programme to rival London\u2019s Docklands.\u201d1Germany seizing London\u2019s sphere of influence will only increase if Britain stays out of the Euro. Moreover, if Britain\u2019s indecision over the Euro continues, \u201cit would lead to a serious rethink by foreign owners of many of the City\u2019s financial institutions about where their core activities should be located.\u201d1 If Britain does not join the Euro, her economic activity both at home and between fellow Member States will be badly affected.  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join?\", page 92", "This has simply not been the case; since the launch of the Euro in 2002, London has consolidated her position as the financial centre of Europe. There is no need for Britain to join the Euro, she can profit from the financial influence London exercises while her mainland European counterparts use the single currency. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?, \u201cat the launch of the Euro\u2026that what were effectively regional financial centres \u2013such as Paris- lost any reason for their existence and saw all European business drain away to Europe\u2019s real financial centre, London.\u201d1 Moreover, Britain is not wholly reliant on her European counterparts for business; \u201cMore people work in financial services in London than live in Frankfurt, its only likely rival. We have the English language and a time zone that means we can deal with New York and Tokyo in the working day.\u201d1 If the British economy does not even need mainland Europe for business, even less it needs the single currency.  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join\". page 93"], "type": "binary", "id": "482"}
+{"question": "Is hosting the Olympics financially beneficial for a city?", "perspectives": ["Hosting the Olympics is financially beneficial for a city.", "Hosting the Olympics is not financially beneficial for a city."], "docs": ["The economic benefit of the event is in its legacy. Regarding London specifically, a lot of the money will be spent on the regeneration of parts of East London that are currently underdeveloped. When the games are over the new facilities will still benefit the local communities and the prestige of hosting the games should bring new life and investment to the area. Furthermore, London's reputation as a tourist destination has taken a knock from the threat of terrorism since the underground bombings of 7/7. The games will be a way of bringing international attention back to the positive aspects of the UK's capital, bringing foreign visitors and their spending power back to Britain. London's population of 7.7m people is expected to be temporarily expanded by 12% during the Olympics alone1.  1 Grobel, W. (2010, April 15). What are the London 2012 Olympics 2012 worth? Retrieved May 13, 2011, from Intangible Business:", "Hosting is very expensive  Hosting is very expensive. In recent times the Olympics have never made a direct profit. The bidding process alone for 2012 will cost each bidding city around \u00a320m and whichever is selected will expect to pay at least \u00a36.5bn (Paris). With increased security fears Athens spent $1.5bn on security out of a total of $12bn on the 2004 games. The burden of this cost falls on government (and therefore the taxpayer), companies and individuals. Both Paris and London\u2019s local governments have put aside around \u00a32.4bn which will mean \u00a320 per year extra in tax for every household in the cities. Big projects are notoriously hard to budget for (so much so that London is estimating the total cost may go up by up to 50%) and residents in Los Angeles have only just stopped paying for the over-budget 1984 Olympics through their local taxes. If cities want to regenerate or improve their infrastructure then they should use this money directly on those projects rather than wasting it on subsidising a sporting event."], "type": "binary", "id": "483"}
+{"question": "Is military intervention an effective solution to the Syrian conflict?", "perspectives": ["Military intervention is an effective solution to the Syrian conflict.", "Military intervention is not an effective solution to the Syrian conflict."], "docs": ["Syria clearly meets the standards for intervention  The Assad regime has clearly lost its legitimacy and has precipitated a humanitarian crisis in Syria. The February estimate of 70000 killed [1] is up from an estimate of 60000 only a month before, [2] so clearly the violence is escalating. The conflict is also affecting neighbours; refugees have flooded into Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, and Israel is already believed to have attacked a convoy or research facility involved in chemical and biological weapons development. [3] Clearly the presence of these weapons show how much worse the situation could get if Assad is not overthrown. Not intervening risks the whole region being slowly destabilised and drawn in to the conflict. [4]  [1] Nichols, Michelle, \u2018Syria death toll likely near 70,000, says U.N. rights chief\u2019, Reuters, 12 Feb 2012  [2] \u2018Data suggests Syria death toll could be more than 60,000, says UN human rights office\u2019, UN News Centre, 2 January 2013  [3] \u2018Q&A: Israeli \u2018strike\u2019 on Syria\u2019, BBC News, 3 February 2013  [4] Byman, Daniel, in \u2018Roundtable: arming the Syrian rebels\u2019, Foreign Policy, 21 February 2013", "The if the rebels are armed and the regime gets close to losing surely it will simply increase the bloodshed and have greater motive to use its chemical and biological weapons. Therefore arming either side simply increases the potential for killing. A balance of death is not what anyone should be looking for in Syria."], "type": "binary", "id": "484"}
+{"question": "Are collisions in baseball entertaining and necessary for the sport?", "perspectives": ["Collisions in baseball are entertaining and necessary for the sport.", "Collisions in baseball are not entertaining or necessary for the sport."], "docs": ["Collisions are exciting and fun to watch.  Baseball is a form of entertainment, and few plays are as entertaining as bang-bang plays (a close call on whether the runner is thrown out) at the plate. As a sport that\u2019s often criticized for being too slow and boring\u2014\u201cbaseball has no clock,\u201d the saying goes [1] \u2014it\u2019s important that it hold onto perhaps the most dramatic, vivid play it has to offer. One columnist described it this way: \u201cWhen [collisions] do occur, they\u2019re exciting. We watch to see how well the catcher blocks the plate, how hard the runner slides, and whether the catcher can hold the ball. As dangerous as that play may be, it\u2019s exciting to watch.\u201d [2]  Other sports\u2014like American football, ice hockey, and rugby\u2014feature plenty of violent hits. Baseball has so few of them that when they do happen, they are doubly entertaining. It is just not necessary for baseball to prohibit a small dose of something that is extremely common in other sports.  [1] William Deresiewicz, \u201cMetaphors We Play By,\u201d American Scholar, June 6, 2011,  .  [2] Nick Cafardo, \u201cLet\u2019s keep rule change off our plate, please,\u201d Boston Globe, May 29, 2011,  .", "Collisions are often not entertaining, and when they are, it\u2019s for the wrong reasons. Most collisions do not show two athletes engaged in a skilled showdown; they feature athletes awkwardly trying to achieve their goal (scoring or getting the out) without injuring themselves. It\u2019s not fun or exciting.  Fans also tend to be horrified by the injuries they witness in these crashes. Watching Buster Posey\u2019s leg snap at an odd angle was hardly entertaining or amusing; it was stomach-turning.  And if fans do find this sort of thing entertaining, they\u2019re wrong to do so. Violence should not be glorified, at least not in this sport. Nobody should delight in watching baseball players put their careers in jeopardy. Baseball is fundamentally different from other sports; if people want to see athletes impose harmful blows on each other, they can watch boxing or ice hockey or ultimate fighting."], "type": "binary", "id": "485"}
+{"question": "Is the ban on the use of child soldiers beneficial for their protection?", "perspectives": ["The ban on the use of child soldiers is beneficial for their protection.", "The ban on the use of child soldiers is not beneficial for their protection."], "docs": ["Making children military targets  The purpose of the ban on the use of child soldiers is to prevent the normalisation of such tactics in conflict zones. It is not an inflexible implementation of a lofty European ideal. The ban, and the role of the ICC in enforcing it, is designed to reduce the likelihood that civilians will be deliberately targeted in developing world war zones. Why is this necessary?  If the defence set out in the motion is used to reduce the number of war crimes convictions attendant on the use of child soldiers, not only will numbers of child soldiers rise, but children themselves will become military targets. Communities ravaged and depleted by war, under the status quo, may be seen as minimally threatening. Armies are not likely to target them as strategic objectives if it is thought that they will offer no resistance. However, if there is no condemnation and investigation of the use of child soldiers, they will become a much more common feature of the battlefield. The increasing militarisation of children will make those children who do not wish to participate in armed conflict- children pursuing some alternate survival strategy- automatic targets. All children will be treated as potential soldiers. The communities that children live in will become military targets.  The resolution, although seeking to enable children to protect themselves, will simply make them targets of the massacres, organised displacement and surprise attacks that characterise warfare in Africa and central Asia.", "The purpose of the resolution is not to eliminate conflict in the developing world. Side proposition are merely seeking to remove the harmful side effects of the way in which the use of child soldiers is currently prosecuted \u2013 the risk of criminalising children and teenagers, the stigma attached to being a child soldier, and the condemnation of communities that rely on child soldiers for protection.  Children are already the victims of atrocities perpetrated against civilians. They already volunteer to engage in military service. Armed groups that target civilian populations have already broken international law and have proven willing to do so repeatedly. Children will always be a target, whether or not they have sought out the means with which to defend themselves.  With the international community unwilling to provide wide-ranging policing and supervision of international legal norms, it is not just to condemn individuals and communities who unwillingly take up arms to try to survive attacks by groups who flagrantly disregard international law.  Peaceful communities forced to adopt abnormal survival strategies in the face of lawless aggression should be given the opportunity to compel the ICC to make situation specific judgments."], "type": "binary", "id": "486"}
+{"question": "Is imposing democracy on a nation a successful strategy?", "perspectives": ["Imposing democracy on a nation is a successful strategy.", "Imposing democracy on a nation is not a successful strategy."], "docs": ["Interventions can be successful given the right conditions.  Certain factors may increase the chance of success: for example imposing democracy on a nation with which there were once colonial relationships increases the expected lifespan of the democracy. Democratic transitions in general also tend to be more successful if economic conditions are better. Obviously we are not advocating imposing democracy on every country which does not have it, but if there are strong enough institutions and conditions, imposition can work and there have been past successes like Germany and Japan post WWII that show the worth of imposing democracy1/2.  1 Enterline, Andrew J. and Greig, J. Michael.\"Against All Odds? Historical Trends in Imposed Democracy & the Future of Iraq & Afghanistan.\"  2 Przeworski et al \"What Makes Democracies Endure?\" Journal of Democracy.", "Interventions are far more likely to fail than to succeed. As explained further in Opposition Argument 2, empirically and logically imposed democracy is likely to fail. Governments can try and minimize the risk of failure, but it is inherent to the nature of imposition that a government is being instated against the country's will. It is consequently very unlikely to generate support and remain stable."], "type": "binary", "id": "487"}
+{"question": "Should home plate collisions be eliminated in baseball?", "perspectives": ["Home plate collisions should be eliminated in baseball.", "Home plate collisions should not be eliminated in baseball."], "docs": ["In the match-up between catchers and runners, home plate should be treated like the other bases. At first base, second base, or third base, fielders are expected not to block the base and runners are expected not to collide with the fielder. By imposing both of these requirements, neither the catcher nor the runner would have an unfair advantage. Each player would be required to contribute to a situation that allows both of them to avoid a collision.", "Without collisions, either the catcher or the runner would have an enormous and unfair advantage.  There are two often-discussed ways to change the rules: require the runner to slide, just as they must do when attempting to reach other bases; or disallow catchers to block runners\u2019 paths. Each results in an imbalance between the catcher and runner. A commentator describes this dynamic very well:  \u201cIf Major League Baseball was to employ a rule stating that runners must avoid contact with the catcher\u2014similar to the \u2018slide or avoid\u2019 rule employed in amateur baseball\u2014it would give the advantage to the catcher. The catcher would have the benefit of dictating the course of action that a baserunner must take, and would\u2014perhaps more importantly\u2014have peace of mind knowing that there is no chance of an ensuing collision. If Major League Baseball was to make a rule stating that the catcher cannot block the plate, the advantage would certainly go to the baserunner, who would enjoy the luxury of a straight path to the most sacred ground on a baseball diamond.\u201d [1]  Allowing collisions is the fairest, most even match between the catcher and runner.  [1] Ricky Doyle, \u201cBuster Posey\u2019s Injury Unfortunate, But Home-Plate Collisions Still Have Place in Baseball,\u201d NESN, May 29, 2011,  ."], "type": "binary", "id": "488"}
+{"question": "Should torture be absolutely prohibited in all circumstances?", "perspectives": ["Torture should be absolutely prohibited in all circumstances.", "Torture should not be absolutely prohibited in all circumstances."], "docs": ["Allowing torture under any circumstances will allow the prospect of its routine use  The advantage of a complete ban on torture is that it leaves no room for doubt, no possibility for confusion, no need to apply personal judgement. Under the status quo, it is simply illegal to use force or the threat of force to solicit information from a suspect, regardless of the charge.  The moment that becomes something other than a complete ban then it puts an intolerable pressure on security officials to decide when it is justified and when it is not.  The experience of Abu Grahib demonstrates how the use of abusive treatment can become routine, even trivial, all too quickly. If it is acceptable to use torture to prevent mass-murder, then why not murder? If for murder than why not rape? And so on.", "It is perfectly possible to put legal structures in place that allow for judicial overview of the interrogation techniques used. In most Western countries \u2013 the most common targets of modern terrorism \u2013 there are already legal frameworks for judicial approval of the extension of detention periods and so forth on an emergency basis. The same form of oversight could be used here and exactly the same principle of retrospective appeal could apply to ensure that the capacity was not misused."], "type": "binary", "id": "489"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty significantly inhibit US defense capabilities?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty significantly inhibits US defense capabilities.", "The New START treaty does not significantly inhibit US defense capabilities."], "docs": ["The New START treaty harms US nuclear capabilities  As David Ganz, the president of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), argues: \"This treaty would restrain the development and deployment of new nuclear weapons, missile defense systems, and missile delivery systems.\" [1] The atrophying U.S. nuclear arsenal and weapons enterprise make reductions in the U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal even more dangerous. The new START treaty allows nuclear modernization but while the US capacity to modernize nuclear weapons is limited and either congress or the president is likely to prevent modernization on cost grounds. The Russians have a large, if unknown, advantage over the United States in terms of nonstrategic, particularly tactical, and nuclear weapons. The New START treaty however ignores these weapons entirely as it is focused on strategic arms. This therefore leaves the Russians with an advantage and potentially reduces the potential for deterrence in areas beyond the US. [2]  New START also restricts US missile defence options. The Obama Administration insists the treaty doesn\u2019t affect it, but the Kremlin\u2019s takes a different view: \"[START] can operate and be viable only if the United States of America refrains from developing its missile-defense capabilities quantitatively or qualitatively.\" [3] New START imposes restrictions on U.S. missile defence options in at least four areas. First the preamble recognizes \u201cthe interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms\u201d it seeks to make sure defensive arms \u201cdo not undermine the viability and effectiveness of the strategic offensive arms of the parties\u201d so defensive arms must be reduced to allow offensive arms to remain effective. [4] Russia also issued a unilateral statement on April 7, 2010, Russia reinforced this restriction by issuing a unilateral statement asserting that it considers the \u201cextraordinary events\u201d that give \u201cthe right to withdraw from this treaty\u201d to include a buildup of missile defense. [5] Second, Article V states \u201cEach Party shall not convert and shall not use ICBM launchers and SLBM launchers for placement of missile defense interceptors\u201d and vice versa. [6] There are also restrictions on some types of missiles and launchers that are used in the testing of missile defense. And Finally, article X established the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC), the treaty\u2019s implementing body, with oversight over the implementation of the treaty which may impose additional restrictions on the U.S. missile defense program. [7]  [1] Weingarten, Elizabeth. \u201cHow did New START become a Jewish issue?\u201d. The Atlantic. 1 Decemebr 2010.   [2] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [3] Brookes, Peter. \u201cNot a new START, but a bad START\u201d. The Hill. 13 September 2010.   [4] Obama, Barak, and Medvedev, Dmitri, \u2018Treaty Between The United States of America And The Russian Federation On Measures For The Further Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms\u2019, U.S. Department of State,   [5] Bureau of Verification, Compliance, and Implementation, \u2018New START Treaty Fact Sheet: Unilateral Statements\u2019, U.S. Department of State, 13 May 2010,   [6] Obama, Barak, and Medvedev, Dmitri, \u2018Treaty Between The United States of America And The Russian Federation On Measures For The Further Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms\u2019, U.S. Department of State,   [7] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.", "Many of the worries about the impact of the treaty are much more of a political problem than problems with the treaty itself. U.S. missile modernization in particular is still up to the President and Congress to sort out the funding between them \u2013 the restrictions are minor. [1] Worries about the impact on missile defense are also a red herring. Missile defense is not aimed at Russia and the United States simply needs to make sure that its defenses are obviously aimed at who it says they are aimed at: rogue states such as Iran and North Korea. Regarding other defence capabilities, the New START Treaty preserves America\u2019s ability to deploy effective missile defenses, and simply prevents it from being effective enough to undermine deterrence, something which Russia would be right in worrying about if the United States had any intention of building such a comprehensive missile defence. The prohibition on converting existing launchers will have little impact on the United States as the military believes that such conversion would be more expensive and less effective than building new purpose built defensive missiles. [2] Finally if Russia did exercise its right to withdraw then both parties would be in no worse a position than they would have been without the new treaty and could simply restart negotiations.  [1] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [2] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "490"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance a suitable solution for poverty reduction?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is a suitable solution for poverty reduction.", "Microfinance is not a suitable solution for poverty reduction."], "docs": ["Ending poverty through entrepreneurialism  Introducing finance provides communities with access to startup capital. Access to financial capital is vital in several respects for initiating capitalism. Firstly, access to capital enables entrepreneurialism. The poor have business ideas that would benefit both themselves and their community they just require access to capital to invest in such ideas. The Initiative \u2018Lend with Care\u2019 is providing access to capital to empower entrepreneurs [1] .  Secondly, the cumulative effect of small-scale savings and borrowing, enabled through microfinance enables individuals, families and communities, to enter markets - of land and property. Being able to buy property and land can enable personal security, dignity, and increasing returns.  [1] See further readings: Lend with Care, 2013.", "Can we rely on business to solve social problems? Ultimately the model proposed through microfinance schemes is the creation of a consumer market where risks are already high. This has shown to be one of the key factors of microfinance failing in South Africa (Bateman, 2013). The microcredit provided across South Africa, post-apartheid, aimed to solve social problems - however, it has acted to support risky consumption not investment. With a lack of secure incomes, due to high levels of unemployment, underemployment, and informal employment, the rate of repayment is low. Households have been forced into severe poverty by being provided with credit which they can\u2019t pay back. Even among those who do invest how many of their business ideas will succeed?"], "type": "binary", "id": "491"}
+{"question": "Is the open-source initiative fostering positive competition in the software industry?", "perspectives": ["The open-source initiative is fostering positive competition in the software industry.", "The open-source initiative is not fostering positive competition in the software industry."], "docs": ["Government contracts can change the software industry for the better.  Even when governments do not ultimately select an open source program, by simply including them in the competitive bidding process, they have been able to radically change the approach that Microsoft and other closed source companies take to producing IT solutions.  Under threat from Linux, Microsoft has launched the Open Source Initiative through which it shares elements of some of its programs\u2019 source code with key partners to enable the development of software for platforms like Windows Mobile [i] . More dramatically, in 2002, Real Networks opened up the source code for its world renowned RealPlayer media and music software package and, in 2005, IBM offered 500 key patents (out of 40,000) to the open source community. Sun Microsystems released its Solaris server operating system to the open source community under the Common Development and Distribution licence in 2005. If you accept that the open source software industry is a positive force, then simply by considering open source software, governments are doing well.  [i] Ed Hansberry. \u201cOpen Source WebOS: A Win For Windows Phone?\u201d Information Week. 12 December 2011.", "The first firm to shift to the open source approach was Netscape with its Navigator web browser, because it was being outperformed by the closed source Microsoft Internet Explorer; Netscape made the shift out of desperation. This is exactly the same reason why Sun and Real have made their programs open source - Solaris was being squeezed by Windows based server software and RealPlayer by iTunes and Spotify. Similarly, the patents which IBM is sharing and the narrow range of source code that Microsoft is now opening up relate to sectors and product markets where neither firm is dominant and where they hope they can leverage the programming community to boost the quality of the software they are offering. Since Microsoft launched the Open Source Initiative, it has not expanded it in response to other governments threatening to shift to open source software. Therefore, we should not view this initiative as the beginning of a trend."], "type": "binary", "id": "492"}
+{"question": "Does pornography contribute to violence against women?", "perspectives": ["Pornography contributes to violence against women.", "Pornography does not contribute to violence against women."], "docs": ["Pornography eroticises violence  Many forms of media are often accused of inciting violence, promoting stereotypes, or indoctrinating in some form or another. While this is contentious, the key principle that \u2018sex sells\u2019 is more obvious. Pornography is not like other media in that, while most other films are aimed at entertainment, this is aimed at arousal. That is, it is aimed at immediate and fully selfish pleasure, which is much more forceful and addictive than mere laughter.  The psychological effect of pornography is harmful due to the associations it conditions its audience to make. It eroticises violence through portrayals (fake or genuine) of rape and a general treatment of women that is comparable to torture, yet presented in a context that necessarily biologically excites its viewers. Through continuous exposure to the link between abuse and intense pleasure, this link is easily extended to personal relationships. The master-slave dialectic suddenly becomes acceptable. Compulsive rapists, such as Ted Bundy, are often found to have consumed mass amounts of pornography (Benson). [1] More subtle, yet certainly still present is the force of such associations on young teenagers who have not yet had a sexual relationship and rely on pornography for guidance. This has a potentially massive impact given that 11 is the average age of first internet porn exposure (Techmedia Network). [2]  [1] Benson, Rusty. \u201cVile Passions.\u201d AFA Journal August 2002.   [2] Techmedia Network. Feminist Porn Award.", "We live in a society in which no judge will recognise \u201cI saw it on the TV\u201d as a valid excuse for a crime. We allow people to watch violent films believing they will be able to distinguish between pornography and reality. For cases such as Ted Bundy, clearly issues other than pornography must have been at play: there have to be pre-existing anti-women values and, in such extreme cases, mental instability.  Furthermore, the link between pornography and violence is not intrinsic; it is nothing the feminist movement cannot change through greater influence and/or restrictions."], "type": "binary", "id": "493"}
+{"question": "Is the House of Lords beneficial for the governance of the country?", "perspectives": ["The House of Lords is beneficial for the governance of the country.", "The House of Lords is not beneficial for the governance of the country."], "docs": ["The House of Lords allows a number of experts to influence government policy.  While the members of the House of Lords may represent a small section of society, they also include expert peers including lawyers, scientists, businesspeople, academics, doctors and civil servants that can balance out the sometimes short term, political opportunism present in the House of Commons. Election does not guarantee these expertise and knowledge, so having a second chamber that is appointed rather than elected improves the quality of the governance of the country.", "Although a small number of members of the House of Lords are industry experts the fact remains that there is still a proportion of hereditary peers, which guarantees no expertise whatsoever. Furthermore political parties can elect peers which is simply absurd, parties should not be able to appoint their own watch dogs: David Cameron has already appointed 117 peers in less than a year. [1]  [1] Barrett, Matthew, \u2018Full House: Cameron warned against appointing more peers\u2019, (20 April 2011) viewed 1 June 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "494"}
+{"question": "Is the provision of aid sufficient to combat the impact of natural disasters on Africa's economic growth?", "perspectives": ["The provision of aid is sufficient to combat the impact of natural disasters on Africa's economic growth.", "The provision of aid is not sufficient to combat the impact of natural disasters on Africa's economic growth."], "docs": ["In recent years there has been a large amount of aid provided to Africa for the express purpose of climate change adaption, demonstrating a growing awareness to this issue. The UNEP claimed that between 2010 and 2011 it provided several hundred million dollars each year, with an unknown amount coming from other development projects, directed towards climate change adaption [1] . While this does not cover future costs, it is a start.  [1] Rowling, \u2018Africa Faces Sharp Rise in Climate Adaption Costs \u2013 Unep\u2019, 2013", "The Continent is still vulnerable to natural disasters  A major road block to development and economic growth in Africa is the prevalence of natural disasters. These disasters commonly affect the poorest and most vulnerable in society, as they are often the ones living in the \u2018most exposed areas\u2019, thus preventing development [1] . In Somalia, for example, the 2013 cyclone left tens of thousands homeless in an already impoverished area, worsening their economic situation [2] . Dr Tom Mitchell from the Overseas Development Institute has claimed that economic growth cannot occur until disaster risk management becomes central to social and economic policy [3] . Disaster management could cost too much however. In November 2013, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report demonstrated that 2070 a total $350 billion per annum would be required to deal with the threats presented by clime change such as increased Arid areas and higher risks of flooding [4] .  [1] Decapua, \u2018Natural Disasters Worsen Poverty\u2019, 2013  [2] Migiro, \u2018Somalia Reels From Cyclone, Floods and Hunger \u2013 ICRC\u2019, 2013  [3] Decapua, \u2018Natural Disasters Worsen Poverty\u2019, 2013  [4] Rowling, \u2018Africa Faces Sharp Rise in Climate Adaption Costs \u2013 Unep\u2019, 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "495"}
+{"question": "Are carbon trading schemes effective in significantly reducing CO2 emissions?", "perspectives": ["Carbon trading schemes are effective in significantly reducing CO2 emissions.", "Carbon trading schemes are not effective in significantly reducing CO2 emissions."], "docs": ["Carbon Trading Schemes  The EU ETS is an example of a viable carbon market, it covers thirty countries from the EU as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Countries within the ETS are using market mechanisms to force domestic emitters to meet national caps as the amount of allowances reduces over time emissions fall. In 2020 under the ETS emissions will be 21% lower than in 2005 1. The IPCC report contains recommendations for how emissions can be abated through the simultaneous application of numerous small reductions and the implementation of abatement technologies and this is exactly what schemes like the ETS encourage. Part of the reason that the ETS is successful is that it is ensuring an even playing field between countries by (more or less) applying its rules equally across borders and industries.2  1. European Trading System, 2010  2. European Commission Climate Action, 'Emissions Trading System'", "Carbon trading systems may have the effect of slowing the rise in CO2 emissions, and possibly even creating a fall. However this will not solve the problem as changes are already occurring and there may be no way to stop feedback that creates more emissions."], "type": "binary", "id": "496"}
+{"question": "Is it morally consistent to experiment on animals instead of severely cognitively disabled persons?", "perspectives": ["It is morally consistent to experiment on animals instead of severely cognitively disabled persons.", "It is not morally consistent to experiment on animals instead of severely cognitively disabled persons."], "docs": ["We do not need to justify the moral value of severely cognitively disabled persons, although if we wanted to, we could invoke notions of kinship, and family as providing a justification for acting in an apparently specieist manner. [1] Rather, it is sufficient to highlight the point, that experimenting on humans of any cognitive function, carries with it certain negative externalities. Such persons are likely to have relatives who would be harmed by the knowledge that their loved ones are being used in medical experiments for example. Even in the case of such a person who lacks any relatives, broader society and disabled rights groups could be harmed by a policy that allows treating some disabled persons differently to the rest of our moral community.  Such externalities would make experimenting on animals, rather than such persons, both preferable and morally consistent.  [1] Fox, M. A., \u201cThe Moral Community\u201d, in La Follette (ed.), Ethics in Practice, (Malden, Mass; Oxford : Blackwell Pub, 2007)", "Some groups of people have less capacity for suffering than most animals  It is possible to conceive of human persons almost totally lacking in a capacity for suffering, or indeed a capacity to develop and possess interests. Take for example a person in a persistent vegetative state, or a person born with the most severe of cognitive impairments.  We can take three possible stances toward such persons within this debate. Firstly we could experiment on animals, but not such persons. This would be a morally inconsistent and specieist stance to adopt, and as such unsatisfactory. We could be morally consistent, and experiment on both animals and such persons. Common morality suggests that it would be abhorrent to conduct potentially painful medical research on the severely disabled, and so this stance seems equally unsatisfactory. Finally we could maintain moral consistency and avoid experimenting on the disabled, by adopting the stance of experimenting on neither group, thus prohibiting experimentation upon animals. [1]  [1] Fox, M. A., \u201cThe Moral Community\u201d, in La Follette (ed.), Ethics in Practice, (Malden, Mass; Oxford : Blackwell Pub, 2007)"], "type": "binary", "id": "497"}
+{"question": "Is the euthanization of animals for research purposes justifiable?", "perspectives": ["The euthanization of animals for research purposes is justifiable.", "The euthanization of animals for research purposes is not justifiable."], "docs": ["Firstly, due to our larger and more sophisticated brains, one would expect the average human to have a great many more interests than any animal, for those interests to be more complex and interconnected, and for there to be a greater capacity for reflection and comprehension of the satisfaction gleaned from the realisation of such interests. Thus, we can ascribe greater value to the life of a human than an animal, and thus conclude there to be less harm in painlessly killing an animal than a human. Secondly, to the extent that research on animals is of benefit to humans, it is thus permissible to conduct experiments requiring euthanasia of the animal subjects. [1]  [1] Frey, R. G., \u201cMoral Standing: The Value of Life and Specieism\u201d, in La Follette (ed.), Ethics in Practice, (Malden, Mass; Oxford : Blackwell Pub, 2007)", "Animal research necessitates significant harm to the animals involved  Animal research, by its very nature necessitates harm to the animals. Even if they are not made to suffer as part of the experiment, the vast majority of animals used, must be killed at the conclusion of the experiment. With 115 million animals being used in the status quo this is no small issue. Even if we were to vastly reduce animal experimentation, releasing domesticated animals into the wild, would be a death sentence, and it hardly seems realistic to think that many behaviourally abnormal animals, often mice or rats, might be readily moveable into the pet trade. [1] It is prima fasciae obvious, that it is not in the interest of the animals involved to be killed, or harmed to such an extent that such killing might seem merciful. Even if the opposition counterargument, that animals lack the capacity to truly suffer, is believed, research should none the less be banned in order to prevent the death of millions of animals.  [1] European Commission, 1997. Euthanasia of experimental animals. Luxembourg: Office for official publications"], "type": "binary", "id": "498"}
+{"question": "Does the EU have a successful and independent foreign policy?", "perspectives": ["The EU has a successful and independent foreign policy.", "The EU does not have a successful and independent foreign policy."], "docs": ["The EU is indeed under NATO\u2019s and US\u2019s military umbrella, and while terrorist attacks on EU\u2019s territory have certainly heightened levels of anxiety, its \u2018foreign policy\u2019 is still based on an inclusive approach: bring threatening nations under your economic and political umbrella and provide them with incentives to collaborate. Academics such as Allen David and Michael Smith have argued that the EU\u2019s \u2018foreign policy\u2019 seeks to go beyond the nation state and thus treats what lies outside its borders not necessarily as \u2018foreign\u2019 and \u2018threatening\u2019 but rather as a different system.1 The EU provides a subsystem of international relations within a larger global system, in which threats and fears subside as a result of economic and military integration. The most pressing challenge is to learn how to extend this system beyond the current borders of the EU, keeping in mind that the accession process is a mechanism not to be abused.  1. Allen, David, and Smith, Michael, 'External Policy Developments', Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol 43. (2005) pp.109-26 accessed 1/8/11", "There have been tests on the EU's ability to create a common foreign policy that it has failed.  The War in Iraq, along with previous notable failures to deal with the breakup of former Yugoslavia, has been an excellent test for the extent to which the EU can claim to have a common approach to world politics and foreign policy in particular. It has clearly pointed out a whole range of diverse and often opposed national interests, and national publics that were unwilling to make compromises along EU lines of commitment. It has also showed that the economic power of the EU is not enough to turn it into a major player on the international scene: the lack in military power and presence speaks for itself. The EU still lies very much under the umbrella of NATO and US military power and as long as this military dependency continues, the EU will not be able to have its own independent voice in world politics. 1  1.  \">"], "type": "binary", "id": "499"}
+{"question": "Is the reduction of the tobacco industry beneficial?", "perspectives": ["The reduction of the tobacco industry is beneficial.", "The reduction of the tobacco industry is not beneficial."], "docs": ["Reduces growth of tobacco  Less people smoking means less tobacco being purchased \u2013 something that would contribute to the reduction in the tobacco industry. The industry is known for its exploitative labour practices, from child labour (80,000 children in Malawi work in tobacco farming, can result in nicotine poisoning \u2013 90% of what is grown is sold to American Big Tobacco 1 ) to extortionate loans. 2 Reducing the size of such an industry can only be a good thing.  1 Palitza, Kristin, \u201cChild labour: tobacco\u2019s smoking gun\u201d, The Guardian, 14 September 2011,   2 Action on Smoking and Health, p3", "Yes, tobacco is harmful \u2013 but is it really a benefit to remove economic activity, which people choose to do? Labour abuses occur in other industries \u2013 but that\u2019s an argument for increased labour protections and economic development, not economic self-inflicted wounds."], "type": "binary", "id": "500"}
+{"question": "Should government regulate the internet to protect copyright and foster business innovation?", "perspectives": ["The government should regulate the internet to protect copyright and foster business innovation.", "The government should not regulate the internet to protect copyright and foster business innovation."], "docs": ["Internet regulation is necessary to ensure a working economy on the internet  As seen above, the internet has enabled many types of criminal behavior. But it has also enabled normal citizens to share files. Music, movie and game producers have difficulty operating in a market where their products get pirated immediately after release and spread for free instantaneously on a massive scale. The internet enables violation of their right of ownership, gained through providing the hard work of creating a work of art, on a massive scale. Since it\u2019s impractical to sue and fine each and every downloader, a more effective and less invasive policy would be government requiring Internet Service Providers to implement a graduated response policy, which has ISPs automatically monitor all internet traffic and fine their users when they engage in copyright violation. Something along these lines has already been tried in France, called HADOPI, which has succeeded in decreasing the downloading of unauthorized content. [1]  Apart from this, governments also need to think about how to translate everyday offline activities onto the internet. For example, when you file your tax report offline, you would sign it with your handwritten signature. The online variant would be a digital signature. [2] Developing and deploying a digital signature would enable citizens and corporations to do business, file their tax reports and pay their taxes online.  [1] Crumley, \u2018Why France\u2019s Socialists Won\u2019t Kill Sarkozy\u2019s Internet Piracy Law\u2019, 2012  [2] Wikipedia, \u2018Digital Signatures\u2019, 2012.", "Government shouldn\u2019t interfere with the internet economy  It almost never ends well when governments interfere with the internet economy. The graduated response policy against the unauthorized downloading of copyrighted content is one example: it violates the same principles as a filter against child sex abuse material, but it also doesn\u2019t succeed in its\u2019 goal of helping content businesses innovate their business models, which is why France is considering discontinuing it. [1] Also, other businesses are slowly replacing the old fashioned music-industry, showing that companies on the internet are fully able to survive and thrive by offering copyrighted content online. [2]  When governments do become active in the internet economy, they\u2019re likely to run very high risks. IT projects are very likely to fail, run over budget and time, [3] especially when it concerns governments. [4] This means that governments shouldn\u2019t be \u2018going digital\u2019 anytime soon, as the data governments handle is too sensitive. The case of digital signatures is a good example: when the provider of digital signatures for tax and business purposes, DigiNotar, was hacked, it not only comprised the security of Dutch-Iranian citizens, [5] but also hampered government communications. [6]  [1] \u2018French anti-p2p agency Hadopi likely to get shut down\u2019. 2012.  [2] Knopper, \u2018The New Economics of the Music Industry\u2019. 2011.  [3] Budzier and Flyvbjerg, \u2018Why your IT project may be riskier than you think\u2019. 2011.  [4] \u2018Government IT Projects: How often is succes even an option?\u2019. 2011.  [5] \u2018Fake DigiNotar web certificate risk to Iranians\u2019, 2011.  [6] \u2018Dutch government unprepared for SSL hack, report says\u2019, 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "501"}
+{"question": "Does microfinance result in overall empowerment for women in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance results in overall empowerment for women in Africa.", "Microfinance does not result in overall empowerment for women in Africa."], "docs": ["Small is beautiful: community empowerment  Microfinance is empowering the communities that are using it - showing in development, small is beautiful. Communities are empowered to change their conditions. For example taking the case of savings - microfinance allows for savings. Half of the adults that saved in Sub-Saharan Africa, during 2013, used an informal, community-based approach (CARE, 2014). First, having savings reduces household risk. CARE is one of many organisations working in innovations for microfinance. At CARE savings have been mobilised across Africa by working with Village Savings and Loans Associations. Overtime, CARE has targeted over 30,000,000 poor people in Africa, to provide necessary finance. Savings ensures households have financial capital, can invest resources in education, health, and the future. Savings is security in livelihoods.  Second, microfinance is providing key skills. Oxfam\u2019s Savings for Change Initiative provides training on savings, and lending, to women in communities in Senegal and Mali. Evidence from Mali indicates startup capital provided has ensured better food security, women\u2019s empowerment in the financial decision-making of households, and crucially, a sense of community bond among the women (Oxfam, 2013). Gender based violence within households may also be reduced [1] .  [1] See further readings: Kim et al, 2007.", "One of the key benefits highlighted about Oxfam\u2019s Saving for Change Initiative is the empowerment provided for women. Women are argued to be more independent, able to organise within communities, and provided with a voice of power. However, are women empowered?  In the cases of microfinance in Cameroon, Mayoux (2001) highlights the inequalities operating within community groups. The message is we cannot rely on communities, and social capital, for empowerment as women within such communities have different relations to power. The ability for women to use savings and credit for self-empowerment is limited by wider, traditional, gender inequalities. Microfinance may act to reinforce unequal power relations and positions within society.  Furthermore, women\u2019s empowerment needs to be understood as complex. [1] Real, and strategic, empowerment for women goes beyond increased access to economic resources. So how can microfinance ensure true empowerment?  [1] See further readings: Sutton-Brown, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "502"}
+{"question": "Is freedom of movement an intrinsic human right?", "perspectives": ["Freedom of movement is an intrinsic human right.", "Freedom of movement is not an intrinsic human right."], "docs": ["Freedom of movement is an intrinsic human right  Every human being is born with certain rights. These are protected by various charters and are considered inseparable from the human being. The reason for this is a belief that these rights create the fundamental and necessary conditions to lead a human life. Freedom of movement is one of these and has been recognised as such in Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [1] If a family finds themselves faced with starvation, the only chance they have of survival might be to move to another place where they might live another day. It is inhuman to condemn individuals to death and suffering for the benefit of some nebulous collective theory. While we might pass some of our freedoms to the state, we have a moral right to the freedoms that help us stay alive \u2013 in this context freedom of movement is one of those.  [1] General Assembly, \u201cThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights\u201d, 10 December 1948,", "Freedom of movement is not an intrinsic human right, but rather a right that can and should be given by the state where it is possible. For example the state puts people into prisons; this infringes their freedom of movement. This is partially as punishment, but the core rationale for this is to protect the people outside of the prison from potentially dangerous people. [1] But for that, there would be significantly cheaper and more efficient ways of punishing criminals. The people whose freedom of movement is restricted are a threat to people living in the cities and to the economy of the nation as a whole. In the better interest of the nation and to protect innocent people whose lives will be damaged by unrestricted migration, these people must accept restricted freedom of movement.  [1] See the debatabase debate \u2018 This House believes criminal justice should focus more on rehabilitation \u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "503"}
+{"question": "Is EU integration primarily motivated by economic determinism as proposed by neo-functionalism?", "perspectives": ["EU integration is primarily motivated by economic determinism as proposed by neo-functionalism.", "EU integration is not primarily motivated by economic determinism as proposed by neo-functionalism."], "docs": ["Neo-functionalism proposes a purpose to EU integration.  Neo-functionalism proposed building a community Europe, through the concept of spillover the theory proposes economic determinism. Spill-over will eventually lead to a completely integrated Europe with a strong central government. This has not yet been proved true, as EU integration has become a long and difficult process. This is understandable since it is not exactly easy to integrate together all those policies, economies and people. However this would most probably be the eventual result, which is already visible: The experience of the European Union (EU) is widely perceived as not just an example, but the model for regional integration. In recent years, the EU has also been pursuing an increasing number of trade agreements which may in turn lead to spillover. [1] Furthermore the recent enlargements of the EU in Eastern Europe, as well as the ongoing negotiations with Croatia and Turkey have renewed the academic and political interest in the effects of European Economic integration. [2]  One of the theory\u2019s strengths is to predict the outcome of integration and an eventual conclusion to the process, allowing for political and economic aims to be made and realised. For example \u2018Larger companies have been acting on the assumption that the internal market will eventually be established\u2019. [3]  [1] Bilal, Sanoussi, \u2018Can the EU Be a Model of Regional Integration?\u2019, Paper to be presented at the CODESRIA - Globalisation Studies Network (GSN), 29-31 August 2005,   [2] Lafourcade, Miren, and Paluzie, Elisenda, \u2018European Integration, FDI and the Internal Geography of Trade: Evidence from Western-European Border Regions\u2019, 23 December 2004, www.cepr.org/RESEARCH/Networks/TID/Paluzie.pdf  [3] Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Jeppe, \u2018Neo-functionalism: Obstinate or Obsolete? A Reappraisal in the Light of the New Dynamism of the EC\u2019, Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp.1-22,", "Neo-functionalism believes in building a community Europe, but then the question is raised, what is the purpose of this new entity? There is no common outlook and getting the major powers of Europe to agree what this should be will be near impossible. Intergovernmentalists would also argue that economic determinism regarding integration is wrong. As they believe national governments have to consciously make these decisions and will not be economically driven alone, \u2018Extensive cooperation is not at all ruled out: on the contrary, such cooperation will benefit all participants as long as it corresponds to and enhances mutual interests\u2019. It will always be politics that drive integration, while the motive may be economic \u2013 to solve a crisis or even just to profit \u2013 the key decisions by all actors will be political. [1]  [1] Martell, Luke, \u2018Globalisation and Economic Determinism\u2019, Paper given at Global Studies Association conference, Challenging Globalization, September 2009, www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/ssfa2/globecdet.pdf , p.4"], "type": "binary", "id": "504"}
+{"question": "Is reliance on tourism for foreign investment effective in Tunisia's economy?", "perspectives": ["Reliance on tourism for foreign investment is effective in Tunisia's economy.", "Reliance on tourism for foreign investment is not effective in Tunisia's economy."], "docs": ["Investment  Tourism should be relied upon for economic growth as it attracts significant foreign investment. Tourism is the largest form of foreign currency income, with around \u00a3728 million being produced by external visitors in 20121. Attracting Europeans, who have relatively large disposable incomes, has been a prominent tactic of the industry with favourable results. It is estimated that Europeans account for 95% of all overnight stays in Tunisia2. The other major sectors of services and agriculture do not inspire foreign investment of this magnitude.  1) Khalifa,A. \u2018Foreign direct investment and tourism receipts pick back up in Tunisia\u2019, Global Arab Network, 7 October 2012  2) Choyakh,H. \u2018Modelling Tourism Demand in Tunisia Using Cointegration and Error Correction Models\u2019 pg.71", "The prominence of foreign investment in tourism has decreased since Ben Ali\u2019s fall. Prior to the Jasmine revolution, financial actors who were close to the ruling regime were encouraged to invest and given a privileged position. Once the regime was removed, so were the favourable conditions1. Reliance on Europe for tourists, and the foreign investment that accompanies them, has also proven to be unwise. Since the 2008 economic crisis, many potential European tourists have been out of work, or have reduced disposable incomes at the very least, which has decreased the flow of tourists and financial investment2.  1) Achy,L. \u2018The Tourism Crisis in Tunisia Goes Beyond Security Issues\u2019, Al Monitor, 26 June 2012  2) Padmore,R. \u2018Tunisia tourism industry looks to rebuild\u2019 , BBC, 22nd August 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "505"}
+{"question": "Is the current patent system efficient for pharmaceutical innovation?", "perspectives": ["The current patent system is efficient for pharmaceutical innovation.", "The current patent system is not efficient for pharmaceutical innovation."], "docs": ["The costs associated with the current patent regime are necessary to the maintenance of innovation. It may be costly, and technically inefficient to police property rights, but that does not make them less of a right. If firms feel they can benefit from fighting infringers of their patent rights, it is their right to do so. The state likewise, has an obligation to protect the rights, physical and intangible, of its citizens and cannot give up on them simply because they prove difficult and costly to enforce.", "When generic drugs are legalized firms and individuals no longer feel the incentive to misallocate resources to the race to patent new drugs and to monitor existing patents, or to spend resources stealing from one another  Patent regimes cause firms to inefficiently allocate resources. One such inefficiency arises from the duplication of effort by firms seeking to develop the same or very similar drugs, though only the first to do so may profit from it due to the winner-takes-all patent system. This leads to brutal races and excessive expenditure of resources to be first over the line and to monopolize the production, at least for a time. These races can thus lead to efforts by firms to steal research from one another, thus resulting in further wastes of resources in engaging and attempting to prevent corporate espionage. Another serious inefficiency arises in the production of similar products to existing ones, seeking to get around existing patents. Such has been the case for years in the pharmaceutical industry, which has succeeded, for example, in curing erectile dysfunction dozens of times. An overemphasis on such spinning off of similar products is the result of patent-generated inefficiency 1. The inefficiency does not end with production, however, as firms likewise devote great amounts of resources and effort to the development of non-duplicable products, in monitoring for infringement, and in prosecuting offenders, all of which generates huge costs and little or no return 2. Furthermore, the deterrent effect to patent piracy generated by all the efforts of the state and firms has proven generally minimal. Clearly, in the absence of patent protection for pharmaceuticals, markets and firms will behave more efficiently. This is shown by the introduction of generic antiretroviral drugs for treating AIDS where the introduction of generic drugs forced the price of the branded drugs down from $10439 to $931 in September/October 2000 3.  1 Gabb, Sean. 2005. \"Market Failure and the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Proposal for Reform\". National Health Federation. Available: 2 World Intellectual Property Organization. 2011. \"Emerging Issues in Intellectual Property\". Available: 3 Avert.org, \"AIDS, Drug Prices and Generic Drugs\","], "type": "binary", "id": "506"}
+{"question": "Is it possible to predict and prevent conflict in Africa's fragile states?", "perspectives": ["It is possible to predict and prevent conflict in Africa's fragile states.", "It is not possible to predict and prevent conflict in Africa's fragile states."], "docs": ["While events cannot be foreseen, fixing fragile states to make conflict less likely is possible. Eradicating poverty is already an international goal and improving governance is a regular concern among donors. The AU recognises that development, democracy and good governance are necessary to ensure stability and peace. [1]  [1] Cilliers, Jakkie, \u2018Towards a Continental Early Warning System for Africa\u2019, ISS Africa, paper 102, April 2005,  , p.2", "Gains may be reversed; events can\u2019t be foreseen  Africa still has many fragile states. The Institute of Strategic Studies Africa identified 26 \u2018fragile\u2019 states (meaning they have weak governance, conflict and violence, inequality and poverty) including DR Congo and Ethiopia and forecasts that there will still be 11 fragile states by 2050. [1] This rather implies that war will not be ended by 2050, let alone 2020.  Even in countries that are considered stable events can quickly spiral into conflict. Mali was considered to be democratic and reasonably stable before a coup in 2012: there were multiparty elections in 1992, it held regular elections that passed international inspections, its first president Konar\u00e9 willingly stood down, there was comparatively good freedom of speech and media. [2] Yet after a coup in 2012 it went downhill to the point of requiring intervention by French troops in early 2013.  [1] Cilliers, Jakkie, and Sick, Timothy D., \u2018Prospects for Africa\u2019s 26 fragile countries\u2019, ISS Africa, p.7,   [2] Whitehouse, Bruce, \u2018What went wrong in Mali?\u2019, London Review of Books, Vol.34, No.16, 20 August 2012,  , p.17"], "type": "binary", "id": "507"}
+{"question": "Is technology the key solution to youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa?", "perspectives": ["Technology is the key solution to youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa.", "Technology is not the key solution to youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa."], "docs": ["Technology will lead job growth for youths.  The rate of unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa remains above the global average, at 7.55% in 2011, with 77% of the population in vulnerable employment [1] . Economic growth has not been inclusive and jobs are scarce. In particular, rates of youth unemployment, and underemployment, remain a concern [2] . On average, the underutilisation of youths in the labour market across Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 67% in 2012 (Work4Youth, 2013). Therefore 67% of youths are either unemployed, inactive, or in irregular employment. The rate of unemployment varies geographically and across gender [3] .  There remains a high percentage of youths within informal employment. Technology can introduce a new dynamic within the job market and access to safer employment.  Secure, high quality jobs, and more jobs, are essential for youths. Access to technology is the only way to meet such demands. Technology will enable youths to create new employment opportunities and markets; but also employment through managing, and selling, the technology available.  [1] ILO, 2013.  [2] Definitions: Unemployment is defined as the amount of people who are out of work despite being available, and seeking, work. Underemployment defines a situation whereby the productive capacity of an employed person is underutilised. Informal employment defines individuals working in waged and/or self employment informally (see further readings).  [3] Work4Youth (2013) show, on average, Madagascar has the lowest rate of unemployment (2.2%) while Tanzania has the highest (42%); and the average rate of female unemployment stands higher at 25.3%, in contrast to men (20.2%).", "Recent evidence by the World Bank indicates unemployment is not only due to the limited availability of jobs. A high proportion of youths have been identified as \u2018idle\u2019 - not in school, training, or work, and not actively seeking employment. Although variations are found, in 2009 only ~2% of male youths, aged 15-24, and ~1% of female youths, who were not in school or employment in Tanzania, were actively looking for work [1] . Without motivation technology will not make a difference.  [1] WDR, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "508"}
+{"question": "Is self-sacrifice morally acceptable?", "perspectives": ["Self-sacrifice is morally acceptable.", "lf-sacrifice is not morally acceptable."], "docs": ["This argument is selfish and ignores how love might push a person to make great sacrifices. We might have imperfect information about our importance, but whatever information we have, gives us an idea of how to assess complicated situations. If we were to follow this logic, self-determination would be impossible", "Self-preservation is our primary moral duty  Many people, especially those who belong to religious groups believe that we have a duty to preserve our own lives. They would argue that suicide is never justified, even if the reasons might appear to be good. It is impossible to sacrifice your life for others, because you cannot know how important your life is to others in relation to how important other people\u2019s lives are. Either life is invaluable and it is thus impossible to value one life higher than others, or it can be valued, but it is impossible for us to assess our life\u2019s value in relation to others. Therefore, while we accept that some might die, it is not for the individual to take matters into his or her own hands and accelerate the process, as this decision might be made on the wrong grounds, but cannot be reversed."], "type": "binary", "id": "509"}
+{"question": "Is the use of child soldiers justifiable in contexts where central authority is weak or non-existent?", "perspectives": ["The use of child soldiers is justifiable in contexts where central authority is weak or non-existent.", "The use of child soldiers is not justifiable in contexts where central authority is weak or non-existent."], "docs": ["The failure of rule of law  As the anthropologist and lawyer Sally Falk-Moore observed \u201claw is only ever a piecemeal intervention by the state in the life of society.\u201d [i]  Laws are, ultimately, social norms that are taught, enforced and arbitrated on by the state. The value of these norms is such that they are deemed to be a vital part of a society\u2019s identity and the state is entrusted with their protection. However, this ideal can be difficult to achieve. Debate as to which norms the state should be custodian of is constant. Where there is a disconnect between a law and the daily lives, aspirations and struggles of a society, it becomes unlikely that that law will be complied with. Generally, a state will not be able to give a pronouncement the force of law if it does not reflect the values held by a majority of a society.  Compliance with the law can be even harder to obtain in highly plural societies. Even in plural societies ruled peacefully by an effective central government (such as India), communities\u2019 conceptions of children\u2019s rights may be radically different from those set down in law. The Indian child marriage restraint act has been in force since 1929, but the practice remains endemic in southern India to this day [ii] . Governments can attempt to enforce compliance with a law, through education, incentives or deterrence.  What if the state that is intended to mount the \u201cpiecemeal intervention\u201d of banning the use of child soldiers is weak, corrupt or non-existent? What if a state cannot carry out structured interventions of the type described above? Norms that state that the conscription of children is acceptable- due to tradition or need- will be dominant.  Situations of this type will be the rule rather than the exception in underdeveloped states and states where conflict is so rife that children have become participants in warfare. The ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals with command over military units who use children as combatants [iii] , but how should the concept of a \u201ccommander\u201d be defined in these circumstances?  In order for the juristic principles underlying the authority of the ICC to function properly, it is necessary for there to be a degree of certainty and accessibility underlying laws promulgated by a state. While ignorance of the law is not a defence before the ICC, it impossible to call a system of law fair or just that is not overseen by a stable or accepted government. This is not possible if a state is so corrupt that it does not command the trust of its people; if a state is so poor that it cannot afford to operate an open, reliable and transparent court and advocacy system; if territory with a state\u2019s borders is occupied by an armed aggressor. Western notions of rule-of-law are almost impossible to enforce under such conditions. All of these are scenarios encountered frequently in Africa, and central and southern Asia.  Some regions within developing nations are so isolated from the influence of the state, or so heavily contested in internecine conflicts, that communities living within them cannot be expected to know that the state nominally responsible for them has signed the Convention of the Rights of The Child or the Rome Statute. Nor can the state attempt to inform them of this fact. Laws still exist and are enforced within such communities, but these are not state-made forms of law.  For an individual living within a community of the type described above- an individual living in the DRC, in pre-secession South Sudan [iv] or an ethnic minority enclave on the border of Myanmar [v] - the question is a simple one. Does the most immediate source of authority and protection within his world- his community- condone the role that children play in armed conflict? He should not be made liable for abiding by laws and norms that have sprung up to fill a void created by a weak or corrupt central state. There is little hope that he will ever be able to access the counter-point that state sponsored education and engagement could provide.  Child soldiers and their commanders are simply obeying the strongest, the most effective and the most stable source of law in their immediate environment.  [i] \u201cComparative Law in a Global Context: The Legal Systems of Asia and Africa\u201d, Werner Menski, Cambridge University Press, 2006  [ii] \u201cState of the World\u2019s Children 2009\u201d, UNICEF, United Nations, 2008  [iii] \u201cElements of Crimes\u201d, International Criminal Court,   [iv] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p315,   [v] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p240,", "Opposition agree that the culture and law of a nation has a prodigious impact on the conscience of its civilians. However, according to Alcinda Honwana, an anthropologist and authority on the topic of child soldiers, the problem does not \"have its roots in African traditional culture.\" [i] Although culture has an impact on society, the issue of child soldiers is not affiliated with it.  Side proposition implied that conscripting children should be excusable if it is permitted by an authoritative body of local law. However, are laws based on value-sets that do not aspire to an accessible law making process more valid than the abiding law of that nation? No. Side opposition believe that the \"rule of law is a legal maxim according to which no one is immune to the law.\u201d The fundamental purpose of government is the maintenance and promotion of basic security and public order. Without it the nation will deteriorate.  The proposition mentioned the Democratic Republic of Congo as an example. The DRC signed the \u201cConvention on the Rights of the Child\u201d on 21 September 1990. During this time era, Congo was not a declared democracy. However they have hitherto developed a more democratic and stable government. Additionally, DRC has not withdrawn from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, thus accentuating the fact that they are strongly against conscription of children.  Being oblivious of the fact that conscripting child soldiers is illegal is no defence. As side opposition\u2019s substantive material will show, both national and international systems of law are expected to take account of the fact that cultural, environmental and social plurality will lead to variable rates of compliance with particular laws. While it may be difficult to make community leaders liable for the creation of child soldiers, the ICC frequently seeks to make officials linked to state actors liable for failing to protect children from military recruitment [ii] .  Moreover, cultural relativism originally assumed some degree of parity and open exchange between communities with diverging cultural values. There is no parity between the value-sets of stable liberal democratic states and the adaptations that vulnerable cultures undergo in order to survive amongst prolonged military conflict.  Finally, it would damage the reputation and reduce the efficiency of the ICC if states were permitted to argue that regions in which child soldiers were active had an established tradition of military activity among the young.  [i] \u201cChildren\u2019s Involvement in War: Historical and Social Contexts\u201d, Alcinda Honwana, The Journal of the history of Childhood and Youth, Vol 1 2007  [ii] The Prosecutor v Thomas Lubanga Dylio, The International Criminal Court,"], "type": "binary", "id": "510"}
+{"question": "Should voting be made compulsory in democratic societies?", "perspectives": ["Voting should be made compulsory in democratic societies.", "Voting should not be made compulsory in democratic societies."], "docs": ["Voting is a civic duty  Other civic duties also exist \u201cwhich are recognised as necessary in order to live in a better, more cohesive, stable society\u201d 1 like paying taxes, attending school, obeying road rules and, in some countries, military conscription and jury duty. All of these obligatory activities require far more time and effort than voting does, thus compulsory voting can be seen as constituting a much smaller intrusion of freedom than any of these other activities.  The right to vote in a democracy has been fought for throughout modern history . In the last century alone the soldiers of numerous wars and the suffragettes of many countries fought and died for enfranchisement. It is our duty to respect their sacrifice by voting.  1. Liberal Democrat Voice , 2006", "A democracy is based on the principle of respecting basic human rights, such as free choice. This principle is directly violated by compulsory voting. With many civil rights there is a choice to choose to engage in the activity or not. Voting has carries that option, citizens of a democracy have the choice to either vote or not, despite being encouraged to vote. It does not matter why a person chooses to vote or not, it is the fact of principle that they have the right to choose. Compulsory voting goes against such ideas of the freedom of choice, and on that grounds should not be compulsory.  The proposition speaks of those who died for the right to vote, and respecting their sacrifice by voting. Unfortunately the proposition misconstrued the point of their sacrifice- to give us the freedom of choice. That right of choice must be upheld, as it is the cornerstone of a democratic society. Compulsory voting would be infringing upon that."], "type": "binary", "id": "511"}
+{"question": "Does Rwanda limit freedom of speech and press under President Kagame's leadership?", "perspectives": ["Rwanda limits freedom of speech and press under President Kagame's leadership.", "Rwanda does not limit freedom of speech and press under President Kagame's leadership."], "docs": ["Authoritarian leadership  President Kagame though considered a visionary leader has made Rwanda a country based on one man\u2019s ideas. He has silenced critics, opposition and any counter arguments that may not support his opinions through tough rules imposed against the media and free speech. This sparked misunderstandings within the government forcing 4 four high rank officials in exile, one, an ex-intelligence chief was recently murdered in South Africa[1].  Rwanda is essentially a hard-line, one-party, secretive police state with a fa\u00e7ade of democracy[2]. To avoid future conflict and government break down Kagame needs to convene a genuine, inclusive, unconditional and comprehensive national dialogue with the aim of preparing and strengthening the country\u2019s future progress.  The fact that most Rwandans still want him to run for re-election after his two terms in 2017 shows how much he has controlled people to believe he is the only potential leader in a country of more than 11 million citizens. If Rwanda is to have a stable future democracy it needs to be recognised that the opposition are patriots too and should be entitled to freedom of speech and press to give them an opportunity to share their views on how the country can be improved. For democracy in Rwanda to progress the country needs to accept the idea of freedom of speech and a \u2018loyal opposition\u2019.[3]  [1] Aljazeera Africa news, \u2018Rwandan ex-spy chief found dead in S Africa\u2019, Aljazeera.com, 2 January 2014  [2] Kenzer, Stephen, \u2018Kagame's authoritarian turn risks Rwanda's future\u2019, thegurdian.com, 27 January 2011  [3] Fisher, Julie, \u2018Emerging Voices: Julie Fisher on Democratization NGOs and Loyal Opposition\u2019, CFR, 13 March 2013", "Rwanda does not limit freedoms of press and speech as such but discourages the use of sensitive articles or speeches that would provoke insecurity in a country still trying to heal from the wounds of genocide. This cannot be therefore considered abusing people\u2019s rights.  Misunderstandings with the 4 officials were not as a result of restricted freedoms but instead the desire of power[1] and cannot be taken a model for Rwanda\u2019s future.  Past conflict broke out due to divisionism which was given space through hate speeches and publications a behaviour that has no room in the country today \u2013 indeed there are anti divisionism laws.  Having a large population supporting a leader doesn\u2019t mean they are controlled, he has done so much to revive lost hope hence winning the favour of the people.  [1] Smith, David, \u2018Exiled Rwandan general attacks Paul Kagame as 'dictator', thegurdian.com, 30 July 2012"], "type": "binary", "id": "512"}
+{"question": "Should foreign aid always have pre-requisites attached?", "perspectives": ["Foreign aid should always have pre-requisites attached.", "Foreign aid should not always have pre-requisites attached."], "docs": ["Historically the donor of Foreign Aid has always set down pre-requisites  When a donor nation parts with foreign aid for development to a nation, it must always choose who it prefers to give it to as there is a limited pot of money to donate there needs to be a way of allocating it. It is not surprising therefore that countries with shared colonial histories tend to dominate aid flows, thus Britain has historically given most aid to countries that were its colonies; in 1960 Malta and Cyprus received most, while India was the biggest recipient for much of the rest of the 20th Century. [1] Further, often countries offering aid, such as the US, the UK, and the EU, require the pre-requisite of democracy or the start of a democratisation process. Therefore, it is justified to add a pre-requisite for better standards of business and labour as it helps implementation, and principally meets the goals of the developmental aid itself. [2]  [1] Provost, Claire, \u2018UK aid: where does it o and how has it changed since 1960?\u2019, Datablog guardian.co.uk, 14 April 2011,   [2] Dollar, David and Alesina, Alberto. \u201cWho Gives Foreign Aid to Whom and Why?\u201d Journal of Economic Growth, Volume 5, No. 1(Mar., 2000).", "Strategic interests can be put to risk by such pre-requisites. Donor nations have strategic interests when awarding aid, which ensure that future trade relations are well secured (such as United States and the Middle Eastern oil states). This is why aid goes to countries that often have links with the donor.  If there are too many conditions attached and when the developing countries cannot meet them these countries will go elsewhere. China is increasingly a competitor in giving aid and overtly at least ties in far fewer conditions into the aid they give. Sudan was cut off from aid programmes due to its internal conflict, but China invested in development projects without asking for any conditions [1] .  [1] Zafar, A. \"The Growing Relationship Between China and Sub-Saharan Africa: Macroeconomic, Trade, Investment, and Aid Links.\" The World Bank Research Observer 22.1 (2007): 103-30."], "type": "binary", "id": "513"}
+{"question": "Does rehabilitation effectively reduce criminal recidivism?", "perspectives": ["Rehabilitation effectively reduces criminal recidivism.", "Rehabilitation does not effectively reduce criminal recidivism."], "docs": ["If we had the opportunity to stop some offenders re-offending why do we not seize this opportunity? Rehabilitative programs provide such an opportunity. Such programs include cognitive-behavioural programs (say, trying to get a violent offender to think and reach differently to potential \u2018trigger\u2019 situations), pro-social modelling programmes, and some sex-offender treatment programs. Of course, certain styles will suit some better than others, but this is someone that will have to determined case by case. As some methods with work better than others depending on attitudes, values etc.  The most credible research (done by a technique called meta-analysis) demonstrates that the net effect of treatment is, on average, a positive reduction of overall recidivism (reoffending) rates of between 10% and 12%, which would promote a reduction in crime that is, by criminal standards, massive.  Rehabilitation is a concept. It is not a definite technique whose effectiveness can be precisely measured. So yes some forms of rehabilitation may not work, others however might. What the opposition to this argues is what we've deemed rehabilitation is what we will utiize going forward. However, this is illogical; as we speak, new methods of rehabilitation could be concocted. Such an indefinite ideal cannot be proven as ineffective. For example, if somebody proves that high-speel monorail transportation is ineffective, this does not mean that transportation is absolutely and fundamentally flawed. One simply cannot disprove an infinite set of hypotheses.", "Rehabilitation Doesn\u2019t Actually Work  While some rehabilitative programmes work with some offenders (those who would probably change by themselves anyway), most do not. Many programs cannot overcome, or even appreciably reduce, the powerful tendency for offenders to continue in criminal behaviour. In Britain, where rehabilitation has long been purported to stop re-offending, 58 per cent of those over-21 find themselves in trouble with the law within two years of release. [1] The rehabilitation programs simply do not work. \u2018Rehabilitation\u2019 is therefore a false promise \u2013 and the danger with such an illusory and impossible goal is that it is used as a front to justify keeping offenders locked up for longer than they deserve and sometimes even indefinitely (\u2018if we keep him here longer maybe he might change\u2019). We cannot justify passing any heavier or more onerous a sentence on a person in the name of \u201crehabilitation\u201d if \u201crehabilitation\u201d does not work.  [1] Stanford, P., \u2018The road to redemption: Does the rehabilitation of prisoners work?\u2019, The Independent, 23 August 2007."], "type": "binary", "id": "514"}
+{"question": "Does the right to die potentially pressure the elderly into feeling like a societal burden?", "perspectives": ["The right to die potentially pressures the elderly into feeling like a societal burden.", "The right to die does not potentially pressure the elderly into feeling like a societal burden."], "docs": ["There is a risk that even a free choice may have some coercion involved.  By far the biggest worry is that a right to die will create a silent form of coercion that cannot be detected. In the West\u2019s increasingly elderly society the role of older people in that society, their value and their continuing contribution is all too likely to be masked by the issue of the cost placed on those of working age. Even where older people do not face pressure from their families, society needs to be aware of this wider narrative. Such a narrative will slowly create a norm where the elderly feel that they are a burden and it is expected that they will exercise their right to die. The \u2018choice\u2019 will remain and they will even think it a choice free of coercion but will exercise their right not because they really want to die but because they feel it is what they ought to do, once the right to die is completely normalised those exercising it may not even consider that what they are doing is not really of their free will. Perceiving oneself as a burden is already a common cause of suicide [i] and would certainly increase if it were to no longer be considered taboo. Not having a right to die will not stop arguments about the burden placed on the working members of society by the elderly but it will stop this going any further towards the creation of a culture where individuals consider it normal that they should die when they feel they are a burden.  [i] Joiner, Thomas E. et al., \u2018The Psychology and Neurobiology of Suicidal Behaviour\u2019, Annual Review of Psychology, 10 September 2004, p.304 .", "This risk can be mitigated by making it clear that the elderly, disabled, and others who may feel a burden are genuinely wanted as a part of society but that the right to die is there if they feel it is too much. Any right to die being allowed is not going to be as simple as going to the doctors and getting an injection. In any system there would be checks and balances put in place. There would probably be some form of application process, checks to see if there is any coercion and that it is what the individual really wants as well as probably some form of cooling off period after which the checks would probably be redone before they finally have their chance to exercise their right to die."], "type": "binary", "id": "515"}
+{"question": "Is there universal agreement in the scientific community about the validity of evolution?", "perspectives": ["There is universal agreement in the scientific community about the validity of evolution.", "There is not universal agreement in the scientific community about the validity of evolution."], "docs": ["The scientific community as a whole overwhelmingly rejects Creationism.  95% of all scientists accept evolution, and only a fraction of those that do not accept Creationism. [1] The numbers are even smaller among biologists, the people most qualified to discuss the relative merits of Creationism and evolution, as the study of life and biological processes are their specialty. There is, in fact, greater consensus in biology than in virtually any other discipline. Evolution is often called one of the most thoroughly proven theories, more so even than such things as the observable laws of physics, which break down at the subatomic level. Evolution is a constant, which is why it has survived as a theory for 150 years. [2] The scientific community always fights any effort to institute Creationism in schools through the political process. [3] This is why, when court cases are brought on the issue of teaching Creationism, the panel of scientists is always on the side of evolution. Only a few discredited cranks support Creationism, and they invariably break down under cross-examination when they can offer no positive evidence for their claims. Furthermore, many scientists have religious faith and accept evolution. They simply see no reason to reject observable reality just to serve faith [4] . Creationists try to portray evolution as contrary to religion, which forms one of the main planks of their political campaigns against it, but such claims are fallacious. Science and faith can be compatible, so long as people are willing to accept observable reality as well as belief. The scientific community rejects creationism because it is not true and is not science.  [1] Robinson, B. 1995. \u201cPublic Beliefs About Education and Creation\u201d.  [2] Lenski, Richard. 2011. \u201cEvolution: Fact and Theory\u201d. Action Bioscience.  [3] Irons, Peter. 2007. \u201cDisaster in Dover: The Trials (and Tribulations) of Intelligent Design\u201d. University of Montana Law Review 68(1).  [4] Gould, Stephen. 2002. Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life. New York: Ballantine Books.", "The scientific community was once convinced the world was flat. It was also once sure that women's brains were smaller than those of men. The scientific community \"knows\" lots of things only to be proved wrong. The scientific elitist establishment is built on the theory of evolution; many prominent academics' careers were made affirming it. Many people have a lot to lose if science changes and evolution is overturned as the prevailing paradigm in biology. That is why there is such resistance to the evidence piling up that contradicts evolution and affirms Creationism. The unwillingness of the scientific community to hear Creationists out in the scientific forums, where the old guard predominate and have all the power, is what has led them to pursue their objectives in the courts and through politics. The only reason Creationism is not accepted in the mainstream is because scientists fear the loss to themselves. Education is most effective when our children are exposed to the entirety of issues, not just parts. To contextualize and offer completeness to their scientific education, they should hear both sides."], "type": "binary", "id": "516"}
+{"question": "Is it the state's responsibility to redistribute wealth and income to achieve maximum societal utility?", "perspectives": ["It is the state's responsibility to redistribute wealth and income to achieve maximum societal utility.", "It is not the state's responsibility to redistribute wealth and income to achieve maximum societal utility."], "docs": ["The state should promote the efficient distribution of income in order to maximize the utility derived by society from its economic resources  All goods suffer from diminishing marginal utility, and this includes money. The more money someone, the less happy they are made from each successive addition of wealth after a certain point. One might be able to buy a second car or a second house with extra money, but eventually one runs out of things one particularly wants to buy or own. [1] When wealth is unevenly distributed in society, the wealth of society is inefficiently distributed. The aim of the state must be to attempt to maximize the aggregate utility of its citizens insofar as it is able without damaging the economy. With progressive taxation, wealth is effectively reallocated to poorer people, who gain more utility than the wealthy lose in the process. The state has a right to do this not only because it generates a more efficient distribution of income than the market does, but also because income is partly a collective good. [2] Ownership rights to property and the ability to expand them is only possible within the framework of the state; thus the state can make a moral ownership claim to some of the products of the services it provides, and does so most effectively through the mechanism of progressive taxation.  [1] Thune, Kent. \u201cThe Diminishing Marginal Utility of Wealth\u201d. The Financial Philosopher. 2008. Available:   [2] Weisbrod, Burton. Public Interest Law: An Economic and Institutional Analysis. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1978.", "It is not the state\u2019s role to efficiently distribute economic resources; the market does a much better job of that. When the state seeks to distribute income, there is substantial efficiency loss. This is due to the so-called \u201cleaky bucket\u201d of distribution, as money is lost or wasted through the bureaucratic processes necessary to redistribute income and wealth. Progressive taxation only serves to exacerbate these inefficiencies by breeding more and more complex structures for their implementation."], "type": "binary", "id": "517"}
+{"question": "Is the United Nations successfully fulfilling its intended purpose without reforms?", "perspectives": ["The United Nations is successfully fulfilling its intended purpose without reforms.", "The United Nations is not successfully fulfilling its intended purpose without reforms."], "docs": ["This debate is about whether or not the UN has failed. It may well be that the response to a failing organisation is not abolition but wholesale reform, as the opposition argue here, but that would not change the fact that the UN has not achieved what it was designed to do. And while reform has been promised for many decades, nothing has ever been done to resolve the systemic flaws of this organisation. So promises of reform are an unsatisfactory answer to the charges against the UN.", "Solution to problems of UN is to reform outdated structures.  It is undeniably true that some of the UN\u2019s procedures need to be improved, and standards of financial transparency improved. However, this is true of many governments and international organisations, not just the UN. The answer to the UN\u2019s problems is not to give up on it but rather reform it for the 21st century, including perhaps changing or augmenting the permanent membership of the Security Council to reflect the reality of the modern world. [1]  [1] London, Jacqueline. \u201cReform of the United Nations Security Council\u201d. International Affairs and Foreign Policy Institute. 29th June 2007."], "type": "binary", "id": "518"}
+{"question": "Would the legalization of voluntary euthanasia lead to a loss of respect for human life?", "perspectives": ["The legalization of voluntary euthanasia would lead to a loss of respect for human life.", "The legalization of voluntary euthanasia would not lead to a loss of respect for human life."], "docs": ["It would have a damaging effect on society  Some people who do not agree with voluntary euthanasia argue that if it was legalised, it would damage the moral and social foundation of society by removing the traditional principle that man should not kill, and reduce the respect for human life. It might also be the case that once voluntary euthanasia has been legalised, this might lead to cases of involuntary euthanasia being carried out. With people deciding that someone else's life such as the elderly or the terminally ill is not worth living and therefore performing euthanasia without their consent. [1] A recent study discovered that some sufferers of locked-in syndrome \u2013 as many as three out of four of the main sample \u2013 were happy and did not want to die. [2]  [1] The case against, religiouseducation.co.uik  (accessed 4/6/2011).  [2] Barbara Ellen, Who is to judge which lives are worth living?, guardian.co.uk, 17 April 2011  (accessed 6/6/2011)", "However, the idea that we should not kill is not absolute, even for those with religious beliefs \u2014 killing in war or self-defence is justified by most. We already let people die because they are allowed to refuse treatment which could save their life, and this has not damaged anyone's respect for the worth of human life. Concerning the notion that legalised voluntary euthanasia might lead to involuntary euthanasia being carried out, there is no evidence to suggest this. As Ronald Dworkin states, 'Of course doctors know the moral difference between helping people who beg to die and killing those who want to live.' [1]  [1] Ronald Dworkin, stated in The case against, available at  (accessed 4/6/2011)."], "type": "binary", "id": "519"}
+{"question": "Is collective bargaining beneficial for the workforce and public interest?", "perspectives": ["Collective bargaining is beneficial for the workforce and public interest.", "Collective bargaining is not beneficial for the workforce and public interest."], "docs": ["Collective bargaining is a necessary aspect of democracy  Collective bargaining is needed by people in any job. Within any firm there exist feedback structures that enable workers to communicate with managers and executive decision makers. However, there are some issues which affect workers significantly, but run against the principles of profit, or in this case the overall public good that the state seeks to serve.  In this situation, a collection of workers are required. This is primarily because if suggested changes go against public interest then a single worker requesting such a change is likely to be rejected. However, it is the indirect benefit to public interest through a workforce that is treated better that must also be considered. But indirect benefit can only truly occur if there are a large number of workers where said indirect benefit can accrue.  Specifically, indirect benefit includes the happiness of the workforce and thus the creation of a harder working workforce, as well as the prevention of brain drain of the workforce to other professions. When a single person is unhappy for example, the effect is minimal, however if this effect can be proved for a large number of people then an adjustment must be made.  In order for these ideas to be expressed, workers can either engage in a collective bargaining process with their employer, or take more drastic action such as strikes or protests to raise awareness of the problem. Given that the alternate option is vastly more disruptive, it seems prudent to allow people to do collectively bargain.1  \u201cImportance of Collective Bargaining.\u201d Industrial relations.", "Even if collective bargaining leads to a workforce that is better able to communicate their ideas, it also leads to a situation as mentioned within the proposition arguments that results in unions having significantly more power over their wages and the government than in other situations. This is problematic because it leads to consequences where other unions feel that they should have the same powers as public unions and can hence lead to volatility in the private sector as a result.  Further, given that often the negotiators that work for public unions are often aware of the political power of the public workers, negotiations with public unions often lead to strike action due to the fact that it is likely that the public will be sympathetic to the public workers. As such, allowing public workers to bargain collectively leads to situations that are often much worse for the public.  Further, a lot of opposition\u2019s problems with a lack of collective bargaining can simply be dealt with through implementing a more sensitive and understanding feedback process among workers. If a worker for example raises an issue which might affect a large number of workers, it should be fairly simple for public companies to take polls of workers to understand the gravity of the problem.1  Rabin, Jack, and Dodd, Don, \u201cState and Local Government Administration\u201d, New York: Marcel Dekker Inc 1985, p390"], "type": "binary", "id": "520"}
+{"question": "Is the age of a practice a valid justification for its continuation?", "perspectives": ["The age of a practice is a valid justification for its continuation.", "The age of a practice is not a valid justification for its continuation."], "docs": ["A practice that is thousands of years old and has not been found to cause harm during that time is unlikely to now  Where there compelling evidence from medical science that a process that predates it had some proven harm then there might be good reason to restrict it but that evidence simply isn\u2019t there. What is known is that circumcisions have been performed for millennia without causing widespread difficulties. In addition, historically, the procedure has been performed in circumstances far less safe than the confines of a modern, well-equipped hospital where it usually takes place now, and to no apparent ill effect.  Even using the term \u2018abuse\u2019 to describe such a practice shows a lack of respect for those people who are genuinely victims of abuse.", "Just because a practice is old doesn\u2019t make it right. In addition to which societies\u2019 attitudes, especially in the West, have changed radically in relationship to how we view both the body and childhood.  There is no other area where the physical violation of a child\u2019s body would be tolerated, regardless of how old the process is. Indeed society tends now to reject ancient traditions as they relate to children, specifically because they are archaic, as is the case with corporal punishment. There is good reason to suspect that what may have been appropriate, possibly even beneficial, for semi-nomadic desert tribes is of little use in modern society."], "type": "binary", "id": "521"}
+{"question": "Would a default lead to an economic collapse in Greece?", "perspectives": ["A default would lead to an economic collapse in Greece.", "A default would not lead to an economic collapse in Greece."], "docs": ["Defaulting would cause chaos in Greece  There is no good solution for the crisis Greece finds itself in, only less bad ones. Austerity measures imposed on Greece may currently be causing suffering, but austerity is the least bad option available for the Greek people: default would be considerably worse. Here is what would most likely happen:  The Greek banking sector would collapse [1]. A large portion of the Greek debt is owed to Greek banks and companies, many of which would quickly go bankrupt when the Government defaults. This is also because Greek banks are almost totally reliant on the ECB for liquidity. [2] People would consequently lose their savings, and credit would be close to impossible to find.  The Government would quickly devalue the Drachma by at least 50%. This will lead to imported goods being more expensive and consequently to a huge rise in inflation with the living costs increasing tremendously.[3]  These two events would lead to a severe shortage of credit, making it almost impossible for struggling companies to survive. Unemployment would soar as a result. It will become increasingly difficult to secure supplies of oil, medicine, foodstuffs and other goods. Naturally, those hit worst would be the poor. The Government, in this respect, would be failing on an enormous scale in providing many citizens with the basic needs. [4]  [1] Brzeski, Carsten: \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,   [2] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012   [3] ibid  [4] Arghyrou, Michael: \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,", "It is not necessarily true that the whole banking sector in Greece would collapse. Given that the default would be orderly and take place within the context of the European Union, the ECB and European Commission would still provide substantial liquidity aid for Greek banks. Moreover it is not true that a devaluation of domestic currency necessarily leads to high inflation \u2013 this was not the case, for example, when Britain exited the European Exchange-rate Mechanism in 1992 and pursued a devaluation policy of the British Pound. [1] Lastly, evidence of recent governments that have defaulted suggests that even though some of the harms the opposition refer to may actualise, recovery generally follows fairly quickly, as was the case with Argentina, South Korea and Indonesia. [2]  [1] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012   [2] Becker, Garry: \u201cShould Greece Exit the Euro Zone?\u201d, The Becker-Posner Blog, 20.5.2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "522"}
+{"question": "Should collisions be eliminated in professional baseball?", "perspectives": ["Collisions should be eliminated in professional baseball.", "Collisions should not be eliminated in professional baseball."], "docs": ["Collisions are unnecessary.  Baseball doesn\u2019t need collisions. By requiring the runner to slide, just as they must do when attempting to reach other bases, or disallowing catchers to block runners\u2019 paths, or\u2014best of all\u2014requiring both those steps, baseball can eliminate collisions.  Unlike in football or rugby, hits at the plate are not a necessary component of the sport. The game is played quite well at the amateur level without such brutal physical contact. [1] Collisions occur relatively infrequently, and the complexion of the game will not be dramatically different without them. Yet the benefits of improved safety are dramatic.  [1] See, for example, American Legion Baseball Rules, Rule 1(E),  .", "Collisions are an occasionally necessary part of the game. When two professional athletes are involved in a dramatic, exciting play that could change the direction of a game (or decide the outcome of the entire season), they will do whatever they can to ensure the play turns out favourably for their team. That means that collisions will occur. To try to remove this aspect of baseball is to ask the players to do something that is completely at odds with their objective: to score, or to prevent the run from scoring.  Though home-plate collisions are prohibited in amateur leagues, the stakes are different. MLB players are paid millions of dollars to score\u2014or prevent\u2014runs. They should be permitted to do what they\u2019re handsomely paid to do."], "type": "binary", "id": "523"}
+{"question": "Is community radio inherently supportive of democratic values?", "perspectives": ["Community radio is inherently supportive of democratic values.", "Community radio is not inherently supportive of democratic values."], "docs": ["Community radio gives voices to the people rather than imposing those of the powerful.  The events of the Arab Spring (and previous events such as the revolutions of 1989) have shown that effective means of communicating are vital. In a country where people have heard only one perspective, anything that can break the monopoly is to be welcomed. As Orwell put it, \u200e'In an age of universal deceit, to tell the truth is a subversive act'.  Community radio can both encourage an initial outpouring of democracy and, just as importantly, ensure that a diversity of opinions means that one autocratic regime is not just replaced by another.  In almost all other forms of mass communication, genuinely democratic voices are easily swamped by those with either the power or the money to drown out the competition [i] . As the focus of community radio is public service, rather than profit, responsible to \u2013 and frequently produced by \u2013 their listener base there do not have commercial advertisers\u2019 aversion to upsetting authority \u2013 either political or cultural. As a result they are free to eschew the bland lowest common denominator approach that is so typical of commercial radio.  [i] AMARC (World Association of Community Radio) booklet. What is Community Radio? 1998.", "Community radio can indeed do the many wondrous things that Prop seems to trust it to do. It can also do more or less anything else. If proposition is trying to demonstrate that community radio, per se, supports democracy, then it needs to demonstrate how it does so more than, say, libraries or coffee shop discussion groups. It may be a public service that is responsible to the community but that does not mean that it cannot be infiltrated and controlled by the state like any other service."], "type": "binary", "id": "524"}
+{"question": "Should open borders be maintained for the sake of countering xenophobia and racism?", "perspectives": ["Open borders should be maintained for the sake of countering xenophobia and racism.", "Open borders should not be maintained for the sake of countering xenophobia and racism."], "docs": ["The concept of a nation is an artificial one [1] \u2013 there is no logical reason why we should draw lines on maps and declare that people may not pass from one side of a line to another without permission. Moreover xenophobia and racism can only be tackled by exposure to people from other cultures, not insulation from them \u2013 and in any case, policy should not be dictated by the prejudices of a few racists.  [1] Anderson, Benedict, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, London 1991, p.5.", "States must be responsible to their own citizens first  There will always be trafficking as long as there aren't open borders. And we should maintain strict controls on both immigration and asylum. States must focus on the needs of their people first, and the reaction of citizens in accepting countries is quite rightly the feeling that their hospitality and good intentions are being abused at the moment. The social harms that these feelings cause - suspicion, xenophobia, racism and disruption of social harmony and tolerance [1] - are too large and too damaging to the actual citizens of states to justify the maintenance of a failing system that may help some few outsiders. The responsibilities of governments to their own citizens must come first.  [1] L\u00e6gaard, Sune, \u2018Immigration, Social Cohesion, and Naturalisation\u2019, Centre for the Study of Equality and Multiculturalism, p.2"], "type": "binary", "id": "525"}
+{"question": "Would the increased production of generic drugs negatively impact pharmaceutical research and development?", "perspectives": ["The increased production of generic drugs would negatively impact pharmaceutical research and development.", "The increased production of generic drugs would not negatively impact pharmaceutical research and development."], "docs": ["Dominance of generic drugs will reduce reinvestment and innovation in donating countries  The production of high quality generic drugs endangers pharmaceutical progress. In order to export high quality generic drugs, some countries have suggested allowing generic drug manufacturers access to patented drugs. In Canada, amendments to Canada\u2019s Access to Medicine Regime (CAMR) would have forced pharmaceutical research companies to give up their patents [1] . This is problematic however as research based companies invest a large proportion of their profits back in to the industry. The requirements proposed for some Western countries for obligatory quantities of generic drugs to be given to Africa have been accused to removing any incentive to invest in research to combat disease [2] .  [1] Taylor,D. \u2018Generic-drug \u201csolution\u201d for Africa not needed\u2019  [2] ibid", "Some countries, such as India and Thailand, have specialised in producing generic drugs. These states provide the majority of generic drugs to Africa. This removes the burden of other countries to supply Africa with their own drugs whilst potentially damaging their own research companies. India has managed to create a very profitable industry based around cheap generic drugs which it mainly exports to the African continent [1] , decreasing the necessity of other states to contribute vast resources.  Providing generics to Africa will not damage development by the big pharmaceutical companies as at the moment these countries cannot afford the drugs so are not a market. The drugs are researched on the assumption that they will be sold in the developed world. What matters therefore is to ensure that generics for Africa don\u2019t get sold back to the developed world undercutting patented drugs.  [1] Kumar,S. \u2018India, Africa\u2019s Pharma\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "526"}
+{"question": "Should Northern Ireland secede from the UK?", "perspectives": ["Northern Ireland should secede from the UK.", "Northern Ireland should not secede from the UK."], "docs": ["Britain is morally obliged to permit the secession of northern Ireland  The age of colonialism is over. We recognize that the dominance of one country over another is morally wrong. Ireland was already in the hands of the Irish people before English earls and kings invaded. The Irish had a right to the ownership of their land because they cultivated it and so put their labor into it. The use of force to seize that land from the people\u2019s control is unjust because it denies them the right they had to their land. They had no choice to voluntarily hand over their land either.  To right this historical wrong, the British government should relinquish Northern Ireland, just as they have decolonized the rest of the world ending the British empire except for a few scattered outposts. Since Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997 Northern Ireland is the only remaining colony with a significant population and independent identity.", "The Unionists in Northern Ireland who wish to remain part of the UK should have the freedom to do so. To disown Northern Ireland would be a second involuntary decision made by an outsider."], "type": "binary", "id": "527"}
+{"question": "Does ratification of the International Criminal Court undermine national sovereignty?", "perspectives": ["Ratification of the International Criminal Court undermines national sovereignty.", "Ratification of the International Criminal Court does not undermine national sovereignty."], "docs": ["Ratification of the International Criminal Court would be a violation of national sovereignty  Any state ratifying the Rome Statute, is placing its citizens at the mercy of a court that operates outside of national control. This is an unacceptable ceding of national sovereignty \u2013 thus no state other than the US has the power to deal with American criminals, and no one but Israel should deal with Israeli criminals. International criminal law and national sovereignty are inevitably enemies  Not only does the ICC threaten American sovereignty, it threatens the sovereignty of all nations \u2013 the ICC can, in some cases, prosecute citizens of nations that are not state parties. Authority for justice within one\u2019s territory is however at the heart of the concept of sovereignty. As a matter of principle the US should not be supporting measures that affect the sovereignty of any nation, let alone the US itself.", "It is accepted that there is now such a thing as international criminal law \u2013 from Nuremberg onwards, there are some matters that can be punished by multinational courts. The US also supported the ICTY and ICTR \u2013 if the ICC is a breach of national sovereignty, so are all the single use tribunals. The ICC is essentially an intergovernmental institution in the mould of the United Nations or the IAEA \u2013 an institution that can sometimes lead to a decision that goes against the wishes of individual members but that does not mean the members sovereignty is undermined.  While the ICC does have jurisdiction over nationals of non-party states, that only applies if referred by the UN Security Council or if the acts in question. The principle of complementarity will allow states to deal with issues themselves if they are willing and able to do so. Therefore the ICC is perfectly compatible with national sovereignty."], "type": "binary", "id": "528"}
+{"question": "Should employers be made aware of their employees' HIV status?", "perspectives": ["Employers should be made aware of their employees' HIV status.", "Employers should not be made aware of their employees' HIV status."], "docs": ["Employers can be trusted to use this information responsibly. They are already used to keeping sensitive information (e.g. about salaries, annual reports, or employees' addresses and telephone numbers) confidential. Nor is it in their interest to open themselves up to lawsuits for bullying and discrimination in the workplace. There is no reason to assume that businesses will be more likely to leak information about someone's HIV status than doctors or hospitals, who already have such information.", "The risks of ignorance and prejudice are too high  This measure could be actively dangerous for HIV-positive workers. Ignorance causes so much bad behaviour towards AIDS sufferers and HIV-positive men and women. A fifth of men in the UK who disclose their HIV positive status at work then experience HIV discrimination. [1] The proposition seeks to institutionalise and widen the shunning and ill-treatment of HIV-positive workers that already happens when people find out about their condition. Even if not motivated by prejudice, co-workers will often take excessive precautions which are medically unnecessary and inflame unsubstantiated fears of casual transmission.  In addition, many people who are HIV-positive choose not to reveal their condition for fear of violent reactions to them from their families and the rest of society. If disclosure to an employer is compulsory, then the news will inevitably leak out to the wider community. In effect, they will lose any right of privacy completely.  [1] Pebody, 2009"], "type": "binary", "id": "529"}
+{"question": "Do patents on medical research hinder the development of new treatments?", "perspectives": ["Patents on medical research hinder the development of new treatments.", "Patents on medical research do not hinder the development of new treatments."], "docs": ["Patenting inhibits research and therapeutics  The prevailing belief is that this is an area of such great importance and potential benefit to mankind, as such there should be no, self-interested impediment to genome research. The only barriers should be those of conscience.  The Human Genome Project is one of the government funded projects that makes all its research freely and publicly available. They are not driven by profit and offer information on their discoveries for free enabling others to build upon their findings.  The problem with patents is that companies claim ownership without regard towards moral issues. It is purely in the pursuit of their profits that they decide not to allow others to build on their findings and make the process of discovering treatments far more difficult. An example of this is the Myriad company which, whilst holding patents on BRCA 1 & 2, genes connected with breast cancer, prevented the University of Pennsylvania from using a test for these genes which was substantially cheaper than the company\u2019s own screening procedure. 1  Instead of protecting their research investment, companies should have a moral duty to facilitate in any way they can to the development of cheap, available treatments and screenings for diseases which are so dangerous to so many people.  1. Spektor, Michelle, \"Genes Are Still Patentable, Federal Appeals Court Rules\", Science Progress, 17 August 2011,", "Patenting in general is creating more possibilities for patients than if there was no patenting and less competition for development. Even if treatments and diagnostics for some diseases are expensive, they are at least there and are beginning to benefit the people that need them most. If the government is that concerned for the well-being of its poor patients, the issue of private and public dis-allocations is far more troubling than patents.  However, if the government does believe that such a treatment in necessary for the greater good of the country, which happens in very few cases, there still are mechanisms to loosen patent rights. The Hastings Center explains that governments and other organizations can encourage research on needed therapies, such as a malaria vaccine, by setting up prizes for innovation related to them or by promising to purchase the therapies once they are developed 1. Other measures rely on voluntary action. Patented drugs can be sold at little or no mark-up in poor countries. Scientists and their employers can decide not to patent an invention that might prove useful to other researchers, or they might patent it but license it strategically to maximize its impact on future research and its availability to people in need. For example, when the scientist Salk believed he has developed a vaccination that should be basic health care, he decided not to patent his polio vaccine, which saved millions 2.Also, companies like GlaxoSmithKline have initiatives for having drugs made more available and affordable to poor countries 3. Governments and NGOs can also contribute.  Experts in research analysis (Professors Walsh, Cohen, and Charlene Cho) concluded that patents do not have a \u201csubstantial\u201d impact upon basic biomedical research and that \u201c...none of a random sample of academics reported stopping a research project due to another\u2019s patent on a research input, and only about 1% of the random sample of academics reported experiencing a delay or modification in their research due to patents 4.\u201dMost of the newly developed gene therapies / genes are not that essential to be for free for everyone and further on for those few, that are, there are different methods of abuse prevention.  1. Cook-Deegan R., Gene patents, The Hastings Center,  , accessed 07/20/2011  2. Josephine Johnston, Intellectual Property in Biomedicine, The Hastings Center,  , accessed 07/21/2011  3. IB Times, \u201cGSK lead initiative to help poorer countries\u201d,  accessed 07/20/2011  4. CRS Report for Congress, Gene Patents: A Brief Overview of Intellectual Property Issues, 2006,  , accessed 07/21/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "530"}
+{"question": "Do multinational technology companies hinder the development of local businesses in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Multinational technology companies hinder the development of local businesses in Africa.", "Multinational technology companies do not hinder the development of local businesses in Africa."], "docs": ["Technology has only benefited private companies.  Ultimately, technology, its provision, distribution, and function, is based on a business model. Profits are sought and losers emerge. The technology hype has attracted global technology giants, ranging from IBM to Google \u2013 a key issue as to whether entrepreneurialism can emerge amongst youths and technology used sustainably. The monopolisation of technology markets by multinational companies puts constraints on the ability for small businesses to break through. Any profits created are not recirculated in their locality, or Africa, but return to the country of origin.  For entrepreneurialism to be gained, and youth jobs emerge, the technological giants investing in Africa\u2019s rising future need to partner with communities and small businesses.", "Several examples may be found on established partnerships between multinational technology firms and civil-society groups. Microsoft has become a key investor in South Africa to tackle youth unemployment.  Microsoft has established a Students to Business initiative in South Africa, aiming to build human capital and provide professional skills to students, thus assisting job opportunities. Multinational companies are investing in youths as they recognise the burden of high unemployment and the potential talents youth have. By providing young students with key skills and sharing knowledge, a new generation of technology developers, leaders, and entrepreneurs will arise."], "type": "binary", "id": "531"}
+{"question": "Was the Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton beneficial for the federal budget?", "perspectives": ["The Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton was beneficial for the federal budget.", "The Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton was not beneficial for the federal budget."], "docs": ["The use of the line-item veto power by President Clinton in 1997 demonstrates the advantages of such authority. Although the power was declared unconstitutional in 1998 by the Supreme Court, while he held it Clinton demonstrated what could be achieved. He acted cautiously, only cancelling 82 appropriations, but these totalled nearly $2 billion1\u2013 a useful contribution in itself to reducing the federal deficit, and one that suggested that much bigger savings could be achieved by a more determined President. The Congressional Budget Office agreed according to the Congressional Budget Office \"The 1997 cancellations had a relatively small impact on the budget's bottom line, but that outcome may have resulted in part from temporary factors, such as last year's balanced budget agreement.\"2 This period also demonstrated that Congress would still retain the power of the purse, as it was able to overrule one of Clinton\u2019s deletions, on the Military Construction bill worth $287billion, by majority vote in both houses.3  1 It is time for congress to kill the pig, Center for individual freedom, 11/11/04, accessed 6/5/11  2 The line item veto act after one year\u2019, Congressional Budget Office, April 1998, accessed 6/5/11  3 Marc Lacey, \u2018Senate Votes 1st Override of Clinton Line-Item Vetos, Los Angeles Times, 26/2/1998, accessed 6/5/11", "Has made little difference in the past  The precedent of the Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton should warn against a constitutional amendment. The sums saved were laughably small, $355 million, in the context of the entire federal budget, $1.7 trillion, (0.02% of spending)1 but nonetheless provoked considerable friction between elected representatives and the White House. There was unhappiness that the large majority of his cuts were of earmarks requested by Republican members, and an allegation that the Administration had threatened a Congressman with the veto of an item dear to them unless they supported an unrelated piece of legislation.  1Virginia A. McMurty, 'Enhancing the President's Authority to Eliminate Wasteful Spending and Reduce the Deficit', Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee Hearing 15/3/2011, p.9"], "type": "binary", "id": "532"}
+{"question": "Is religious belief a valid reason to opt out of organ donation?", "perspectives": ["Religious belief is a valid reason to opt out of organ donation.", "Religious belief is not a valid reason to opt out of organ donation."], "docs": ["People may have valid religious reasons not to donate organs  Many major religions, such as some forms of Orthodox Judaism {Haredim Issue}, specifically mandate leaving the body intact after death. To create a system that aims to strongly pressure people, with the threat of reduced priority for life-saving treatment, to violate their religious beliefs violates religious freedom. This policy would put individuals and families in the untenable position of having to choose between contravene the edicts of their god and losing the life of themselves or a loved one. While it could be said that any religion that bans organ donation would presumably ban receiving organs as transplants, this is not actually the case; some followers of Shintoism and Roma faiths prohibit removing organs from the body, but allow transplants to the body.", "In reality, the majority of faiths that ban organ donation, and all of the faiths that feel particularly strongly about it, such as certain branches of the Jehovah\u2019s Witness with regard to blood transfusions {Blood \u2013 Vital for Life}, also ban accepting foreign organs. In such cases, practitioners wouldn\u2019t be receiving organs anyway, so the net effect is nil. Moreover, many religions mandate that followers do everything in their power to save a life, and that this should trump adherence to lesser dictates. Finally, to adhere to a religious ban on giving but not receiving organs is disingenuous. It is the ultimate hypocrisy: to rely on others to do someone one would not do oneself. In such a situation, the state is no longer obliged to guarantee a chance to adhere to one\u2019s religion."], "type": "binary", "id": "533"}
+{"question": "Should religious views be excluded from public discourse?", "perspectives": ["Religious views should be excluded from public discourse.", "Religious views should not be excluded from public discourse."], "docs": ["Religion simply justifies reactionary views which many find offensive. There is no reason for vitriol to be tolerated just because it presents a mask of religion.  Views on issues such as abortion, women, and what constitutes an acceptable family expressed by those who are extremely religious are simply bigoted views which are given credibility by being wrapped in a cassock.  It is in the nature of religious belief that any set of views can adopt a religious justification and there is no objective measure against which to hold the views. For example the homophobic views which have common currency in many churches can be contrasted with a gay liberation trend discernible in others. In the light of this, it makes sense to judge the views on their own basis, regardless of the religiosity surrounding them.  The views expressed by Harry Hammond, and others [1] , need to be stripped of their religious veneer and shown that at their heart they are simply offensive. There is absolutely no reason why LGBT people should have to endure vitriol and condemnation as they go about their daily lives. It is a useful exercise to consider how we would respond to a secular speaker saying that the actions of two people who were in love with each other should condemn them to torment and suffering. Oddly however, the moment this is done in the name of God, it somehow becomes acceptable.  [1] Blake, Heidi. \u201cChristian Preacher Arrested for Saying Homosexuality is a Sin\u201d. The Daily Telegraph, 2 May 2010.", "Religious belief is the most widely used and historically enduring framework for discussion of the universe around us and our place and role within it. Pretending that it not part of civic discourse is simply living in a fantasy world. The views expressed by Hammond are widely and genuinely held and deserve to be heard. Those who oppose them should, of course, be free to do so. Simply banning their expression doesn\u2019t make the views go away. However impossible opposing sides in this argument may believe it to be, the other side could be right, that gives them the right to be heard [1] .  [1] Tatchell, Peter, \u2018Lords are right to limit homophobic hatred law\u2019, 10 July 2009."], "type": "binary", "id": "534"}
+{"question": "Should the Catholic Church reconsider its stance on contraception based on the opinions of its members?", "perspectives": ["The Catholic Church should reconsider its stance on contraception based on the opinions of its members.", "The Catholic Church should not reconsider its stance on contraception based on the opinions of its members."], "docs": ["Opposed by much of the Church  In spite of the Catholic Church's ruling, a huge number of people who identify as Catholic do not adhere to the Church's teachings on contraception. Additionally, many Catholic priests and nuns openly support non-abortive forms of contraception, including barrier contraception. In 2003 a poll found 43% of catholic priests in England and wales were against the church's stance and a further 19% were unsure1. The Church should listen to the requests and opinions of those who are part of it 2. 1 Day, Elizabeth. \"Most Catholic priests 'do not support Rome over contraception'.\" The Telegraph, 6 April 2003, 2 Short, Claire. \"HIV/AIDS", "The Catholic Church is not a democracy. The opposition makes no mention of the huge numbers of Catholics who actually support the Church's decision to forbid barrier contraception. There is by no means a clear majority either way. Even if there was a clear majority of Catholics in favour of barrier contraception, the Church is under no obligation to change its official stances or any part of the way it works based on the opinions of members of the Church. The Church is founded on the basis that it is doing God's bidding and changing its working based on the demand of the people would undermine that."], "type": "binary", "id": "535"}
+{"question": "Is blocking social networks effective in controlling riots?", "perspectives": ["Blocking social networks is effective in controlling riots.", "Blocking social networks is not effective in controlling riots."], "docs": ["Internet users rely on high visibility for their comments to be significant. When Twitter is shut down, or its replacement, the new sites that pop up must start again in building numbers. [1] Without sufficient numbers on the network they will be able to build up momentum for riots online. The result is a significant blunting of the network\u2019s ability to develop or act in a riot scenario; a site is not useful for directing riots if most of those who would riot or are rioting are not on that network.  [1] Berger, J.M., \u201c#unfollow\u201d, Foreign policy, 20 February 2013.", "Blocking social networks will not work  How are the police to block social networks when riots are ongoing? The idea that blocking an individual network like Twitter would stop online networking and reporting during riots is laughable and misunderstands the rapidity with which the internet community adapts to changed circumstances and attempts at censorship. Blocking Twitter might work once, but never again. This is why there have been suggestions that the police would go further and either cut off the internet or phone networks as they would effectively need to impose a communications blackout in order for it to be successful, much as the Chinese does in Tibet when there is unrest. [1] Even then the action may not work, rioters will likely simply post pictures and encouragement for the next night\u2019s rioting once the internet and mobile connections are restored as governments would have to do if they did not want to affect the law abiding majority during the day.  [1] Branigan, T., \u201cChina cut off internet in area of Tibetan unrest\u201d, The Guardian, 3 February 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "536"}
+{"question": "Does the elimination of net neutrality lead to censorship?", "perspectives": ["The elimination of net neutrality leads to censorship.", "The elimination of net neutrality does not lead to censorship."], "docs": ["Risk of a two-tier Internet  As things stand there are relatively flat rate services. The concern is that ISP would charge higher rates for full Internet access or act to ensure that their own content arrived seamlessly and smoothly, while that of competitors was delayed or poorer quality or that higher bandwidth applications end up with a higher price-tag [i] .  This is of concern both to end users and to the producers of content. There are very real concerns here, as a result, about the impact this has on freedom of expression. The best way to avoid censorship \u2013 either commercial or political \u2013 is to ensure that it remains impossible to achieve in the first place.  Once it becomes possible to give preference to some forms of content or points of origin, then commercial censorship at least becomes a great deal easier.  [i] BBC News Website. \u201cBT Content Connect service faces \u2018two-tier net\u2019 claims. 4 January 2011.", "This has absolutely nothing to do with censorship \u2013 not having net neutrality will not stop users accessing certain sites, just make it slower. Data from some points of origin, especially games and file-sharing programmes slow down the entire network. It\u2019s unfair to other users."], "type": "binary", "id": "537"}
+{"question": "Do prosecutions prevent the full truth from emerging?", "perspectives": ["Prosecutions prevent the full truth from emerging.", "Prosecutions do not prevent the full truth from emerging."], "docs": ["Prosecutions don't get to the real truth  Truth is the most important factor that supports the healing process. Individuals when being prosecuted have incentives to hide crimes and lie about the true motivations for offences occurring as they don\u2019t want to go to prison for telling the truth. This means that the whole truth of matters never really come to light. TRC\u2019s, such as that in South Africa, do a very good job of ensuring that the full record of human rights abuses come to light [1].The Rwandan Gacaca courts which encompasses three important features of relevance to broader experiments of reconciliatory justice serve as a lesson. Those who confess their crimes are rewarded with the halving of prison sentences and as a result, 60,238 prisoners have confessed to participating in the genocide [2]. Second, gacaca law highlights apologies welcomed by many as an important ingredient to promote reconciliation.  [1] Linfield, Susie, \u2018Trading Truth for Justice? Reflections on South Africa\u2019s Truth and Reconciliation Commission\u2019, bostonreview,net, 01 June 2000,   [2] Graybill, Lyn, and Lanegran , Kimberly, \u2018Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation in Africa: Issues and Cases\u2019, ufl.edu, Fall 2004,", "Prosecutions allow an equal chance for both prosecution and defense to show the truth as they believe it with the result that far more facts are brought to life than a process that is reliant only on the individual being \u2018truthful\u2019. Moreover an amnesty may not be forever as it is against the norms of international justice so it is unlikely that they will tell the whole truth.[1] Argentina for example has seen the prosecution of those who were given amnesties two decades earlier [2].  [1] Ahmed, Anees and Quayle, Merryn, \u2018Can genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes be pardoned or amnestied?\u2019, sas.ac.uk, 28 January 2008,   [2] Lay\u00fas, Rosario Figari, \u2018Better Late than Never: Human Rights Trials in Argentina\u2019, RightsNews, Vol.30, no.3, May 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "538"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance beneficial without strict regulations?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is beneficial without strict regulations.", "Microfinance is not beneficial without strict regulations."], "docs": ["Africa\u2019s microfinance schemes can be different, and are fundamentally different. Across Africa there is a history of informal lending. Microfinance is not new, but rather embedded in traditional practices. This means communities are aware of the obligations, rules, and practice of microfinance.  Additionally, the path taken by microfinance lenders shows stricter controls are being taken to ensure that the loans are not subprime. In a bid to ensure the safety of the poor the Bank of Ghana has set up minimum capital requirements for the borrower and new regulations to ensure money-lent is repayable.", "Debt cycles and the curse of microfinance  Microfinance is incorporating free market ideologies and subprime (lending to those who may not be able to repay) lending at a smaller scale. Unstable crises\u2019 form as a result, and debt is intensified for the poorest - of which are given access to credit they are not able to repay. This is a problem with all lending, microfinance is no exception.  In India the pressures of microfinance repayment has become linked to suicide and early mortality (Biswas, 2010). The stress of looking for microcredit, and then how to pay it back, has created a crisis within the microfinance industry. Regulation is required on the microfinance organisation: controlling the distribution of credit and the use of threats if the individual defaults."], "type": "binary", "id": "539"}
+{"question": "Is the increase in national security measures justified at the expense of civil liberties?", "perspectives": ["The increase in national security measures is justified at the expense of civil liberties.", "The increase in national security measures is not justified at the expense of civil liberties."], "docs": ["National security is something that must be protected even at the cost of  Terrorism is part of the modern world and is inextricably linked with the rise of modern communications, the internet, and a global community. This is an age in which space and time are bending to the tune of new media \u2013 information at your fingertips may sound nice, but for those who want to destroy, it only makes their object easier to attain. And so more strict national security measures must be employed in order to keep up with the enemy. Escalation is the name of the game imposed on governments around the world by terrorists for example the Mumbai terrorists used GPS systems to guide them into Mumbai, attacks were coordinated on cell and satellite phones and Blackberrys were used to monitor the international reaction [1] . In order to keep up states need new powers to stop, deter, and prevent terrorism. The government needs to secure state-security first; only then can the debate on civil liberties begin, and only then.  [1] Shachtman, Noah, \u2018How Gadgets Helped Mumbai Attackers\u2019, Wired, 1 December 2008,  , accessed 9 September 2011", "Nothing justifies some of the security measures taken by western governments. The ancient western conventions of the accused being innocent until proven guilty and his right to a fair trial have both been undermined [1] by the recent Labour administration in the UK. And all in the name of security. The trade-off has gone too far; liberty is something that must be protected at all costs \u2013 it seems that governments the world over have forgotten that the whole point of the state is too protect citizens liberty, not destroy it.  [1] BBC News, \u2018A brief history of habeas corpus\u2019, 9 March 2005,  , accessed 9 September 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "540"}
+{"question": "Is the production of generic drugs beneficial for market efficiency and consumer costs?", "perspectives": ["The production of generic drugs is beneficial for market efficiency and consumer costs.", "The production of generic drugs is not beneficial for market efficiency and consumer costs."], "docs": ["Production of generic drugs reduce medical costs by allowing increased production and the development of superior production methods, increasing market efficiency  The sale of generic drugs invariably reduces costs to consumers. This is due to two reasons. It may be the case that an individual or firm with a patent, essentially a monopoly right to the production of something, may not have the ability to efficiently go about meeting demand for it. Patents slow, or even stop the dissemination of the production methods, especially when a patent-holder is unwilling to license production to others1. Such an outcome is deleterious to society, as with no restrictions on drug production an efficient producer, or producers, will emerge to meet the needs of the public, producing an amount of drugs commensurate with demand, and thus equilibrating market price with that demand2. This market equilibration is impossible under conventional patent laws, as it is in the interest of firms to withhold production and to engage in monopolist rent-seeking from consumers3. This leads firms to deliberately under-produce, which they have been shown to do in many cases, as for example the case of Miacalcic, a drug used to treat Paget's Disease, in which its producer deliberately kept production down in order to keep prices high4. When a firm is given monopoly power over a drug it has the ability to abuse it, and history shows that is what they are wont to do. By allowing the production of generic drugs, this monopoly power is broken and people can get the drugs they need at costs that are not marked far above their free market value.  1 Kinsella, Stephan. 2010. \"Patents Kill: Compulsory Licenses and Genzyme's Life-Saving Drug\". Mises Institute. Available: 2Stim, Rishand. 2006. Profit from Your Idea: How to Make Smart Licensing Decisions. Berkeley: Nolo. 3 Lee, Timothy. 2007. \"Patent Rent-Seeking\". Cato at Liberty. Available: 4 Flanders Today. 2010. \"Big Pharma Denies Strategic Shortages\". Flanders Today.", "Allowing the production of generic drugs will only increase production of drugs currently on the market. Without the profit incentive that patents provide, pharmaceutical companies will not invest in the expensive process of developing new drugs in the first place. It is a necessary trade-off, as patents are essential to incentivize innovation. Furthermore, many states have mandatory licensing laws in states requiring companies to license the rights to the production of drugs so as not to precipitate shortages."], "type": "binary", "id": "541"}
+{"question": "Is a single-party government more effective than a divided government?", "perspectives": ["A single-party government is more effective than a divided government.", "A single-party government is not more effective than a divided government."], "docs": ["Growing partisanship  The current political climate makes divided government difficult anyway. The terms of debate in American politics is based on a perceived \u2018culture war\u2019 between liberals and conservatives over what it means to be American, something that has been exacerbated by 24-hour news and a proliferation of partisan blogging.  This makes agreements on core issues difficult to achieve and this has become apparent in recent years, with opposition to Barack Obama\u2019s $1 trillion stimulus package helping to spawn the Tea Party movement [1] that has helped move the Republican Party to the right, making the compromise required for effective divided government unachievable. [2]  While it has been most noticeable recently the US political climate has been becoming more polarized for the last twenty-five years. This polarization helps to create gridlock and less public policy. [3] The stasis in Congress created by the dogmatic Republicans winning the House in the 2010 mid-terms shows how America\u2019s political climate is now much more suited to Single-Party Government, allowing for much more effective decision making than divided government.  [1] Ferrara, Peter, \u2018The tea Party Revolution\u2019, The American Spectator, 15 April 2009,   [2] Rawls, Caroline, \u2018Moderate Republicans Lament GOP Shift Further Right\u2019, newsmax, 27 July 2011,   [3] McCarty, Nolan, \u2018The Policy Consequences of Partisan Polarization in the United States\u2019, bcep.haas.berkeley.edu/papers/McCarty.doc", "The reason why a febrile atmosphere has emerged in recent years is because both red and blue single-party governments have made unpopular decisions without the necessary checks being place upon it. This has made people disenchanted with the political system and made them think that it is only looks out for ideological elites, causing a backlash in the form of the Tea Party and Occupy movements. [1]  Divided Government combats this by helping to re-establish consensus between the parties over what is best for America, ensuring that policies have the consent of a majority of people, thus preventing the overtly ideological backlashes seen recently.  [1] Miles, Chris, \u2018What the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street Have in Common\u2019, policymic,"], "type": "binary", "id": "542"}
+{"question": "Is maintaining diplomatic recognition with Taiwan beneficial in the current diplomatic truce with China?", "perspectives": ["Maintaining diplomatic recognition with Taiwan is beneficial in the current diplomatic truce with China.", "Maintaining diplomatic recognition with Taiwan is not beneficial in the current diplomatic truce with China."], "docs": ["There is a truce in the diplomatic conflict  There is a truce between Taipei and Beijing on the issue of recognition. Neither is currently aiming to poach countries from the other. China has refused advances from El Salvador and Honduras that have said they wish to change their recognition to the PRC. [1] When Gambia terminated its ties with Taiwan Hong Lei a spokesman for the PRC Foreign Ministry said \u201cWe learned the relevant information from the foreign media. Before that, China was not in contact with The Gambia.\u201d [2] The truce has been maintained and Gambia has been left essentially not recognising either China. [3]  [1] Cole, J Michael, \u2018Is China and Taiwan\u2019s Diplomatic Truce Over?\u2019, The Diplomat, 18 November 2013,   [2] Enav, Peter, \u2018Beijing was in dark about Gambia's broken ties with Taiwan: China official\u2019, The China Post, 16 November 2013,   [3] Atkinson, Joel, \u2018Gambia\u2019s Break with Taiwan\u2019, The Diplomat, 2 December 2013,", "That there is a truce at the moment does not mean that diplomatic relations with Taiwan should not be dropped. Taiwan is not China so Sao Tome should not be recognising Taiwan even if the PRC will not accept recognition at the moment. The PRC is also unlikely to keep the truce for long \u2013 any countries changing diplomatic recognition will be able to formally recognise the PRC as soon as the PRC finds it politically expedient to needle Taiwan."], "type": "binary", "id": "543"}
+{"question": "Did the Republican administration under President Bush effectively manage the economy?", "perspectives": ["The Republican administration under President Bush effectively managed the economy.", "The Republican administration under President Bush did not effectively manage the economy."], "docs": ["Republicans are the best at stimulating economic growth  The tax cuts proposed by President Bush and passed by a Republican Congress ensured that real, after-tax income was up 15% by 2006. The Dow Jones hit record Highs during his time in office.  These tax cuts were responsible for the creation of 6.6 million jobs, primarily in the private sector \u2013 real jobs producing real goods and providing real services not tax-payer funded sinecures to mask the reality of the economic situation. [i]  [i] The White House, \u201cFact Sheet: Job Creation Continues \u2013 More than 6.6 Million Jobs Created Since August 2003\u201d, 6 October 2006,", "George Bush announced that cutting government was one of his greatest priorities, his actions could not have been further from this ambition. As with most Republican presidents, government spending grew considerably on his watch. Indeed no president since FDR presided over a larger rate of growth in the federal budget. The largest recipient has been the military with over $5tn dollars spent on defence during his two terms. To take one example, when the Transportation Security Administration took a guess at the cost of a national computer system in 2002, it pegged the price at $1bn. A few years later the price was running at five times that [i] .  [i] Jon Ward. \u201cBig Government Gets Bigger\u201d. The Washington Times. 19 October 2008."], "type": "binary", "id": "544"}
+{"question": "Is partial-birth abortion considered murder?", "perspectives": ["Partial-birth abortion is considered murder.", "Partial-birth abortion is not considered murder."], "docs": ["If personhood accrues at birth, then abortion after inducing birth is wrong  If birth is the crucial dividing-line we use to decide when legal personhood begins, then we should not be allowed to induce birth and then deliberately kill a foetus during that process - this is different from early abortion in which birth is induced and the foetus dies naturally. Partial-birth abortion is murder, even on the pro-choice understanding of personhood.", "This is misleading - in partial-birth abortion, as the term suggests, the foetus is not fully born when it is killed: the purpose of collapsing the skull is to allow the foetus\u2019 head to pass more easily through the birth canal. At no point in the process is a live foetus entirely outside the womb, so legal personhood is never an issue."], "type": "binary", "id": "545"}
+{"question": "Is the Grand Inga dam project manageable for the DRC?", "perspectives": ["The Grand Inga dam project is manageable for the DRC.", "The Grand Inga dam project is not manageable for the DRC."], "docs": ["The World Bank would be taking a lead role in the project and it proclaims \u201cThe World Bank has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, and we have some of the toughest fiduciary standards of any development agency, including a 24/7 fraud and corruption hotline with appropriate whistle-blower protection.\u201d All documentation would be in the public domain and online so ensuring complete transparency. [1]  [1] Maake, Moyagabo, \u2018Concern over SA\u2019s billions in DRC Inga project\u2019, Business Day Live, 24 March 2013,", "Such a big project is beyond DRC\u2019s capacity  The Grand Inga dam project is huge while it means huge potential benefits it just makes it more difficult for the country to manage. Transparency international ranks DRC as 160th out of 176 in terms of corruption [1] so it is no surprise that projects in the country are plagued by it. [2] Such a big project would inevitably mean billions siphoned off. Even if it is built will the DRC be able to maintain it? This seems unlikely. The Inga I and II dams only operate at half their potential due to silting up and a lack of maintenance. [3]  [1] \u2018Corruption Perceptions Index 2012\u2019, Transparency International, 2012,   [2] Bosshard, Peter, \u2018Grand Inga -- The World Bank's Latest Silver Bullet for Africa\u2019, Huffington Post, 21 April 2013,   [3] Vasagar, Jeevan, \u2018Could a $50bn plan to tame this mighty river bring electricity to all of Africa?\u2019, The Guardian, 25 February 2005,"], "type": "binary", "id": "546"}
+{"question": "Is the introduction of a fat tax a valid solution to cover the societal costs of obesity?", "perspectives": ["The introduction of a fat tax is a valid solution to cover the societal costs of obesity.", "The introduction of a fat tax is not a valid solution to cover the societal costs of obesity."], "docs": ["An individual's BMI is no longer a purely personal matter  The obesity epidemic is taking an enormous toll on global medical costs. In the US alone the health care costs attributable to either direct or indirect consequences of obesity have been estimated at $147bn. [1] Put into context, this amounts to roughly 9% of the health spending in the US. [2]  The figure might seem excessive, but we need to remember that obesity is linked to Type 2 Diabetes, several kinds of cancer, coronary artery disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, asthma, chronic back pain and hypertension, to name just a few.  We also need to realize that many of the diseases on this list are chronic in nature, requiring lifelong pharmacological therapy, which often follows complex and expensive diagnostic procedures, frequent medical specialist consultations, and not infrequent emergency interventions. [3]  Adding to the list is the value of income lost due to decreased productivity, restricted activity, and absenteeism, not to mention the value of future income lost by premature death.  Thus it becomes increasingly clear that due to the substantial cost obesity presents to the society, individual choices that might lead to excessive weight gain, can no longer be considered as solely individual in nature. [4]  Therefore the government is legitimate in its action to introduce a form of a fat tax in order to try to dissuade the population from becoming obese and cover the increasing societal costs the already obese individuals are responsible for.  [1] CDC, Obesity: Economic Consequences, published 3/28/2011,  , accessed 9/12/2011  [2] RTI international, Obesity Costs U.S. About $147 Billion Annually, Study Finds, published 7/27/2009,  , accessed 9/14/2011  [3] The Council of State Governments, Costs of Chronic Diseases: What Are States Facing?, published in 2006,  , accessed, 9/14/2011  [4] Los Angeles Times, Should there be a 'fat tax'?, published 4/11/2011,  , accessed 9/12/2011", "An important source of extravagant medical spending around the world, especially in the US, can be traced to inherent inefficiencies of current medical care systems. [1] And the current trends show the situation to be worsening.  It is thus impossible for anyone to really say whether the rising cost of the medical care system can really be attributed to obesity related diseases, especially since those are some of the most common ailments of the modern age.  It is also unfair to single out obesity as the single cause that should get such intense scrutiny and attention. What about the connection between consumption of meat and colorectal cancer? [2] Should we introduce an additional levy in that case as well?  [1] Connolly, C., U.S. \u2018Not Getting What We Pay For\u2019, published 11/30/2008,  , accessed 9/12/2011  [2] The HMS Family health guide, Red meat and colon cancer, published in March 2008,  , accessed 9/12/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "547"}
+{"question": "Is broadcasting a necessary component in establishing a historical record of International Criminal Law trials?", "perspectives": ["Broadcasting is a necessary component in establishing a historical record of International Criminal Law trials.", "Broadcasting is not a necessary component in establishing a historical record of International Criminal Law trials."], "docs": ["Broadcasting provides a public record  Unlike many other criminal trials, since Nuremberg a key principle of International Criminal Law is that it aims to set a historical record. The events that it deals with are important as they are heinous crimes that change regions forever. A trial helps to get to the bottom of events that happened preventing there being multiple conflicting versions of events. This record also can help to act as a deterrent to others considering similar measures.  Broadcasting the trial will bolster this record by providing footage of the trial itself (which may reduce myths about it being unfair, for example) and providing a voice to the victims through their evidence, in their own words, being recorded for posterity and future study.", "Transcripts and other forms of notation would also set a historical record. While the Nuremberg trials were filmed, live television broadcast was not technically possible, footage was used for newsreels at the time. The lack of continuous total film footage has not stopped the Nuremberg trial from setting a historical record \u2013 the written judgements and transcripts are enough."], "type": "binary", "id": "548"}
+{"question": "Should intellectual property rights be restricted to commercial uses only?", "perspectives": ["Intellectual property rights should be restricted to commercial uses only.", "Intellectual property rights should not be restricted to commercial uses only."], "docs": ["Intellectual property is a legal fiction created for convenience in some instances, but copyright should cease to be protected under this doctrine  An individual\u2019s idea only truly belongs solely to them so long as it rests in their mind alone. When they disseminate their ideas to the world they put them in the public domain, and should become the purview of everyone to use. Artists and creators more generally, should not expect some sort of ownership to inhere in an idea they happen to have, since no such ownership right exists in reality. [1] No one can own an idea. Thus recognizing something like a property right over intangible assets is contrary to reason, since doing so gives monopoly power to individuals who may not make efficient or equitable use of their inventions or products. Physical property is a tangible asset, and thus can be protected by tangible safeguards. Ideas do not share the same order of protection even now because they exist in a different order to physical reality. However, some intellectual property is useful in encouraging investment and invention, allowing people to engage their profit motives to the betterment of society as a whole. To an extent one can also sympathize with the notion that creators deserve to accrue some additional profit for the labour of the creative process, but this can be catered for through Creative Commons non-commercial licenses which reserve commercial rights. [2] These protections should not extend to non-commercial use of the various forms of arts. This is because art is a social good of a unique order, with its purpose not purely functional, but creative. It only has value in being experienced, and thus releasing these works through creative commons licenses allows the process of artistic experience and sharing proceeds unhindered by outmoded notions of copyright. The right to reap some financial gain still remains for the artists, as their rights still hold over all commercial use of their work. This seems like a fair compromise of the artist\u2019s right to profit from their work and society right to experience and grow from those works.  [1] Fitzgerald, Brian and Anne Fitzgerald. Intellectual Property: In Principle. Melbourne: Lawbook Company. 2004.  [2] Walsh, K., \u201cCommercial Rights Reserved proposal outcome: no change\u201d, Creative Commons, 14 February 2013,", "Although ideas are not tangible intellectual property generally, and copyright in particular, is far from a fiction. Rather it is a realization of the hard work and demiurgic force that sparks the generation and fulfilment of artistic endeavour. The property right assigned over these things to their creators is a very real one that recognizes their fundamental right over these works as owners, and the right to profit from them. The artist must have the right to prevent even non-commercial use of the idea if it is to maintain its value and so retain for the creator the ability to commercialise it. These protections are critical to the moral understanding of all property and must be rigorously protected, not eroded for the benefit of some nebulous notion of social good."], "type": "binary", "id": "549"}
+{"question": "Should social networks be temporarily blocked during times of riots?", "perspectives": ["Social networks should be temporarily blocked during times of riots.", "ocial networks should not be temporarily blocked during times of riots."], "docs": ["Private companies have no right to do business when that business is facilitating violence even if that facilitating is unintentional. Sometimes brief impositions are necessary to secure public order. In the course of a riot Twitter can be blocked temporarily to have a meaningful effect on its coordination, extent, and level of violence. This however need not cause problems with those uninvolved not receiving prior warnings as the police could do this before shutting down the network in the local area. And of course when the riot is over the service can return as normal. Ultimately the disruption is very brief, and not likely to ruffle too many feathers overmuch.", "Police should not block the communications and freedom of expression of law-abiding citizens  The blocking of social networks, of the internet, or of mobile phone networks in times of riot would be an illegitimate curtailment of a private company\u2019s right to do business and serve its customers. Social networks are business and have many users. Even more important is the impact on everyone who is not associated with the rioting. When these actions are taken it harms everyone, perhaps even millions of people at a given time. [1] The action taken by the state to seek to prevent the spreading of the riots is not only ineffective it is also a massive imposition on the rights of the citizens of the polity. Their freedom of speech is curtailed, business is harmed, and the riots continue. Studies of the use of Twitter during the riots in London showed that during rioting it was mostly used to react to the riots to send warnings to avoid trouble rather than incite violence. [2] Blocking access or cutting off communications would therefore mean putting at risk those people who otherwise would have been warned not to go near areas with rioting.  [1] Temperton, J. \u201cBlocking Facebook and Twitter During Riots Threatens Freedom\u201d. Computer Active. 15 August 2011.   [2] Ball, J., and Lewis, P., \u201cRiots database of 2.5m tweets reveals complex picture of interaction\u201d, The Guardian, 24 August 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "550"}
+{"question": "Is the Hyperloop a cost-effective alternative to traditional rail systems?", "perspectives": ["The Hyperloop is a cost-effective alternative to traditional rail systems.", "The Hyperloop is not a cost-effective alternative to traditional rail systems."], "docs": ["The Hyperloop is comparatively cheap  The Hyperloop would be cheap to build. The pods themselves would only cost $1.35million each, the pressurised tube just $650million (or double if wanting vehicles), with only two stations their cost would only be $250million. The biggest cost would be the construction of the pylons carrying the tube which is estimated at $2.55 or $3.15billion. There is an estimated total cost of $4.06billion for the passenger only version or $5.31billion for the vehicle version. [1] This should be compared to the current cost for California\u2019s high speed rail project which is estimated to be $68billion while covering much the same ground. [2]  [1] Musk, Elon, \u2018Hyperloop Alpha\u2019, SpaceX, 12 August 2013,  pp.23, 27, 32, 28, 32  [2] Slosson, Mary, \u2018California moves forward on $68 billion high-speed rail project\u2019, Reuters, 18 July 2012,", "Less than $6billion seems to be suspiciously low. Some land would undoubtedly need to be purchased if only to allow for less tight corners. Added to this there would still be delays due to the need for permits for noise, light and vibration which will mean rising costs. [1] A study of 250 major transport infrastructure projects has found that 90% of come in over budget and this escalation is 45% on rail projects. [2] And it should be remembered that this is dealing with systems were we know the costs not something that is completely new. Additionally there would be costs associated with the closures of the main road routes between Los Angeles and San Francisco \u2013 though these might be moved to the people of California the cost would still be there.  [1] Fernholz, Tim, \u2018Does the Hyperloop even make sense for California?\u2019, Quartz, 12 August 2013,   [2] Flyvbjerg, Bent et al., \u2018How common and how large are cost overruns in transport infrastructure projects?\u2019, Transport Reviews, vol.23, no.1, 2003, pp.71-88,  , p.85"], "type": "binary", "id": "551"}
+{"question": "Is banning religious symbols in public facilities an easy and effective solution?", "perspectives": ["Banning religious symbols in public facilities is an easy and effective solution.", "Banning religious symbols in public facilities is not an easy and effective solution."], "docs": ["A ban would be simple to enforce.  A ban would be simple to create and enforce. Religious symbols are for the most part meant to be shown therefore it is simple for police or authorities to check that someone is not wearing them. There are many societies that have had bans on a religious symbol in public buildings, for example in France where there is a ban on religious symbols in schools has been in force since 2004. In France the ban is made even easier to enforce by restricting it to 'conspicuous' religious apparel.1 Moreover when the ban is only when entering public buildings it can be enforced by the teacher, or the building's security guards rather than being an issue for the police to deal with.  1 BBC News, 'French scarf ban comes into force', 2 September 2004 , accessed 28/8/11", "Deciding what people can and can\u2019t wear should not be the responsibility of schools. Enforcement may be potentially simple but only at the cost of creating a conflict between schools and their Muslim pupils and staff."], "type": "binary", "id": "552"}
+{"question": "Would providing reparations to former colonies help in closing colonial scars and improving their relationships with the Western world?", "perspectives": ["Providing reparations to former colonies helps in closing colonial scars and improving their relationships with the Western world.", "Providing reparations to former colonies does not help in closing colonial scars or improving their relationships with the Western world."], "docs": ["Reparations would be a step towards closing colonial scars.  It is difficult for former colonies to feel as if they can move on and develop a wholly independent identity when their ties to the past, and to their former colonisers, have not been definitively ended. For example, while it is important to remember those who suffered under slavery, the overwhelming memory of it [1] overpowers the history of those countries and innately links them back to former colonial powers. Furthermore, many of the problems now faced by former colonies can be traced back to the actions of colonial-era masters, for example the birth of ethnic tensions between minorities in Rwanda [2] and Burundi [3] . In order to move on from that damaging legacy, and to conclusively prove that such prejudices are always wrong, it is necessary for former colonial powers to show a tangible move towards closing that colonial chapter of their history. In this way they can begin to move towards a fresh, equal and co-operative relationship with the developing countries which were their former colonies, without the background of history which currently warps such relationships. Italy\u2019s payment of reparations to Libya [4] allowed Libya to \u2018mend fences with the West\u2019 [5] and to improve international relationships. This is a step to recognise developing countries as a nation, rather than an economic opportunity. In this way, reparations would be an effective way of demonstrating a global community and spirit.  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 12/09/11.  [4] Time. \u2018Italy Pays Reparations to Libya\u2019. Published 02/09/2008. Accessed from  on 12/09/11.  [5] Accessed from  on 12/09/11", "This proposition line does not lead to a situation where developing countries forgive their colonisers and forget the suffering of the past; rather, it will lead to a situation where they identify those colonial forces as the source of their suffering, but also as the power which tried to undermine their human integrity by paying them off. Such developing countries will always view reparations as \u2018insufficient compensation\u2019 [1] , because there is no lump sum on money which can atone for the acts and atrocities committed against human life. This motion is not only ineffective but will exacerbate the current situation by portraying the West as a place where money has a higher value than the human lives of developing countries; as such, there is no reason for former colonies to believe that their have gained any status other then an \u2018opportunity\u2019 for the West.  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "553"}
+{"question": "Does progressive taxation lead to a more harmonious society?", "perspectives": ["Progressive taxation leads to a more harmonious society.", "Progressive taxation does not lead to a more harmonious society."], "docs": ["Progressive taxation promotes a more equal, more harmonious society  Progressive taxation provides real equality of opportunity, and serves to level the playing field so that social classes are not fixed. Everyone deserves a chance to climb the economic ladder, but without a regime of progressive taxation this is nearly impossible. [1] If tax revenues are generated by flat or regressive taxes the poor will necessarily have to contribute substantial portions of their own income to the state, cutting into their ability to consume and save. Social services must still be financed, and the best way to do that is through a progressive tax regime that makes those most able to pay more pay more; if more of the burden is placed on the poor and disadvantaged, as it must in a flat-rate system, fewer people will be able to climb out from the social strata in which they are born. [2] The more equal society created by these taxes is thus more equitable, since it affords people greater opportunities. It is also more harmonious, since well-funded services keep people from feeling desperate and to turn to such things as crime. But greater equality itself can also be beneficial, as it reduces distinctions between groups in society, and prevents stratification into social classes based on wealth. People who are more alike can sympathize and empathize more with one another. Progressive taxation thus promotes a very real and powerful social message that can greatly benefit social cohesion.  [1] Young, H. Peyton. 1990. \u201cProgressive Taxation and Equal Sacrifice\u201d. The American Economic Review 80(1): 253-266.  [2] Benabou, Roland. \u201cSocial Mobility and the Demand for Redistribution: The Poum Hypothesis\u201d. The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 2001. Available:", "A more equal society is not necessarily a more harmonious society, and is certainly not a more just one if it was created through the process of progressive taxation. Social harmony relies on trust between all citizens, rich and poor. Progressive taxes only serve to divide society, as the rich become resentful of the poor and the poor feel more and more entitled to the possessions of the wealthy cash cow. In terms of justice, equality is not an end in itself. Opportunities can be afforded without compromising the rights of citizens by enacting a draconian scheme of leveling."], "type": "binary", "id": "554"}
+{"question": "Is agnosticism a philosophically meaningful position?", "perspectives": ["Agnosticism is a philosophically meaningful position.", "Agnosticism is not a philosophically meaningful position."], "docs": ["There is no strict dichotomy in theology. It is perfectly reasonable for someone unsure of whether God exists to take up a position of agnosticism, refusing to emphatically accept the existence of God or to deny it. Atheism is a positive claim insofar as it is a statement about the nonexistence of God. The burden of proof is thus not so clearly on the shoulders of theism alone. Rather, they are rival claims that each side must be supported by positive evidence.", "In reality there are only two theological positions, atheism and theism; agnosticism is nothing but timid atheism:  God, like unicorns, has never been shown to exist, and thus it is logical to accept that He, just like unicorns, does not exist. That is why a position like agnosticism makes no sense. There are no agnostics on the subject of unicorns; there are only agnostics on the subject of God because people tend to be reticent to say they are atheists due to the prevalence of belief of God even in the most secular societies. But fantasy is fantasy, and an agnostic is really just an atheist by another name. Were someone to claim that dragons exist, the person he told it to would not be justified responding saying he did not know whether they exist and that it must be an open question until evidence is presented to corroborate the claim. [1] Rather, he would likely respond with disbelief in the absence of evidence. That is how reasoning works. Thus agnosticism is a philosophically meaningless position. There is either belief or lack of belief, atheism or theism. Opponents of atheism seeking to hide in the nebulous realm of agnosticism, or who claim that because one cannot know there is no God one must be agnostic, hold a position that is philosophically bankrupt.  [1] Dawkins, Richard. 2006. The God Delusion. Ealing: Transworld Publishers."], "type": "binary", "id": "555"}
+{"question": "Is compensation a viable solution for cultural appropriation?", "perspectives": ["Compensation is a viable solution for cultural appropriation.", "Compensation is not a viable solution for cultural appropriation."], "docs": ["Compensation has the potential to reverse damaged caused by Cultural Appropriation.  Compensation is necessary in the case of cultural appropriation as it helps to provide victims with the resources they need or deserve as compensation for exploitative behaviour. Often it can be easily quantified as would be the case with the Navajo Urban Outfitters case. With stronger legislation and rulings on the provision for compensation for cultural appropriation, minority communities would be significantly better off. This would be a major step towards reversing the damage of said appropriation as it would allow the community to develop and gain recognition for traditional designs and ideas.  Compensation can bring back some justice to small, minority communities as they can gain the appropriate recognition they deserve as well as the benefits that come along with it. It was estimated in 2005 that nearly half of the US $1billion market from native American Arts and Crafts come from the sale of counterfeit goods [1]. Compensation would help protect sales from native American businesses as well as their culture.  [1] Padilla, Helen B., \u2018Padilla: Combating fake Indian Arts and Crafts: a proposal for action\u2019, Indian Country Today, 14 October 2008,", "The notion of compensation in the case of cultural appropriation is limited. Firstly, culture is subjective and essentially defined to individual interpretation and perception, there are limited definitive lines. As a result of this, compensation would be extremely difficult to both claim and give out every time a cultural appropriation is claimed by an individual or group."], "type": "binary", "id": "556"}
+{"question": "Is excessive consumerism detrimental to society?", "perspectives": ["Excessive consumerism is detrimental to society.", "Excessive consumerism is not detrimental to society."], "docs": ["Advertisements tell children that they should have everything they want.  Advertising gives the impression, especially to children, that they can and should have everything they want. This makes people too interested in material things. People are becoming more selfish and obsessed with their possessions, and losing their values of patience, hard work, moderation and the importance of non-material things like family and friends. This harms their relationships and their personal development, which has serious effects for society as a whole.", "Our society is built around the idea that companies produce things that people want, and this is what makes us prosperous. If consumers suddenly stopped wanting to buy so many products then what happens to the people whose job it is to make them? The economy will suffer terribly. Of course some people take materialism too far, but most people buy just what they need and then a little extra when they treat themselves. This is a much better situation than one in which people can only afford to buy the things they need - that would be a step backwards."], "type": "binary", "id": "557"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance a viable solution to Africa's agricultural crisis?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is a viable solution to Africa's agricultural crisis.", "Microfinance is not a viable solution to Africa's agricultural crisis."], "docs": ["Rebuilding agricultural systems  Africa is faced with an agrarian crisis. Microfinance is providing rural communities a chance to gain food security and reduce vulnerability to risks such as climate change, unstable demand, and political tensions. Microfinance supports small scale agriculture \u2013 which is more sustainable, effective for growth, and beneficial for communities than larger scale agriculture. In Zimbabwe, small scale farming has the capability to improve production, benefiting households, communities, and the Nation (IRIN, 2013; Morrison, 2012).  Kiva, a microfinance NGO, is providing affordable capital to remote communities. Loans have been provided to small-scale farmers and a rental system has been set-up enabling farmers to borrow tools and resources needed.", "There is a need to reinvigorate Africa\u2019s agricultural system; however, the ability for microfinance to do this is debatable. The distribution of loans is not necessarily adequate or responsive to the need. The loans provided need to be able to provide security and protection in the face of environmental crisis. There are some things microfinance can\u2019t solve; more variable rains and desertification for example. Loans can only be provided if the risks are known and the risks are getting higher so too will be the costs of loans.  Additionally, multiple factors are responsible for Africa\u2019s agrarian crisis. The lack of an agriculture marketing board for farmers to control price, insufficient infrastructure, and the legacies of structural adjustment, all act to constrain the agricultural system."], "type": "binary", "id": "558"}
+{"question": "Would relocating the Seychelles be a financial burden for the host country?", "perspectives": ["Relocating the Seychelles would be a financial burden for the host country.", "Relocating the Seychelles would not be a financial burden for the host country."], "docs": ["Other states would not want to waste resources on a refugee state  The Seychelles are not a particularly rich place. Their main industries are tourism and tuna fishing accounting for 32% of employment, [1] both of which are unfortunately entirely dependent upon the territory of the islands themselves and cannot be moved. The result is that the Seychelles have little to offer those states that might consider giving up territory. The country will therefore have difficulty rebuilding its economy and would likely be a drain upon its host making countries unwilling to take on the commitment.  [1] The World Bank, \u2018Seychelles Overview\u2019, October 2013,", "The cost need not be borne by the state from which they Seychelles is given land; rather it could come from the funds that have been set up to help developing nations adapt to climate change such as the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund. [1] This would mean the money would be coming from developed countries that can easily afford the costs of helping rebuild the lives of 90,000 people not the country that provides the territory.  [1] \u2018Finance\u2019, unfccc.inc, accessed 26/2/2014,"], "type": "binary", "id": "559"}
+{"question": "Should controversial views be suppressed to prevent potential harmful outcomes?", "perspectives": ["Controversial views should be suppressed to prevent potential harmful outcomes.", "Controversial views should not be suppressed to prevent potential harmful outcomes."], "docs": ["Holocaust Denial  Speech acts lead to physical acts. Thus pornography, hate speech and political polemic are causally linked to rape, hate crimes, and insurrection.  Both scientific creationism and Holocaust denial have serious, and dangerous, hidden agendas. Deniers of the Nanjing Massacre believe that the Japanese did nothing wrong in the Second World War and continue to claim that it was a war of liberation against western colonialism - feeding Japanese militarism today. Holocaust deniers, in claiming that a Jewish conspiracy is responsible for the widespread belief that six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis, are closely allied to anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism. We should not allow such views the legitimacy which being debated gives them.", "Society is self-regulating. The link between speech acts and physical acts is a false one - people who commit hate crimes are likely to have read hate speech, people who commit sex crimes are likely to have watched pornography but not necessarily the other way around. Viewers of pornography and readers of hate speech are therefore not incited to commit anything they otherwise would not do.  If the advocates of these views have hidden agendas, all the more reason to expose them in public. The fact that Holocaust denial leads to neo-Nazism will, for most people, be one more compelling argument against it; creationism\u2019s necessarily literalistic approach to scripture can easily be shown to be ridiculous. Again, the truth has nothing to fear, and the evil implications of falsehood should not be covered up by refusing to engage with it."], "type": "binary", "id": "560"}
+{"question": "Is legitimacy based on good governance and economic success a sustainable model for non-democratic regimes?", "perspectives": ["Legitimacy is based on good governance and economic success as a sustainable model for non-democratic regimes.", "Legitimacy is not based on good governance and economic success as a sustainable model for non-democratic regimes."], "docs": ["Forces the ruler to find another way to placate the people  Not having any elections \u2013 or only elections for a powerless advisory parliament \u2013 may actually have a benefit in putting responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the rulers. Only a country that is comparatively well governed, or successful, can manage without a democratic safety valve. It is notable that the remaining absolute monarchies or those where the King rules as well as reigns are mostly very wealthy petro states. Several of the remaining communist regimes, China and Vietnam, rely on rapid economic growth to cement their legitimacy combined with meritocracy in their selection of leaders. In both cases there is an incentive for good governance by those in power as they are in for the long term. The leaders know they are not going to be elected out of office so have the motivation to reduce corruption and create long term growth through investment in infrastructure because this will benefit them in the future. [1]  [1] Feldman, Noah, \u2018Feldman examines corruption and political legitimacy in China\u2019, Harvard Law School, 11 March 2013,", "The problem with good governance and economic success as the basis of legitimacy is that a crisis of legitimacy is created whenever growth falters or corruption comes to light. Legitimacy based upon performance also has the problem that if a certain performance becomes normal then the benchmarks must be higher and higher over time to continue to provide legitimacy. [1] Having legitimacy at least in part based on periodic elections, even if these are somehow rigged, is more sustainable as the legitimacy is renewed whenever there is a new election or change in government. This has the added benefit that as fairer elections are seen as more legitimate there is a greater chance that sham elections will become real elections to ensure the regime has more legitimacy even at the risk of it being voted out - as shown recently by Burma being willing to take the democratic route.  [1] Lam, Jon-Jon, \u2018Performance Legitimacy: an Unstable Model for Sustaining Power\u2019, The Politic, 10 January 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "561"}
+{"question": "Is gambling generally addictive?", "perspectives": ["Gambling is generally addictive.", "Gambling is not generally addictive."], "docs": ["Gambling is addictive.  Humans get a buzz from taking a risk and the hope that this time their luck will be in, this is similar to drug addicts [7]. The more people bet, the more they want to bet, so they become hooked on gambling which can wreck their lives. Internet gambling is worse because it is not a social activity. Unlike a casino or race track, you don\u2019t have to go anywhere to do it, which can put a brake on the activity. The websites never shut. There won\u2019t be people around you to talk you out of risky bets. There is nothing to stop you gambling your savings away while drunk.", "Unlike drugs, gambling is not physically or metabolically addictive. Most gamblers are not addicts, simply ordinary people who enjoy the excitement of a bet on a sporting event or card game. The large majority of people who gamble online keep to clear limits and stop when they reach them. The few people with a problem with being addicted will still find ways to gamble if gambling is illegal either through a casino, or else still online but in a black market that offers no help and that may use criminal violence to enforce payment."], "type": "binary", "id": "562"}
+{"question": "Should government breakfast programs be means-tested?", "perspectives": ["Government breakfast programs should be means-tested.", "Government breakfast programs should not be means-tested."], "docs": ["Government should focus on the most needy  A primary responsibility of the government is for reducing inequality and ensuring that everyone has a basic living standard. A basic living standard includes food. As a result providing breakfasts should be for those who are most in need of a helping hand from government. Those who are wealthier and can afford their own breakfast do not need this help so any such breakfast policy should be means tested to only apply to those who need it. This is the case with the United States School Breakfast Program.", "Focusing on need requires that the need be defined and those in need identified. It runs the risk that some people will be missed. A child having a wealthy parent does not mean that they are getting a good healthy breakfast at the start of the day. That parent may never be home in the morning, may consider breakfast unimportant, or simply be neglecting their child."], "type": "binary", "id": "563"}
+{"question": "Is economic viability a valid reason for Quebec to remain a part of Canada?", "perspectives": ["Economic viability is a valid reason for Quebec to remain a part of Canada.", "Economic viability is not a valid reason for Quebec to remain a part of Canada."], "docs": ["Quebec would not be able to be economically viable on its own.  Quebec independence simply will not work because Quebec would not be financially viable as an independent economy.  Quebec has been financially dependent on the rest of Canada for years [1] specifically being dependent on \u201chave\u201d provinces such as Alberta to prop-up its economy as a \u201chave-not\u201d provinces through equalization payments [2] . Moreover, all financial indicators point to the situation staying as it is or worsening, with no signs of improvement in the economy visible [3] .  If Quebec were to gain independence, it simply would not be able to sustain itself as an independent country. Quality of life would necessarily have to drop for all those living in Quebec and the economy would only crash further as confidence in it would dwindle once you remove the credibility the support of the Canadian government and economy that currently gives it.  Therefore, Quebec should not secede from Canada as it would only serve to harm their economy and the livelihoods of the people they supposedly are there to protect.  [1] Van Praet, Nicolas. \"No progress in Quebec prosperity: report.\" Financial Post 30 Aug 2011, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  .  [2] Van Praet, Nicolas. \"No progress in Quebec prosperity: report.\" Financial Post 30 Aug 2011, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  .  [3] Van Praet, Nicolas. \"No progress in Quebec prosperity: report.\" Financial Post 30 Aug 2011, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <  .", "Many countries in the world have bad economies; this is not a reason to not be an independent country. Economic circumstances can change and be improved through different economic initiatives; this simply isn\u2019t a good enough reason to not secede from Canada. Furthermore, there is significant economic evidence that suggests that smaller states, such as that of Quebec, have a higher chance of thriving economically than larger states such as Canada. [1] Therefore, this argument not only does not justify the opposition case, but also is entirely speculative and likely incorrect. Quebec\u2019s economy could very well benefit significantly from detaching its economy from Canada.  [1] Price, Adam, \u201eSmall Is Cute, Sexy, and Successful: Why Independence for Wales and Other Countries Makes Economic Sense\u201c, Harvard Kennedy School Review, 2011, <  >"], "type": "binary", "id": "564"}
+{"question": "Can laws prohibiting private electronic contact between teachers and students effectively prevent grooming?", "perspectives": ["Laws prohibiting private electronic contact between teachers and students can effectively prevent grooming.", "Laws prohibiting private electronic contact between teachers and students cannot effectively prevent grooming."], "docs": ["Acting as a warning signal for children at risk.  It is very difficult for a child to realize that he is being groomed; they are unlikely to know the risk1. After all, a teacher is regarded as a trusted adult. But, if the child is aware that private electronic contact between teachers and students is prohibited by law, the child will immediately know the teacher is doing something he is not supposed to if he initiates private electronic contact. This will therefore act as an effective warning sign to the child and might prompt the child to tell a parent or another adult about what is going on.", "Even assuming the child already knows about the law and therefore that online contact with their teachers is not allowed, which will often not be the case, a child will trust the authority figure closest to him. The teacher can easily convince the child that the rule is not that important or that their relationship is an exception."], "type": "binary", "id": "565"}
+{"question": "Is assisted suicide against God's will?", "perspectives": ["Assisted suicide is against God's will.", "Assisted suicide is not against God's will."], "docs": ["Only God can give and take away life  Life is Sacred so no one has the right to take a life, this includes ones own. As a result both suicide and assisted suicide are wrong. There are many passages within the bible that speak of the idea that God has appointed a time for all to die, 'Hebrews 9:27, \u201cAnd as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement:\u201d Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, \u201cTo every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;\u201d Ecclesiastes 7:17, \u201cBe not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?\u201d [1] In addition to this, physicians are nowhere in Scripture given authority to take someone's life. Apart from the government in the case of capital punishment, all other human beings are given the commandment \u201cThou shalt not kill,\u201d Exodus 20:13 and \u201cThou shalt do no murder,\u201d Matthew 19:18. [2]  [1] Pastor Art Kohl, 'The Bible Speaks on Euthanasia', Political Science and the Bible, 2002  (accessed 6/6/2011)  [2] Pastor Art Kohl, 'The Bible Speaks on Euthanasia', Political Science and the Bible, 2002  (accessed 6/6/2011)", "Were the disposal of human life so much reserved as the peculiar province of the almighty, that it were an encroachment on his right for men to dispose of their own life, it would be equally criminal to act for the preservation of life as for its destruction' [1] . If we accept the proposition that only God can give and take away life then medicine should not be used at all. If only God has the power to give life then medicines and surgeries to prolong people's life should also be considered wrong. It seems hypocritical to suggest that medicine can be used to prolong life but it cannot be used to end someone's life.  [1] David Hume, Of Suicide, cited in Applied Ethics ed. Peter Singer (New York: Oxford University Press, 1986) p.23"], "type": "binary", "id": "566"}
+{"question": "Is unilateral action in imposing democracy more effective than multilateral action?", "perspectives": ["Unilateral action in imposing democracy is more effective than multilateral action.", "Unilateral action in imposing democracy is not more effective than multilateral action."], "docs": ["To rely on multilateral action is utopian. First, the motion does not exclude multilateral cooperation; this house may impose democracy with the support of others. But second, the UN doctrine of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of independent nations means that unilateral or bi-lateral actions are often the only realistic possibilities. This is especially important given that China has a veto on the Security Council and other Security Council regular members are not themselves democracies. If other countries are not willing to help us impose or fight for democracy, why should we not try ourselves?", "Unilateral action is burdensome, and dangerous.  POINT  The motion suggests that a particular government is imposing democracy, but in fact it is far better to try and encourage democracy multilaterally. Multilateral assistance, like the UN Democracy Fund which seeks to \"strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights, and encourages the participation of all groups in the democratic process\"1, is better, because it makes the support seem less political and colonial, and more honest. By using the international community to encourage democracy in a given country, we increase the chances of the people in that country respecting and supporting our attempts, rather than viewing them with suspicion2.  1 United Nations Democracy Fund, 'About UNDEF', 2010,  2 Doyle , Michael. \"Promoting Democracy is Not Imposing Democracy.\" The Huffington Post."], "type": "binary", "id": "567"}
+{"question": "Have the austerity measures implemented in Greece been unsuccessful?", "perspectives": ["The austerity measures implemented in Greece have been unsuccessful.", "The austerity measures implemented in Greece have not been unsuccessful."], "docs": ["The current austerity measures are not working  The Austerity measures put in place by the ECB, IMF and European Commission have led to nothing but misery for the Greek people. They have failed to cut down the total debt % GDP ratio and have also failed to increase the competitiveness of the Greek economy. This is because raising taxes and slashing the minimum wage has sent the economy deeper and deeper into recession. Unemployment is at a record high of 21% and there is a severe shortage of credit leading to severe difficulties in companies financing their day to day projects. What\u2019s more, the country itself is plunged into depression. Escalated (inevitably) by the local and international media, the climate is one of despair and investment is at the bottom of anyone\u2019s priorities. This further perpetuates the cycles of recession and prevents any of the austerity measures having their desired effect. Additionally, the drastic fall in GDP every quarter means that cuts in government spending are also not having their desired effect on reducing the budget deficit % GDP ratio. Worst of all, the economic hardships have drawn many people to despair and the suicide rates in Greece have dramatically risen over the last year and access to healthcare has drastically declined. [1] In this manner, the government is failing in fulfilling its most basic duties of safeguarding the lives and wellbeing of its citizens. If the current measures are not working then a new approach is needed. A default would alleviate much of the suffering caused by austerity.  [1] Armitsead, Louise: \u201cWhy Greece should default and exit the euro\u201d 23 February 2012, The Telegraph,", "The proposition\u2019s claims that the austerity measures have totally failed are unfounded. Although it is true that the total debt % GDP ratio has not gone down, this is not as serious as the prop make out. The budget deficit is the main problem that needs to come down because a consistently high budget deficit is what will make the situation spiral out of control and make Greece default on its debts. There is nothing per se problematic with having a large total debt (look at the USA\u2019s total debt of $10 trillion, or Japan\u2019s much higher debt to GDP ratio of 230% which unlike in Greece has not resulted in high interest rates,[1] for example). The fact that Greece\u2019s budget deficit has gone down from 16% to 9% is an encouraging sign of improvement.  In addition, the proposition are not contentious in their claims about the negative effects of austerity. What they have failed to demonstrate, however, is why defaulting is the only solution to the suffering Greek people and the inability of the austerity measures to have their desired effect. The austerity measures have failed thus far because they have been targeted at the wrong areas of the economy and because the Greek Government has not been implementing them properly. Hitting the private sector with high taxation has done nothing to fix the faulty public sector which is the real cause of the debt crisis. The Greek Government remains hugely reluctant to carry out redundancies and wage cuts within the public sectors, as well as privitisations. [2] Greece, therefore, must be made to see that they must fulfill their promises and actually tackle the public sector, while alleviating taxation from the private sector.  [1] Free Exchange, \u2018Defying gravity\u2019, 14 August 2012, The Economist,   [2] Babbington, Deepa: \u201cGreek PM sings in tune, now must hit the hard notes\u201d, Septembe 5 2012, e-kathimerini,"], "type": "binary", "id": "568"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action in universities improve perceptions of campus life among minority students?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action in universities improves perceptions of campus life among minority students.", "Affirmative action in universities does not improve perceptions of campus life among minority students."], "docs": ["Changes negative perceptions of university life  Affirmative action is required to change negative perceptions of university life. In the status quo, many talented potential students are put off applying for top universities (or university at all) because of their negative perceptions of elite institutions. This perception exists in part because of the makeup of the student population \u2013 black high school students may see a university filled overwhelmingly with white lecturers and students as not being a welcoming environment for them, and may even perceive it as racist. [1] The only way to overcome this unfortunate stereotype of university is to change the student population, but this is impossible to do \u2018organically\u2019 while so few people from minority backgrounds apply. Therefore, it is necessary to use quotas and other forms of affirmative action, to change the student body in the short term, and encourage applications from more disadvantaged students in the long term.  [1] Ancis, J.R. \u201cStudent perceptions of campus cultural climate by race\u201d. Journal of Counselling and Development. Spring 2000.", "Positive discrimination will increase negative perceptions of university. Far from changing attitudes about campus life among disadvantaged groups, positive discrimination is likely to be seen as patronising, belittling of the achievements of ethnic minorities and the working class, and serve to reinforce negative stereotypes15. By making the statement that disadvantaged groups are so far behind the rest that they need discrimination in their favour and quotas, universities will alienate themselves from the group they are seeking to help, and will come over as elitist. Survey evidence suggests that affirmative action is usually opposed by the target group, affirming the view that people wish to achieve things for themselves, without being given a \u2018leg-up\u2019 by the state. Moreover, positive discrimination devalues the achievements of those who would have been accepted into university even without the assistance, and these people are likely to be deterred from applying."], "type": "binary", "id": "569"}
+{"question": "Will imposing heavier fines on the wealthy lead to an increase in law-breaking activities?", "perspectives": ["Imposing heavier fines on the wealthy will lead to an increase in law-breaking activities.", "Imposing heavier fines on the wealthy will not lead to an increase in law-breaking activities."], "docs": ["The rich will resent this  The rich will feel like they are receiving an unfair, \u2018greater\u2019 punishment. This resentment will be magnified by media response: some newspapers and news outlets will choose to report this as an attack on the rich just as is the case with progressive taxation which is often attacked as an assault on \u2018wealth creation\u2019.1  This may well increase the extent to which they break the law, because if you perceive the law to be applied unfairly, you are less likely to consider it to be making an accurate assessment of whether an action is right or wrong in any given situation.  That is, in situations where you are unlikely to be caught committing a crime, the deterrent is clearly not the possible punishment (which you won\u2019t face, because you won\u2019t be caught). Rather, the deterrent is the extent to which you believe the illegal action to be morally wrong. If you believe a law is applied unfairly, you are less likely to consider the prohibited action to be actually, morally wrong, and therefore more likely to commit that act.  1 Cianfrocca, Francis, \u2018Wealth Creation Under Attack\u2019, Commentary, June 2009,", "Only a small number of people will act like this. Some people, though rich, are nevertheless capable of seeing beyond self-interest, and will consider the fine to be fair.  This small harm is therefore easily outweighed by the improved perceptions of the justice system by those who currently believe it unfair that the rich can so easily buy their way out of trouble."], "type": "binary", "id": "570"}
+{"question": "Is there cause for concern over intelligence agencies having access to our personal information?", "perspectives": ["There is cause for concern over intelligence agencies having access to our personal information.", "There is no cause for concern over intelligence agencies having access to our personal information."], "docs": ["There have been wrongful arrests during the war against terror. Riwaan Sabir was wrongfully arrested under the terrorism act in 2008 for downloading an al-Qaida training manual despite the manual having been downloaded from a US government website and been for his master\u2019s degree at the University of Nottingham. [1] Since the offence was online it is certainly possible that information from spying was a part of the cause for the arrest. It is true that we probably have less cause for concern when it is foreign governments doing the spying but this could still have consequences such as being denied entry if you wish to travel to or through the country.  [1] Townsend, Mark, \u2018Police \u2018made up\u2019 evidence against Muslim student\u2019, The Guardian, 14 July 2012,", "You are not going to be arrested because the government has access to your communications  Clearly much of the time you really do have nothing to worry about when it comes to intelligence agencies having information about you. People are not regularly arrested without just cause and we have little evidence that democratic governments use this information to put pressure on their citizens. There have been no known cases of this happening since the start of the war on terror. [1] When it comes to foreign governments this is even less of a cause for concern; while your own government might be interested in various aspects of your life to help it with the services it provides foreign governments only have one motivation; their own national security. If you are not a threat to that national security the chances of them ever taking any action against you are essentially nonexistent.  [1] Posner, Eric, \u2018I Don\u2019t See a Problem Here\u2019, The New York Times Room for Debate, 10 June 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "571"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey predominantly a European country?", "perspectives": ["Turkey is predominantly a European country.", "Turkey is not predominantly a European country."], "docs": ["Turkey is actually part of the European continent both geographically and historically.  Geographically, Turkey is astride the divide between Europe and Asia, it is uncontestable that Turkey is in part a European country and so has the right to become a member of the European Union. Turkey\u2019s biggest city, Istanbul, is located within Europe. One of the core values of the EU stands as \u201cevery country on the European continent after having completed all the necessary preparations has the right to join the EU\u2019\u2019 [1] . Furthermore, Turkey and its predecessors, the Ottoman Empire and Byzantine Empire were major European and World powers from the end of the Roman Empire until the breakdown of the World War I. The Ottoman Empire took part in the European state\u2019s system from its birth even if as in some ways an outsider, until the end of the eighteenth century Turkey was considered to be much more a part of the European system than Russia. [2] Turkey since the first world war has been orientated towards the west using western methods to modernize including for example making the state secular; building a law system based not on Islamic law but on Swiss civil law. [3] Turkey can therefore be said to be as much a western nation as an Islamic one.  [1] The EU: A Community of Values. EU Focus.  Accessed on September 3, 2010.  [2] Anderson, M.S., The Origins of the Modern European State System 1494-1618, Longman London, 1998, p.57  [3] Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations and the remaking of world order, Simon & Schuster London, 1996, pp.144-145", "Turkey today only has 3% of its total territory located on the European continent making it dubious that it counts as European geographically [1] . The core of Turkey is located geographically in Asia Minor. Turkish culture has little connection with the cultures of the other members of the European Union. This is a result of its culture deriving from a tradition as an Islamic state whereas the members of the European Union all have histories as Christian states meaning there are less shared values between Turkey and EU members than EU members have between themselves.  [1] Geography of Turkey. Wikipedia.  Accessed on: September 3, 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "572"}
+{"question": "Does the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) ensure the quality of food produced in the EU?", "perspectives": ["The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) ensures the quality of food produced in the EU.", "The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) does not ensure the quality of food produced in the EU."], "docs": ["CAP protects the quality of the food in EU  The role of CAP is to produce food at affordable prices while maintaining its quality. By having policies which favour agriculture in Europe it is easier to control the quality of the food, maintain it and also support the diversity of the food produced in EU. [1] The goods imported from developing countries are often not produced under such scrutiny as are those in EU. In EU the quality standards of production are one of the highest \u2013 the hygiene, the amount of additives in products \u2013 all these are set and controlled by the EU. The result of it is that European citizens eat healthy food of high quality which is still affordable \u2013 mainly due to subsidies and payments obtained via CAP.  [1] European Commission, \u2018The Common Agricultural Policy A partnership between Europe and Farmers\u2019, 2012,", "The standards of quality can and are checked for imports. Only food, produced without potentially harmful agents and in a certain way, can be sold on European market. The fact that food was not produced in EU does not mean that food is of lower quality, or that there are fewer checks to ensure their quality. In a recent years there were many cases when the food produced in EU was not what it should be \u2013 horse meat scandal in 2013 [1] or scandals in Poland with rotten meat. [2] The CAP and EU are not enough to ascertain the quality of produced food and therefore it is unreasonable to follow this argument.  [1] Meikle, James, and McDonald, Henry, \u2018Cameron tells supermarkets: horsemeat burger scandal unacceptable\u2019, theguardian.com, 16 January 2013,   [2] UPI, \u2018Europe\u2019s food scandals multiply\u2019, 8 March 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "573"}
+{"question": "Should the protection of endangered animals be increased to combat terrorism?", "perspectives": ["The protection of endangered animals should be increased to combat terrorism.", "The protection of endangered animals should not be increased to combat terrorism."], "docs": ["Poaching is linked to terrorism  Stronger protection of animals should be implemented to reduce the funding for terrorist groups. Certain terrorist organisations use the illegal ivory and horn trade as funding for their operations. Al-Shabaab, the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army (LRA), and the Sudanese Janjaweed all use the illicit trade as a source of income, with the former using the trade for 40% of its expenditure. [1] This enables them to carry out attacks such as the 2013 Westgate siege in Kenya. [2] Tougher protection of endangered animals would reduce the ability of these groups to fund themselves. In turn, this would decrease their operational capability, increasing stability in Africa.  [1] Stewart, C. \u2018Illegal ivory trade funds al-shabaab\u2019s terrorist attacks\u2019  [2] Tackett,C. \u2018How elephant poaching helped fund Kenya terrorist attack\u2019", "Linking animal endangerment and poaching to terrorism as a justification for action unnecessarily securitises the issue. This will only serve to create a situation where state actors can use poaching as an excuse to exploit threats. As with the war on drugs and the war on terror, this power is apportioned to actors who are then capable of abusing it for the sake of national security. [1]  [1] Crick,E. \u2018Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "574"}
+{"question": "Are the Israeli settlements on the West Bank a major obstacle to establishing a Palestinian state?", "perspectives": ["The Israeli settlements on the West Bank are a major obstacle to establishing a Palestinian state.", "The Israeli settlements on the West Bank are not a major obstacle to establishing a Palestinian state."], "docs": ["The Settlements are illegal, and demonstrate the impotence of the international community  The Settlements, constructed on land that is neither recognizably Israel\u2019s nor which Israel has even claimed to annex are illegal, encroaching on the territory of a future Palestinian state.  It is absurd for the international community to demand the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, and yet allow Israel to establish its population on that land in settlements that view themselves and are viewed by Israel as Israeli territory. [1]  Furthermore, their continued expansion is something that each and every Palestinian can see every day. As a result, the continued expansion both: 1. Destroys Palestinian confidence in the ability and willingness of the International community to enforce its own promises, especially after repeated American and European promises to stop their construction.  2. Convinces Palestinian opinion that the negotiating process is an Israeli game to buy time until they have changed the facts on the ground.  As a consequence of these two factors, the continued expansion of settlements has an impact in driving Palestinians towards violent resistance even beyond the direct impact of the settlement construction by undermining their faith in International Law, and by adding a sense of urgency to their grievances.  [1] MacIntyre, Donald, \u2018The Big Question: What are Israeli settlements, and why are they coming under pressure?\u2019, the Independent, 29 May 2009,", "The settlements are a sideshow that provide a convenient excuse for the Palestinians and their foreign friends to ignore the real (and difficult to solve) issues such as Jerusalem and what sort of sovereignty a Palestinian state would have.  For one thing, international law is very unclear on who owns the West Bank. Jordan gave up all claim to it in 1988, but its unclear as to whether their annexation in 1949 was legitimate in the first place. [1] Only Pakistan and Great Britain ever legally recognized Jordanian sovereignty over the West Bank. Secondly, the current border of the West Bank are arbitrary, the results of the military conflict of 1948-49 for which they represent the cease-fire line. As a consequence, even if one accepts the principle that there should be a Palestinian state in the West Bank, it does not follow that the final international border should follow the regions border exactly. It might for instance to make sense, as Israelis like Avigador Lieberman have suggested, to trade Arab villages in Israel proper for settlement areas on the West Bank. [2]  The Settlement issue mainly serves the purpose of putting Israel in the wrong, so as to distract from the need on the part of the Palestinians to define what sort of state they are willing to accept. The problem is not territory per se, but what happens to that territory and it\u2019s on that issue that previous efforts to reach peace deals have faltered.  [1] \u2018Jordan Renounced Claims to West Bank, 1988\u2019, Palestine Facts,   [2] Carlstrom, Gregg, \u2018Lieberman sees common ground with Livni\u2019, Al Jazeera, 25 January 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "575"}
+{"question": "Is the existence of life on Earth proof of divine intervention?", "perspectives": ["The existence of life on Earth is proof of divine intervention.", "The existence of life on Earth is not proof of divine intervention."], "docs": ["The rareness of Life  Life requires an extremely fine set of conditions in order to exist. The right distance from the Sun, a magnetic field to deflect solar radiation, the right atmospheric composition and conditions etc. These conditions are extremely rare; indeed only on Earth have we observed that they are just right for life to have evolved. [1] This is so unlikely that it leads to the conclusion that God must have intervened.  [1] McAlpine, Kate, \u2018Extraterrestrial life could be extremely rare\u2019, physicsworld.com, 1 August 2011,", "This argument is based on a subtle fallacy \u2013 the only reason we are here to observe the fact that the Earth is so well suited to support life is that fact that it is so well suited to support life \u2013 if the Earth was a barren rock then we would not exist to see it. It shouldn\u2019t be surprising therefore that out of the billions of solar systems in the Universe; we live on the planet that is suited to our survival.  Additionally, while the conditions necessary for life appear to be rare (and our ability to observe planets from even relatively nearby solar systems is limited), the Universe has billions and billions of chances to \u2018get it right\u2019. It is very unlikely that you will win the lottery, but with millions of people playing it is actually very likely that somebody will win the lottery."], "type": "binary", "id": "576"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of further legislation in developing nations beneficial for managing population movement?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of further legislation in developing nations is beneficial for managing population movement.", "The implementation of further legislation in developing nations is not beneficial for managing population movement."], "docs": ["No amount of confusion can compare with the nearly anarchical state of places like Nairobi, where there is no law and very little state. [1] In the current situation where there is a menacing trend that threatens the very fabric of society, even if the law would not work to its full effect, it is better for it to work partially than not to have it at all. Corruption is a separate issue that already festers in these regions under the status quo and does not need this extra policy to thrive. This must be dealt with separately, but it is indeed regrettable if a good policy is kept from being put into practice from fear of a phenomenon that is in no manner causally contingent upon the policy.  [1] Maxwell, Daniel., \u201cThe Political Economy of Urban Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d 11, London : Elsevier Science Ltd., 1999, World Development, Vol. 27, p. 1939\u00b11953. S0305-750X(99)00101-1.", "It is practically impossible to control people's movement  One of the major problems with the proposal lies in the very fact that we are indeed dealing with developing nations. These nations have very limited capacity to manage this kind of system. What will happen instead, will be a state of confusion, where the law will be upheld in some parts while ignored in others. The case in China clearly shows that corruption follows in the wake of this kind of legislation, where urban Hukous are sold illegally or officials are frequently bribed to ignore the law. [1]  Furthermore, it only causes those who choose to move to the cities, in spite of the law, to be alienated from society and live a life outside of the law. Once outside of the law, the step to other crimes is very small as these people have little to lose. [2] In short, the law will only work in some cases and where it works it will lead to increased segregation and more crime.  [1] Wang, Fei-Ling. \u201cOrganising through Division and Exclusion: China's Hukou System\". 2005.  [2] Wu. s.l., and Treiman, The Household Registration System and Social Stratification in China: 1955-1996. Springer, 2004, Demography, Vol. 2."], "type": "binary", "id": "577"}
+{"question": "Should Western universities insist on the same academic freedoms in foreign countries as they have in their home country?", "perspectives": ["Western universities should insist on the same academic freedoms in foreign countries as they have in their home country.", "Western universities should not insist on the same academic freedoms in foreign countries as they have in their home country."], "docs": ["A bargaining chip  In much the same way that material investment in countries can be used as a bargaining chip to secure improvements in areas of legislation, so cultural investment can be used to secure rights associated with related fields of endeavour. Free speech is merely the most obvious. It is reasonable for a western university to insist that its graduates will need to have access to the fruits of a free press and democratic speculation of experts and the wider public [i] .  The cases of the lecturer, Chia Thye Poh who is arguably the world\u2019s longest serving prisoner of conscience or the political opposition leader, Vincent Cheng who was barred from addressing a talk organised the History Society of NUS at the national library [ii] both give examples of how Singaporean government actions impact directly on university life and academic freedoms. In the light of this, it seems the height of reasonableness for Western universities to say that they will only operate in areas that offer the same academic freedoms they would expect in their home country. If the Singaporean government wants that benefits that Yale graduates can bring, they should be prepared to accept such a change.  [i] Stateuniversity.Com. western Europe \u2013 Educational roots, reform in the twentieth century, contemporary reform trends, future challenges.  [ii] Ex-detainee Vincent Cheng barred from speaking in history seminar, The Online Citizen, 28 May 2010", "A bargaining chip, by definition needs to be part of a bargain. Using it to demand a change in the structure of the state as a whole is hardly reaching a bargain \u2013 it\u2019s dictating a fiat. An invitation from a country to a university is a big step in expressing an interest in how that institution works and the values it promotes. Using that as an opening to demonstrate the strength of those ideas is an opportunity that should not be dismissed."], "type": "binary", "id": "578"}
+{"question": "Can effective international monitoring be established for a treaty limiting cyber-attacks?", "perspectives": ["Effective international monitoring can be established for a treaty limiting cyber-attacks.", "Effective international monitoring cannot be established for a treaty limiting cyber-attacks."], "docs": ["States will monitor each other, and an international body could be set up  Once a treaty is set up to limit or eliminate cyber-attacks monitoring is unlikely to be a problem because states will be willing to monitor each other. States in order to defend themselves from cyber-attacks already monitor the cyber-attacks that occur \u2013 the United States for example already has several cyber defense forces. [1] If that is not enough then there are numerous private groups that will be monitoring cyber-attacks as most are made against corporate rather than government targets. For example private company Mandiant exposed a unit of the People\u2019s Liberation Army for its cyber-attacks in February 2013. [2] Once a cyber-attack has been traced and evidence gathered if the appropriate domestic authorities won\u2019t deal with the culprit then an independent international institution can decide on the punishment for the government that is not living up to its treaty commitments.  If there is a need for international monitoring rather than simply a dispute settlement mechanism then there are models available through current treaties; a UN organisation similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency or International Criminal Court could be set up that can investigate incidents when asked.  [1] US Department of Defense, \u2018The Cyber Domain Security and Operations\u2019   [2] Mandiant, \u2018Exposing One of China\u2019s Cyber Espionage Units\u2019, mandiant.com, February 2013,", "Not all nations are equal. In an area where high technology is essential rich nations may be able to monitor all cyber intrusions but there will be many countries without the necessary systems. This treaty would therefore in effect be making poor countries without cyber defences into fair game. In theory they would be protected by the treaty, in practice with no monitoring there would be nothing they could do."], "type": "binary", "id": "579"}
+{"question": "Should the attorney-client privilege always be upheld?", "perspectives": ["The attorney-client privilege should always be upheld.", "The attorney-client privilege should not always be upheld."], "docs": ["It is very unusual to have a case where it would be certain that disclosure would in no way affect the client. Clients want confidentiality for a wide variety of reasons, not only for reasons connected to personal criminal liability. Even if these confidences are not any sort of admission of criminal wrongdoing, they may nonetheless be matters that the client, for one reason or another, would not wish divulged. Abolishing the privilege not only violates a person\u2019s right to privacy, but a person who knows that his communications may be later revealed (even after his death, or even with \u2018use immunity\u2019) may well decide that it is better not to go to a lawyer in the first place \u2013 in other words, leading to an access to justice problem. This becomes even more of a problem if the privilege may be overridden when it is in the public interest as the client is not going to know when this may be considered to be the case. Better to keep the information to him/herself rather than opening the possibility that it may be used \u2018in the public interest\u2019", "Attorney client privilege need not be sacrosanct in all situations  Most obviously it seems unnecessary for there to be attorney client privilege when the defendant\u2019s interests cannot be adversely affected. For example when the confidential information just does not incriminate the client himself but it might clear somebody else, or when the client is dead. Few people will be discouraged from being candid with their lawyers if there is merely the possibility that the communications may be disclosed after their death.  In addition there are situations where the client\u2019s interest may indeed be hurt but where this should be outweighed by some other very important public interest. In other words perhaps there should be \u2018necessity\u2019 or \u2018public interest\u2019 or \u2018in the interests of justice\u2019 balancing exceptions to the privilege. This would be the case when public safety is at risk, for example if the client holds some very vital information but is not willing to disclose it to anyone other than his lawyer. In such cases the courts should weigh up and balance the client\u2019s interests against society\u2019s and make the decision accordingly rather than rigidly sticking to attorney-client privilege."], "type": "binary", "id": "580"}
+{"question": "Does international law give Quebec the right to full independence?", "perspectives": ["International law gives Quebec the right to full independence.", "International law does not give Quebec the right to full independence."], "docs": ["International Law Mandates Quebec be allowed Independence  International law recognizes Quebec\u2019s right to self-determination and denying them self-determination is therefore a violation of international law.  International law recognizes the right of all peoples to self-determination. The international community has decided that it is oppressive to individuals to live under a government that is systematically incapable or unwilling to protect them and their interests. [1]  The Quebecois have been systematically denied adequate representation in the federal government of Canada. Quebecois legislation protection their basic rights to retain their language and culture have been met with contempt [2] and legal action by the federal Canadian government and courts. [3] This is but one example of the very clear denial of basic representation and self-governance that afflicts the Quebecois in Canada.  Therefore, Quebec has the legal right to self-determination and independence in international law.  [1] \u201eReference re Secession of Quebec\u201c, Supreme Court of Canada, 1998, 2 S.C.R. 217, <  >  [2] \u201cMaxime Bernier on Quebec law: \u2018We don\u2019t need Bill 101\u2019\u201d, The Canadian Press, 4 February 2011, <  >  [3] Hudon, R., \u201eBill 101\u201c, The Canadian Encyclopedia, <  >", "The right to self-determination does not necessitate independence, but rather determination of their own governance. This principle is widely seen as not being about sovereignty, but rather the right to control local governance for their peoples, a right already extended to the Quebecois. The International Court of Justice, the most important court of international law, has recognized the right of self-determination as being adequately fulfilled by devolved governance. [1]  Moreover, as explained in counterargument one, there is no basis for the Quebecois to claim that they are systematically denied adequate representation, making the international legal precedent on self-determination irrelevant.  [1] Van der Vyver, Johan D., \u201eSelf-Determination of the Peoples of Quebec under International law\u201c, Journal of Transnational Law and Policy, Vol. 10, No. 1, <  >, p.11"], "type": "binary", "id": "581"}
+{"question": "Is mandatory voting beneficial in representing disadvantaged groups?", "perspectives": ["Mandatory voting is beneficial in representing disadvantaged groups.", "Mandatory voting is not beneficial in representing disadvantaged groups."], "docs": ["Compulsory voting broadens representation of disadvantaged groups  Voter apathy is highest among the poorest and most excluded sectors of society. As the Institute for Public Policy Research highlight, \u201cthe higher the income a citizen enjoys, and the higher the educational qualifications attained, the more likely it is that he or she will turn out to vote\u201d. Since they do not vote, the political parties do not create policies for their needs, which leads to a vicious circle of increasing isolation. By making the most disenfranchised vote the major political parties are forced to take notice of them and this would reduce political polarisation 1. An example of this is in the UK where the Labour party abandoned its core supporters to pursue \u2018middle England\u2019. Political parties are drawn towards those groups to whom favourable policies will be rewarded in the form of vote. Compulsory voting ensures that all stakeholders in society are proportionally considered in governmental policy.  1 William Galston, 'Mandatory Voting Would Loosen Partisan Gridlock' US News and World Report, July 8th 2010", "This idea is nonsense. Political parties do try and capture the \u2018disadvantaged groups\u2019 vote, specifically in order to convince them that voting is in their best interest. As opposed to compulsory voting, a voluntary system in fact encourages political parties to target policies at the disadvantaged in order to convince them to get out and vote , rather than accept that the disadvantaged will simply vote for the opposition. The Labour Party shifted to the right in the UK specifically because no-one was voting for it; the majority of the population, from across the social spectrum, no longer believed in its socialist agenda and it altered its policies to be more in line with the majority of the population. Low turnout is best cured by more education, for example, civics classes could be introduced at school. In addition, the inclusion of these \u2018less-interested\u2019 voters will increase the influence of spin as presentation becomes more important. It will further trivialise politics and bury the issues under a pile of hype. Another alternative could be reforming the voting system of the individual countries to better accommodate its population."], "type": "binary", "id": "582"}
+{"question": "Is trial by jury an absolute necessity for a just court system?", "perspectives": ["Trial by jury is an absolute necessity for a just court system.", "Trial by jury is not an absolute necessity for a just court system."], "docs": ["Protections offered in a court must be absolute in order for the court to be just.  A just adversarial court system is premised on absolutes: that the defence has certain absolute rights which check it against government corruption, and which ensure fair trials even at the expense of conviction. Indeed, it is for this reason that we say it is better to let ten guilty men go free than to punish one innocent man. The protections in place that ensure fair trials must always be upheld, or else the guarantee of fairness no longer exists. If the government can sometimes remove this right, even in clearly delineated circumstances, then the right is no longer absolute, and the presumption in favour of the defence is far weaker, undermining the justness of the entire system.", "Trial by jury is not necessary to uphold principles of justice. As stated in response to Opp Argument 1, there are plenty of other checks in favour of the defence. We do not agree that removing trial by jury erodes at this principle: trial by jury may be important, but a judge can still presume innocence, treat evidence fairly etc. If juries are not necessary to uphold the principle of innocent until proven guilty, then removing them in specific circumstances should not undermine the integrity and justness of the court. Again, we often do not have trial by jury in the case of petty offences, suggesting that this right is not regarded as absolute."], "type": "binary", "id": "583"}
+{"question": "Is godly wisdom beyond human comprehension?", "perspectives": ["Godly wisdom is beyond human comprehension.", "Godly wisdom is not beyond human comprehension."], "docs": ["Revealed wisdom  Godly wisdom is not the same as human wisdom and cannot be subject to the same criticism. The nature of humanity means that our ability to understand God\u2019s wisdom is fundamentally limited; and thus arguments based on morality or science are irrelevant \u2013 what matters is that God has revealed Himself.", "This is just special pleading; firstly there is no reason to consider Godly wisdom as being beyond our capacity to comprehend; and secondly there are discernable flaws in that wisdom as it is presented in a way that humans are supposed to be able to perceive and understand."], "type": "binary", "id": "584"}
+{"question": "Is Creationism a scientifically valid theory?", "perspectives": ["Creationism is a scientifically valid theory.", "Creationism is not a scientifically valid theory."], "docs": ["Creationism is a legitimate scientific endeavor. Researchers struck by the apparent design in organisms look for evidence of that design. There is nothing pseudoscientific in that. There are many issues that evolution cannot explain, but which Creationism can (Behe 1996). Evolutionists can say the gaps in their theory will be filled over time, but that is not a scientific proposition either.", "Creationism is a religious, not a scientific, explanation of reality.  Creationism is, by definition, not science. It is not based in any empirical evidence. Rather, Creationists start with a presupposed answer and work back from it. They assume there is a designer, so they look for holes in evolutionary theory and claim only a designer can explain the gaps. When new evidence arises that gives a natural explanation of the phenomenon in question, the Creationists backpedal and start looking for new holes. No amount of evidence could convince a Creationist because his belief is not based on evidence, but rather on a usually religion-driven opposition to evolution on a political and belief level. A science proves itself through experimentation and submitting research for peer review. Creationism fears scrutiny by real scientists. Instead supporters of creationism attempt to further its agenda through politics and courts, where science is not the main goal, but popularity and where expertise is not in science but in law (Dawkins, 2006). Creationism couches itself in the language of science and does its best to look respectable in the eyes of the public. For example, in rebranding as Intelligent Design, Creationists sought to appear less overtly religious. These attempts show the illegitimacy of Creationism. The pseudoscience of Creationism must, for the sake of education, be kept out of the classroom."], "type": "binary", "id": "585"}
+{"question": "Do PMCs consistently respect human rights and international laws?", "perspectives": ["PMCs consistently respect human rights and international laws.", "PMCs do not consistently respect human rights and international laws."], "docs": ["A good reputation is vital to any company, including PMCs, so human rights abuses or any other activity which is deemed questionable would be avoided. Mercenaries are not protected by legal immunity would have to face justice for any crime like any other criminal.", "PMCs violate human rights and International agreements in pursuit of profit or power.  Some PMCs may abuse the power they wield. Simon Mann, founder of PMCs EO and Sandline International, in a recent plot to oust President Obiang in Equatorial Guinea (BBC News, 2008) shows that even mercenary organisations considered legitimate by the British Government remain staffed by corrupt opportunists. It is highly morally questionable whether organisations with such a profound disrespect for the sovereignty of other nation states should be involved with the training of our armed forces, let alone fighting alongside them."], "type": "binary", "id": "586"}
+{"question": "Is regulation effective in mitigating the harms caused by online gambling sites?", "perspectives": ["Regulation is effective in mitigating the harms caused by online gambling sites.", "Regulation is not effective in mitigating the harms caused by online gambling sites."], "docs": ["Only regulation can mitigate harms  It is where the sites operate, not where they are set up that matters for regulation. It is in gambling sites interest to run a trustworthy, responsible business. Whatever they are looking for online, internet users choose trusted brands that have been around for a while. If a gambling site acts badly, for example by changing its odds unfairly, word will soon get around and no one will want to use it. Regulation will mean that sites will have to verify the age of their users and prevent problem gamblers from accessing their site. When there is regulation consumers will go to the sites that are verified by their government and are providing a legal, safe service [13].", "It is only in the interests of big gambling sites that aim to create a long term business to go along with tough regulation. Online gambling sites can get around government regulations that limit the dangers of betting. Because they can be legally sited anywhere in the world, they can pick countries with no rules to protect customers. In the real world governments can ban bets being taken from children and drunks. They can make sure that the odds are not changed to suit the House. And they can check that people running betting operations don\u2019t have criminal records. In online gambling on the other hand 50% of players believe that internet casino\u2019s cheat [14]."], "type": "binary", "id": "587"}
+{"question": "Should developing countries be required to adhere to the same labour standards as developed countries?", "perspectives": ["Developing countries should be required to adhere to the same labour standards as developed countries.", "Developing countries should not be required to adhere to the same labour standards as developed countries."], "docs": ["When developing countries employ poor labour standards, other countries follow the example in order to be competitive  As long as developing nations constantly keep employing poor labour standards, it will keep putting a strain on the global economy. This is because other countries will be pressured to do the same just to remain competitive. This creates a race to the bottom effect and would create \u201cpoor conditions and loss of freedom in the global South, and causes workers in the global North to lose their jobs to cheap outsourced labour\u201d. [1] Higher labour standards in developing countries therefore also benefits developed countries. However the converse is also true; labels like \u2018fair trade\u2019 provide a guarantee of ethical quality and show that consumers are willing to pay more to ensure good labour standards.  [1] \u2018Changing Global Trade Rules\u2019, International Labor Rights Forum,", "This is similar to the debate of imposing uniform carbon emission caps on all nations. This would be unfair as the developing world would be at a disadvantage as it takes away one of the ways in which poorer countries compete effectively in the global market; through having lower prices as a result of those lower standards. That is why keeping lower standards that are more easily met is better than having an unachievable and unfair standard."], "type": "binary", "id": "588"}
+{"question": "Is it beneficial for children to engage in performance careers?", "perspectives": ["It is beneficial for children to engage in performance careers.", "It is not beneficial for children to engage in performance careers."], "docs": ["Cases like Drew Barrymore\u2019s are rare, and many young performers have happy and successful careers. All young people are likely to be exposed to adult experiences at some point in their childhood, and it should be left to parents and teachers to educate children of the dangers of alcohol, drugs, etc., no matter what activities the child takes part in outside of school or the home. For many of the areas that involve child performers, there are also laws in place to ensure children are not exposed to age-inappropriate situations. For example, in North America and other countries laws exist to ensure children in the entertainment industry are not \u201cput at risk physically (no dangerous stunts),\u201d \u201cexposed to morally compromising situations,\u201d or ever allowed to \u201cbe nude or partially nude,\u201d or \u201cbe engaged in overt sexual acts\u201d. [1]  [1] Moore, \u2018Protecting Child Stars: Laws and Regulations\u2019", "Allowing children to perform pushes them to grow up too soon  Child performers are exposed to a much higher level of responsibility than their peers, without the maturity to deal with it. They may be exposed to sex, drugs, or alcohol, in a context too far removed from a normal life that they don\u2019t learn adequate coping mechanisms. It is no surprise that many child performers \u201cburn out\u201d by the time they reach adulthood, often experiencing problems long before, as in the case of actress Drew Barrymore, who entered rehab at the age of 13. [1] Children should not be encouraged to enter into these adult worlds of acting, modeling, dancing, etc. Michael Jackson attributed his obsession with children and childhood as a consequence of having missed out on a childhood himself.  [1] Barrymore, Little Girl Lost"], "type": "binary", "id": "589"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing justified for the greater good of humans?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is justified for the greater good of humans.", "Animal testing is not justified for the greater good of humans."], "docs": ["Animals don\u2019t have human rights  Humans have large brains, form social groups, communicate and are generally worthy of moral consideration. We also are aware of ourselves and of the nature of death. Some animals have some of these characteristics but not all so should not have the same rights. In harming animals to benefit humans, we enter in to a good moral trade-off to create a greater good. [11]", "To argue that \u201cthe ends justify the means\u201d isn\u2019t enough. We don\u2019t know how much animals suffer, as they can\u2019t talk to us. We therefore don\u2019t know how aware they are of themselves. In order to stop a moral harm on animals we don\u2019t understand, we shouldn\u2019t do animal testing.  Even if it were a \u201cnet gain\u201d because of the results, by that logic human experimentation could be justified. Common morality says that isn\u2019t OK, as people shouldn\u2019t be used to a means to an end. [12]"], "type": "binary", "id": "590"}
+{"question": "Is public opinion overwhelmingly against a federal European Union?", "perspectives": ["Public opinion is overwhelmingly against a federal European Union.", "Public opinion is not overwhelmingly against a federal European Union."], "docs": ["The concept of federalism lacks political support  Euroscepticism is highest in Latvia, the United Kingdom, and Hungary, with only 25%\u201332% viewing membership as a good thing. Belief that the citizen's country has benefited from EU membership is lowest (below 50%) in the UK, Hungary, Latvia, Italy, Austria, Sweden and Bulgaria. A significant minority (36%) do not tend to trust the European Parliament. The European Parliament does not command the same sense of respect as national Parliaments, nor the connection with ordinary people. [1]  [1] Directorate-General for Communication, \u2018EUROBAROMETER 71 Public opinion in the European Union\u2019", "This is all a matter of PR. Politicians and leaders need to work harder in order to present the benefits of an eventual federal Europe, which will also deal with some of the problems the EU has today. The public opinion is not a constant; it is rather variable and changeable.  Furthermore the EU is getting some bad evaluation at the moment due to the economic crisis, but this doesn\u2019t mean the overall opinion toward it is negative."], "type": "binary", "id": "591"}
+{"question": "Would a unified Ireland lead to increased economic efficiency?", "perspectives": ["A unified Ireland would lead to increased economic efficiency.", "A unified Ireland would not lead to increased economic efficiency."], "docs": ["Economic efficiency  A Unified Ireland would be better off economically. \u201cIreland is too small for two separate administrations\u2026.There is a draw towards the greater integration of services, structures and bodies on an all-Ireland basis in order to deliver quality services and economies of scale.\u201d \u2013 Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland*  Having two electricity grids, two transport networks, two separate police and judiciary hamper economic growth and waste resources that could be better used in a unified system, as cost would lower as efficiency rises.  *McGuinness, 2010,", "If you were to adopt a federal system, which would best please Unionists, the systems would not integrate very much anyway as Northern Irish \u2018states\u2019 would want their own state constitution and have separate judiciary to the rest of Ireland, as is the practice in the US."], "type": "binary", "id": "592"}
+{"question": "Is open source software better suited to meet the demands of government IT departments?", "perspectives": ["Open source software is better suited to meet the demands of government IT departments.", "Open source software is not better suited to meet the demands of government IT departments."], "docs": ["As the demands of government IT departments become more and more complex, software developers are forced to become increasingly specialized. Yet big firms like Microsoft often lack specialist depth and an understanding of niche markets (such as the market for specialist brail screen readers, which blind individuals use to interact with computers). In many instances, governments\u2019 needs will be better met by the open source market, where innovation and flexibility are built in.  One area where is the open source community\u2019s ability to innovate is particularly relevant to governments is language; Microsoft only supports 33 languages in Windows XP and around 20 in Office XP, as they do not have the economic incentive to provide versions for other languages and dialects. Yet governments often need to provide access to information in dozens of languages and dialects (particularly in countries like Spain with regional languages like Catalan and Basque, or India with its 18 official languages and 1000 dialects). Open source software can easily be adapted to those languages. For instance, OpenOffice has been adapted into 75 languages including Slovenian, Icelandic, Lao, Latvian, Welsh, Yiddish, Basque and Galician, and Indian languages such as Gujarati, Devanagari, Kannada and Malayalam. By using the open-source model of sharing the workload between many users, the Hungarian Foundation for Free Software was able to translate OpenOffice in three days with the help of just over a hundred programmers.  By providing software specialized for the local market, government can encourage greater IT usage by citizens, thereby increasing the skill level of the workforce and multiplying the cost savings made by shifting government services online.", "Closed source software is better at meeting consumer needs.  Closed source software companies are more than capable of segmenting their products to reach each part of the market, as Microsoft has shown by producing its new Windows 7 operating system in a record six different versions.  Microsoft\u2019s monopoly of desktop computers ensures that if a programmer produces a niche software package or software translation for a specialized purpose, that programmer knows that potential clients will almost certainly be able to run the program if it is designed for Windows. If this monopoly is broken up and governments start to push Linux or other open source alternatives, the programmer will either have to develop for two or more platforms, thereby increasing the cost of the final product, or they will have to gamble on a single platform; both options would reduce the likelihood of the niche solution reaching the clients that need it.  While open source software does allow anyone to spot a potential market and customize software to sell to that market, that access is also its great undoing. The type of accessibility that many open source products pride themselves on providing leaves projects open to abuse, either by well-meaning amateurs or intentional wreckers. Constant self-policing by the open source community is required, in order to guarantee the stability of the software it creates. An analogy can be drawn with Wikipedia, where the freedom of the mob led to defamatory statements being written about the former editor of USA Today [i] . Governments should be wary of relying on an anarchic, self-organising community to serve their IT needs, no matter how smart and well intentioned the members of that community may be.  [i] Seigenthaler, John. .\u201dA false Wikipedia \u201cbiography\u201d.\u201d USA Today. 29 November 2005"], "type": "binary", "id": "593"}
+{"question": "Is free trade beneficial for all parties involved?", "perspectives": ["Free trade is beneficial for all parties involved.", "Free trade is not beneficial for all parties involved."], "docs": ["Free trade is good for development and growth.  Free trade essentially removes barriers for companies to do business across countries and regions. This leads to competition between countries in those regions, and between companies and industries in those countries. It leads to the sharing of innovation, drives down the cost of production, and allows workers to move freely where their labour and skills are needed. This is good for all those involved in the transaction. It is good for companies, because they have more resources and markets at their disposal, good for consumers, because competition between companies drives down prices and drives the innovation that improves products, and it is good for workers, because they have greater opportunities to find employment for their labour and skills [1] .  [1] DanBen-David, H\u00e5kan Nordstr\u00f6m, LAlanWinters. \u201cTrade, Income Disparity and Poverty\u201d. World Trade Organization. 1999.", "Free trade does not benefit everyone equally. Rich corporations from developed countries are not interested in growth in developing nations; they are interested in making profits. They just view developing nations as sources for cheap labour and materials, that can be harnessed more easily, due to low levels of environmental and labour regulation. For example, the so-called Maquiladoras in Mexico, which were put in place by NAFTA were rife with labour and environmental violations [1] . Therefore, free trade agreements between rich and poor countries can trap developing nations in the economic cycle as raw material providers, thus preventing them from developing their own national industries.  [1] Human Rights Watch. \u201dMexico\u2019s Maquiladoras. Abuses Against Women Workers.\u201d 16 August 1996."], "type": "binary", "id": "594"}
+{"question": "Is China a threat to regional peace and stability?", "perspectives": ["China is a threat to regional peace and stability.", "China is not a threat to regional peace and stability."], "docs": ["China is a threat to regional stability  China poses a threat to regional and international peace and should not be encouraged and helped by European arms sales. It has territorial disputes with most of its neighbours, particularly over oil and gas reserves in the South China Sea. The regime has also encouraged an assertive nationalism, damaging relations with Japan, for example with protests over the Japanese detention of a Chinese fisherman who rammed a Japanese coast guard boat. [1] Most seriously, China claims ownership over Taiwan, [2] a pro-Western Chinese democracy, and is rapidly building up the kinds of military forces it would need for an assault on that island, which it is now believed could be taken in as little as three days, [3] as well as staging exercises designed to intimidate its people. In 2005 the Chinese parliament passed a law that force should be used against Taiwan if it declared formal independence. [4] Quite apart from the principle of backing a repressive state against a democratic one, it is not in the EU's interests to make a war between two of its major trading partners more likely, especially as other powers such as the USA, as has happened in the past in 1995-6, [5] and perhaps Japan are then very likely to be drawn into the conflict.  [1] Banyan, \u2018Doth we protest too much\u2019, 2010.   [2] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People\u2019s Republic of China, \u2018What is meant by the Taiwan question?\u2019, 2000.   [3] Miks, Jason, \u2018Taiwan War Games\u2019, 2010.   [4] People Daily, \u2018China\u2019s parliament adopts Anti-Secession Law\u2019, 2005.   [5] Ross, Robert S., \u2018The 1995-1996 Taiwan Strait Confrontation\u2019, 2000.", "China is making progress towards resolving many of its territorial disputes. It has resolved it long disputed border with Russia and has also been resolving territorial disputes with its Central Asian neighbors on terms favorable to the Central Asian powers, for example Tajikistan ceded only 1,000km2 of the 28,000 that China claimed. [1] There are good reasons to believe that even if Beijing is pulling its weight on the regional and world stage it is not a threat to peace and stability. China\u2019s booming economy relies on trade, both when importing the necessary raw materials and exporting the finished products around the world. China\u2019s trade was 44.2% of GDP in 2009. [2] Any regional conflict even against a much weaker neighbor would prevent this trade as there are many choke points such as the straits of Malacca and cause immense damage to the Chinese economy.  [1] Ramachandran, Sudha, \u2018China plays long game on border disputes\u2019, 2011.   [2] The World Bank, \u2018Merchandise trade (% of GDP)\u2019, 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "595"}
+{"question": "Should internet access be considered a human right?", "perspectives": ["Internet access should be considered a human right.", "Internet access should not be considered a human right."], "docs": ["Internet access as a new human right.  Access to the internet can be considered a separate human right in and of itself. The UN special rapporteur in June 2011 published a report that implied that access to the internet is a human right \u201cThe Special Rapporteur remains concerned that legitimate online expression is being criminalized in contravention of States' international human rights obligations.\u201d [1]  The right to internet access can meet the necessary conditions to be a human right; as a right is should be universal, everyone should have access not just a few. The internet is becoming much more than just a tool but is becoming a fundamental part of society creating a new sphere of interaction that everyone has a right to have access to.  Creating a right to internet access would be addressing a specific contemporary problem as with other human rights that are specific such as a right to basic schooling, enshrined in article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights. Not having access to the internet is similar to not having basic schooling; it considerably narrows people\u2019s options and their horizons. As Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the world wide web, argues \"Given the many ways the web is crucial to our lives and our work, disconnection is a form of deprivation of liberty.\" [2]  [1] La Rue, Frank, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Human Rights Council, Seventeenth session, A/HRC/17/27, 16 May 2011, p.10 .  [2] Burkeman, Oliver, \u2018Inside Washington\u2019s high risk mission to beat web censors\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 15 April 2012.", "Creating a human right specifically for internet access is an example of \u2018human rights inflation\u2019 where by every group wants their issue to be a human right and as a result human rights that are not necessary or are too specific begin to devalue the whole concept of human rights. [1] While there may be a new \u2018society\u2019 operating online the internet is certainly not essential for the existence of society. An online society is an interesting distraction for people and indeed there are many who spend immense amounts of time cultivating virtual relationships but this virtual sphere does not need a human right to enable it to continue. The internet is in some ways a free for all and there have already been internet social networks that have collapsed or been taken offline. This may be disruptive for those who relied on this network as their online society but they can simply find another. If unable to access the internet they still have access to other forms of society in the real world. Thus while forming and taking part in society is fundamental for humanity that this should be possible online is not.  [1] Bleisch, Barbara, \u2018The human right to water \u2013 normative foundations and ethical implications\u2019, Ethics and Economics, 4 (2), 2006, p.8"], "type": "binary", "id": "596"}
+{"question": "Do elections in autocratic regimes contribute to meaningful political change?", "perspectives": ["Elections in autocratic regimes contribute to meaningful political change.", "Elections in autocratic regimes do not contribute to meaningful political change."], "docs": ["Sham elections do not mean the elections have no influence or impact.  For an autocracy the election for the top job needs to be predetermined, but the other elections do not. This means that elections for the legislature can still be competitive. The seats do have some influence, provide patronage, and have status attached so there are plenty of people who want to contest them. In the Arab world before the Arab spring there was a less than 25% incumbency rate for legislatures. [1] Having elections that determine control in local areas or allow opposition some control in parliament is far preferable to the alternative where the government appoints everyone. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy in Burma have for example gained entry into Parliament and have despite being a minority had an impact. This has particularly been the case internationally. They have helped liberalise the new Foreign Investment Law and have encouraged more liberalised freedom of the press and association. [2]  [1] Lust, Ellen, \u2018The Multiple Meanings of Elections In Non-Democratic Regimes: Breakdown, Response and Outcome in the Arab Uprisings\u2019, Yale University, p.7.   [2] Turnell, Sean, \u2018Myanmar has made a good start to economic reform\u2019, East Asia Forum, 27 March 2013,", "This is simply co-opting the opposition in an attempt to allow the regime to survive longer than it would otherwise done. As Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe has found out even being in a coalition government with a dictator does not give you the power to change the outcome over the long term. He has called his election defeat \u201ccoup by ballot\u201d reflecting the vote rigging that he believes occurred to keep President Mugabe in power. [1] The Movement may have had a significant impact during its time in government economically but it totally failed to prise the real power out of the hands of Zanu PF.  [1] Smith, David, \u2018Morgan Tsvangirai loses hope following election defeat\u2019, The Guardian, 4 August 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "597"}
+{"question": "Can the cessation of internet censorship by global companies encourage China to modify its policies on free speech?", "perspectives": ["The cessation of internet censorship by global companies can encourage China to modify its policies on free speech.", "The cessation of internet censorship by global companies cannot encourage China to modify its policies on free speech."], "docs": ["Not censoring puts global pressure on China to change its free speech policies  Google\u2019s decision to stop censoring was world news, and has put internet freedom on everyone\u2019s agenda \u2013 even so much so, that U.S. Secretary of State mentioned internet companies ganging up to censor the Chinese corner of the internet specifically as a threat to freedom worldwide in a recent speech. [1] This helps to inform ordinary citizens of other countries who may not know about the \u2018great firewall\u2019 what the Chinese government is doing. By making a high-profile decision like this, and by engaging and informing the governments and publics of free and democratic countries like this, Google increases the public and political pressure on China to change its ways.  [1] Hillary Clinton, \u2018Conference on Internet Freedom\u2019, December 8, 2011. URL:", "China won\u2019t budge that easily  China has already faced trade sanctions for its human rights abuses for years, in particular there are bans on arms sales by the European Union that are still in place more than twenty years after the Tiananmen Square massacre that precipitated them. [1] These haven\u2019t helped a bit. [2] Why would a relatively small move like Google stopping its censorship work?  Moreover: true reform in China has to come from within. When it\u2019s forced from the outside, it will not be accepted. If Google stops cooperating with the government, reform-minded Chinese officials will have a harder time, because they will seem to be losing face in the eyes of more hardline officials. [3]  [1] See debate on EU arms sales to china  [2] James Dorn, \u2018Improving Human Rights in China\u2019, February 8, 1999. URL:   [3] Shaun Rein, \u2018Opposing View: Google\u2019s Big Mistake\u2019, March 28, 2010. URL:"], "type": "binary", "id": "598"}
+{"question": "Should the government impose a ban on unhealthy food in schools?", "perspectives": ["The government should impose a ban on unhealthy food in schools.", "The government should not impose a ban on unhealthy food in schools."], "docs": ["Better nutrition leads to better students.  There is a growing body of evidence linking a healthy lifestyle, comprising of both adequate nutrition and physical exercise, with improved memory, concentration and general academic performance. [1] A study has shown that when primary school students consume three or more junk food meals a week literacy and numeracy scores dropped by up to 16% compared to the average. [2]  This is a clear incentive for governments to push forward for healthier meals in schools for two reasons. The first obvious benefit is to the student, whose better grades award her improved upward mobility \u2013 especially important for ethnic groups stuck worst by the obesity epidemic and a lower average socioeconomic status.  The second benefit is to the schools, who benefit on standardized testing scores and reduced absenteeism, as well as reduced staff time and attention devoted to students with low academic performance or behavior problems and other hidden costs of low concentration and performance of students. [3]  [1] CDC, 'Student Health and Academic Achievement', 19 October 2010,  , accessed 9/11/2011  [2] Paton, Graeme, \u2018Too much fast food \u2018harms children\u2019s test scores\u2019\u2019, The Telegraph, 22 May 2009,  accessed 20 September 2011  [3] Society for the Advancement of Education, 'Overweight students cost schools plenty', December 2004,  , 9/11/2011", "Again, if this is in fact true, then the incentives are already in place for better choices both on the side of students as well as schools.  What the government should do is through subsidizing healthier meals and educational campaigns help both of them make those choices on their own, and not force an unnecessary ban on them."], "type": "binary", "id": "599"}
+{"question": "Is the criticism towards 'The Spear' artwork racially motivated?", "perspectives": ["The criticism towards 'The Spear' artwork is racially motivated.", "The criticism towards 'The Spear' artwork is not racially motivated."], "docs": ["Racialised Opposition  Some critics of \u2018The Spear\u2019 have criticised the artwork on the grounds that it \u2018dehumanises\u2019 black people in general [1] and President Zuma in particular and criticises him based upon his personal life rather than policy, using vulgar means to do it. This line of opposition is part of a dog-whistle tactic that the ANC has consistently used against white critics of its government in the past. [2]  ANC criticisms of its white critics, including the opposition Democratic Alliance have made discreet reference to the injustices of the past as a means of creating distrust in the minds of poor, black voters who maintain ANC support as a result. Some politicians within the ANC, most notably the former President of its youth wing Julius Malema, have made incendiary statements that could be seen to stoke up hatred against whites.  It is against this back drop that the double standards over criticism of Murray should be viewed. Murray, a white artist, has been criticised roundly for \u2018The Spear\u2019, while black artists have created works that could be seen to denigrate President Zuma in a similar manner to \u2018The Spear\u2019. A noticeable example is \u2018Ngcono ihlwempu kunesibhanxo sesityebi\u2019 (Better a fool than a rich man\u2019s nonsense) by Ayanda Mabulu, that carried a much more graphic depiction of the President and other leading politicians of the past and present with barely a murmur raised. [3]  By bowing to the pressure exerted by the ANC and its followers, the Goodman Gallery and City Press have bowed to pressure, denying criticism of the government and accepting the implied view that White South Africans are unable to criticise the government without seeking to re-assert any forms of superiority that had existed under Apartheid. Whilst there may still be underlying problems of Far-Right activity in South Africa, to smear anyone who criticises the government based on their race does nothing to help move the country on from autocracy and institutionalised racism. The Goodman Gallery and City Press should have stood by displaying the image as it represented the opinion of Brett Murray, free from intimidation or race based slander.  [1] Dana, Simphiwe, \u2018The 'Sarah Baartmanisation' of the black body\u2019, Mail & Guardian, 12 June 2012,   [2] Hlongwane, Sipho, \u2018The ANC's best friend: Brett Murray & The Spear\u2019, Amandla,   [3] Ndlovu, Andile, \u2018'Spear' sparks hot Twitter debate\u2019, Times Live, 23 May 2012,", "To somehow state that racism is the motivation to criticisms of \u2018The Spear\u2019 is fanciful and far-fetched. People were massively offended by the piece and as such used their right to protest to demonstrate the fact. The artwork itself was vulgar, displaying images that would be offensive to anyone, regardless of race.  No-one is accusing Murray of being in favour of restoring Apartheid; indeed his early works in the 1980\u2019s attacked the government of the day, highlighting their crimes. But when a public gallery and a newspaper releases an image that is seen as offensive to many people on many levels, provoking angry responses in the process, then it is only right that such images are removed to prevent further protest and controversy for those involved.  It is also erroneous to accuse the ANC of race-baiting. It is a multi-racial organisation and has had prominent non-Black members leading the organisation during the struggle. If any criticism of White Opponents including the Democratic Alliance is seen to be racialised, then it is probably a reflection upon the DA\u2019s ineffectiveness in gaining the support of poor black voters, remaining a party for privileged whites as a result. Criticism of Murray was not based on race, rather the shocking and offensive artwork that hurt so many people, not least the President himself."], "type": "binary", "id": "600"}
+{"question": "Is investment in teachers the primary solution to universal education barriers?", "perspectives": ["Investment in teachers is the primary solution to universal education barriers.", "Investment in teachers is not the primary solution to universal education barriers."], "docs": ["Fundamentally, structures cannot be changed without development. Human capital however, provides a means of development. Studies have shown the positive role human capital - a composite measure of education and knowledge - has on a nation\u2019s development.  The AfDB have shown that enhanced human capital amongst Africa\u2019s young population is empowering change - promoting good governance and post-conflict recovery; and intrinsic to economic growth (Diawara, 2011). In other words teachers need investment to educate the youths in order to overcome these barriers to universal education.", "The complex controls over enrolment  Suggesting investments are required in teachers limits a recognition of the multiple forces creating barriers to achieve a right to education. Universal education is constrained by political, socio-cultural, and economic, structures.  Firstly, gender inequalities in education raise cultural norms of the role of girls in society, and within the domestic-sphere at home. Religious and cultural beliefs mean girls account for 70% of children not attending school. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the economics of child marriage often mean girls leave school or become reluctant to go to school. A positive correlation is found between low education and countries with high rates of child marriage [1] . Niger has the highest rate of child marriage.  Secondly, poverty and hunger act as key restraints in achieving the target. As Mkandawire (2010) argues, development needs to be brought back onto the \u2018pro-poor\u2019 agenda. Human capital cannot be developed without a broader focus on social and economic policies that enable development first.  [1] See further readings: Education for Girls, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "601"}
+{"question": "Is it ethically justified to conduct animal testing?", "perspectives": ["It is ethically justified to conduct animal testing.", "It is not ethically justified to conduct animal testing."], "docs": ["The right of a human not to be harmed is based not on appearance but on not harming others. Animals don\u2019t participate in this.  Animals won\u2019t stop hunting because of the pain and feelings of other animals. Even if animal testing were to be abolished people would still eat meat, and kill animals for other less worthwhile reasons than animal testing.", "Animals shouldn\u2019t be harmed  The difference between us and other animals is a matter of degree rather than type [2]. Their bodies resemble ours, as do their ways of conveying meaning. They recoil from pain, appear to express fear of a tormentor, and appear to take pleasure in activities; a point clear to anyone who has observed a pet dog on hearing the word \u201cwalk\u201d.  We believe other people experience feelings like us because they are like us in appearance and behaviour. An animal sharing our anatomical, physiological, and behavioural characteristics is surely likely to have feelings like us.  If people have a right to not be harmed, we must ask ourselves what makes animals different? If animals feel what we feel, and suffer like us, to condemn one to testing because of them being of a different species is similar to racism or sexism.[3]"], "type": "binary", "id": "602"}
+{"question": "Should all artistic works be released under a creative commons license?", "perspectives": ["All artistic works should be released under a creative commons license.", "Not all artistic works should be released under a creative commons license."], "docs": ["People deserve recompense for their work, but the stifling force of current copyright prevents the proper sharing and expansion of the artistic canon, to the intellectual and spiritual impoverishment of all. Creative commons licenses strike an important balance, by leaving artists with the power over commercial uses of their work, including selling it themselves, while permitting it to permeate the public sphere through non-commercial channels. This is the best way to weigh these competing needs in a complex society. It is not preventing the creator from profiting from his work. It is not a total abrogation of people\u2019s rights, but a giving over of some rights for the benefit of all.", "Artists have a fundamental property right over their creative output  Whatever the end product, be it music, film, sculpture, or painting, artistic works are the creations of individuals and a property right inheres within them belonging to their creators. An idea is just an idea so long as it remains locked in someone\u2019s mind or is left as an unfinished sketch, etc. But when the art is allowed to bloom in full, it is due to the artist and the artist only. The obsession, the time, the raw talent needed to truly create art is an incredible business, requiring huge investment in energy, time, and effort. It is a matter of the most basic, and one would have hoped self-evident, principle that the person who sacrificed so much to bring forth a piece of art should retain all the rights to it and in particular have the right to profit from it. [1] To argue otherwise would be to condone outright theft. The ethereal work of the artist is every bit as real as the hard work of a machine. Mandating that all forms of art be released under a creative commons license is an absolute slap in the face to artists and to the artistic endeavour as a whole. It implies that somehow the work is not entirely the artist\u2019s own, that because it is art it is somehow so different as to be worthy of being shunted into the public sphere without the real consent of the artist. This is a gross robbing of the artist\u2019s right over his or her own work. If property rights are to have any meaning, they must have a universal protection. This policy represents a fundamental erosion of the right to property, and attacks one sector of productive life that is essential for the giving of colour to the human experience. This policy serves only to devalue that contribution.  [1] Greenberg, M. \u201cReason or Madness: A Defense of Copyright\u2019s Growing Pains\u201d. John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law. 2007."], "type": "binary", "id": "603"}
+{"question": "Is a fat tax an effective method to combat obesity?", "perspectives": ["A fat tax is an effective method to combat obesity.", "A fat tax is not an effective method to combat obesity."], "docs": ["Though one might be inclined to agree with the statement, that a fat tax on its own would be insufficient to solve the problem of rising obesity, it is also simply not the case.  There are numerous educational campaigns underway, from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver\u2019s school dinners to the first ladies \u2018Let\u2019s move\u2019 that are effectively targeting that aspect of the fight against obesity.  What is needed to balance these is tangible action by the government that is able to underwrite and solidify what these campaigns are saying. In short, to help our society practice what we preach.", "A tax is not an effective instrument to fight obesity  There are very legitimate concerns whether artificially increasing the cost of fatty food by specifically targeting it with a tax would have a significant effect on the obesity trend.  In fact, research shows that a fat tax would produce only a marginal change in consumption \u2013 not the dramatic shift in public awareness the proponents of the fat tax are hoping for. The reason, LSE researchers believe, is simple: \u201cthose on the very poorest diets will continue to eat badly.\u201d [1]  Other than the economic reasons for such behavior, it could be argued that is also a thing of habit and culture: fast fatty food is quick, accessible and tasty. [2] Thus while a tax might be useful in reducing things such as the use of cigarettes \u2013 which are at heart an unnecessary \u201cluxury\u201d and thus more easily affected by the price \u2013 eating food, whether junk or not, is necessary. It also seems that the fast fatty kind of food is fulfilling a specific need, a need for a quick, tasty and filling meal, something people consider worth paying good money for.  The fight against obesity ought to be multifaceted, complex and well thought out \u2013 and a fat tax is none of those things. We should approach the issue with more cunning and introduce other programs: such as increasing the availability of healthy food by introducing healthy vending machines; [3] increasing the amount of physics exercise by requiring it in school, improving possibilities for recreation and access to public transportation thus encouraging people to burn more calories [4] and, most importantly, proper education on the topic if we want to create lasting change. [5]  [1] Tiffin, R., Salois, M., A fat tax is a double whammy for the poor \u2013 it will do little to prevent obesity in those on lower incomes, and will hurt them financially, published 9/2/2011,  , accessed 9/12/2011  [2] Hitti, M., Top 11 Reasons For Fast Food's Popularity, published 12/3/2008,  , accessed 9/14/2011  [3] Yara, S., Best And Worst Vending Machine Snacks, published 10/6/2005,  , accessed 9/14/2011  [4] CDC, Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States, published 7/24/2009,  , accessed 9/14/2011  [5] Bunce, L., \u2018Fat tax\u2019 solutions ignore wider social factors driving junk food habits, published 8/16/2010,  , accessed 9/12/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "604"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance an effective method of improving healthcare accessibility for the poor?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is an effective method of improving healthcare accessibility for the poor.", "Microfinance is not an effective method of improving healthcare accessibility for the poor."], "docs": ["Microfinance and protection  Access to a small loan provides benefits for the poor\u2019s ability to access high quality health care. A lack of access to banking facilities - loans and credit - may mean the poor are left excluded from health care services as these are usually not free. Microfinance institutions accept the irregularities of the poor\u2019s income, so enabling health care to be affordable to the poor by providing access to finance. As Ofori-Adjei (2007) shows the integration of microfinance institutions within healthcare systems in Ghana is required to resolve the issue of inaccessibility. Ill health should not put a household into a state of poverty - microfinance provides this protection.  Microfinance schemes not only provide loans to access health care but are now integrating non-financial services, such as health education, within their finance schemes.", "Loans provided are embedded with conditions, which can constrain what an individual can do with the money. A microfinance loan is still a loan, it needs to be paid back, if someone is in poor health for a long period they will run into difficulty. Can saving schemes enable social protection in the long term when the amount saved is just enough to cover one sick person? We need to realistically evaluate what the loan enables, provides, and how long for. To provide real health security a much more comprehensive finance system is needed, such as insurance"], "type": "binary", "id": "605"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of a free labour market beneficial for Africa?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of a free labour market is beneficial for Africa.", "The implementation of a free labour market is not beneficial for Africa."], "docs": ["Implementing a free labour market will enable effective management of migration.  Even without the implementation of a free labour market, migration will continue informally; therefore policies introducing free movement and providing appropriate travel documents provides a method to manage migration. In the case of Southern Africa, the lack of a regional framework enabling migration is articulated through the informal nature of movement and strategic bilateral ties between nation-states.  Several benefits arise from managing migration. First, speeding up the emigration process will provide health benefits. Evidence shows slow, and inefficient, border controls have led to a rise in HIV/AIDs; as truck drivers wait in delays sex is offered [1] . Second, a free labour market can provide national governments with data and information. The provision of travel documentation provides migrants with an identity, and as movement is monitored, the big picture of migration can be provided. Information, evidence, and data, will enable effective policies to be constructed for places of origin and destination, and to enable trade efficiency. Lastly, today, undocumented migrants are unable to claim their right to health care. In Africa, availability does not equate to accessibility for new migrants. In South Africa, migrants fear deportation and harassment, meaning formal health treatment and advice is not sought (Human Rights Watch, 2009). Therefore documentation and formal approval of movement ensures health is recognised as an equal right.  [1] See further readings: Lucas, 2012.", "Promoting a free labour market across Africa will exacerbate difficulties for planning. The geography of migration is uneven; and spatial disparities in the proportion of migrants presents challenges for urban and rural planning, which needs to be considered.  First, where will migrants be housed? The housing crisis, and prevalence of slums, across Africa show an influx of new workers will overburden a scarce resource. In addition, the complex, and insecure, nature of land tenure across Africa raises further questions for housing and productivity - will new migrants be able to buy into land markets to enhance their capabilities? Second, are road infrastructures safe enough to promote the frequent movement of labour? Will implementing a free labour market ensure the safety of those migrants?  We need to ensure planners and policy can establish fundamental rights to a home, land, and personal safety, before promoting free movement."], "type": "binary", "id": "606"}
+{"question": "Is capitalism the primary cause of wealth and income inequality?", "perspectives": ["Capitalism is the primary cause of wealth and income inequality.", "Capitalism is not the primary cause of wealth and income inequality."], "docs": ["Socialism leads to a more humane equal society  The gap between poor and rich countries has never been as great as it is today, Warren Buffet's wealth was estimated to be a net worth of approximately US$62 billion in 20081, this while one in seven people on earth goes to bed hungry every night and 6.54 million children die of starvation and malnutrition every year2. The absurd inequality between people's wages is because of the capitalist system, since the capitalist's only aim is to generate profit there is no reason to keep anything other than a minimum wage for the workers. In a globalized world, rich countries can outsource industries to poorer countries where workers will not expect so high a wage. The lower the wages a capitalist can pay to the labourers, the more profit he can generate. A capitalist does not care whether his labourers' living standards are good, acceptable or bad (although he does want to maintain a level where the labourers will not die or rebel), as long as they deliver the work for the lowest wage possible3. Therefore a company CEO can gain an absurd amount of money since he will reap all the profit made from all the labourers in his company while the lowest worker in the hierarchy will only earn enough to survive. The ordinary worker does not have a free choice whether he wants to work or not since he is at such an inferior bargaining position that he has to accept the capitalist's offer in order to survive. According to socialism this inequality is atrocious, it can by no means be justifiable that an ordinary labourer who works equally as hard, or harder than a CEO should struggle for his survival while the CEO lives in unimaginable luxury. In socialism, production and wages are directed to human needs, there is consequently no need to maximise profit and thus this gross inequality would be evened.4  1 The World?s Billionaires: #1 Warren Buffett. (2008, March). Forbes.  2 Hunger. (2011). World Food Programme. Retrieved June 7, 2011  3 Engels, Frederick. (2005). The principles of Communism. Marxist Internet Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2011  4 Marx, K. (n.d.). Critique of the Gotha Programme: I. Marxist Internet Archive.", "The reasons behind the poverty gap are not purely because of a capitalist expansion; a clear example may be seen at the development of the African region between the 1960.  Free market economics also provides the solution to such inequality; labor will gravitate towards companies which provide the best working conditions and wages. For example, while most automobile companies offered two dollars per day as wages, Henry ford offered five, guaranteeing him the best of the best by way of labor. The important point is that the employers do not enslave the workers, the workers are more than free to try to find better employment, be it in better pay, better conditions, easier work, better benefits or more satisfaction."], "type": "binary", "id": "607"}
+{"question": "Should the support for the Syrian rebels be escalated?", "perspectives": ["The support for the Syrian rebels should be escalated.", "The support for the Syrian rebels should not be escalated."], "docs": ["Would balance the support for Syrian government  Syria's government has been receiving outside support from a variety of sources; Russia and Iran being the most prominent. Iran has been training the Jaysh al- Shabi, a Syrian government-controlled force modelled on Iran's Basij militia. Far from just providing weapons, both Iran and Hezbollah from Lebanon have been sending fighters to support the Syrian government. [1] The rebels have received some support for Qatar and Saudi Arabia but not to the extent the Syrian government has. Anyone with an interest in the free Syrian cause should realise that they cannot do so simply by sitting on their hands expecting a victory when those doing the fighting are only provided diplomatic support.  [1] Doran, Michael, and Shaikh, Salman, \u2018Arm the Syrian Rebels. Now\u2019. Foreign Policy, 8 February 2013", "Balance in this case would not be a good thing as this would simply mean a much longer continuation of a bloody civil war. The longer the conflict continues the more difficult it is to put Syria back together again when peace finally does arrive."], "type": "binary", "id": "608"}
+{"question": "Is the existence of God irrelevant to our lives?", "perspectives": ["The existence of God is irrelevant to our lives.", "The existence of God is not irrelevant to our lives."], "docs": ["Even if atheism was wrong and God did exist His seeming lack of interest and interaction with the Universe as far as humans can perceive means his existence is irrelevant:  It seems as if life goes on whether God exists or not. Theologians, philosophers, and laypeople have been fighting both in academia and on the actual battlefield over the question of God\u2019s existence, yet in all the centuries no definitive answer one way or the other has been given by either side. [1] It seems there is little value to belief one way or the other, so arguing for God\u2019s existence seems simply to be a waste of time. If God were proved to exist, or not to exist, little in life would change at all. Thus a position of atheism serves to relieve the hassle of pointless debate.  [1] Borne, \u00c9tienne. 1961. Atheism. New York: Hawthorn Books.", "The question of God\u2019s existence does matter, not only to those who believe, but to understanding of life and its meaning. If there is a God and He has a plan for humanity and the Universe, then in order to understand the plan and to become an active part in it, one must try to understand in some sense the nature of God. However, even if God were disinterested in His creation, that would do little to affect whether He exists or not."], "type": "binary", "id": "609"}
+{"question": "Should democracies provide amnesty to foreign bloggers and dissidents?", "perspectives": ["Democracies should provide amnesty to foreign bloggers and dissidents.", "Democracies should not provide amnesty to foreign bloggers and dissidents."], "docs": ["Democracies have an obligation to shield these people and to encourage further dissent  The universality of human rights, of the freedom of speech and of due process is all touted as crucial by the world\u2019s democracies. Democratic countries are frequently vocal on the subject of liberty, on the superiority of their system of government that provides for the best protection of human dignity. By offering amnesty to bloggers, the people standing at the forefront of the democratic cause in oppressive regimes, Western countries take a largely low-cost action that provides for the security and safety of some the bravest people in the public arena. The West must stop kowtowing to oppression and make a stand to offer an umbrella of protection to those who need it. That protection is absolutely crucial to the development of more dissent in the blogosphere and on the ground. Only by nurturing dissent can it ever take root and overcome the vast powers of authoritarian government. The promise of protection is hugely powerful because it gives bloggers a safety net to fall back on. Those already active will feel more empowered to speak out against their oppressors, and some currently cowed by fear will have the courage to speak up. The guarantee of amnesty also removes the perceived randomness of such offerings that currently occur, as in the recent case of Cuba in which two bloggers of similar pedigree asked for asylum in the US, but only one received it. [1] Such inconsistency has bred fear in the minds of dissidents. This policy would correct for it and help bolster the cause of justice on all fronts. It is through offering amnesty that democracies can provide the catalyst for the change they avow to be the paramount aim of human civilization.  [1] Fox News Latino. \u201cCuba: Prominent Blogger-Dissidents Receive Contradictory Results on Visa Petitions\u201d. 31 January 2013.", "A democracy\u2019s first duty must always be to the citizens that elect it, not to foreign dissidents. Their duty therefore is to be engaging with these regimes to the benefit of their own citizens; through encouraging trade relations for example. Offering amnesty to individuals oppressive regimes consider to be criminals will serve only to alienate those regimes from the process of negotiation so actually runs counter to the interests of the electorate. Such alienation would result in even more repression, and a greater unwillingness to adopt reforms. If democracies want to promote their mode of government abroad they would be best advised not to pick fights with those they wish to influence."], "type": "binary", "id": "610"}
+{"question": "Should coca leaf chewing be legalized due to its cultural significance?", "perspectives": ["Coca leaf chewing should be legalized due to its cultural significance.", "Coca leaf chewing should not be legalized due to its cultural significance."], "docs": ["Coca production can be justified on cultural grounds  Coca chewing is hugely prevalent amongst the peoples of the Andes, and their social relationship with it is akin to that of ours with coffee in Western nations. This is why so many nations in this region cannot and simply will not ever conform to any international ban that calls for phasing it out. The custom of chewing coca leaves may date back as far as 3000 BC in the region, and so hugely pre-dates cocaine consumption, and thus shouldn't be bundled with it or banned on the grounds that cocaine is banned. [1] Coca has also been a vital part of the religious traditions of the Andean peoples from the pre-Inca period through to the present, being used 'to communicate with the supernatural world and obtain its protection, especially with offerings to the Pachamama, the personification and spiritual form of the earth.' [2] All South American countries have signed several declarations by the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) that acknowledged that the chewing of coca leaves is an ancestral cultural expression that should be respected by the international community. [3] The international discouragement of the practice of chewing coca leaves and the prohibition on its use by Andeans when they travel or reside abroad can thus be seen as a violation of their indigenous religious and traditional rights, and therefore is not acceptable on a moral level.  [1] Morales, Evo. \u201cLet Me Chew My Coca Leaves\u201d. New York Times. March 13, 2009.   [2] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006.   [3] Jelsma, Martin. \u201cLifting the Ban on Coca Chewing\u201d. Transnational Institute, Series on Legislative Reform of Drug Policies Nr. 11. March 2011.", "Simply arguing that because something is a 'tradition' that it should be legalized is a nonsensical argument. Traditions need to stand on their own merits, beyond the simple fact that people have done it in the past, as anyone would recognise that a great many things done in the past were not desirable, and therefore longevity does not equal desirability. Moreover, substances have never been legalized simply because some religions place spiritual connotations upon their use. For example, many members of the Rastafarian Movement and some Muslim Sufi groups claim that using cannabis has spiritual value and is important to understanding mystic truths, but cannabis has not been legalized as a result. [1] This is because, on balance, the harms of legalization outweigh our perception of its claimed benefits, and the same is true of the coca leaf. It is also important to note that the prized position of coca in Andean culture owes much to the lucrative nature of the international cocaine market, and thus this cultural value cannot be entirely 'unbundled' from cocaine use in the West. [2]  [1] Ernest, Abel. \u201cA Comprehensive Guide to Cannabis Literature\u201d. Greenwood Press. 1979.;  [2] Transnational Institute Debate Papers. \u201cCoca yes, cocaine, no?\u201d. Transnational Institute. No. 2006/2. No. 13. May 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "611"}
+{"question": "Is hiring private military contractors a cost-effective solution for military operations?", "perspectives": ["Hiring private military contractors is a cost-effective solution for military operations.", "Hiring private military contractors is not a cost-effective solution for military operations."], "docs": ["PMCs give value for money  Mercenaries are a cost efficient way of fighting. Although expensive to hire, the government does not have to cover the cost of training, housing, pensions or healthcare. Mercenaries, unlike regular troops, are only paid for the days on which they are used. Outsourcing when necessary will reduce the cost of the force. For example, the US army is around a third smaller than it was in the 1991 Gulf War (PBS News Hour, 2004). This saves taxpayers\u2019 money and avoids the build up of conventional troops, which, in the past, has contributed to the development of arms races which can be cripplingly expensive as shown by the collapse of the Soviet Union.", "There is no guarantee of the quality of contracted soldiers often resulting in less being done per soldier. The competitive-business nature of private contractors includes cost reduction as well as profit maximisation, which leads to the recruitment of cheaper, less experienced and ill-prepared staff as well as the use of cheaper and poorer equipment. As no standardised training is in place, the quality of the hired men is never known and may be incompatible with the training of traditional forces and therefore unsustainable. The result of this is in the long run to push up the cost as work that PMCs should have done has not been done to the right standard."], "type": "binary", "id": "612"}
+{"question": "Is academic honesty difficult to maintain in online courses?", "perspectives": ["Academic honesty is difficult to maintain in online courses.", "Academic honesty is not difficult to maintain in online courses."], "docs": ["Online courses make it impossible to ensure academic honesty  With online courses, unlike with actual tests and lectures, there is no way to ensure the person is not cheating on the other side of the screen. There is no way to ensure that essays and papers are written by people who will be getting degrees, and especially that tests and examinations are taken by the people who will be getting the degrees. But even if they are the same people, there is no way to prevent cheating during tests and examinations, as people can just have the cheat sheets in front of them and there are no supervisors to stop them from doing so. The crucial point about university degrees is that they ensure that the person is the professional. With online courses, that is not possible, which undermines the whole idea of the university degree.", "It is highly unlikely to believe that people can easily find other people to go through the degree for them on the massive scale, no matter how dedicated of a friend that person is. And even if that friend or a relative is a professional in the degree area, it does not mean they could successfully pass the degree as universities update their examinations and degree materials yearly. Besides, there are ways to prevent such fraud. For instance, Coursera charges fees for certificates that verify a person's identity by using a webcam while the person is taking the course [21]. In terms of having essays and papers written by someone else, this problem is no different from the traditional universities, as they cannot easily verify that the person themselves wrote those either."], "type": "binary", "id": "613"}
+{"question": "Is it ethical to expose children to the pressures of professional performance?", "perspectives": ["It is ethical to expose children to the pressures of professional performance.", "It is not ethical to expose children to the pressures of professional performance."], "docs": ["Children will always feel pressure in certain areas of their lives, whether with exams or school plays. It may be true that pressure is greater for child performers, but children who perform at a professional level are generally more skilled, and so they are often better at dealing with this pressure. At the very least, they gain enough experience at a young age, that they learn the skills needed to succeed, even in high-pressure situations. Given the pressures all children face, [1] surely it is ethical to allow children into a world where they can learn how to deal with these stresses and protect themselves against possible future problems.  [1] Etchingham, \u2018Are we putting our kids under too much pressure?\u2019", "It is unethical to expose children to the pressures of performing  Even experienced adults can find it difficult to deal with stage fright or performance anxiety. Children, more emotionally vulnerable than adults by nature, should not be exposed to this sort of pressure. This is especially true in situations where the child is being paid for their performance, since the added necessity to perform well can lead to even more pressure. Although suicide among children is rare, it is believed often to occur as a result of the child feeling like she is under too much pressure, or failing to meet the expectations of others. [1]  There are also consequences that continue long past the child has stopped performing; former child actors often have the problem as young adults as feeling as having already \u2018peaked\u2019 and find themselves without a sense of drive or ambition or a coherent adult identity, consequentially they often suffer from substance abuse and addiction  [1] Lipsett, \u2018Stress driving pupils to suicide, says union\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "614"}
+{"question": "Does online education compromise the quality of student-professor interactions?", "perspectives": ["Online education compromises the quality of student-professor interactions.", "Online education does not compromise the quality of student-professor interactions."], "docs": ["Online courses undermine live communication with professors and other students  Online courses impair live communication between students and professors and among students. For instance, Coursera professors ask students not to email them because due to high numbers of students taking the course meaning they cannot reply [22]. Moreover, due to pre-recorded lectures, there is no option of asking professors questions. There are no live class discussions. Sure students could email each other, but it is more difficult to freely communicate with people you do not know and never met. It is also difficult to imagine that, given their numbers, students could get personal feedback on their progress from professors themselves, and not, say, teaching assistants (as Coursera does) or even from computers. Lack of personal feedback and engagement with professors and other students in discussions of the material decreases the quality of education.", "It is not true that online communications cannot be as good as real life communications. MOOCs platforms already are addressing student and professor involvement via such means as discussions in internet forums, Google hang-outs etc. This communication can be expanded to other means that the internet provides, such as Skype chats, conference calls, instant messaging, and even broadcasting live podcasts where people can ask questions online. Plus, it is not true that students would not be able to communicate among themselves given the possibilities of social media. Sure, they probably won't meet other students in real life, but that does not mean they cannot try to get to know each other online, especially since this is the only option. The internet has the capability to promote inclusive dialogue between students and professors, this capability just is not used to the fullest at the moment."], "type": "binary", "id": "615"}
+{"question": "Is suicide a legitimate personal choice?", "perspectives": ["Suicide is a legitimate personal choice.", "uicide is not a legitimate personal choice."], "docs": ["We are all dying  Death is an inevitable fact of life. We will all die. Suicide is therefore not a matter of choosing between life and death per se, but of choosing the time and manner of death one wishes. We would all prefer a painless death over a slow and agonising one, and it is better to be able to prepare oneself and if possible anyone else who will be affected, so why should the difference between the two be a matter of luck and not one of choice?", "The fact of suffering is what makes it impossible to consider suicide a legitimate choice. Someone under the duress of intense pain and/or discomfort is not going to be able to make a fully voluntary and informed choice to end their life."], "type": "binary", "id": "616"}
+{"question": "Is imposing democracy an effective intervention to reduce conflict in a country?", "perspectives": ["Imposing democracy is an effective intervention to reduce conflict in a country.", "Imposing democracy is not an effective intervention to reduce conflict in a country."], "docs": ["Governments can take actions to help reduce conflict. Most people agree that the strategy behind the Iraq War was extremely weak. Furthermore, it was clear that the American government had ulterior motives and that establishing democracy was not the only -- or even the most important -- goal, thus reducing the American government's legitimacy in the eyes of Iraqis and the international community. Alternately, in nations where backlash against dictatorships causes violent conflict -- like in Syria or Libya -- imposing democracy could bring a chance of stability and a government that people actually trusted.", "Attempting to impose democracy may escalate conflict.  Intervening in a country, and attempting to impose a different government, is likely to a) result in backlash and b) destabilize the country by destroying infrastructure and disrupting services. Both these things make it far more likely that violent conflict will emerge, either between the country and the imposers, or within the country, as rival factions are forced to compete for scarce resources and rights protection. Iraq is a prime example of intervention causing a civil war. The previous gulf war combined with sanctions and weeks of bombing destroyed Iraq's infrastructure resulting in what General Odierno called 'societal devastation'1 and the disbanding of the army and debaathification forced the experienced administrators who ran the country out of their jobs.(Kane, 'Don't repeat the mistakes of Iraq in Libya', 2011) The result was the attempt to impose democracy was bloody and only partially successful.  1 Parrish, Karen, \"Odierno, Crocker: Iraq's Future Still Hinges on U.S. Support\", American Forces Press Service, November 15, 2010,  2 Kane, Sean., 'Don't repeat the mistakes of Iraq in Libya', ForeignPolicy.com, April 27, 2011,"], "type": "binary", "id": "617"}
+{"question": "Is putting a politician on trial beneficial for the integrity of their office?", "perspectives": ["Putting a politician on trial is beneficial for the integrity of their office.", "Putting a politician on trial is not beneficial for the integrity of their office."], "docs": ["If we don\u2019t want politicians hurting the dignity of the office, there is only one thing we can do: not elect politicians likely to commit crimes! Of course, this is often impossible to tell in advance, but the dilemma remains: a crime has been committed, and that hurts the dignity of the office no matter what action we take. One thing that\u2019s worse than having an office\u2019s holder raked over the coals is for them to get away with a behavior that otherwise warrants punishment. See discussion below under \u201churts the image of the office.\u201d", "Seeing a politician put on trial hurts the integrity of their office.  It does tremendous damage to the public perception of a given political position to see the holder of that position on trial for criminal acts. Politicians are important role models for the populace at large, and shining light on everyone one of their misdeeds is not conducive to them playing such a role. This hurts the ability of their successors who, though completely innocent, are stepping into an institution now tainted with the image of corruption or scandal. Finally, the very process of prosecution can be damaging to the country, as citizens on opposing sides of the political spectrum disagree over the legitimacy of charges. These effects all deal real damage to the political institutions necessary for the functioning of the state."], "type": "binary", "id": "618"}
+{"question": "Does the increased accessibility of online courses enhance the quality of education and the value of a degree?", "perspectives": ["The increased accessibility of online courses enhances the quality of education and the value of a degree.", "The increased accessibility of online courses does not enhance the quality of education and the value of a degree."], "docs": ["Online courses are a way to higher academic excellence  Relocating to the best universities is a budgetary concern, but also family and social relations concern for many people, which prevents all the best people from even applying to universities that would suit them the best. Online courses can recruit students from anywhere in the world much easier than traditional universities can because students don't need to travel far away for the best education. This then ensures that universities have better access to the brightest people. For instance, Stanford University's online course on Artificial Intelligence enabled people from 190 countries to join, and none of students receiving a score of 100 percent where from Stanford [14]. Improving the pool of students would automatically result in better academics, professionals and science, which would benefit the society better.", "Online courses enables universities to accept virtually unlimited numbers of students regardless of presence of tuition fees. If universities keep tuition fees, it makes sense to admit more students because they are no longer limited by availability of physical space; if they drop tuition fees, they still should accept more students because their revenues would depend on how popular they are. What this means is that instead of picking just the brightest of the applying lot, universities can now accept pretty much everyone who meets the basic standard criteria. Not only this decreases the quality of professionals and academia, it decreases the value of a university degree."], "type": "binary", "id": "619"}
+{"question": "Will stricter enforcement and punishment for poaching activities be effective in stopping the problem?", "perspectives": ["Stricter enforcement and punishment for poaching activities will be effective in stopping the problem.", "ricter enforcement and punishment for poaching activities will not be effective in stopping the problem."], "docs": ["The justice system does not currently work  A major failing in current anti-poaching operations is that the poachers are rarely prosecuted. African legal systems rarely prioritise poaching as a serious crime, with offenders usually receiving trivial fines1. One of the major reasons for the Western black rhinoceros\u2019 extinction in 2011 was the complete lack of sentencing for any of the poachers who were captured. [1] The system also fails to prosecute the brains behind many of the operations due to poor investigative methods. This creates an impression in the minds of the poachers that they can operate with impunity. [2]  [1] Mathur, A. \u2018Western Black Rhino Poached Out of Existence; Declared Extinct, Slack Anti-Poaching Efforts Responsible\u2019  [2] Welz, A. \u2018The War on African Poaching: Is Militarization Fated to Fail?\u2019", "Deterrents in the criminal justice system have not worked in similar cases. The US drug war, which identified a specific activity and made it a matter of national security, has resulted in harsh sentences for those who deal or smuggle illicit substances. Despite these harsh punishments however, there has been little success in defeating the drug business as the profit margin for the trade is too high. [1] With Ivory and other products for which poachers are hunting the same will happen; if some poachers are put up the prices will simply go up encouraging others. Tougher protection of animals through increased conviction rates and extended terms is likely to fail.  [1] BBC, \u201cGlobal war on drugs \u2018has failed\u2019 says former leaders\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "620"}
+{"question": "Would Britain economically benefit from adopting the Euro?", "perspectives": ["Britain would economically benefit from adopting the Euro.", "Britain would not economically benefit from adopting the Euro."], "docs": ["Britain will lose economically if she stays out of the Euro over the long term.  Joining the European single currency (the Euro) may appear unfavourable to Britain, but the negative effect of not joining would be more unfavourable. As explained by Anthony Browne in The Euro: Should Britain join?, \"Euroland businesses are now\u2026able to raise money for investment across the entire single currency zone, making it easier and cheaper. British companies, on the other hand, are still largely constrained to drumming up money from within Britain if they want to expand.\u201d1Eurozone businesses find it easy to raise money, for they are spared currency conversion charges. The carmaker Nissan has previously told the British government that eliminating exchange rate risk by siting production in the same currency zone as its sales market will be its preferred option\u20192.  1Browne, A., \"The Euro: Should Britain Join?\", Page 89  2Morgan, O. \"Nissan tells Blair 'join Euro'\", 27 May 2011, The Guardian", "Britain does not have to become a part of the Euro to benefit from the EU economically. Britain has already struck the right balance between EU involvement and managing her own economy. \"We are already part of the single market, and getting rid of the barriers put up by having separate currencies will make little difference. It was the removal of all the other barriers\u2013 such as tariffs \u2013 that mattered far more. The economies of scale are already here \u2013 from the EU\u2019s almost 300 million consumers \u2013 having an effect.\u201d1.Accepting the Euro could very well upset this balance with very negative effects; \u201cStaying out, we have the advantage of a more flexible economy, more adaptable labour market, and lower taxes.\u201d Therefore, it is more advantageous for Britain to keep the pound whilst maintaining EU membership.  1Browne, A., 2001, \"The Euro: Should Britain Join\", Page 91"], "type": "binary", "id": "621"}
+{"question": "Are quotas effective in increasing women's representation in executive positions?", "perspectives": ["Quotas are effective in increasing women's representation in executive positions.", "Quotas are not effective in increasing women's representation in executive positions."], "docs": ["Quotas encourage women to pursue education and professional job positions  Quotas attempting to maximise the number of educated and skilled women in executive positions could improve corporate performance and help raise national productivity. But doing so will depend on keeping ambitious, well-qualified women moving up the management ranks. Gender quotas will encourage more women to pursue education and career options leading to the top of executive positions. Quotas create incentives for women to adapt their job preferences to the more accessible boardroom positions and develop necessary skills which would reduce the need for positive discrimination in the future. Encouraged to develop relevant skills, women will contribute to the long-term talent pool and the economy. According to McKinsey report, women\u2019s interest in being leaders increases as they progress from entry level to middle management [1] which is exactly what the principle behind quotas aims to encourage - more women following professional career development. This is very important in the short run during which, according to research, women who have high position stimulate other women\u2019s interest in traditionally male-dominated sectors and encourage them to pursue similar career paths. [2]  [1] Barsh, Joanna, and Lareina Yee. \"Unlocking the Full Potential of Women in the US Economy.\" McKinsey & Company. N.p., 2011. Web .  [2] Australian Human Rights Commission, \u201cWomen in leadership\u201d", "There is no clear and conclusive statistical data to support the long-term link between quotas and women\u2019s participation on highest executive positions. The introduction of quotas around the world has not increased the number of women on high positions in some male-dominated sectors and there is no certainty that such policy measures in the EU will change the current status quo. For example, despite the 40% increase in women in executive positions, there was no significant change in the number of female CEOs .  Moreover, there should not be a one-size fits all binding quota, but member states should come with their own rules that change gender mentality in the respective country. Gender equality and women\u2019s choice of career have cultural and industry-specific implications which common gender quotas do not address"], "type": "binary", "id": "622"}
+{"question": "Is the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) beneficial for developing nations' industries?", "perspectives": ["The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is beneficial for developing nations' industries.", "The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is not beneficial for developing nations' industries."], "docs": ["Protectionism cannot create a healthy national industry. Only by competing openly against each other on the global market, companies become truly efficient and effective. And small, local companies and industries can often have the advantage in such a confrontation. They can be more flexible and innovative than large multinational corporations, and they are better adapted to the local climate and culture.", "The FTAA is bad for industries in developing nations.  This agreement would put farmers and workers in some of the world\u2019s most impoverished nations in direct competition with some of the richest companies in the developed world. FTAA would have small, domestic industries in countries like Bolivia or Haiti compete with massive American corporations, and prevent their governments from aiding them in any way. The disparity of power and resources would be so great in the case of such a collision, that it would mean these small industries could easily be wiped out and never develop to a level where they can sustain a healthy national economy and become competitive against giant multinational corporations. This would be disastrous for development and poverty reduction in South America [1] .  [1] Robinson, Mary. \u201cFree Trade Area of the Americas: Latin America Deserves Better.\u201d New York Times. 18 November 2003. www.nytimes.com/2003/11/18/opinion/18iht-edrob_ed3_.html?scp=1&sq="], "type": "binary", "id": "623"}
+{"question": "Does prosecutorial immunity cause politicians to cling to their positions?", "perspectives": ["Prosecutorial immunity causes politicians to cling to their positions.", "Prosecutorial immunity does not cause politicians to cling to their positions."], "docs": ["Immunity creates a perverse incentive to hang on to their office as long as possible.  Prosecutorial immunity brings about a massive side-benefit to being in office. It is easy to get used to a life where minor indiscretions go regularly unpunished, as has happened with dignitaries holding diplomatic immunity. [1] Immunity from prosecution may spur a politician to seek reelection into their old age when they are significantly less effective at performing their duties. This is one reason why in the vast majority of democracies elected representatives, while far from poor, are not paid massive salaries; we don\u2019t want people getting into politics for the wrong reasons.  [1] Uhlig, Mark A., \u2018Court Won\u2019t Bar Return of Boy in Abuse Case to Zimbabwe\u2019, The New York Times, 1 January 1988,  [Accessed September 9, 2011]", "With regard to this issue, elections are unquestionably an effective alternative mechanism. The act of a politician in a liberal democracy holding on to office for another term, by definition, requires public assent. The citizenry has an out: don\u2019t continue electing politicians who aren\u2019t serving the public interest. Regardless, politicians already have a plethora of motives, both legitimate and self-serving, to hold on to public office; this doesn\u2019t move the barometer on incentives to run. Most elections are at least modestly well contested precisely because many qualified candidates really want the position."], "type": "binary", "id": "624"}
+{"question": "Is the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) detrimental to the economies of developing countries?", "perspectives": ["The EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is detrimental to the economies of developing countries.", "The EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not detrimental to the economies of developing countries."], "docs": ["It harms the economies of developing world  The current model of CAP results in major oversupply of food and beverages. In 2008 the stockpiles of cereals rising to 717 810 tons while the surplus of wine was about 2.3 million hectolitres. [1] This excess of supply is then often sold to developing countries for prices so low that the local producers cannot cope with them. The low prices of European food can be attributed to the higher efficiency of producing food because of use of advanced technologies as well as the CAP. Agriculture makes a small fraction of GDP in Europe, but in developing countries of Africa or Asia it is entirely different with large numbers dependent on much smaller plots of land. Hence, the consequences of CAP and high production in the EU can be the rise of unemployment and decline of self-sufficiency of these affected countries.  [1] Castle, Stephen, \u2018EU\u2019s butter mountain is back\u2019, The New York Times, 2 February 2009,", "Developing countries often face a problem when the local people simply cannot afford food (for example as a result of drought or floods destroying local crops) \u2013 thus giving them food for greatly reduced price helps a lot of people to survive at day to day basis. Even for farmers they are unlikely to grow the full range of crops so benefit from being able to obtain cheap foodstuffs. These countries can also if they wish control their import tariffs to ensure that the price of European food is comparable to local one \u2013 it is not that they are entirely helpless. The local producers have other benefits given by European Union \u2013 reduced taxation on exported agricultural products and development help \u2013 which help to compensate for these possible detrimental effects. Even without these programs, EU is still the biggest importer of foodstuff from the developing world by a big margin \u2013 therefore in balance the developing countries still receive more than lose by these seldom exports from EU."], "type": "binary", "id": "625"}
+{"question": "Did supranational entrepreneurs play a more significant role than individual elites in European integration?", "perspectives": ["Supranational entrepreneurs played a more significant role than individual elites in European integration.", "upranational entrepreneurs did not play a more significant role than individual elites in European integration."], "docs": ["Supranational Entrepreneurs played a crucial role in integration  The role of supranational entrepreneurs within the development of integration within Europe has been crucial. Characters such as Jean Monnet envisaged and worked continuously towards uniting Europe. As the head of France's General Planning Commission, Monnet was the real author of what has become known as the 1950 Schuman Plan to create the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), forerunner of the Common Market. Later a similar role was played by Jacques Delors with the creation of the Single European Act (SEA) and the all-important 1992 project that would see the single market and eventually fully Economic and Monetary Union complete. These characters act in support of integration within Europe and represent an empirical example of cultivated spill-over. Unmitigated pressure from Delors in pushing for the single market ensured that it became a reality in the time it did.", "The role of elites acting in their national interest better explains the logic behind integration. Key players such as Charles De Gaulle and his untiring opposition to British membership and Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) in the Council of Ministers and his success in gaining what he set out to achieve through the Luxembourg compromise demonstrates that the true power actually lay with him and the state. Another example to contradicting the role Delors played was that of Margaret Thatcher. Her relentless demand for a British rebate (1979) and general demeanour in the European Council demonstrated a powerful state elite getting her way. The single market came about because Thatcher wanted it more than most and was thus willing to compromise on certain areas of the Single European Act (i.e. on QMV in the Council of Ministers). [1] It is because of this that the role of individual elites is far superior to that of supranational entrepreneurs.  [1] Dinan, Desmond, \u2018The Single European Act\u2019, European Union Centre of Excellence,"], "type": "binary", "id": "626"}
+{"question": "Is the symbolic significance of bearing arms in the U.S. still relevant and necessary today?", "perspectives": ["The symbolic significance of bearing arms in the U.S. is still relevant and necessary today.", "The symbolic significance of bearing arms in the U.S. is not relevant or necessary today."], "docs": ["Handguns are Required For Symbolic Reasons As A Defence Against the State Monopoly of Power  Handguns are legal in the U.S. for symbolic reasons. In Justice Scalla\u2019s oral argument he stated \u201cisn't it perfectly plausible, indeed reasonable, to assume that since the framers knew that the way militias were destroyed by tyrants in the past was not by passing a law against militias, but by taking away the people's weapons -- that was the way militias were destroyed. The two clauses go together beautifully: Since we need a militia, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.\u201d9 Guns are necessary to prevent the disarming of the people and as a statement that the citizens of the U.S. are allowed to stand up against the state.  In the formation of the state, the citizens of the state give up their freedoms and their ability to do violence upon each other in favour a state monopoly on violence. The implication is that the state, through this monopoly on violence, then prevents citizens from doing violence against one another.  However, it is possible for the state to use its monopoly on physical force in a reckless or subversive fashion. This means that the citizens should always be able to reassert the primacy of their rights and independence over the state, should the state begin to deviate from its mandated role as protector of those rights.  The right to carry firearms is part of this ability to assert one\u2019s power over the state. However, as the state has become more powerful, ownership of small arms has become an increasingly symbolic gesture. Taking away the right to bear arms from any American is thus harmful, as it removes the symbol that the state\u2019s power is not absolute and that ultimately the state is subservient to its people.10", "The right for Americans to bear arms used to be important for symbolic reasons. However, now such a symbol does not serve to act in the same way that it once did. It was once realistic that American citizens would be able to counteract the monopoly of violence that the state has. However, in this age of modern warfare, such power simply does not exist in any real form any more. Weapons as symbols in this way are just symbolic of the loss of power that the citizens of the U.S. have undergone over time and further are symbolic of a fruitless endeavour in resistance of the state through violent means. The fact that the citizens of America feel the need to resort to violence as a symbol for the ability to stand up to the state harms what the state stands up for now, which is change through peaceful and democratic protest.  Further, even if the right to bear arms was still symbolic in a positive way, the good feeling such a symbol gives simply does not compare to the number of lives lost to things such as gun violence year on year.11"], "type": "binary", "id": "627"}
+{"question": "Is Russia functioning as a true democracy?", "perspectives": ["Russia is functioning as a true democracy.", "Russia is not functioning as a true democracy."], "docs": ["Russia has the attributes of a democracy. It is a federal state with a constitution. It has a two chamber legislature; the lower house is the Duma with 450 members elected from nationwide party lists based upon proportional representation. The Upper house; the Federation Council has two representatives from each of Russia\u2019s 89 regions and republics that are chosen by the regional governors and legislatures. Elections for the President are every four years who then appoints the prime minister who in turn appoints the government. Russia therefore appears to have the necessary structure to be a democracy as each of the branches or government are independent.  What Russia is doing is combining the modern democratic governance with better control and management.  Shortly after one of the reporters\u2019 death (which death is thought to be a political order) the head of the human rights organisation issued a strongly worded statement alleging the involvement of state authorities and the area's premier Ramzan Kadyrov in this particular death. This statement was not suppressed in Russia and means that there is freedom of speech. There maybe a strong amount of state control of the press similar to Italy which is a problem but the right still remains. (5)", "Russia does not have true democracy  The status quo in Russia is highly controversial. On the one hand it is considered a democracy \u2013 it has all the structures and norms of a democracy. On the other hand there are many attacks and proof that the Russian governance is far from democratic: The joint observer team for the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe criticised the Russian elections as \"not fair and failed to meet many OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards for democratic elections,\" with \"abuse of administrative resources, media coverage strongly in favour of the ruling party\". The polls \"took place in an atmosphere which seriously limited political competition\" meaning \"there was not a level political playing field\". The 2007 parliamentary election resulted in United Russia gaining 64.1% of the vote. (3)  Furthermore not only there isn\u2019t election freedom, there is not academic freedom either \u2013 \u201cThe European University at St Petersburg has been forced to suspend teaching after officials claimed its historic buildings were a fire risk. This forced all academic work to cease. The University had been running a program that advised Russian political parties, including how to ensure elections are not being rigged. The project they are involved in called Interregional Electoral Chains of Support was to develop and raise the effectiveness of electoral monitoring in Russia's regions. The university has also been attacked for having close ties to the west, particularly US and UK universities\u201d (4)  There are cases of murdered journalists, who were \u201cinconvenient\u201d to the authorities. This also raises the question whether a strong leadership is better for the people.  Basic freedoms are denied to the Russian population. In the 21st century this is simply unjust. Therefore strong leadership creates more wrong than it does good."], "type": "binary", "id": "628"}
+{"question": "Is Turkey's entry into the EU guaranteed once they meet all accession criteria?", "perspectives": ["Turkey's entry into the EU is guaranteed once they meet all accession criteria.", "Turkey's entry into the EU is not guaranteed, even if they meet all accession criteria."], "docs": ["Any country that fulfils the accession criteria should be allowed to join  Turkey was promised a chance to join the EU by a unanimous vote at the Helsinki summit in 1999, when its candidacy was unanimously accepted after three decades of consistent Turkish requests. As a candidate country Turkey should be allowed in once it meets the membership criteria which were first set out in the Copenhagen European Council of 1993. These were stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, the existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union and the ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic & monetary union. [1] Clearly economic and political reforms are necessary, but that is true of all states attempting to join the EU and should not be used as an excuse to backtrack now. It would be hypocritical to apply one set of criteria to Central and Eastern European states and another to Turkey. Such blatant hypocrisy would have consequences, if the EU is seen to break its promise to Turkey it may turn a potential friend and partner into a suspicious and hostile neighbour.  [1]  European Commission Enlargement, Accession criteria, 30th October 2010", "Turkey first applied to join the EU back in the 1960s but there is no document where EU leaders have promised unconditionally to include Turkey in the future. In a decade of candidacy Turkey has managed to satisfy less than half of the chapters, and these are only the minimum prerequisites. Even if they had, past declarations (as opposed to treaties) cannot be held to bind today\u2019s leaders in weighing both their own national interest and the wider European interest. The possibility is therefore a long way off. The possible negative impact of Turkish EU membership upon existing members must be considered. The recent rise of far-right anti-immigration politicians, such as Marine Le Pen, Jorg Haidar and Pym Fortuyn, point to a dangerous public reaction to more open borders and unchecked migration."], "type": "binary", "id": "629"}
+{"question": "Does the New START treaty negatively impact US defense capabilities?", "perspectives": ["The New START treaty negatively impacts US defense capabilities.", "The New START treaty does not negatively impact US defense capabilities."], "docs": ["The New START treaty harms US nuclear capabilities  As David Ganz, the president of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), argues: \"This treaty would restrain the development and deployment of new nuclear weapons, missile defense systems, and missile delivery systems.\" [1] The atrophying U.S. nuclear arsenal and weapons enterprise make reductions in the U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal even more dangerous. The new START treaty allows nuclear modernization but while the US capacity to modernize nuclear weapons is limited and either congress or the president is likely to prevent modernization on cost grounds. The Russians have a large, if unknown, advantage over the United States in terms of nonstrategic, particularly tactical, and nuclear weapons. The New START treaty however ignores these weapons entirely as it is focused on strategic arms. This therefore leaves the Russians with an advantage and potentially reduces the potential for deterrence in areas beyond the US. [2]  New START also restricts US missile defence options. The Obama Administration insists the treaty doesn\u2019t affect it, but the Kremlin\u2019s takes a different view: \"[START] can operate and be viable only if the United States of America refrains from developing its missile-defense capabilities quantitatively or qualitatively.\" [3] New START imposes restrictions on U.S. missile defence options in at least four areas. First the preamble recognizes \u201cthe interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms\u201d it seeks to make sure defensive arms \u201cdo not undermine the viability and effectiveness of the strategic offensive arms of the parties\u201d so defensive arms must be reduced to allow offensive arms to remain effective. [4] Russia also issued a unilateral statement on April 7, 2010, Russia reinforced this restriction by issuing a unilateral statement asserting that it considers the \u201cextraordinary events\u201d that give \u201cthe right to withdraw from this treaty\u201d to include a buildup of missile defense. [5] Second, Article V states \u201cEach Party shall not convert and shall not use ICBM launchers and SLBM launchers for placement of missile defense interceptors\u201d and vice versa. [6] There are also restrictions on some types of missiles and launchers that are used in the testing of missile defense. And Finally, article X established the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC), the treaty\u2019s implementing body, with oversight over the implementation of the treaty which may impose additional restrictions on the U.S. missile defense program. [7]  [1] Weingarten, Elizabeth. \u201cHow did New START become a Jewish issue?\u201d. The Atlantic. 1 Decemebr 2010.   [2] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [3] Brookes, Peter. \u201cNot a new START, but a bad START\u201d. The Hill. 13 September 2010.   [4] Obama, Barak, and Medvedev, Dmitri, \u2018Treaty Between The United States of America And The Russian Federation On Measures For The Further Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms\u2019, U.S. Department of State,   [5] Bureau of Verification, Compliance, and Implementation, \u2018New START Treaty Fact Sheet: Unilateral Statements\u2019, U.S. Department of State, 13 May 2010,   [6] Obama, Barak, and Medvedev, Dmitri, \u2018Treaty Between The United States of America And The Russian Federation On Measures For The Further Reduction And Limitation Of Strategic Offensive Arms\u2019, U.S. Department of State,   [7] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.", "Many of the worries about the impact of the treaty are much more of a political problem than problems with the treaty itself. U.S. missile modernization in particular is still up to the President and Congress to sort out the funding between them \u2013 the restrictions are minor. [1] Worries about the impact on missile defense are also a red herring. Missile defense is not aimed at Russia and the United States simply needs to make sure that its defenses are obviously aimed at who it says they are aimed at: rogue states such as Iran and North Korea. Regarding other defence capabilities, the New START Treaty preserves America\u2019s ability to deploy effective missile defenses, and simply prevents it from being effective enough to undermine deterrence, something which Russia would be right in worrying about if the United States had any intention of building such a comprehensive missile defence. The prohibition on converting existing launchers will have little impact on the United States as the military believes that such conversion would be more expensive and less effective than building new purpose built defensive missiles. [2] Finally if Russia did exercise its right to withdraw then both parties would be in no worse a position than they would have been without the new treaty and could simply restart negotiations.  [1] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.   [2] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010."], "type": "binary", "id": "630"}
+{"question": "Is implementing random drug tests in schools beneficial for students?", "perspectives": ["Implementing random drug tests in schools is beneficial for students.", "Implementing random drug tests in schools is not beneficial for students."], "docs": ["Using random drug tests would mean that a greater number of teenage drug users would be caught and put into drug rehabilitation programs, which would surely help at least some of them. The school's duty of care means that they must at least be given this chance to give up drugs, even if they refuse it, as opposed to simply allowing them to keep using, which will most likely disrupt their education severely anyway.", "Keeping teenagers in education  Studies in Michigan in the USA have found that random drug tests in schools do not deter drug use, as schools with and without random tests have similar levels of drug use among their pupils. [1]  It seems unlikely that random drug tests will, in fact, deter students from taking drugs. What such tests will result in, however, is a greater number of exclusions and disciplinary actions resulting from catching student drug users, which as the studies have shown has no guarantee of lowering drug use overall.  Faced with a situation of continuing to be caught and reprimanded for drug use in school due to random drug tests, many older teenagers who reach the age whereby they may choose to leave school may choose to do so in greater numbers. This may well be compounded by an adolescent desire to rebel and reject authority when it tries to prevent them doing what they want, and so a greater number of teenage students may drop out of school so as to allow themselves to continue doing what they want more easily \u2013 that is, taking drugs. Leaving school at such an age for no other reason than to pursue a drug-using lifestyle is almost certainly more harmful than the worst-case alternative, whereby they at least remain in education even if they continue to use illegal drugs, comparatively improving their future career and education choices. Simply driving teenagers out of education with random drug tests benefits no-one.  [1] Grim, Ryan. \u201cBlowing Smoke: Why random drug testing doesn't reduce student drug use\u201d. Slate. March 21, 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "631"}
+{"question": "Is the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) effectively supporting the sustainability of rural communities in the EU?", "perspectives": ["The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is effectively supporting the sustainability of rural communities in the EU.", "The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not effectively supporting the sustainability of rural communities in the EU."], "docs": ["It protects rural communities  People in EU are hard to convince that staying in rural areas and working as a farmer is a viable life choice. The profit is often low, the starting costs are high and work is hard. The income of a farmer is usually around half of the average wage in a given country and the number of these farmers fell by 20% in the last decade. [1] By having CAP we have an additional incentive for the people to stay in villages. The direct payments help the people with the starting of business, subsidies helps them to sell their goods at reasonable prices. The process of urbanisation is at least slowed and that, by extend, helps to preserve traditional culture of such communities and thus diversity of European culture itself.  [1] Murphy, Caitriona, \u2018Number of EU farms drops 20pc\u2019, Independent, 29 November 2011,", "We can see from continuous decline of farms in Europe that the CAP has been ineffective in creating enough incentive for people to stay in villages and farms. And it is doubtful if even the reform of CAP can change this situation. In the last 40 years CAP was reformed in one way or another however the declining trend has still continued. It is reasonable to assume that leaving the agricultural sector without state interventions (which are basically CAP) will eventually result in some sort of stable equilibrium emerging with farmers who can make money from farming, or other activities remaining without subsidy."], "type": "binary", "id": "632"}
+{"question": "Is the European Union successfully building a unified military framework?", "perspectives": ["The European Union is successfully building a unified military framework.", "The European Union is not successfully building a unified military framework."], "docs": ["The EU has already been unifying on multiple fronts, this is just a step in the same direction.  The EU has slowly been building up its own common military framework, with the UK and France leading the effort to pool European military capacity. In addition, the EU itself has created new institutional bodies such as the Political and Security Committee, a Military Committee and military staff. The EU has had military envoys in Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and has committed itself to the creation of a Common Security and Defense Policy with 3-4,000 troops on permanent standby in multilateral \u2018battlegroups\u2019 ready for immediate deployment(see Rockwell Schnabel\u2019s article listed below)1. While incremental, these are steps not to be ignored. The Union has also placed that military capacity within the broader context of a security strategy designed to promote international peace, justice and development.  1. Schnabel, Rockwell A., 'U.S. Views on the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy', The Brown Journal of World Affairs, Vol. IX. Issue2., (Winter/Spring 2003) accessed 1/8/11", "The very creation of a common military framework has been fraught with disagreement. The UK and France have only been willing to cooperate bilaterally and outside the EU framework, within a set of nationally-framed security interests. Both states are also very traditional military powers. While some states pretend to support the creation of a credible EU military capacity, they are unwilling to contribute seriously to its construction and when faced with a crisis almost always turn to the United States for military solutions. While the EU does like to see itself as the diplomat of the world and flaunt its achievements with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), it still ponders the possibility of a middle-of-the-road strategy of militarization and securitization. In the meanwhile, it continues to reside comfortably within the US sphere of military protection while acting as an enfant terrible who rebels against and yet continues to accept US protection. It is a contradiction to argue that the EU is both attempting to build up its military force as well as providing an alternative sense of security that does not rely on military power."], "type": "binary", "id": "633"}
+{"question": "Is independence beneficial for Scotland's economic growth?", "perspectives": ["Independence is beneficial for Scotland's economic growth.", "Independence is not beneficial for Scotland's economic growth."], "docs": ["An independent Scotland has enormous economic potential to join other small European nations, especially as a leader in technology and renewable energy  Many of Scotland\u2019s problems are grounded in the fact that its potential has consistently been held back. Because the focus for economic development from a Westminster perspective has focused for generations on North Sea oil and the coal fields of Lanarkshire, huge opportunities were missed and the best and the brightest tended be dragged down south for jobs worthy of their skills.  Even with the limited powers allowed by devolution a burgeoning life-sciences sector, a growing IT sector in silicon glen are adding to the traditional industries. Since 2003 Scotland has generally had faster economic growth than the UK with 13% during the period from 2003-2007 compared to the UK\u2019s 11.4%. [i] Independence would stretch people still further.  [i] CPPR Centre for Public Policy for Regions, \u2018The changing pattern of Scotland\u2019s economic growth since Devolution\u2019, CPPR Briefing Note, June 2011,", "Firstly, if these industries are already emerging under the devolved powers then there seems to be little reason for expanding those powers. Nationalism has always relied on the fantasy that magically everything about the country will change the day after independence. [i]  The reality is not quite so rosy; with a disproportionately high level of employment in the public sector [ii] as well as consistently high levels of multi-generational unemployment, pretending that these problems would be swept away following autonomy is just fantasy. These constitutional wrangles are a distraction from the real issues of addressing employment and chronic ill-health are much higher concerns.  [i] Chakrabortty, Aditya, \u2018Can Scotland pay its own way?\u2019, The Guardian, 20 May 2011,   [ii] Simon Rogers. \u201cThe public sector employment map of the UK: the full data.\u201d The Guardian. 21 November 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "634"}
+{"question": "Does the prosecution of child soldiers by international courts like ICC increase their stigmatization and impede their rehabilitation?", "perspectives": ["The prosecution of child soldiers by international courts like ICC increases their stigmatization and impedes their rehabilitation.", "The prosecution of child soldiers by international courts like ICC does not increase their stigmatization and does not impede their rehabilitation."], "docs": ["Removing barriers to demobilisation, disarmament and rehabilitation  It can easily be conceded, without weakening the resolution, that war and combat are horrific, damaging experiences. Over the last seventy years, the international community has attempted to limit the suffering that follows the end of a conflict by giving soldiers and civilians access to medical and psychological care. This is now an accepted part of the practice of post-conflict reconstruction, referred to as Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) [i] .  The effects of chronic war and chronic engagement with war are best addressed by a slow and continuous process of habituation to normal life. Former child soldiers are sent to treatment centres specialising in this type of care in states such as Sierra Leone [ii] .  What is harmful to this process of recovery is the branding of child soldiers as war criminals. The stigma attached to such a conviction would condemn hundreds of former child soldiers to suffering extended beyond the end of armed conflicts.  Sentencing guidelines binding on the ICC state that anyone convicted of war crimes who is younger than eighteen should not be subject to a sentence of life imprisonment. Their treatment, once incarcerated, is required to be oriented toward rehabilitation.  Many child soldiers become officers within the organisations that they join. Alternately, they might find themselves ordered to seek more recruits from their villages and communities. For these children participation in the conflict becomes participation in the crime itself. What began as a choice of necessity during war-time could, under the status quo, damage and stigmatise a child during peace-time [iii] . Even if their sentence emphasises reform and education, a former child soldier is likely to become an uninjured casualty of the war, marked out as complicit in acts of aggression. When labelled as such children will become vulnerable to reprisal attacks and entrenched social exclusion.  Discussing attempts to foster former Colombian child combatants, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers state that, \u201cThe stigmatization of child soldiers, frequently perceived as violent and threatening, meant that families were reluctant to receive former child soldiers. Those leaving the specialized care centres moved either to youth homes or youth protection facilities for those with special protection problems. While efforts continued to strengthen fostering and family-based care, approximately 60 per cent of those entering the DDR program were in institutional care in 2007.\u201d [iv]  Crucially, fear of being targeted by the ICC may lead former child soldiers to avoid disclosing their status to officials running demobilisation programs. They may be deterred from participating in the DDR process [v] .  Moreover, the authority of the ICC is often subject to criticism on the international stage by politicians and jurists linked to both democratic states [vi] and the non-liberal or authoritarian regimes most likely to become involved in conflicts that breach humanitarian law. It cannot assist the claims of the ICC to be a body that represents universal concepts of compassion and justice if it is seen to target children- often barely in their teens- in the course of prosecuting war crimes.  As the Child Soliders 2008 Global Report notes, \u201cProsecutions should not, by focusing solely on the recruitment and use of child soldiers, exclude other crimes committed against children. Such an approach risks stigmatizing child soldiers and ignores the wider abuses experienced by children in conflict situations. It is on these grounds that some have questioned the exclusive child-soldier focus of the ICC\u2019s charges against Thomas Lubanga. After all, the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC/L), the armed group he led, is widely acknowledged to have committed numerous other serious crimes against children, as well as adults.\u201d [vii]  [i] \u201cCase Studies in War to Peace Transition\u201d, Coletta, N., Kostner, M., Widerhofer, I. The World Bank, 1996  [ii] \u201cReturn of Sierra Leone\u2019s Lost Generation\u201d, The Guardian, 02 March 2000,   [iii] \u201cAgony Without End for Liberia\u2019s Child Soldiers\u201d, The Guardian, 12 July 2009,   [iv] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p103,   [v] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, p16,   [vi] \u201cAmerica Attacked for ICC Tactics\u201d, The Guardian, 27 August 2002,   [vii] \u201cChild Soldiers: Global Report 2008\u201d, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, 2007, pp32-33,", "The proposition understates the extent to which the needs of child soldiers are catered to by international justice bodies. The Paris Principles [i] , which are used to guide the formation and functions of national human rights organisations, state that  \u201c3.6 Children who are accused of crimes under international law allegedly committed while they were associated with armed forces or armed groups should be considered primarily as victims of offences against international law; not only as perpetrators...  3.7 Wherever possible, alternatives to judicial proceedings must be sought, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards for juvenile justice.\u201d  Although not strictly binding, an onus is placed on bodies such as the ICC to seek alternatives to the trial process when dealing with children. (The Principles define a child as anyone less than 18 years of age).  Even where children are placed in the role of officers or recruiters, they are unlikely to be tried in the same fashion as an adult.  This leaves only the issue of social exclusion following the process of demobilisation and treatment. Many of the problems of reintegration highlighted by the proposition do not seem to be uniquely linked to ICC prosecutions. Columbian child soldiers are as likely to be perceived as threatening whether or not they have come to the attention of the ICC. The ICC does not create negative stereotypes of former child soldiers.  As noted above, it seems perverse to give military commanders an opportunity to use cultural relativism to excuse their culpability for what would otherwise be a war crime. Ranking officers are much more likely than Yemeni tribesmen or orphaned Sudanese boys to understand the intricacies of such a defence, and much more likely to abuse it. Realistically, the commanders of child solders, and the politicians who sanctioned their use are the only class of individuals pursued by the ICC.  Where the boundaries between community leader, military officer and political leader become blurred, the court will always be able to fall back on its discretion. Practically, however, this mixing of roles is only likely to be observed in marginal communities a few major conflict zones. This does not favour stepping away from established judicial practice in order to create an entirely new form of defence.  [i] \u201cPrinciples and Guidelines On Children Associated With Armed Forces or Armed Groups\u201d, International Workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 2007,"], "type": "binary", "id": "635"}
+{"question": "Does the UK benefit significantly from its membership in the EU?", "perspectives": ["The UK benefits significantly from its membership in the EU.", "The UK does not benefit significantly from its membership in the EU."], "docs": ["The EU is a force multiplier  The UK gets more bang for the buck as a result of being a member of the EU. It has representation in more countries as a result of the European External Action Service (equivalent of the Foreign Office) thus extending UK influence to countries where it would not otherwise have representation. For example the EU have representation in Djibouti [1] whereas the UK individually is represented there from neighbouring Ethiopia. [2]  The UK, along with France, and to a lesser extent Germany, leads the EU on foreign policy matters, as illustrated by the first The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy being a Briton, Catherine Ashton. [3] This means the UK essentially gains from the backing of the other 26 member states giving the UK a much more influential voice globally. For example the EU has a role in the Middle East \u2018quartet\u2019 of the EU, USA, Russia and United Nations [4] giving the UK a place at the table on the key issue of Israel Palestine where otherwise it would have none.  [1] \u2018D\u00e9l\u00e9gation en R\u00e9publique de Djibouti\u2019, D\u00e9l\u00e9gation de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne,   [2] \u2018British Embassy Addis Ababa\u2019, Gov.uk,   [3] \u2018The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy\u2019, Europea Union External Action,   [4] \u2018The Quartet\u2019, Office of the Quartet,", "It is undeniable that in some areas the EU is a force multiplier. But many of the issues it uses this leverage on are not areas of concern to a UK that has left the EU; migrants arriving in Greece are of little national interest to the UK. Britain would instead focus its weight on areas that are of direct concern such as terrorism. In other areas the multiplier simply saves the UK a little money; could the UK have an embassy in Djibouti? Certainly if it wished, but it is not an area of primary concern to the UK."], "type": "binary", "id": "636"}
+{"question": "Was the decision not to hold a referendum for the Lisbon Treaty against the wishes of the people?", "perspectives": ["The decision not to hold a referendum for the Lisbon Treaty was against the wishes of the people.", "The decision not to hold a referendum for the Lisbon Treaty was not against the wishes of the people."], "docs": ["The decision not to hold a referendum directly ignores the wishes of the people and is therefore undemocratic.  The Lisbon Treaty and the Constitution have 96% of the same text. Former French President Val\u00e9ry Giscard d\u2019Estaing, who wrote the original EU Constitution, has publicly stated that the Lisbon Treaty is essentially the same as the proposed Constitution [1]. The decision from countries not to hold referendums in 2007 that they had previously agreed to is a flagrant disregard for the wishes of the people. Moreover the decision to ratify the Lisbon Treaty through national parliaments in France and the Netherlands where the 2004 Treaty was rejected in popular vote demonstrates that the decision not to hold referendums was in the fear that they would be rejected when put to the people. Any decision that is forced through parliament in the fear that it would fail when opened to the citizens of that country lacks legitimacy.  [1] Val\u00e9ry Giscard d'Estaing: The EU Treaty is the same as the Constitution\u2019, The Independent (30 October 2007), viewed on 13 June 2011", "The decision not to hold a referendum was not one taken against the wishes of the people. Firstly, citizens of France and the Netherlands, who voted no to the Constitution in public vote, accepted the decision to not repeat a referendum in 2007. Furthermore, the accusation that the two texts are 96% identical is a crude one that ignores the fundamental difference in meaning that a few words can make [1] therefore the decision to not hold a referendum to ratify The Lisbon Treaty should not be seen in conjunction with the result of the Constitution referendum. This demonstrates that the decision not to hold a referendum was not against the people's wishes: it was largely accepted that accepting constitutional changes through the elected national parliament was democratically acceptable.  [1] 'The EU Reform Treaty"], "type": "binary", "id": "637"}
+{"question": "Is using reparations as a form of aid a respectful and effective way to support developing countries?", "perspectives": ["Using reparations as a form of aid is a respectful and effective way to support developing countries.", "Using reparations as a form of aid is not a respectful and effective way to support developing countries."], "docs": ["Reparations demonstrate a true concern for the developing world.  Even alongside the colonial justifications for providing reparations, there are also many other strong reasons why former colonial powers should grant reparations. Former colonial powers tend to be economically developed, like America, Britain and France. The developed world should recognise the dire poverty and social challenges fed by the developing world today. Giving aid as an act of charity can sometimes be seen as derogatory [1] , and is even rejected by the potential recipients [2] [3] [4] . However, reparations allows a transfer of wealth between these countries in a way which is sensitive to the history between them, and which also demonstrates a desire to improve their relationship. It allows aid to be given to the developing world in a means which is dignified but not spurious.  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [3] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [4] Accessed from  on 12/09/11", "Disguising the purely economic balance illustrated here as a demonstration of heartfelt regret undermines the principles outlined by previous proposition arguments. This is, in fact, a hollow gesture \u2013 one that is disguised as a reparation to overcome a country\u2019s right (though we may not agree with it) to reject the aid which is offered to them. The rejection of aid is a demonstrative action in itself; it sends a message that the recipient country does not wish to associate themselves with the donor country. By trying to use reparations as a loophole, this concept simultaneously criticised the recipient country\u2019s right to choose whether they receive aid or not, and undermines the value of reparations elsewhere as a genuine gesture."], "type": "binary", "id": "638"}
+{"question": "Is restricting freedom of speech and press detrimental to a country's progress and development?", "perspectives": ["Restricting freedom of speech and press is detrimental to a country's progress and development.", "Restricting freedom of speech and press is not detrimental to a country's progress and development."], "docs": ["Restricted press and speech also limits political debate and engagement which are crucially needed in adopting fruitful policies[1]. The best policies are those that are rigorously debated and analysed. The current leadership may have acted to check corruption but without institutionalised freedom of the press to encourage whistleblowing there is no guarantee that corruption won\u2019t return in the future. Rwanda\u2019s progress is therefore dependent on individuals, fine in the short term but development takes decades. In the long term for a state to progress there has to be balancing mechanisms so as to prevent misrule and importantly persuade investors there will be stability.  Moreover Rwanda is trying to create a knowledge economy. It is not like China\u2019s creation of a manufacturing based economy, instead it relies upon critical thinking, ideas and analysis \u2013 all things that benefit from freedom of speech.  [1] UNESCO, \u2018Press freedom and development: an analysis of correlations between freedom of the press and the different dimensions of development, poverty, governance and peace\u2019, unesco.org", "Focused leadership  Progress in Africa has been hindered by factors like corruption, conflicts and poor infrastructure, all of which are linked to the incompetent or greedy leaders.  Rwanda is a different case, ranked among the best countries with a strong and focused leadership in Africa, the country has set up clear policies like EDPRS [Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy] which aims to change Rwanda from an agriculture based economy to knowledge and service economy [1]. It is well known for zero tolerance to corruption, improved infrastructure and technology all of which are core factors in achieving development. In Africa, Rwanda tops list of easiest countries to do business a move that has encouraged more investors into the country[2].  Limited freedom of speech and press does not hinder economic development. What matters is that the government is trusted to fulfil all its commitments. After all, nothing has stopped China progressing despite human rights violations and censorship of both free speech and the press.  [1] The world bank, \u2018Rwanda overview\u2019, worldbank.org  [2] International finance corporation, \u2018Rwanda top business reformer\u2019, ifc.org"], "type": "binary", "id": "639"}
+{"question": "Is patent protection necessary to incentivize pharmaceutical research and development?", "perspectives": ["Patent protection is necessary to incentivize pharmaceutical research and development.", "Patent protection is not necessary to incentivize pharmaceutical research and development."], "docs": ["Robust drug patent laws incentivize investment of time and money in developing new products  When a real chance of profit exists in the development of a new product or drug, people and firms put the effort into developing and creating them. The incentive to profit drives a great deal of people's intellectual endeavors. Research and development, for example, forms a major part of industries' investment, as they seek to create new products and inventions that will benefit consumers, and thus society as a whole. Research and development is extremely costly, however. The US pharmaceutical industry alone spends tens of billions of dollars every year on researching new drugs1. The fear of theft, or of lack of profit stemming from such research, will serve as a powerful disincentive to investment. Without the protection of patents, new drugs lose much of their value, since a second-comer on the field can simply take the formula and develop the same product without the heavy costs of research involved, leaving the innovative company worse off than its copycat competitor. This will lead to far less innovation, and will hamper companies currently geared toward innovative and progressive products. Patent protection is particularly important to companies with high fixed costs and low marginal costs, such as pharmaceutical firms. Without the guarantee of ownership over intellectual products, the incentive to invest in their development is diminished as they will not be guaranteed a payback for their research costs as a competitor could simply take the product off them. Within a robust patents system, firms compete to produce the best product for patenting and licensing that will give them a higher market share and allow them to reap high profits. These incentives lead firms to \"invent around\" one another's patents, leading to gradual improvements in drugs and treatments, benefiting all consumers2. Without patents the drugs companies are trapped in a kind of prisoners' dilemma where both are individually better off by refusing to innovate, yet both suffer if neither innovates. Patents are the solution to this: if a company innovates, it alone can reap the rewards of the new invention3. In the absence of patent protection there is no incentive to develop new drugs, meaning in the long run more people will suffer from diseases and ailments that might have been cured were it profitable to invest in developing them. Clearly, patent protection is essential for a dynamic, progressive pharmaceutical industry.  1 Congressional Budget Office. 2006. Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry\". The Congress of the United States. Available: 2 Nicol, Dianne and Jane Nielsen. 2003. \"Patents and Medical Biotechnology: Empirical Analysis of Issues Facing the Australian Industry\". Center for Law and Genetics Occasional Paper 6. Available: 3 Yale Law & Technology. 2011, \"Patents: Essential, if flawed\", Available:", "Research and development will continue, irrespective of intellectual property rights. The desire of firms to stay ahead of the competition will drive them to invest in research regardless. That their profits will be diminished by the removal of intellectual property rights is only natural and due to the fact that they will no longer have monopoly control over their intangible assets, and will thus not be able to engage in the rent-seeking behavior inherent in monopoly control of products. The costs of commercialization, which include building factories, developing markets, etc., are often much higher than the costs of the initial conception of an idea1 these are areas where competition will force down costs. Furthermore, there will always be demand for a brand name over a generic product. In this way the initial producer can still profit more than generic producers, if not at monopolistic levels.  1Markey, Justice Howard. 1975. Special Problems in Patent Cases, 66 F.R.D. 529."], "type": "binary", "id": "640"}
+{"question": "Is the use of social media in education beneficial for all students?", "perspectives": ["The use of social media in education is beneficial for all students.", "The use of social media in education is not beneficial for all students."], "docs": ["Social media can be powerful educational resources.  Many teachers have been using social media as an extension of the classroom, some of them setting up discussion pages, or allowing students to contact them about homework or things that they did not understand in the classroom, it allows the teachers to provide extra help whenever the student needs it. This keeps students interested and makes learning fun by using a tool that they are already fond of. The enormous success of tools like \u2018The Khan Academy\u2019, which uses youtube videos to deliver lectures to kids, is proof of that [1] . It also allows even those students who are too shy to speak out in class or ask for help, to participate3. Tools like facebook and twitter have the advantage of being ready-made platforms that lend themselves well to extending classroom discussions through groups, pages, pictures, and videos. Not all schools have access to the funding to set up such pages separately and not all teachers have the skills to create them. It would be a mistake for schools to dismiss their use and their value.  [1] Khan, Salman. \u201dTurning the Classroom Upside Down.\u201d The Wall Street Journal. 9 April 2011.", "Even if this were a great educational tool, some kids may not have access to it. Poverty or a parent\u2019s life style choice might leave kids without access to a computer or the internet, preventing them from joining into such online discussions. This might make them feel more isolated from their peers and leave them behind in their work. The classroom is a space where everyone can be equal and have equal access to learning. The internet may not provide equal access and may hinder some students as a result. The use of such resources may also be to the detriment of other more traditional methods. For example the teacher may feel there is less need to explain homework if anyone who has difficulties while doing the homework can simply ask over the internet."], "type": "binary", "id": "641"}
+{"question": "Is the Presidential line-item veto the best approach to tackle earmarking abuse in Congress?", "perspectives": ["The Presidential line-item veto is the best approach to tackle earmarking abuse in Congress.", "The Presidential line-item veto is not the best approach to tackle earmarking abuse in Congress."], "docs": ["The present system of earmarking in Congress is wide open to abuse. The party leaderships in each house can use the offer of pork, or the threat to withhold it to enforce party discipline. \u201cLogrolling\u201d occurs whereby an earmark is obtained in return for support on an unrelated piece of legislation. All this leads to legislators who put party above country and vote for bad legislation in pursuit of their own vested interest. They basically \u201care federal dollars that members of Congress dole out to favor seekers \u2014 often campaign donors. In the process, lawmakers advocate for the companies, helping them bypass the normal system of evaluation and competition.\u201d1Forcing pork out in the open by making Congress vote to defend it after a Presidential line-item veto is the best way to remedy matters. Overall the President is more accountable to the people as a whole than individual representatives, and with their national mandate, more able to stand up to powerful interest groups.  1 David Heath and Hal Bernton, $4.5 million for a boat that nobody wanted, The Seattle Times, 15/10/07 , accessed 5/5/11", "There are other means by which cutting earmarks could be achieved, without the drastic step of mutilating the work of the Founding Fathers. For a start, Congress could just ban the use of earmarks, unfortunately an attempt in 2010 was defeated 39-56 in the Senate.1 Existing rescission powers could be toughened by requiring Congress to hold a prompt vote on Presidential requests for appropriations cuts, rather than ignoring them as invariably happens now. The Impoundment power removed in 1974 could be restored. The convention that spending items in committee reports should be binding on the executive could be challenged. And the practice of legislating massive omnibus spending bills could be ended; more, smaller and more focused bills would make pork more obvious and make it more viable for a President to veto a whole bill without causing the federal government to collapse for want of funding.  1 Rushing , J. Taylor, 'Senate votes down ban on earmarks 39-56', The Hill, 30/11/10,accessed 5/5/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "642"}
+{"question": "Should the capacity to suffer be the determining factor in selecting subjects for medical experimentation?", "perspectives": ["The capacity to suffer is the determining factor in selecting subjects for medical experimentation.", "The capacity to suffer is not the determining factor in selecting subjects for medical experimentation."], "docs": ["Most animals can suffer more than some people  It\u2019s possible to think of people that can\u2019t suffer, like those in a persistent vegetative state, or with significant intellectual disabilities.  We could go for one of three options. Either we could experiment on animals, but not such people, which is morally not consistent. We could allow both, but do we want to do painful medical research on the disabled? Or, we could do neither.[9]", "The decision to test is not based upon the capacity to suffer. But it should be remembered that the individual being tested would not be the only one who suffers, for the intellectually disabled we must remember their families would suffer as well."], "type": "binary", "id": "643"}
+{"question": "Is informal employment beneficial for migrants in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Informal employment is beneficial for migrants in Africa.", "Informal employment is not beneficial for migrants in Africa."], "docs": ["Working within informal employment is better than nothing. Although debates have raised over the costs-benefits of informal employment - when considering the need for capital, money, and an income, informal employment presents a better alternative.", "Urbanisation without industrialisation, the dangerous livelihoods of migrants.  Across Africa a reality of \u2018urbanisation without industrialisation\u2019 is found (Potts, 2012). Economic growth, and activity, have not matched the urban phenomena across Sub-Saharan Africa. The sombre picture of urban economics questions - what do new migrants do as opportunities are not found?  More than 50% of Youth in Africa are unemployed or idle. [1] With migrants entering urban environments presented with a lack of safe and secure jobs unhealthy sexual politics are found, and precarious methods are used to make a living. The scarcity of formal jobs, means a majority of migrants are forced to work in informal employment. Informal employment will continue to rise creating its own problems such as being barrier to imposing minimum wages and employment security.  [1] Zuehlke, 2009"], "type": "binary", "id": "644"}
+{"question": "Is the investment by Trans-national Companies in Africa mainly detrimental to the continent?", "perspectives": ["The investment by Trans-national Companies in Africa is mainly detrimental to the continent.", "The investment by Trans-national Companies in Africa is not mainly detrimental to the continent."], "docs": ["Foreign companies gain most of the profits  The majority of investment in Africa by Trans National Companies (TNCs) goes towards resource extraction [1] . Many companies use transfer pricing, tax avoidance and anonymous company ownership to increase profits at the expense of resource abundant nations [2] . Production sharing agreements, where companies and states share in the profit of a venture, can often benefit the former over the latter. In 2012 Ugandan activists sued the government for one such deal where the country was to likely to receive only half the profits rather than three quarters [3] .  Kofi Annan, former United Nations Security General, has claimed that Africa\u2019s outflow of funds by TNCs in the extractive industries is twice as high as inflows to the continent. Businesses such as Barclays have been criticised for their promotion of tax havens in Africa [4] . These allow TNCs to avoid government taxation for projects such as resource extraction, a symptom of the attitude of foreign companies to investment in Africa. The unfavourable inflow/outflow balance prevents reinvestment in Africa\u2019s infrastructure, education and health services.  [1] African Development Bank \u2018African Development Report 2007\u2019 pg.110   [2] Stewart,H. \u2018Annan calls for end to \u2018unconscionable\u2019 exploitation of Africa\u2019s resources\u2019 The Guardian 10 May 2013   [3] Akankwasa,S. \u2018Uganda activists sue government over oil Production Sharing Agreements.\u2019 International Bar Association 01/05/2012   [4] Provost,C. \u2018Row as Barclays promotes tax havens as \u2018gateway for investment in Africa\u2019 The Guardian 20 November 2013", "Resources are not the problem, bad management and agreements are the problem here. The presence of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in resource extraction can have a more positive impact than if it was absent. The presence of FDI is often associated with increased bureaucracy efficiency and rule of law [1] . There have been attempts by Western governments to curtail illicit transactions as well. In 2013, the British government spearheaded the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative aimed at encouraging accountability from TNCs [2] . Governments control the resources; they simply need to be more willing to fight, and prevent corruption, to get a better deal.  [1] Bannerman,E. \u2018Foreign Direct Investment and the Natural Resource Curse\u2019 Munich Personal RePEc Archive 13 December 2007   [2] Duffield,A. \u2018Botswana or Zimbabwe? Exploiting Africa\u2019s Resources Responsibly; Africa Portal 12 December 2012"], "type": "binary", "id": "645"}
+{"question": "Should English be declared the official language of the United States?", "perspectives": ["English should be declared the official language of the United States.", "English should not be declared the official language of the United States."], "docs": ["The Identity and History of the United States are intrinsically linked to the English Language  From its very founding, English was the common language of the United States, and full participation in the national life was dependent on the ability to speak it. Theodore Roosevelt himself once noted that \"We have one language here, and that is the English language, and we intend to see that the [assimilation] crucible turns our people out as Americans \u201d [1]  Declaring English as the official language will give legal force to this history, and help provide unity to Americans at a time when many come from different backgrounds and hold different political views.  Furthermore, it will help immigrants with the process of assimilation. Rather than simply learning English for pragmatic reasons, the act of learning English will tie immigrants into a political and historical tradition going back to Thomas Jefferson.  [1] Opposing Views, \u2018Linguistic Unity Is Critical in an Increasingly Diverse Society\u2019, 2010,", "English is the de facto official language of the United States already and that is not under threat at this time. There is no prospect of it being replaced with Swahili and of children three generations in the future being unable to read the declaration of independence.  As a consequence the major impacts of this move will be symbolic. First of all, it will enshrine and endorse the idea that the true Americans were the first Americans, that the English colonists who arrived on the continent speaking the language already were the only real Americans, and that everyone who arrived later is an American by integration.  Not only is this untrue \u2013 the Dutch settled New York [1] \u2013 but it also places a stigma on that integration. By tying American identity to the British colony the United States was rather than the ideals the nation was founded on, the government would adopting an exclusive definition that in some ways goes against those ideals, including for instance, the inclusion in the US constitution that anyone born within the territory of the United States would automatically be a citizen.  [1] New Netherlands Project, \u2018New Amsterdam\u2019,"], "type": "binary", "id": "646"}
+{"question": "Does South Ossetia have the right to self-determination?", "perspectives": ["South Ossetia has the right to self-determination.", "outh Ossetia does not have the right to self-determination."], "docs": ["South Ossetia has a right to self-determination  The 1993 Vienna Declaration, which reaffirmed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter (and so sets the standard in current international law), unequivocally gives all peoples the right to self-determination: \"All people have the right to self-determination. Owing to this right they freely establish their political status and freely provide their economic, social and cultural development...World Conference on Human Rights considers refusal of the right to self-determination as a violation of human rights and emphasizes the necessity of effective realization of this right\". [1]  By this measure, South Ossetia has the right to self-determination (by democratic processes), and any suppression of that right should be seen as a human rights violation. In 2006, South Ossetia held a referendum that found over 99% of its population of over 100,000 desire independence from Georgia. 95% of the population turned out to vote. The referendum was monitored by a team of 34 international observers. [2] These facts are the core of the case for South Ossetian independence. It demonstrates that South Ossetians are entirely unified and enthusiastic in their desire for independence. The strength and unity of these calls for independence are almost unprecedented and cannot be ignored by the international community. And, certainly, the percentage of a population that desires independence is of relevance to assessing the legitimacy of the call and a country's right to self-determination. By this standard, South Ossetia's right to self-determination is highly legitimate.  [1] United Nations World Conference on Human Rights. \u201cVIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION\u201d. United Nations. 14-25 June 1993.   [2] BBC News. \u201cS Ossetia votes for independence\u201d. BBC News. 13 November 2006.", "Self-determination is not an absolute right. Not every territory and region in the world that seeks independence has the right to it. This is due in no small part to the fact that such a system would be unworkable. Certain criteria must be met for a territory and people to obtain a legitimate right to self-determination (for example, viability as an independent state and an authentic internal drive for independence), and S. Ossetia arguably does not meet many of these criteria. Therefore S. Ossetia possesses no absolute right to self-determination, and its calls for independence must be evaluated in the context of what the consequences of independence would be. Furthermore, no countries recognized South Ossetia's 2006 referendum and vote for independence at the time it was carried out, and few do now. Without such approval, the referendum should be considered illegitimate. The European human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, denounced the referendum as \"unnecessary, unhelpful and unfair\". [1]  [1] Walker, Shaun. \u201cSouth Ossetia: Russian, Georgian...independent?\u201d. Open Democracy. 15 November 2006."], "type": "binary", "id": "647"}
+{"question": "Should collective bargaining be considered a fundamental right?", "perspectives": ["Collective bargaining should be considered a fundamental right.", "Collective bargaining should not be considered a fundamental right."], "docs": ["Collective bargaining is considered a right because of the great benefit that it provides. Specifically, whilst freedom of association might not allow people to be privy to the negotiation process, when a large enough group of people form together and make a statement regarding their opinion, it is profitable for those in power to listen to them.  Collective bargaining in this situation is a logical extension of that. Given that public sector workers are intrinsic to the continued success of the state, it thus makes sense that the state gives them a platform to make their views in a clear and ordered fashion, such that the state can take them into account easily.1  Further, the knowledge that such a right exists causes unions to act in a way which is more predictable. Specifically, a right to unionise with reduce the likelihood that state employees will engage in strike action. Under existing union law, groups of employees are able to compel a state employer to hear their demands, and to engage in negotiations. Indeed, they may be obliged to do so before they commence strike action. If the resolution were to pass, associations of state employees would be compelled to use strikes as a method of initiating negotiation. Under the status quo, strikes are used as a tactic of last resort against an intractable opponent or as a demonstration of the support that a union official\u2019s bargaining position commands amongst the Union\u2019s rank-and-file members.  1. Bloomberg, Michael. \u201cLimit Pay, Not Unions.\u201d New York Times. 27/02/2011", "Collective bargaining is not a right  Whilst the freedom of association exists under the state and it is true that people should be allowed to communicate with one another and form groups to forward their personal and political interests, it is not true that the freedom of association automatically grants access to the decision making process.  Unions in this instance are problematic because whilst other groups do not have access to special privileges, unions are able to exert a significant and disproportionate amount of influence over the political process through the use of collective bargaining mechanisms. This argument applies to private unions as well, although to a lesser extent, and the banning of collective bargaining for private unions would be principally sound. In the case of unions in the private sector they can cause large amounts of disruption which has a large knock on impact on the economy giving leverage over politicians for whom the economy and jobs are always important issues. For example unions in transport in the private sector are just as disruptive as in the public sector. Even more minor businesses can be significant due to being in supply or logistics chains that are vital for important parts of the economy.1 The access to the decision making process that unions are granted goes above and beyond the rights that we award to all other groups and as such this right, if it can be called one at all, can easily be taken away as it is the removal of an inequality within our system.  Further, even if collective bargaining were to be considered a \u201cright,\u201d the government can curtail the rights of individuals and groups of people should it feel the harm to all of society is great enough. We see this with the limits that we put on free speech such that we may prevent the incitement of racial hatred.2  Shepardson, David, \u201cGM, Ford warn rail strike could cripple auto industry\u201d, The Detroit News, 30 November 2011,   Denholm, David \u201cGuess What: There is no \u2018right\u2019 to collective bargaining.\u201d LabourUnionReport.com 21/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "648"}
+{"question": "Are all African countries on track to fully achieve the Millennium Development Goals?", "perspectives": ["All African countries are on track to fully achieve the Millennium Development Goals.", "Not all African countries are on track to fully achieve the Millennium Development Goals."], "docs": ["Fifteen out of the twenty countries which have made the most progress towards completing the MDGs are African states. According the UNDP the goals of universal education, gender equality and the empowerment of women, combat HIV/AIDS, TB malaria and other diseases and Global partnership are on track to being completed. While the other goals have not been completed, there is hope that they will be completed in time. The fact that the majority of states have made at least some improvement on these goals is a positive in itself. They have attempted to improve the quality of their populations\u2019 lives, which has a positive impact upon their economies.", "Millennium Development Goals have not yet been reached  While the majority of African governments have made efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the deadlines for achieving them are fast approaching with little sign of complete success. The MDGs were established in 2000, and laid out a set of criteria which each country should aspire to in order to become developed. These development goals are essential for Africa to be able to effectively grow. The United Nations Development Programme readily recognises that the eradication of hunger, reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability are all off track in Africa [1] . Observing the causes of this failure, the inequality existing in Africa is blamed as a fundamental roadblock.  [1] UNDP, \u2018MDG Progress Reports \u2013 Africa\u2019, 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "649"}
+{"question": "Would a treaty banning cyber-attacks be beneficial for all states?", "perspectives": ["A treaty banning cyber-attacks would be beneficial for all states.", "A treaty banning cyber-attacks would not be beneficial for all states."], "docs": ["A cyber treaty benefits everyone  A treaty that bans, or sharply curtails cyber-attacks would benefit every state. Even those who may currently benefit from cyber espionage would be better off signing up to the treaty.  First most cyber-attacks are not carried out by the state even in countries like China where the state is using the internet as an offensive tool. In its annual report to congress the Department of Defence stated some cyber-attacks \u201cappear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military\u201d but this does not sound like a majority. [1]  Secondly no state wants a risk of conflict as a result of an unregulated new field of potential conflict. Or even to risk relations with other nations; cyber-attacks in large part go on because they are cost free.  And finally all nations are the victims of cyber-attacks. The United States has repeatedly condemned cyber-attacks against it but China also claims that it is the victim of cyber-attacks. China\u2019s Minister of National Defense General Chang Wanquan says \u201cChina is one of the primary victims of hacker attacks in the world.\u201d [2] Having a treaty against cyber attacks would not only make business easier for all countries but it would build up trust between nations where it is currently being eroded.  [1] Office of the Secretary of Defense, \u2018Annual; Report to Congress Military and Security Developments Involving the People\u2019s Republic of China 2013\u2019, Department of Defense,  p.36  [2] Brook, Tom Vanden, \u2018Cyber attack? What cyber attack?\u2019, USA Today, 19 August 2013,", "It is unlikely that all states would see this as beneficial to them. There will always be some states that benefit more from engaging in cyber-attacks than others \u2013 usually the underdog in other areas. If cyber-attacks are an area being used to redress the balance then why should they be willing to restrict their freedom of action? This is why Russia is unwilling to engage in deep cuts in the number of nuclear weapons it has \u2013 they are the main area of armaments in which they have an advantage over their potential adversaries."], "type": "binary", "id": "650"}
+{"question": "Is building a dam on the Congo river economically justifiable?", "perspectives": ["Building a dam on the Congo river is economically justifiable.", "Building a dam on the Congo river is not economically justifiable."], "docs": ["A dam could make the Congo more usable  While the Congo is mostly navigable it is only usable internally. The rapids cut the middle Congo off from the sea. The building of the dams could be combined with canalisation and locks to enable international goods to be easily transported to and from the interior. This would help integrate central Africa economically into the global economy making the region much more attractive for investment.", "There is currently not enough traffic to justify such a large addition to the project. If it were worthwhile then it could be done without the need for building an immense dam."], "type": "binary", "id": "651"}
+{"question": "Is microfinance an effective solution for improving healthcare access for the poor?", "perspectives": ["Microfinance is an effective solution for improving healthcare access for the poor.", "Microfinance is not an effective solution for improving healthcare access for the poor."], "docs": ["Microfinance and protection  Access to a small loan provides benefits for the poor\u2019s ability to access high quality health care. A lack of access to banking facilities - loans and credit - may mean the poor are left excluded from health care services as these are usually not free. Microfinance institutions accept the irregularities of the poor\u2019s income, so enabling health care to be affordable to the poor by providing access to finance. As Ofori-Adjei (2007) shows the integration of microfinance institutions within healthcare systems in Ghana is required to resolve the issue of inaccessibility. Ill health should not put a household into a state of poverty - microfinance provides this protection.  Microfinance schemes not only provide loans to access health care but are now integrating non-financial services, such as health education, within their finance schemes.", "Loans provided are embedded with conditions, which can constrain what an individual can do with the money. A microfinance loan is still a loan, it needs to be paid back, if someone is in poor health for a long period they will run into difficulty. Can saving schemes enable social protection in the long term when the amount saved is just enough to cover one sick person? We need to realistically evaluate what the loan enables, provides, and how long for. To provide real health security a much more comprehensive finance system is needed, such as insurance"], "type": "binary", "id": "652"}
+{"question": "Should assisted suicide be legalized?", "perspectives": ["Assisted suicide should be legalized.", "Assisted suicide should not be legalized."], "docs": ["At the moment, doctors are often put into an impossible position. A good doctor will form close bonds with their patients, and will want to give them the best quality of life they can; however, when a patient has lost or is losing their ability to live with dignity and expresses a strong desire to die, they are legally unable to help. To say that modern medicine can totally eradicate pain is a tragic over-simplification of suffering. While physical pain may be alleviated, the emotional pain of a slow and lingering death, of the loss of the ability to live a meaningful life, can be horrific. A doctor\u2019s duty is to address his or her patient\u2019s suffering, be it physical or emotional. As a result, doctors will in fact already help their patients to die \u2013 although it is not legal, assisted suicide does take place. Opinion polls suggest that fifteen percent of physicians already practise it on justifiable occasions. Numerous opinion polls indicate that half the the medical profession would like to see it made law. [1] It would be far better to recognise this, and bring the process into the open, where it can be regulated. True abuses of the doctor-patient relationship, and incidents of involuntary euthanasia, would then be far easier to limit. The current medical system allows doctors the right to with-hold treatment for patients. Though, this can be considered to be a more damaging practise than allowing assisted suicide.  [1] Derek Humphrey, Frequently asked questions, Finalexit.org  (accessed 4/6/2011)", "It is vital that a doctor's role not be confused  The guiding principle of medical ethics is to do no harm: a physician must not be involved in deliberately harming their patient. Without this principle, the medical profession would lose a great deal of trust; and admitting that killing is an acceptable part of a doctor\u2019s role would likely increase the danger of involuntary euthanasia, not reduce it. Legalising assisted suicide also places an unreasonable burden on doctors. The daily decisions made in order to preserve life can be difficult enough; to require them to also carry the immense moral responsibility of deciding who can and cannot die, and the further responsibility of actually killing patients, is unacceptable. This is why the vast majority of medical professionals oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide: ending the life of a patient goes against all they stand for. The Hippocratic Oath that doctors use as a guide states 'I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.' [1]  [1] Medical Opinion, religiouseducation.co.uk  (accessed on 4/6/2011)"], "type": "binary", "id": "653"}
+{"question": "Does transparency guarantee the correction of mistakes in the security sector?", "perspectives": ["Transparency guarantees the correction of mistakes in the security sector.", "Transparency does not guarantee the correction of mistakes in the security sector."], "docs": ["Transparency prevents, or corrects, mistakes  Transparency is fundamental in making sure that mistakes don\u2019t happen, or when they do that they are found and corrected quickly with appropriate accountability. This applies as much, if not more, to the security apparatus than other walks of life. In security mistakes are much more likely to be a matter of life and death than in most other walks of life. They are also likely to be costly; something the military and national security apparatus is particularly known for. [1] An audit of the Pentagon in 2011 found that the US Department of Defense wasted $70 billion over two years. [2] This kind of waste can only be corrected if it is found out about, and for that transparency is necessary.  [1] Schneier, Bruce, \u2018Transparency and Accountability Don\u2019t Hurt Security \u2013 They\u2019re Crucial to It\u2019, The Atlantic, 8 May 2012  [2] Schweizer, Peter, \u2018Crony Capitalism Creeps Into the Defense Budget\u2019, The Daily Beast, 22 May 2012", "Transparency may mean that mistakes or problems are found faster, but it does not mean they are going to be corrected faster. Waste in the defense budget has been known about for years yet it still keeps coming up. Transparency shines a light on the problem but that is not helpful if it does not result in action to solve the problem."], "type": "binary", "id": "654"}
+{"question": "Is it our obligation to impose democracy on other countries?", "perspectives": ["It is our obligation to impose democracy on other countries.", "It is not our obligation to impose democracy on other countries."], "docs": ["Because democracy is the best form of government, it is not wrong-- and indeed may even be our obligation-- to bring it to those who do not have it.  Democratic regimes are the best form of government, and it is our obligation to try and provide that to others. Democracy is the only form of government which upholds the value of political self-determination: that each individual has a right to form his/her government, and to vote out governments s/he does not like. To deny this right is to deny the inherent worth and freedom of the individual. Political autonomy also has instrumental value insofar as it allows individuals to check abusive governments which may seek to violate other human rights. Thus it is certainly not wrong -- and may even be our humanitarian obligation -- to bring democracy to those who do not have it, just as we would intervene in other situations in which serious rights were being abused1.  1 Fish, Stanley. \"Why Democracy?\" The New York Times.", "There are two problems: democracy is not necessarily the best form of government, and even if it is that does not mean it is our obligation to impose it.  First, just because we believe that political self-determination is an important value, it does not mean that it is logically more important than other values. If, for example, a society places great value on stability, it may not want a government that changes every few years. If a society is very religious, its people may prefer to be ruled by a government claiming divine authority. Second, even if democracy is objectively better than other governments, that does not mean we must or should intervene in other countries to impose it. Perhaps we should intervene in the case of serious rights abuses-- such as genocide-- but the lack of complete political freedom is not a life-threatening issue."], "type": "binary", "id": "655"}
+{"question": "Do the costs and risks associated with conducting elections outweigh the benefits?", "perspectives": ["The costs and risks associated with conducting elections outweigh the benefits.", "The costs and risks associated with conducting elections do not outweigh the benefits."], "docs": ["Avoids the costs and uncertainty of elections  It is hard to see what the benefit of an election that can change nothing is, but there are certainly all the costs associated with a normal election. Elections can be costly in financial terms, the United States elections cost several billion dollars but even much smaller and less extravagant elections need financing. Zimbabwe\u2019s elections in 2013 forced the government to ask its neighbours for $85 million to carry out the polls, for a nation that is essentially bankrupt this is a lot of money. [1]  Another cost is uncertainty. In fully democratic elections the uncertainty is with what the policies will be when the government changes. With sham elections the uncertainty is whether the elections will be a focus for violence. Sometimes this is during campaigning itself as with Zimbabwe in 2008 where up to 200 people were killed. [2] Otherwise violence occurs when there is a perception that an election has been stolen so the Green Movement in Iran took to the streets and was met with a violent crackdown in 2009. [3]  [1] VOA News, \u2018Zimbabwe Seeks Help to Cover Election Costs\u2019, Voice of America, 10 July 2013,   [2] \u2018Zimbabwe: No Justice for Rampant Killings, Torture\u2019, Human Rights Watch, 8 March 2011,   [3] AFP, \u2018Iran opposition says 72 killed in vote protests\u2019, Google, 3 September 2009,", "While elections can create a focal point for protest and violence this may actually make things more predictable not less. Countries without elections are not without opposition groups and protests, all this means is that the spark for the protests is going to be different; police beating someone up, a particularly extravagant piece of corruption, an attempted cover up, the disappearance of an opposition activist. Not having elections simply prevents the divisions in society from being highly visible; it does not get rid of the divisions, indeed it gets rid of one of the safety valves."], "type": "binary", "id": "656"}
+{"question": "Is the subsidy program for American farmers beneficial for all?", "perspectives": ["The subsidy program for American farmers is beneficial for all.", "The subsidy program for American farmers is not beneficial for all."], "docs": ["Subsidies for farming and agriculture mean cheaper food. If Americans were forced to pay the price of production for the food they consume, poverty rates in the US would be much higher. Conversely, in developing South American countries, which have high levels of poverty and wealth disparity, driving down the price of food would actually be of great benefit to those who live below the poverty line.", "The FTAA is bad for South American Agriculture.  During the FTAA negotiations, the US has consistently refused to eliminate subsidies for American farmers [1] . Because of subsidies, great agricultural surpluses are produced that are then sold on developing markets at prices lower than the cost of production. Farmers in places like Brazil or Argentina, who are much more efficient in their process of production but do not benefit from subsidies, could not compete with these low priced imports, either locally or on the American market. Farmers would soon go out of business.  [1] Marquis, Christopher. \u201cPanama Challenges Miami as Free Trade Headquarters.\u201d New York Times. 11 November 2003. www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/world/panama-challenges-miami-as-free-trade-h..."], "type": "binary", "id": "657"}
+{"question": "Is advertising a form of brainwashing?", "perspectives": ["Advertising is a form of brainwashing.", "Advertising is not a form of brainwashing."], "docs": ["Advertisements are an attempt to brainwash customers.  People cannot just choose to ignore advertising, because advertisers use many underhand methods to get their message across. Posters have attention grabbing words, or provocative pictures. Some adverts today are even being hidden in what seem like pieces or art or public information so people don't realise they are being marketed to. The introduction of digital screens allows businesses to alter their advertising to respond to specific events, making advertisements not only everywhere, but seemingly all-knowing1. By targeting people's unconscious thoughts adverts are a form of brainwashing that take away people's freedoms to make choices.  1 Anywhere the Eye Can See, It's Likely To See an Ad. The New York Times.", "Adverts which use very sly methods like subliminal images (images which are shown so quickly the viewer doesn't consciously realise they saw them) are already banned. The other forms of advertising are just companies being creative. There is no difference from supermarkets being painted bright colours to make their food seem more appetising or even people wearing make-up to improve their image. People make unconscious judgements all the time, and we frequently try to influence these choices by the way we present ourselves. This isn't brainwashing, so neither is advertising."], "type": "binary", "id": "658"}
+{"question": "Are PMCs composed of responsible and reputable professionals?", "perspectives": ["PMCs are composed of responsible and reputable professionals.", "PMCs are not composed of responsible and reputable professionals."], "docs": ["PMCs have an equally strong incentive to perform.  PMCs must perform carefully and effectively to secure future contracts. It is therefore in their interests to ensure their employees are well- trained and well-equipped and perform to the highest standard. Most PMCs recruit ex-service personnel as a way to ensure the quality of their force. In 2004 more SAS soldiers worked privately in Iraq than served in the army. Additionally, governments increasingly recognise the quality of mercenaries. PMCs and regular militaries cross over on occasion: An American PMC -Military Professional Resources Inc - trains the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) on behalf of the US Government (Lock, 2011). The British Ministry of Defence now allows soldiers yearlong sabbaticals to work as mercenaries in the hope they will return having earned more in the private sector. This official recognition suggests that mercenaries have shed their \u201cdogs of war\u201d image. They are no longer disreputable maverick figures operating in failed states but highly trained professionals endorsed by national governments", "This image of responsible professionals may not be entirely justified. Some employees of PMCs may have no military experience, those who do may have been dishonourably discharged from duty and some may be implicated in criminal activity or atrocities, such as Eeben Barlow (former officer in South African 32nd Battalion- Assassination squad during Apartheid, now a chief of PMC Executive Outcomes which predominantly employs ex-secret policemen). These people may know how to do the job but they may also not be the kind of people we want working with the military."], "type": "binary", "id": "659"}
+{"question": "Should African states implement policies to curb smoking?", "perspectives": ["African states should implement policies to curb smoking.", "African states should not implement policies to curb smoking."], "docs": ["Nip the problem in the bud  Smoking rates in Africa are relatively low; a range of 8%-27% with an average of only 18% of the population smoking 1 (or, the tobacco epidemic is at an early stage 2 ). That\u2019s good, but the challenge is to keep it that way and reduce it.  A ban on smoking in public places at this stage would stop tobacco gaining the widespread social acceptability that caused it to thrice in the 20th century in the Global North. The solution is to get the solutions in now, not later.  1 Kaloko, Mustapha, 'The Impact of Tobacco Use on Health and Socio-Economic Development in Africa', African Union Commission, 2013,  , p.4  2 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, \u201cWhat we do: Tobacco control strategy overview\u201d, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, no date,", "Is it really the job of African states to stop smoking? Africans have the same amount of personal responsibility to choose to smoke or not \u2013 policies should reflect that."], "type": "binary", "id": "660"}
+{"question": "Does affirmative action contribute positively to workplace equality?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action contributes positively to workplace equality.", "Affirmative action does not contribute positively to workplace equality."], "docs": ["The prejudice that individuals in the workplace hold for these minorities already exist through their current perception of these people as being less qualified as them due to their conspicuous absence from the workplace as it is. The best way to deal with such resentment and prejudice is to use affirmative action and bring more of these minorities into the workplace where they work side-by-side as co-workers and prove themselves as equally competent and qualified as every other person in the workplace.  Although affirmative action may initially cause this assumption to occur, it is its own cure as affirmative action allows these minorities to prove themselves in the workplace and dispel such a baseless assumption.", "Affirmative action creates bad workplaces for all minorities  Affirmative action creates a negative workplaces for all minorities whose group receives affirmative action support.  The existence of affirmative action creates a de-facto assumption that anyone of that particular minority must have gotten where they are not on their own merit, but simply because they are that particular minority. This causes people to resent the minority group for getting for \u201cfree\u201d what people feel they had to work hard for. This furthers the perception of the minority as being inferior, and removes their capacity to be treated as an equal in the workplace and prove themselves.  This assumption is not only harmful to those minorities who did receive assistance from affirmative action, but also anyone of that minority group regardless of if they were hired using affirmative action because there is simply an assumption that they are less qualified and there because of the policy because the policy exists.  Therefore, affirmative action creates an assumption that minorities in the workplace are less qualified and inherently inferior to the other workers due to the affirmative action policy causing resentment and deepening inequality, not helping eradicate it."], "type": "binary", "id": "661"}
+{"question": "Should public opinion determine US participation in the ICC?", "perspectives": ["Public opinion determines US participation in the ICC.", "Public opinion does not determine US participation in the ICC."], "docs": ["The American people support ICC membership.  In a democracy the voice of the people should carry weight in determining how the country acts internationally. According to a 2005 poll carried out by the Chicago Council on foreign relations 69% of the US population are in favour of US participation in the ICC. This clearly shows that the US people are unconvinced by the arguments on the theorized drawbacks of the International Criminal Court and are happy for it to be ratified.", "Just because there is widespread public support for a thing or measure does not mean that it should automatically be the case. The issue should be debated on its own merits, rather than resting on a potentially ill-informed public. Ratification of treaties is left to congress and the Knesset to ensure that their consequences are properly considered."], "type": "binary", "id": "662"}
+{"question": "Is it feasible to end conflicts in Africa by 2020?", "perspectives": ["It is feasible to end conflicts in Africa by 2020.", "It is not feasible to end conflicts in Africa by 2020."], "docs": ["Progress in ending conflict in Africa  Conflict in Africa is slowly being ended. In 1992 there were 18 conflicts in Africa; by 2009 this had been halved to 9. [1] But a decline in the number of conflicts is not the only positive trend in African conflicts: there has also been a decline in the size of wars. They have changed from wars between two organised armies to being small scale insurgencies. In 1984 the conflicts were on average causing more than 20,000 battle deaths per year, but by 2008 only around 1,000. Even the number of incidents of genocide and mass killing has been going down from 9 in the 1980s to five in the 2000s. [2] Ending war might therefore be considered to be ambitious but it is not against the trend and not inconceivable.  [1] Straus, 2012, pp.183-184  [2] Straus, 2012, pp.189-191", "At that rate, war in Africa is not going to be ended by 2020. Moreover, progress in the past does not mean that the progress will continue into the future."], "type": "binary", "id": "663"}
+{"question": "Is government regulation of the internet detrimental?", "perspectives": ["Government regulation of the internet is detrimental.", "Government regulation of the internet is not detrimental."], "docs": ["Internet regulation is an attempt by big interest groups to regulate the internet in their favour  Large companies have an active interest in shaping the structure of the internet. One example of this is the Stop Online Piracy-Act (SOPA), [1] wherein U.S.-based music and movie companies proposed that they themselves would be able to police copyright infringements against websites that are hosted outside of the United States. [2]  The phenomenon whereby companies succeed in shaping government policies according to their own wishes is called \u2018regulatory capture\u2019. Another example from the telecommunications industry is the lobby effort by several large corporations, who have succeeded in eroding consumer protection in their favour. [3] If the government wouldn\u2019t have been involved in regulating the internet in the first place, big companies wouldn\u2019t have had any incentive to attempt regulatory capture.  [1] 112th Congress, \u2018H.R.3261 \u2013 Stop Online Piracy Act\u2019  [2] Post, \u2018SOPA and the Future of Internet Governance\u2019, 2012  [3] Kushnick, \u2018ALEC, Tech and the Telecom Wars: Killing America's Telecom Utilities\u2019, 2012", "With the government as final decision-maker, at least the citizens and consumers have some say  Regulatory capture does sometimes happen and when it does, it\u2019s bad. But the risk of regulatory capture isn\u2019t a sufficient argument to keep the government away from regulating the internet, because governments can also protect citizens and consumers from big companies.  An example is the net neutrality debate. Content providers could have started paying Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to have their websites load faster than any other website (paid prioritization). Entertainment companies that also provide internet are currently being investigated for not allowing their competitors in the entertainment segment access to their network as internet provider. [1] This threatens the freedom of choice of the consumer, which is why governments have stepped in to ensure that companies aren\u2019t allowed favour some websites. [2] If the government wouldn\u2019t have been involved in regulating the internet, it couldn\u2019t have stood up for consumers\u2019 and citizens\u2019 rights like this.  [1] DOJ Realizes That Comcast & Time Warner Are Trying To Prop Up Cable By Holding Back Hulu & Netflix, 2012  [2] Voskamp, \u2018GOP Attempt to Overturn FCC\u2019s Net Neutrality Rules Fails in Senate\u2019, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "664"}
+{"question": "Is tourism the main cause of pollution in Tunisia?", "perspectives": ["Tourism is the main cause of pollution in Tunisia.", "Tourism is not the main cause of pollution in Tunisia."], "docs": ["Tourism causes pollution  The tourism industry in Tunisia results in notable damage to the environment. Without sustainability, economic growth will only last in the short term. This is especially pertinent for tourism, where environmental beauty is of particular importance. From the construction of infrastructure and travel, to the general waste produced, tourism is problematic in the sense that it can often cause pollution; which in turn damages the country\u2019s reputation1. Most tourists to the region are from Europe, although there are an increasing number of Russians which means travel becomes a major source of pollution. A return journey via plane from London to Tunis creates around 310 kg of CO2 (standard passenger jets create around 0.17kg of CO2 per km) 2. This is disproportionately damaging compared to other vehicles, but is the most practical way of reaching Tunisia. Other impacts such as overuse of water, land degradation and littering can all cause problems as well3.  1) United Nations Environment Programme \u2018Environmental Impacts\u2019 data accessed 28 January 2014  2) BBC, \u2018Pollution warning on holiday flights\u2019, 1 May 2000  3) United Nations Environment Programme \u2018Tourism\u2019s Three Main Impact Areas\u2019 data accessed 28 January 2014", "Environmental damage caused by alternative sectors is far worse. Pollution in the industrial sector has become much more evident since the removal of Ben Ali\u2019s regime. 13,000 tonnes of industrial pollution are released from the Gulf of Gabes every year, causing high rates of infertility, miscarriages and deaths1. This is a common theme amongst Tunisia\u2019s industrial areas and is far more destructive than tourist activities.  1) Addala,R. & McNeil, \u2018Pollution in Gabes, Tunisia\u2019s shore of death\u2019, Al-Jazeera, 14 June 2013"], "type": "binary", "id": "665"}
+{"question": "Is funding a major obstacle in the protection of endangered animals in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Funding is a major obstacle in the protection of endangered animals in Africa.", "Funding is not a major obstacle in the protection of endangered animals in Africa."], "docs": ["African countries have little money to spare  Africa has some of the least developed countries in the world, making extensive protection of endangered animals unviable. Many African countries are burdened by the more pressing issues of civil war, large debts, poverty, and economic underdevelopment. [1] These factors already draw significant amounts of money from limited budgets. Tanzania, for example, has revenue of $5.571 billion and an expenditure of $6.706 billion. [2] Increased expenditure on animal protection projects would only serve to worsen this budget deficit.  [1] Simensen, J. \u2018Africa: the causes of under-development and the challenges of globalisation\u2019  [2] The World Factbook \u2018Tanzania\u2019", "There are numerous sponsors who contribute towards animal protection schemes, reducing the government\u2019s burden. Private wildlife custodians spend significant sums of money ensuring they are fully equipped to deal with poachers. There are also private donors and interest groups such as World Wildlife Federation (WWF) who supply funding for the governments\u2019 conservation efforts. [1] This financial support has made projects such as the increased military presence in South Africa\u2019s game parks possible.  [1] Welz, A. \u2018The War on African Poaching: Is Militarization Fated to Fail?\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "666"}
+{"question": "Is the higher wage in the public sector compared to the private sector justified?", "perspectives": ["The higher wage in the public sector compared to the private sector is justified.", "The higher wage in the public sector compared to the private sector is not justified."], "docs": ["The public sector being paid extra is something that is acceptable and necessary within society. Workers within the public sector often fulfill roles in jobs that are public goods. Such jobs provide a positive externality for the rest of society, but would be underprovided by the free market. For example, education would likely be underprovided, particularly for the poorest, by the free market but provides a significant benefit to the public because of the long term benefits an educated populace provides.In healthcare the example of the United States shows that private providers will never provide to those who are unable to afford it with nearly 50million people without health insurance.1  Although the average pay received by government employees tends to be higher, the peak earnings potential of a government position is significantly lower than that of other professions. Workers who chose to build long term careers within the public sector forgo a significant amount of money, and assume a heavier workload, in order to serve the needs of society and play a part in furthering its aspirations. As such, and owing to the fact that the people who do these jobs often provide economic benefit beyond what their pay would encompass in the private sector, it makes sense that they be paid more in the public sector. This is because their work benefits the people of the state and as such the state as a whole benefits significantly more from their work.2  1. Christie, Les, \u201cNumber of people without health insurance climbs\u201d, CNNmoney, 13 September 2011,   2. \u201cAS Market Failure.\u201d Tutor2u.", "Collective bargaining leades to pay crises in the public sector  The public sector is often significantly overpaid. The workers within the public sectors of Western liberal democracies often get paid more than people of equal education and experience who are employed in the private sector. In the United States there is a salary premium of 10-20 percent in the public sector. This means that there is likely a waste of resources as these people are being paid more than they should be by the government.1  The reason this happens is that collective bargaining means that workers can often, through the simple idea that they can communicate with the government and have a hand in the decision making process, make their demands much more easily.  Further, governments in particular are vulnerable during negotiations with unions, due their need to maintain both their political credibility and the cost effectiveness of the services they provide. This is significantly different to private enterprise where public opinion of the company is often significantly less relevant. As such, public sector workers can earn significantly more than their equally skilled counterparts in the private sector. This is problematic because it leads to a drain of workers and ideas from the private sector to the public. This is, in and of itself, problematic because the public sector, due to being shackled to the needs of public opinion often take fewer risks than the private sector and as such results in fewer innovations than work in the private sector.  Biggs, Andrew G. \u201cWhy Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Is Right About Collective Bargaining.\u201d US News. 25/02/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "667"}
+{"question": "Would electing mayors directly attract more qualified candidates to run for office?", "perspectives": ["Electing mayors directly would attract more qualified candidates to run for office.", "Electing mayors directly would not attract more qualified candidates to run for office."], "docs": ["Elected Mayors would attract the best candidates to run for office.  Elected mayors would allow talented individuals to make a difference, regardless of their party affiliation. The present system rewards long-serving and loyal party hacks rather than innovative managers, thinkers and leaders; polls show that the public think councillors put party politics above the needs of their community. Those who are most talented who are elected are simply using the council as a stepping stone for running for national office. If mayors were directly elected, local parties would have to find dynamic candidates with a proven ability to solve problems and manage big organisations, or risk such candidates running and winning as independents. This has already been shown to be the case in London where Ken Livingstone (who initially became Mayor as an independent) and Boris Johnson, both established and well known politicians, ran for Mayor, and in Birmingham where Lam Byrne, formally no.2 at the treasury, has expressed an interest in running. [1]  [1] BBC News, \u2018Labour\u2019s Liam Byrne wants to run for Birmingham mayor\u2019, 30 March 2012.", "Talented individuals with a proven track record are unlikely to seek mayoral office unless local government is given much greater autonomy by central government. With the powers for each city not yet clear many may not be willing to take the risk. The reason for the lack of talent in councils is therefore not because they work as a body rather than one prominent individual but that councils themselves have too little power. Regardless of the system of election, if real power is offered, real leaders will be attracted by the prospect of wielding it and will rise to prominence."], "type": "binary", "id": "668"}
+{"question": "Is the European Union capable of forming an independent and effective foreign policy?", "perspectives": ["The European Union is capable of forming an independent and effective foreign policy.", "The European Union is not capable of forming an independent and effective foreign policy."], "docs": ["The EU is indeed under NATO\u2019s and US\u2019s military umbrella, and while terrorist attacks on EU\u2019s territory have certainly heightened levels of anxiety, its \u2018foreign policy\u2019 is still based on an inclusive approach: bring threatening nations under your economic and political umbrella and provide them with incentives to collaborate. Academics such as Allen David and Michael Smith have argued that the EU\u2019s \u2018foreign policy\u2019 seeks to go beyond the nation state and thus treats what lies outside its borders not necessarily as \u2018foreign\u2019 and \u2018threatening\u2019 but rather as a different system.1 The EU provides a subsystem of international relations within a larger global system, in which threats and fears subside as a result of economic and military integration. The most pressing challenge is to learn how to extend this system beyond the current borders of the EU, keeping in mind that the accession process is a mechanism not to be abused.  1. Allen, David, and Smith, Michael, 'External Policy Developments', Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol 43. (2005) pp.109-26 accessed 1/8/11", "There have been tests on the EU's ability to create a common foreign policy that it has failed.  The War in Iraq, along with previous notable failures to deal with the breakup of former Yugoslavia, has been an excellent test for the extent to which the EU can claim to have a common approach to world politics and foreign policy in particular. It has clearly pointed out a whole range of diverse and often opposed national interests, and national publics that were unwilling to make compromises along EU lines of commitment. It has also showed that the economic power of the EU is not enough to turn it into a major player on the international scene: the lack in military power and presence speaks for itself. The EU still lies very much under the umbrella of NATO and US military power and as long as this military dependency continues, the EU will not be able to have its own independent voice in world politics. 1  1.  \">"], "type": "binary", "id": "669"}
+{"question": "Should the U.S. continue to use current models of cluster bombs while improvements are being made?", "perspectives": ["The U.S. should continue to use current models of cluster bombs while improvements are being made.", "The U.S. should not continue to use current models of cluster bombs while improvements are being made."], "docs": ["This House Believes That the U.S. Should Ban The Use of Cluster Bombs  Currently the U.S. is working on improving the reliability of cluster bombs. The weakness of cluster bombs, being that the bomblets often do not explode is something that U.S. military has understood for a long time. It is inefficient for the military to allow this problem to continue. As such a large amount of military funding goes into improving cluster bombs.  The U.S. is hoping to improve cluster bombs in two ways, the first is ensuring that when the cluster bombs are deployed that all bomblets explode on impact or explode very quickly after the initial barrage. However, the U.S. is also working on technology that would allow bomblets to disarm themselves after a short period of time, hence preventing accidental discharges in the future.  If these improvements work, then cluster bombs cease to cause civilian damage and will likely be an incredibly effective tool in warfare. Hence a ban on them when this technology is being deployed is premature.10", "The improvement of cluster bombs in the way that opposition describes has not happened yet and these bombs have not been deployed. It would be fairly easy to class these new cluster bombs differently to older models should they come into effect.  However, the potential for new types of cluster bombs does not mean that the older types are any less inhumane. A ban on cluster bombs could easily exist to simply encompass older models whilst leaving newer ones alone.11"], "type": "binary", "id": "670"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of open access publishing a cost-effective practice?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of open access publishing is a cost-effective practice.", "The implementation of open access publishing is not a cost-effective practice."], "docs": ["This is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of those who fund the research in the first place; the taxpayer. The taxpayer (or in some cases private funder) pays for the research to be done and so is paying for the paper to be written. It then does not make sense that the taxpayer should pay again in order to access the research that they paid to have done in the first place. Yes there are small costs associated with checking and editing the articles but these could easily be added into research budgets especially as it would mean cutting out an extra cost that occurs due to the profit margins of the academic publishers. As Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, says \u201cTaxpayers should not have to pay twice for scientific research\u201d. [1]  [1] Kroes, Neelie, \u201cScientific data: open access to research results will boost Europe's innovation capacity\u201d, Europa.eu, 17 July 2012.", "Who will write and edit the work?  You can\u2019t take the end result out of the system and assume all the rest of it will continue as usual. Journal articles don\u2019t write themselves; there will still be costs for editors, typesetters, reviewing etc., as well as the time and cost of the writer. The average cost of publishing an article is about \u00a34000. [1]  There have been two suggested forms of open access \u2018Gold\u2019 in which authors pay publishers article publication charges and \u2018Green\u2019 under which the author self-archives their papers in open access repositories. The gold option that the UK intends to implement could mean universities having to find an extra \u00a360million a year. [2] In either case the cost is being put on the author.  This is exactly the same when asking academics to put their lectures, lecture notes, bibliographies etc online. They are being asked to put in more hours grappling with technology without being paid for it.  [1] Moghaddam, Golnessa Galyani, \u201cWhy Are Scholarly Journals Costly even with Electronic Publishing?\u201d  p.9  [2] Ayris, Paul, \u201cWhy panning for gold may be detrimental to open access research\u201d, Guardian Professional, 23 July 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "671"}
+{"question": "Is transparency about a leader's health condition necessary for effective medical treatment?", "perspectives": ["Transparency about a leader's health condition is necessary for effective medical treatment.", "Transparency about a leader's health condition is not necessary for effective medical treatment."], "docs": ["A lack of transparency can endanger the leader  A person is most likely to survive when they have an accident, a heart attack, or some other condition if they get prompt treatment and doctors are aware of any underlying conditions. Mills may well have lived, or lived longer if there had been more transparency about his death. There had been no prior warning that the president might be rushed to hospital despite the doctors having been called in the previous day. For the same reason his outriders were not available leading to indecision over whether to send off the ambulance. And finally he was initially turned away from the emergency ward because they did not know it was the President they were being asked to treat. 1 Transparency would allow procedures to be in place and advance notice given possibly gaining a few minutes and enabling survival.  1 Daily Guide, \u2018How Mills died: Sister tells it all\u2019, My Joy Online, 31 August 2012,", "All of these procedures could be put in place even if there is secrecy. Doctors are already committed to patient-doctor confidentiality so are unlikely to tell the press if they are told beforehand to be ready to receive the President."], "type": "binary", "id": "672"}
+{"question": "Is it beneficial to keep a leader's health status secret during their illness?", "perspectives": ["It is beneficial to keep a leader's health status secret during their illness.", "It is not beneficial to keep a leader's health status secret during their illness."], "docs": ["Rivals could misuse the opportunity  While the leader suffers from an illness, rivals can use the opportunity to ease the leader out of office. A period of illness is a period of vulnerability in which the government is less able to respond to external and internal threats. Not telling the public about the leader's health during an illness helps prevent such attempts. The same is the case with a leader's death; a few days of secrecy allows for smooth succession as the appointed successor has the time to ensure the loyalty of the government, army and other vital institutions. In 2008 when General Lansana Conte of Guinea died power should have been transferred to the president of the National Assembly Aboubacar Sompare with an election within 90 days. Instead a group of junior military officers took advantage of the quick announcement to launch a coup. 1  1 Yusuf, Huma, \u2018Military coup follows death of Guinea\u2019s President\u2019, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 December 2008,", "Transparency is still better than secrecy. There are several reasons why the opportunity of instability is as present when keeping the leader's health a secret. The first is that it is likely that at least some of the leader's rivals are in government so are likely to be in the loop on any illness. In this case secrecy simply gives these individuals more opportunity to do as they wish. Secondly a lack of transparency creates uncertainty which can be filled by a rival wanting to seize power; if the leader is just ill and there is a void of information it is simply for rivals to seize the narrative and claim he is dead enabling their takeover."], "type": "binary", "id": "673"}
+{"question": "Is the provision of reparation payments to former colonies justified?", "perspectives": ["The provision of reparation payments to former colonies is justified.", "The provision of reparation payments to former colonies is not justified."], "docs": ["Given that many former colonies remain poor (even after so many years), it is very unlikely that these people would have no need for such money. The difference in timescale is irrelevant; what is relevant is that such former colonies have a demonstrated need for this money, and that atrocities occurred during the colonial era. If it became to hard to track down specific people, it would also be easily possible to give money to the government as Italy did to Libya [1] , in which case the potential for improved infrastructure and basic living conditions could have a nation-wide benefit. Just because it may be difficult does not overrule the many powerful arguments that we should do this.  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11", "Time has removed the opportunity to truly make reparations to those who may have deserved it.  Reparations are used to make \u2018amends for wrong or injury done\u2019 [1] ; it is impossible to truly achieve this when the victims of wrongdoing are long since dead. Moreover, reparations which may have been made immediately after colonisation could have had a specific purpose \u2013 for example, to rebuild property which was destroyed, or to restore items which were wrongfully taken. However, the development of both countries has led to a very different state of affairs in both, and there may no longer be an obvious end for the money from reparations. There is also no precedent for giving reparations to countries after so long a period of time. For example, Germany began paying reparations to Israel in 1952 [2] , only 7 years after World War II ended in 1945. Time also makes it very difficult to judge who the \u2018victims\u2019 are now. The descendants of original victims may well be independently wealthy now \u2013 would it be right to financially cripple of Western country and their people, already suffering from economic depression, to pay people who may not need it now? In any case, it would take a very long to even work out how we could pay reparations, let alone whether we should.  [1] Accessed from  on 12/09/11  [2] Accessed from  on 12/09/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "674"}
+{"question": "Is internet access considered a universal human right?", "perspectives": ["Internet access is considered a universal human right.", "Internet access is not considered a universal human right."], "docs": ["Human rights are meant to protect the individual from the state rather than being dependent upon the state. The state cannot decide what these human rights are and can only constrain human rights if it is necessary to protect the human rights of another. [1] Human rights are necessary precisely because states ignore the freedoms of their citizens so often. The sources of international law are irrelevant when referring to human rights as these are a higher law natural law that overrides a system of international law that has been created only over the last couple of hundred years.  [1] Brown, Chris, \u2018Human rights\u2019, in John Baylis and Steve smith The globalization of world politics 2nd ed Oxford University Press 2001, pp.599-614 p.604", "Human rights are dependent upon the state  There is clearly not universal or even widespread acceptance of the idea that internet access should be a human right. Human rights are dependent upon the state, the desires of the community, and that depends upon the state\u2019s socio economic context. [1] The internet cannot therefore be considered a universal human right because not all states are advanced enough to take responsibility for this right.  International law is based upon several sources; state practice, customary law, treaties and judicial decisions. [2] None of these sources yet recognise internet access as a human right, indeed if state practice is taken as deciding if human rights exist then the whole concept of human rights is open to question. [3]  [1] Turkin, G., Theory of International Law, 1974, p.81  [2] Shaw, Malcolm N., International Law 4th ed., Cambridge University press, 1997, Chapter 3.  [3] Watson, J.S., Legal theory, efficacy and validity in the development of human rights norms in international law, University of Illinois law forum, 1979, p.609"], "type": "binary", "id": "675"}
+{"question": "Is open access beneficial for research and the economy?", "perspectives": ["Open access is beneficial for research and the economy.", "Open access is not beneficial for research and the economy."], "docs": ["Openness benefits research and the economy  Open access can be immensely beneficial for research. It increases the speed of access to publications and opens research up to a wider audience. [1] Some of the most important research has been made much more accessible due to open access. The Human Genome Project would have been an immense success either way but it is doubtful that its economic impact of $796billion would have been realised without open access.  The rest of the economy benefits too. It has been estimated that switching to open access would generate \u00a3100million of economic activity in the United Kingdom as a result of reduced research costs for business and shorter development as a result of being able to access a much broader range of research. [2]  [1] Anon., \u201cOpen access research advantages\u201d, University of Leicester,   [2] Carr, Dave, and Kiley, Robert, \u201cOpen access to science helps us all\u201d, New Statesman, 13 April 2012.", "Open access makes little difference to research. If an academic needs to use an article they don\u2019t have access to they can pay for it and gain access quickly and efficiently.  The benefits to the economy may also be overstated; we don\u2019t know how much benefit it will create. But we do know it would be badly damaging to the academic publishing industry. We also know there are risks with putting everything out in the open as economies that are currently research leaders will be handing out their advances for free. There is an immense amount of stealing of intellectual property, up to $400 billion a year, so research is obviously considered to be economically worth something. [1] With open access the proposal is instead to make everything available for free for others to take as and when they wish.  [1] Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, \u201cBackgrounder on the Rogers-Ruppersberger Cybersecurity Bill\u201d, U.S. House of Representatives,"], "type": "binary", "id": "676"}
+{"question": "Is bilingual education an effective and efficient approach for non-English speaking students?", "perspectives": ["Bilingual education is an effective and efficient approach for non-English speaking students.", "Bilingual education is not an effective and efficient approach for non-English speaking students."], "docs": ["Bilingual education is exactly that \u2013 bilingual. Students do not simply abandon the English language \u2013 they intensively study it. The only bilingual classes are provided in other fields such as math and science - subjects critical for future employment to ensure they do not fall top far behind.  On the contrary, while immersion may teach English better, there is a lot of evidence that it tends to increase drop-out rates substantially, [1] indicating that for a number of students it is in fact less effective since it is hard to learn anything in school if you don\u2019t attend.  Even those who don\u2019t drop out tend to fall substantially behind, hurting their educational efforts, and undermining their position in the workplace. A mathematician or scientist does not need perfect English \u2013 they do need good grades in other courses.  [1] Vaznis, James, \u2018Boston students struggle with English-only rule\u2019, boston.com, 7 April 2009,", "Bilingual Education is expensive and encourages balkanization  One of the goals of the government in providing education is to prepare students for success in the work place, and therefore the government has an obligation to spend its money in the most efficient way possible to accomplish this.  This is relevant because Bilingual education is expensive, requiring the hiring of bilingual teachers, the organization of bilingual classes, and the acquisition of bilingual curriculum materials. [1]  These costs might be justified if they actually helped students. But the reality is that they do not. For one thing, they allow students to get by without learning English. One of the great obstacles to learning a new language is the fact that parents of students may well speak another language at home. If students suddenly use that language at school as well, they will spend the vast majority of their day speaking a language other than English, with the consequence that they may not pick it up at all, and find themselves at a large disadvantage when they attempt to join the workforce.  As a consequence, it seems likely that the money could be better used subsidizing tutoring for students learning English than running an entirely separate and parallel educational system.  [1] Rossell, Christine, \u2018Does Bilingual Education Work? The Case of Texas\u2019, Texas Public Policy Foundation, September 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "677"}
+{"question": "Do needle exchange programs encourage drug use?", "perspectives": ["Needle exchange programs encourage drug use.", "Needle exchange programs do not encourage drug use."], "docs": ["Creating needle exchange may normalise drug-taking behaviour  Needle exchanges increase drug use. The state implicitly accepts that drug use is an acceptable practice when it aids drug users in practicing their habit. As such drug users feel less afraid of taking drugs. This can extend to first time users who might be encouraged by friends to take drugs using the morally grey area created by needle exchanges as an argument.  Further, it is principally wrong that the state should help those who choose to take drugs to begin with. In doing so these people are choosing to firstly harm themselves and secondly cause harm to society as well as contravene the law. The state should exist in such a way that should someone contravene the law they be punished, not rewarded with extra supplies from the taxpayer with no further strings.1  1. Toni Meyer. \"Making the case for opposing needle  exchange\". New Jersey Family Policy Council. November 16, 2007.", "Needle exchanges do not condone drug use and in fact they actively discourage it. However, it is important to note that drug addicts are not rational actors and given that they are already taking drugs in a very hostile legal environment, it seems that taking a hard line to them is unlikely to have any real affect. What is more likely to work is winning the trust of the addict and then offering them help as and when they need it.  Further, the law exists to help those who commit crimes and incarceration exists principally to allow for the rehabilitation of criminals so they may be re-released into society. As such the principal behind the law and punishment is harm reduction and needle exchanges simply exist as an extension of this principle.1  1. Franciscus, Alan. \u201cNeedle Exchange - A Matter of Public Health So why is the government playing politics with this ticking time bomb?\u201d Hepatitis Mag, April 2003."], "type": "binary", "id": "678"}
+{"question": "Is the amount of advertising we encounter daily excessive and damaging?", "perspectives": ["The amount of advertising we encounter daily is excessive and damaging.", "The amount of advertising we encounter daily is not excessive and damaging."], "docs": ["There are too many advertisements in everyday life.  The sheer volume of advertising in our society is incredible. You cannot watch television, ride on a bus or even walk down the street without someone trying to sell you something or inform you of something. Recent research suggests people living in a city today sees up to 5,000 advertisements a day1. 50% of those surveyed said they thought 'advertising today was out of control'1. People shouldn't have to go about their lives having their minds saturated with such a vast quantity of, in most cases, redudant and profiteering information. They should be able to go about their daily lives in peace without being forced to watch, listen or view an advertisement.  1 Anywhere the Eye Can See, It's Likely to See an Ad. New York Times.", "Though there are a great many advertisements in everyday life, there are not so many that they can't simply be ignored. Advertisements attempt to get you to buy a product, if you're not interested, then don't buy the product. For every person who finds all the advertisements stressful, another person finds them enjoyable and something to read or watch while they make their daily journey to work or school. Out of control could mean simply that customers think businesses are spending too much on advertising. Without proof that the number of advertisements is having a negative effect, the point is worthless."], "type": "binary", "id": "679"}
+{"question": "Is government censorship a necessary measure?", "perspectives": ["Government censorship is a necessary measure.", "Government censorship is not a necessary measure."], "docs": ["Governments are often obliged to do things that the population doesn\u2019t like \u2013 raising taxes is an obvious example. However, it is also recognised that sometimes the government has to do these things in order to represent the long-term, best interest of its people \u2013 whether or not it is a popular measure at the time.", "People often react poorly to being censored by their governments.  In countries that do currently practice censorship of Internet information, their citizens often interpret this as suspicious and dictatorial behaviour. For example, in China growing discontent with the government\u2019s constant censorship has led to public outrage [1] , and political satire which heavily criticises the government [2] . Censorship can easily be used malevolently and is not always in public interest; this motion supports the ignorance of the population by hiding information and the reality of the situation. Therefore the cost of suspicion by the population of the state makes censorship of any kind less than worthwhile and it is better to allow individuals to make their own choices.  [1] Bennett, Isabella, \u2018Media Censorship in China\u2019, Council on Foreign Relations, 7 March 2011,  on 09/09/11  [2] Bennett, Isabella, \u2018Media Censorship in China\u2019, Council on Foreign Relations, 7 March 2011,  on 09/09/11."], "type": "binary", "id": "680"}
+{"question": "Do racial quotas in sports lead to player migration?", "perspectives": ["Racial quotas in sports lead to player migration.", "Racial quotas in sports do not lead to player migration."], "docs": ["Quotas can drive players away.  Policies of racial quotas can have the effect of driving players abroad. Such policies have had similar affects in cricket. Kevin Pietersen stated that racial quotas in domestic competition, requiring four non-white players per team, were a key reason for his decision to leave South Africa and move to England. Eligible due to playing in England for four years and an English parent, he successfully had an England career. In rugby union, Brian Mujati left South Africa to play in England as he did not want to be selected to fill a racial quota [1] .  [1] Foy, Chris, \u2018Last orders at the bar for master brewer \u2013 prop Mujati calls time on Saints career\u2019, MailOnline, 19 April 2013,", "Kevin Pietersen isn\u2019t anything too unusual: English sporting teams have always had a number of South African and New Zealand rejects. It is natural for players to move to where they think they will be most likely to have the best prospects."], "type": "binary", "id": "681"}
+{"question": "Should universities have rights and privileges distinct from other service providers?", "perspectives": ["Universities have rights and privileges distinct from other service providers.", "Universities do not have rights and privileges distinct from other service providers."], "docs": ["Singapore in this particular instance is securing far more than a \u2018service provider\u2019 from a university whose foundation precedes that of the state by over a century. Yale is an internationally identifiable brand, as would any other major university be, and Singapore and NUS benefit from that association. Yale is in a strong position here to argue for things that stretch well beyond the lecture theatre.", "\u2018Separation of town and gown\u2019  There are two parties involved in this interaction, the state and the university. To pretend that is an entirely one way process is to ignore reality. Contrary to the belief of many Senior Common Rooms, states do not exist for the convenience of universities. Indeed universities quite happily accept the political and economic stability provided by states at exactly the same time as criticising the methods they need to use to maintain it.  However, ultimately universities are service providers from the point of view of the state, training and skilling the workforce. The university provides its expertise in exchange for funding and student fees. Where, exactly, the opinions of the faculty enter into such an equation is not clear and appears to have been assumed by proposition. Of course individual academics and students have the right to their own political views but the idea that a university as an institution has rights distinct from, say, a supermarket chain is impossible to justify. If a supermarket announced that it should be free to ignore local laws and adopt those of its base state instead, that would clearly be rejected. Just as when a food chain invests in a country for, say, beef, the arrangement is predicated on the understanding that both parties benefit and each has a little room for negotiation. [i] The same should apply here. If prop were to argue that Asian nations should relax there approach to cannabis so that it students could enjoy a more genuine \u2018Western student experience\u2019 the statement would be the subject of ridicule, so should this be.  [i] Smith, David, \u2018Tesco should give us some of these billions\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 15 May 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "682"}
+{"question": "Should fines be income-adjusted to deter illicit activities among the wealthy?", "perspectives": ["Fines should be income-adjusted to deter illicit activities among the wealthy.", "Fines should not be income-adjusted to deter illicit activities among the wealthy."], "docs": ["The rich are now also deterred  Another purpose of fines is to provide a deterrent. If fines are applied at one rate regardless of income, they must be low enough not to be un-payable for those who do not earn much money. Consequently, they are set so low that they fail to have a deterrent effect on the richest in society, who are easily able to afford to break the law.  This is especially the case when you consider the sorts of crimes that are punishable by fines, e.g. illicit parking and littering. These crimes have an indirect harm, and thus it is easy for the rich to consider that once they have paid the fine they have paid for the damage done, even though in reality this is not the case.1  1 Gneezy, U., Rustichini, A., 2000. \u2018A Fine is a Price\u2019. Journal of Legal Studies., vol. 29 pp1-17", "This motion will have no impact on that problem. Fines must be set at a low percentage of income so that the people earning the least do not find themselves going without essentials (a fine for speeding that caused you not to be able to heat your house in winter would seem, with good reason, disproportionate!)  Consequently, whether the fine is \u00a360 or \u00a36000, there will always be some to whom paying the fine is not a problem, and who will happily pay in order to flout the law."], "type": "binary", "id": "683"}
+{"question": "Is it more ethical to prioritize the greater number of lives in a life-or-death situation?", "perspectives": ["It is more ethical to prioritize the greater number of lives in a life-or-death situation.", "It is not more ethical to prioritize the greater number of lives in a life-or-death situation."], "docs": ["Killing one person is the rational choice  The philosopher John Rawls came up with a thought experiment to discover the right way to organize a society. When people talk about how society should be organized they generally take their own situation and interests into account. Rawls asked us to imagine a situation in which we do not know anything at all about our own lives and then try to organize society? Without knowing anything about our wealth, intelligence, personality, race, gender, religion etc., we would create the fairest society. This is because without knowing who we are we have no idea where we will be in society once it has been organized. So, in order to make sure we have the best chance to be treated fairly we create a society in which all people are treated fairly. The same experiment can be applied to the train problem. If we do not know anything about who we are in the experiment we would chose to kill the one person. This is because there is a greater chance of us being one of the five people and so killing the one person gives us the best chance to survive.", "We do not always choose the most rational course of action. If we do not know anything about who we are in the situation we still know that if the one person is killed then their life has been unfairly ended. If the five people die then we know that this is an accident. Therefore we might still choose to allow the five people to die. This is because we can still decide the right or wrong of the situation and choose not to make the decision based on self interest."], "type": "binary", "id": "684"}
+{"question": "Should past actions of the Palestinians influence their current claim to land?", "perspectives": ["Past actions of the Palestinians should influence their current claim to land.", "Past actions of the Palestinians should not influence their current claim to land."], "docs": ["The Palestinians were full participants in the 1948 War against Israel  Before the discussion of the Palestinians as the innocent victims of Israeli oppression can be established, it should be noted that the Palestinian leadership were full participants in rejecting the 1948 partition plan and the war that followed. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem rejected any form of compromise, and urged the removal of the region\u2019s Jewish population, while massacres of Jewish settlers at Palestinian hands and the complete elimination of the Jewish presence in the areas of Palestine that the Israelis did not secure in 1948 speaks to a certain degree of popular enthusiasm. [1]  Following 1948, Israeli law provided for compensation or the return of land for any exiled Palestinians who returned to Israel proper and took an oath to the state.  This does not justify the actions of Israel in their entirety, but the tragedy of the Palestinian people is partially of their own making, and if one accepts the principles of the right of return, then the creation of Israeli settlements furthers this on the Israeli side.  Furthermore, it calls into question what, if any legal claim the Palestinians can have to any land on the basis of a UN partition plan they rejected, and on the basis of principles and practices they themselves have subverted.  [1] Dershowitz, Alan, \u2018Has Israel\u2019s Victimization of the Palestinians Been the Primary Cause of the Arab-Israeli Conflict?\u2019, The Case for Israel, Chapter 10, 2003,", "It is absurd to argue that because someone is hypocritical that they lose their rights. The fact is that the Palestinians today are not guilty of the crimes of their ancestors anymore than the Israelis are.  Rather than being evaluated based on history, they should be evaluated based on what is justified now. And settlements make both sides less secure, and render peace less and less likely."], "type": "binary", "id": "685"}
+{"question": "Is surveillance an effective and non-invasive method of maintaining security?", "perspectives": ["Surveillance is an effective and non-invasive method of maintaining security.", "urveillance is not an effective or it is an invasive method of maintaining security."], "docs": ["No one will ever actually look at the information  If the concern is privacy then there really should be little concern at all because there is safety in numbers. The NSA and other intelligence services don\u2019t have the time or motivation to be tracking down all of our foibles. [1] If the intelligence agencies are watching everyone then they clearly do not have the personnel to be watching the actual communications. Instead certain things or patterns will raise alarm bells and a tiny number will be investigated more closely.  [1] Walt, Stephen M., \u2018The real threat behind the NSA surveillance programs\u2019, Foreign Policy, 10 June 2013,", "Clearly if no one ever actually looked at any information provided by surveillance then there would be no point in conducting it. Even if it were true that no one looks at any of the data being watched is still an intrusion that affects behaviour. It will affect decisions that are perfectly lawful because there will always be the slight worry that someone who you don\u2019t want to have that information because they will think differently of you will obtain it. When the information is out of your hands you can no longer be certain who will obtain it. [1] Since people have been arrested for the information that has been conducted, clearly sometimes the information is checked and used.  [1] Moore, Mica, and Stein, Bennett, \u2018The Chilling Effects of License-Plate Location Tracking\u2019, American Civil Liberties Union, 23 July 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "686"}
+{"question": "Should all forms of speech, including challenges to established truths, be freely allowed in society?", "perspectives": ["All forms of speech, including challenges to established truths, should be freely allowed in society.", "Not all forms of speech, including challenges to established truths, should be freely allowed in society."], "docs": ["Free speech allows challenges to orthodox beliefs  Free speech is not merely a \u2018nice thing to have\u2019, it is a mechanism which brings real, tangible benefits to society by allowing people to challenge orthodoxy. States that do not allow orthodox beliefs to be challenged stagnate and decline.  Reducing restrictions on free speech to \u2018special exceptions\u2019 frustrates the whole point because it is precisely those special exceptions where established truth needs to be challenged. This is not restricted to matters of pure opinion \u2013 the modern scientific process relies upon professionals being able to vehemently disagree on matters of crucial fact. \u201cReal science depends for its progress on continual challenges to the current state of always-imperfect knowledge.\u201d [1]  [1] Sarewitz, Daniel, \u2018The voice of science: let\u2019s agree to disagree\u2019, Nature, Vol 487, No.7, 5 October 2011,", "Society is entitled to define itself on certain issues \u2013 otherwise what does it stand for? Community is only possible among like-minded individuals. It is likewise entitled to tell those who refuse to accept the consensus on those issues to \u2018lump it or leave it\u2019.  It is also absurd to suggest that all challenges to orthodoxy are legitimate. Denial of atrocities is usually a mask for racial intolerance. Denial of established scientific truths in the public world is not usually about progress but rather about ignoring the evidence to promote theologically based worldviews. Society has a vested interest in suppressing those movements."], "type": "binary", "id": "687"}
+{"question": "Is the high cost of underground nuclear waste storage justifiable?", "perspectives": ["The high cost of underground nuclear waste storage is justifiable.", "The high cost of underground nuclear waste storage is not justifiable."], "docs": ["The economic costs of underground storage are high. However, given that nuclear power is necessary to avoid what would likely be a very significant amount of economic harm, specifically from global warming. For example, it has been projected that not doing anything to address climate change would result in an overall increase in temperate of 5 degrees Celsius which would lead to economic costs in the order of $74 trillion. This means that the need for nuclear waste storage is inevitable. [1]  As such, whilst underground storage does cost more than alternate options, it is as mentioned within the proposition case the safest and most reliable method of nuclear waste storage. As such, proposition is willing to take the harm of extra cost in order to prevent harm to people\u2019s health and well being.  [1] Ackerman, Frank. Stanton, Elizabeth. \u201cClimate Change \u2013the Costs of Inaction.\u201d Friend of the Earth. 11/10/2006", "Underground Nuclear Storage is Expensive.  Underground nuclear storage is expensive. This is because the deep geological repositories needed to deal with such waste are difficult to construct. This is because said repositories need to be 300m underground and also need failsafe systems so that they can be sealed off should there be a leak. For smaller countries, implementing this idea is almost completely impossible.  Further, the maintenance of the facilities also requires a lot of long term investment as the structural integrity of the facilities must consistently be monitored and maintained so that if there is a leak, the relevant authorities can be informed quickly and efficiently.  This is seen with the Yucca mountain waste repository site which has cost billions of dollars since the 1990s and was eventually halted due to public fears about nuclear safety. [1]  [1] ISN Security Watch. \u201cEurope\u2019s Nuclear Waste Storage Problems.\u201d Oilprice.com 01/06/2010"], "type": "binary", "id": "688"}
+{"question": "Is the Grand Inga project a viable solution for economic recovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo?", "perspectives": ["The Grand Inga project is a viable solution for economic recovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo.", "The Grand Inga project is not a viable solution for economic recovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo."], "docs": ["Will enable the rebuilding of DRC  DR Congo has been one of the most war ravaged countries in the world over the last two decades. The Grand Inga provides a project that can potentially benefit everyone in the country by providing cheap electricity and an economic boost. It will also provide large export earnings; to take an comparatively local example Ethiopia earns $1.5million per month exporting 60MW to Djibouti at 7 cents per KwH [1] comparable to prices in South Africa [2] so if Congo were to be exporting 500 times that (at 30,000 MW only 3/4ths of the capacity) it would be earning $9billion per year. This then will provide more money to invest and to ameliorate problems. The project can therefore be a project for the nation to rally around helping create and keep stability after the surrender of the rebel group M23 in October 2013.  [1] Woldegebriel, E.G., \u2018Ethiopia plans to power East Africa with hydro\u2019, trust.org, 29 January 2013,   [2] Burkhardt, Paul, \u2018Eskom to Raise S. Africa Power Price 8% Annually for 5 Years\u2019, Bloomberg, 28 February 2013,", "In the short to medium term during the decades the dam is being built investment will surely be concentrated in one place in this vast country; in the west where the dam is, not the east where the conflicts are. Later there is little guarantee that the government will spend the proceeds wisely to develop the country rather than it disappearing through corruption. And this assumes the money flows in from the export of electricity. To enable such exports 3000km of high voltage cable will need to be laid which would be vulnerable to being cut by rebel groups seeking to hurt the government through its wallet. [1]  [1] \u2018Explained: The $80 billion Grand Inga Hydropower Project\u2019, ujuh, 21 November 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "689"}
+{"question": "Did the Empty Chair Crisis of 1965 definitively demonstrate the failure of Neofunctionalism?", "perspectives": ["The Empty Chair Crisis of 1965 definitively demonstrated the failure of Neofunctionalism.", "The Empty Chair Crisis of 1965 did not definitively demonstrate the failure of Neofunctionalism."], "docs": ["The Empty Chair Crisis 1965  In 1965 during the Empty Chair Crisis brought integration came to a halt and shifted the institutional balance of power away from the commission to the Council of Ministers, it shows that spillover will not always occur. [1] It was caused by President de Gaulle of France being in conflict with other member states, specifically Germany and Italy. France wanted a deal on the Common Agricultural Policy but was unwilling to agree to further integration through creating majority voting in the Council of Ministers. When France took on the Presidency the normal system of mediation was lost. Bonn and Rome were unwilling to give way. [2] De Gaulle pulled his ministers out of the Council of Ministers thus reasserting the power of national governments. This showed that states would not automatically be prepared to give up their national sovereignty and might of helped lead to the abandonment of Neo-functionalism in the 1970s.  [1] Moga, Teodor Lucian, \u2018The Contribution of the Neofunctionalist and Intergovernmentalist Theories to the Evolution of the European Integration Process\u2019, Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 3, 2009 pp.796-807,  , p.799  [2] Ludlow, N. Piers, \u2018De-commissioning the Empty Chair Crisis : the Community institutions and the crisis of 1965-6\u2019, LSE Research Online, 2007,", "The Empty Chair Crisis of 1965 may lead some to presume that National governments are all powerful, but it may have just been a \u2018speed-bump\u2019 on the road of spillover. Ben Rosamond (2005) [1] did a reassessment of Haas and concluded that he never abandoned Neofunctionalism; he just changed it and accepted more the view of \u2018Complex Interdependence\u2019. The revival of integration since 1985 including the Treaty of Maastricht 1991 led to co-decision procedures which are an example of Political spillover as political decisions and procedure moved to the supranational level.  [1] Rosamond, Ben, 'The Uniting of Europe and the Foundations of EU Studies: Revisiting the Neofunctionalism of Enrst B. Haas', Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 12, No. 2, 2005, pp. 237-254,"], "type": "binary", "id": "690"}
+{"question": "Is it beneficial to increase the accessibility of generic drugs in Africa?", "perspectives": ["It is beneficial to increase the accessibility of generic drugs in Africa.", "It is not beneficial to increase the accessibility of generic drugs in Africa."], "docs": ["Easily affordable drugs will mean greater access  Generic drugs are much cheaper to produce, which is ideal for Africa\u2019s struggling population. While there has been significant gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Africa, the actual distribution of wealth is relatively unequal. According to Afrobarometer, 53% of Africans still feel that their economic condition is poor [1] . This restricts their ability to purchase high cost drugs. Generic medication would reduce the price of these drugs, making them affordable to the average citizen. The patented drug Glivec, used for cancer treatment, costs \u00a348.62 for 400 mg in South Africa while its generic equivalent (produced in India) costs \u00a34.82 [2] . Increased access will result in higher levels of treatment, which in turn will reduce death rates from preventable diseases in Africa.  [1] Hofmeyr, Jan, \u2018Africa Rising? Popular Dissatisfaction with Economic Management Despite a Decade of Growth\u2019  [2] Op Cit", "Greater access of generic drugs can increase the chances of overexposure and misuse. This has a detrimental effect on fighting diseases. Greater access will lead to higher use rates which, in turn increases the chances of the disease developing an immunity to the drug [1] , as is already happening to antibiotics resulting in at least 23,000 deaths in the United States. [2] This immunity requires new pharmaceuticals to counteract the disease which can take years to produce. It is therefore, disadvantageous to produce high quality generic drugs for Africa.  [1] Mercurio,B. \u2018Resolving the Public Health Crisis in the Developing World: Problems and Barriers of Access to Essential Medicines\u2019 pg.2  [2] National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, \u2018Antibiotics Aren\u2019t Always the Answer\u2019, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 December 2013,"], "type": "binary", "id": "691"}
+{"question": "Is Neo-functionalism the only theory of integration that has been deemed insufficient or outdated?", "perspectives": ["Neo-functionalism is the only theory of integration that has been deemed insufficient or outdated.", "Neo-functionalism is not the only theory of integration that has been deemed insufficient or outdated."], "docs": ["The Founder of Neo-functionalism abandoned his own Theory (Haas).  The Founder of Neo-functionalist theory Ernst B. Haas later abandoned his own theory; According to Tranholm-Mikkelsen (1991)- \u201cBy the mid-1970 s, Ernst Haas had effectively abandoned the neo-functionalist theory by assimilating it within general interdependence theories of international relations\u201d. [1] The theory proved a success in the economic realm but a fiasco in high politics; \u201c\u2026at the time of the \u2018empty chair\u2019 crisis [see next point] neo-functionalism was considered too incapable of describing the process of integration in general because of its extreme Eurocentric nature. Rosamond states that it is emerged from the process of complex web of actors pursuing their interests within a pluralist political environment.\u201d [2] Neo-functionalism remained a partial theory, good at explaining particular parts of integration but required supplanting by other theories to keep it relevant.  [1] Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Jeppe, \u2018Neo-functionalism: Obstinate or Obsolete? A Reappraisal in the Light of the New Dynamism of the EC\u2019, Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp.1-22,   [2] \u2018European Political Theories: Neo \u2013 functionalism\u2019, May 2011,", "Intergovernmentalism too has proved 'out of date'. It fails to pay enough attention to supranational institutions; its focus is too exclusively on big treaty negotiations and fails to understand to increasing importance of economic issues. Intergovernmentalism as a theory collapses in the view of actual integration taking place: the revival of integration from mid-1980s onwards. In the 1990s Intergovernmentalism was supplanted by 'Liberal Intergovernmentalism' from the scholar Andrew Moravcsik in his work 'Preferences and Power in the European Community: A liberal Intergovernmentalist Approach' (1993). [1]  [1] Moravcsik, Andrew, \u2018Preferences and Power in the European Community: A Liberal Intergovernmentalist Approach\u2019, Journal of Common Market Studies (30th Anniversary Edition) (December 1993)."], "type": "binary", "id": "692"}
+{"question": "Should politicians be granted immunity from prosecution to better perform their duties?", "perspectives": ["Politicians should be granted immunity from prosecution to better perform their duties.", "Politicians should not be granted immunity from prosecution to better perform their duties."], "docs": ["Giving politicians\u2019 immunity from prosecution allows them to focus on performing their duties  The premier reason that most states, even those that allow for the prosecution of politicians, abstain from prosecuting them while they hold office is that being a politician is a job that requires one\u2019s undivided attention. Especially for the holders of prominent national-level offices, writing legislation, responding to crises under one\u2019s purview, consulting one\u2019s constituents, and engaging in campaign work often lead to politicians working an upwards of 12 hour day, every day. To expect politicians cope with all of these concerns will simultaneously constructing a defense against pending charges would be to abandon all hope of them serving their constituents effectively. We are rightly aggravated when politicians take extensive vacations or other extracurricular forays. [1] Being under indictment not only consumes even more of a politician\u2019s time; the stress it causes will inevitably seep into what remaining time they do allocating to fulfilling their duties, further hindering their performance. The impeachment proceedings for Bill Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice were so intensive that they took tremendous resources away from not only the president himself, but all branches of the federal government for several months [2] , amidst serious domestic and foreign policy concerns such as the ongoing war in Kosovo.  [1] Condon, George E. Jr., \u2018The Long History of Criticizing Presidential Vacations\u2019 The Atlantic, 18 August 2011,  [Accessed September 9, 2011]  [2] Linder, Douglas O., \u2018The Impeachment Trial of President William Clinton\u2019, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY (UMKC) SCHOOL OF LAW, 2005,  [Accessed September 19, 2011]", "Politicians have to divide their focus anyway. As the examples above concede, being a politician means being pulled in several different directions. Elections are particularly distracting, and in jurisdictions with fixed election cycles like the United States can make periods of up to a year prior to the election a write-off for getting real work done. Thus, personal liability is nothing special among the many concerns a politician has. In fact, accountability, of this direct type, and for serious offences, is probably more important than most of the things a politician is forced to consider, and at the very least deserves inclusion among them."], "type": "binary", "id": "693"}
+{"question": "Does compulsory voting result in a more informed and active electorate?", "perspectives": ["Compulsory voting results in a more informed and active electorate.", "Compulsory voting does not result in a more informed and active electorate."], "docs": ["It will cause more people to become interested in politics  Compulsory voting increases the number of people who cast their vote 1. People who know they will have to vote will take politics more seriously and start to take a more active role. Compulsory voting will potentially encourage voters to research the candidates' political positions more thoroughly. This may force candidates to be more open and transparent about their positions on many complex and controversial issues. Citizens will be willing to inform themselves even about unpopular policies and burning issues that need to be tackled. Better-informed voters will, therefore, oppose a plan that is unrealistic or would present an unnecessary budget-drain. This means that such a system could produce better political decisions that are not contradicting each other, quite upon the contrary.  1 Peter Tucker, The median Australian voter and the values that influence their vote choice presented by the author at the 3rd European Consortium for Political Research Conference in Budapest, September 10, 2005.", "Forcing the population to vote will not stop people expressing their wish not to vote. Tucker notes that in Australia 5% of eligible voters did not caste a valid vote. Most countries that use compulsory voting give voters a legal opportunity to abstain. For example, in Australia valid explanations might include being overseas, trying to vote but failing for some reason, or belonging to a religious order which prohibits voting ( Electoral Commission ). Moreover people who vehemently refuse to vote find a way to do so such as paying the fine straight away (for those who can afford to) or attending the polling station but submitting a blank ballot. McAllister et al (1992)1 conclude that compulsory voting has led to a higher level of non-votes because the only legal method of political protest is to spoil the ballot paper or leave it blank deliberately 2. However, in non-compulsory jurisdictions voters so motivated would boycott the ballot.  Furthermore, forcing people to vote will lead to more meaningless votes. People who are forced to vote against their will won\u2019t make a proper considered decision. At best they will vote randomly which disrupts the proper course of voting. Compared to countries that have no compulsory voting laws, in countries where such laws exist there is an increase in donkey votes (where voters simply chose the candidate at the top of the ballot), random votes, \"just for the fun of it\" votes, protest votes and abstentions. This does not contribute to improved legitimacy of the government. It merely allows the government to say 'because there is a 100% turnout, this government is 100% legitimate', which is clearly not the case. There is a reason why some people are less politically active. They neither know nor care about politics. How can their forced inputadd legitimacy to the mix?  And this is before issues such as controversy about the aged in nursing homes being 'asissted' with their votes.  1. Mackerrassa and McAllister. \"Compulsory voting, party stability and electoral advantage in Australia.\"  2. Laverdea 1991"], "type": "binary", "id": "694"}
+{"question": "Is using strong incentives to promote organ donation a violation of personal body rights?", "perspectives": ["Using strong incentives to promote organ donation is a violation of personal body rights.", "Using strong incentives to promote organ donation is not a violation of personal body rights."], "docs": ["Denying organs to non-donors is unduly coercive.  For the state to make organ donation mandatory is rightly seen as beyond the pale of what society would tolerate. This is because the right to the integrity of one\u2019s body, including what is done with its component parts after death, must be held in the highest respect {UNDHR \u2013 Article 3 re security of person}. One\u2019s body is one\u2019s most foundational possession. Creating a system that effectively threatens death to anyone who refuses to donate part of their body is only marginally different from making it outright mandatory. The state\u2019s goal is in effect the same: to compel citizens to give up their organs for a purpose the government has deemed socially worthwhile. This is a gross violation of body rights.", "Even if it were terrible to coerce people into donating their organs, there is a difference between mandating a behavior and creating strong incentives to do it. For instance, most governments do not mandate that people not smoke, but severe disincentives exist in the form of cigarette taxes and higher life insurance premiums. Furthermore, this argument is questionably premised on the notion that laying claim to a person\u2019s organs after their death is a major violation (see \u201cpeople ought to donate their organs anyway\u201d point)."], "type": "binary", "id": "695"}
+{"question": "Should teachers limit their social media interactions with students?", "perspectives": ["Teachers should limit their social media interactions with students.", "Teachers should not limit their social media interactions with students."], "docs": ["Teacher\u2019s personal life might undermine educational message.  Access to a teacher\u2019s private information and photos may lead to weakening her position as an educator. How can a teacher convincingly speak against smoking or substance abuse if students have access to pictures portraying the teacher themselves drinking or smoking [1] ? For example, a principal from the Bronx, who had been trying to impose a strict dress code at her school, was branded a \u2018hypocrite\u2019 by her students when a risqu\u00e9 photo of her was found on her facebook page [2] . And even if the teacher will be careful not to post anything inappropriate on her page, a friend or acquaintance might thereby undermining the teacher. A strict separation of personal and professional life would prevent such incidents from happening.  [1] Preston, Jennifer. \u201dRules to Stop Pupil and Teacher from Getting too Social Online\u201d. The New York Times. 17 December 2011. nytimes.com/2011/12/18/business/.../rules-to-limit-how-teachers-and-students-interact-online.html.  [2] Keneally, Megan. \u201dPupils at scandal hit school post sexy Facebook shot of principal over hallways.\u201d The Daily Mail. 5 December 2011.", "Teachers should always be careful about what they post and how they portray themselves on the internet, whether they are friends with their students or not. Such pictures might surface even if students don\u2019t have direct access to them. An educator should lead by example and someone who is of dubious moral character may not be the best-suited person to teach at a school in the first place."], "type": "binary", "id": "696"}
+{"question": "Are public and political consequences sufficient to deter politicians from misconduct?", "perspectives": ["Public and political consequences are sufficient to deter politicians from misconduct.", "Public and political consequences are not sufficient to deter politicians from misconduct."], "docs": ["In the event of major abuses of power it should be the public that holds politicians to account.  The obvious benefit to prosecuting politicians is that it punishes \u2013 and thereby deters \u2013 corruption by politicians. However, this benefit can be achieved through other means. Firstly, many western liberal democracies have one form or another of removing a politician from office in the midst of their term, such as impeachment in the American system or a vote of no confidence against the government in the Westminster system. While defenders of immunity oppose impeachment as contrary to the principles outlined above (because of the effect that it may have on political duties), this is an option that remains in cases of gross misconduct. If the political will cannot be mobilized to remove a sitting politician, they are held accountable by the electorate to whom they must answer in the next election, and who will likely punish blatant misuse of political power. Even if the individual politician has reached a limit on their term of office, or does not seek reelection, they are still held in check by the damage that will be done to their party in the event of major misconduct on their part. Finally, most politicians are significantly concerned about their legacy, which is tarnished significantly by corruption even if they are never held legally accountable for it. While Nixon received a full pardon from his success, [1] his name has become synonymous with criminality and scandal: a fate most politicians wish to avoid.  [1] Ford, Gerald R., Proclamation 4311, 8 September 1974,  [Accessed September 9, 2011]", "These mechanisms are not immediate enough to put an immediate stop to an aberrant behavior. Impeachment proceedings take months at least; elections may be years away; and reputational damage is even more long-term. Moreover, these punishments are nowhere near a sufficient deterrent. If loss of one\u2019s job, and damage to one\u2019s public image were sufficient deterrents, we would not prosecute business leaders for insider trading, nor celebrities for drunk driving. The fact is that a criminal justice system which punishes everyone equally is not just fair; it\u2019s also a practical method of achieving meaningful deterrence. Finally, even if we are willing to settle for one of these lesser punishments, the threat of a great punishment gives prosecutors leverage to strike deals with the politicians, such as offering not to prosecute in exchange for coming forward with the details of misdeeds."], "type": "binary", "id": "697"}
+{"question": "Should developed countries financially support poorer nations in accommodating migrants instead of accepting them?", "perspectives": ["Developed countries should financially support poorer nations in accommodating migrants instead of accepting them.", "Developed countries should not financially support poorer nations in accommodating migrants instead of accepting them."], "docs": ["It is just to redistribute migrants  It is an accident of geography, or history, simple bad luck that has resulted in some countries getting large numbers of immigrants while many others get none. The first developed country on migrant routes get large numbers as those wishing to seek asylum have to apply in the first safe country. Similarly those countries next to conflict zones, or places affected by natural disasters, get very large influxes of migrants who hope to return home as soon as possible; there are more than 1.1 million refugees from Syria in Lebanon [1] a country of less than 6million. It is right that there should be a mechanism to help even out the burden of migrants and that rich developed countries should be those who pay that cost.  [1] \u2018Syria Regional Refugee Response\u2019, data.unhcr.org,  , accessed 19th August 2015", "While the burden of migrants should be shared the burden is not just monetary. Developed countries should not be able to dodge their responsibility to take in large numbers of migrants simply because they can pay poorer countries to take migrants in their place. Being burdened due to geography may be unfair but so is being burdened because you are poor and can be bribed. A truly just system would redistribute migrants within the developed world rather than shifting the burden to those who are still developing."], "type": "binary", "id": "698"}
+{"question": "Would banning smoking in public places harm the economy?", "perspectives": ["Banning smoking in public places would harm the economy.", "Banning smoking in public places would not harm the economy."], "docs": ["Ban would harm the wider economy  A ban could harm the wider economy \u2013 from bars to clubs, if smokers are unable to smoke inside, they may be more likely to stay away. According to some critics, this lead to the closures of bars in the UK when such a ban was brought in 1 . Research in the United States has shown drops in employment in bars of between 4 and 16 percent. 2  1 BBC News, \u201cMPs campaign to relax smoking ban in pubs\u201d, BBC News, 2011,   2 Pakko, Michael R., 'Clearing the Haze? New Evidence on the Economic Impact of Smoking Bans', The Regional Economist, January 2008,", "Even if such a link were true \u2013 the campaign against the ban on smoking in public places in the UK accept that it\u2019s unlikely that it is the primary cause of closures in the UK 1 \u2013 the public health benefits would make it worth it. Reductions on spending in some areas of the economy is likely to be balanced by increases elsewhere; of course there will be losses in some industries \u2013 particularly tabacco itself but those who stop smoking will have the money to spend elsewhere.  Moreover the economic effects are likely to be different in Africa; smoking outside in the UK, bearing in mind the infamous British weather, is a far less attractive proposition than smoking outdoors in many African countries.  1 'Why we want government to amend the smoking ban', Save Our Pubs & Clubs,"], "type": "binary", "id": "699"}
+{"question": "Is private property beneficial for the majority of the population?", "perspectives": ["Private property is beneficial for the majority of the population.", "Private property is not beneficial for the majority of the population."], "docs": ["Each man has a right to private property  The right to own property is central to man's existence since it ensures him of his independence of survival. It provides a means to sustain himself without relying on others inasmuch as he has control over a property and can make a living from it. However in order to acquire property the person must gain it from his own labour, if he takes the fruit of someone else's labour without consent that would be plain stealth. However, this is not the only requirement which must be fulfilled in order to gain property: imagine a scenario where I pour out tomato juice into the ocean, I have mixed my own labour with nature and made an \"own\" creation, but could it be said that the ocean is my property? Most people would certainly say no and therefore one of the following two provisos must also be met before one can fully acquire property: 1. It does not impact on others chance of survival/ comfort of life 2. Leaves the others better off than before. Let us presume that we have a wasteland which generates very little harvest since it is uncultivated. If I privatise and cultivate a bit of this land it will generate more harvest since I have put work effort in it. Presuming that the privatisation does not leave the others worse off than before e.g. there is plenty of other wasteland they can cultivate on their own and does thus not harm anyone else's opportunities/chances to cultivate their own land, privatisation is allowed for the individual good. Alternately, others are better off if they do not have the skill to cultivate land themselves and can lease their labour working on my privatized land, they would win on the deal since the wage I pay them would be better than what they would have gained on their own1/2.  1 Locke, J. (n.d.). Chapter. V. Of Property. Constitution Society. Retrieved June 7, 2011  2 Nozick, R. (1974). Anarchy State and Utopia (pp. 54-56, 137-42). Basic Books.", "Under capitalism property is privatised under the presumption that it will not harm anyone or even that it will benefit everyone. This is not the case and what actually takes place is that property becomes concentrated into the hands of a relatively few well-off people leaving the rest more or less without property. The capitalist's bargaining position is far superior in comparison to the worker's (since he is a capitalist) and he can use it as an advantage in order to concentrate wealth for himself. If the capitalist has everything and the worker nothing it leaves the worker with nothing more than the mercy of the rich for work, charity, etc. Even if the capitalist offers the worker a salary on which he can survive (in comparison to unemployment a salary on which he can survive \"makes him better off') it is a forced contract out of necessity from the worker's part1/2. Consequently private ownership is by no means on par with the possibilities of owning goods in common and is thus contradictory to the capitalists premise of not harming others3. Capitalism makes the majority more dependent on a minority than they would have been if property were shared.  1 Marx, K. (2010). On The Jewish Question. Marxist Internet Archive. Retrieved March 17, 2011  2 Marx, K. (2009b). A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy - Preface. Marxist Internet Archive. Retrieved March 19, 2011  3 Cohen, G. A. (2008). Robert Nozick and Wilt Chamberlain: How Patterns Preserve Liberty. Erkenntnis (1975-), Vol. 11, S(No. 1), 5-23. D. Reidel and Felix Meiner. Retrieved June 9, 2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "700"}
+{"question": "Do elections always promote positive democratic change?", "perspectives": ["Elections always promote positive democratic change.", "Elections do not always promote positive democratic change."], "docs": ["Some kind of election is more likely to lead to real democracy than no election  The acceptance by most autocrats that there need to be elections shows the idea that legitimacy derives from the people is generally accepted. Meaning that these states are already part way to having a genuine democracy. Having regular elections, even if the outcome is preordained, means that the electorate becomes used to voting and the idea of voting to make their voice heard. In such circumstances eventually they are going to want their vote to really count. If there is a creeping process of reform eventually this will result in free and fair elections.  Having any kind of elections means that there are people who are recognised as an opposition. This means that there is a viable alternative to the ruling party which can be turned to in a crisis, or can take on the leadership role when the regime is finally toppled. For example in Philippines the opposition was able to create a united opposition party in 1984 and coalesce around Corazon Aquino in the snap elections of 1985. [1] This meant that Aquino was in a position to swiftly set up a government following the people power revolution and flight of Marcos. [2]  [1] Kline, William E., \u2018The Fall of Marcos: A Problem in U.S. Foreign Policymaking\u2019, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, 1992,  Pp.4, 10  [2] Reaves, Joseph A., \u2018Marcos Flees, Aquino Rules\u2019, Chicago Tribune, 26 February 1986,", "States can have elections that have almost no chance of changing the government for decades. These elections can actually set back the cause for genuine democracy. There are several reasons for this. First having elections, or marginally expanding the number of parties or franchise, so providing liberal political reform can be used to keep the opposition on side through constantly dangling the prospect of further reform. Thus Sadat in 1977 allowed elections in response to discontent over peace overtures to Israel and in 1984 following his assassination Mubarak made these elections multiparty. [1]  Secondly having elections can be used to disrupt the opposition as coalitions of disparate elements are difficult to create so it will likely lead to internal squabbling and victory for the ruling party. Encouraging such squabbling will then prevent there being a single recognised opposition party or figure than can be seen as able to take over. When there is no clear path after a revolution the people are going to be much more likely to stick with the dictator they know.  [1] Lust, Ellen, \u2018The Multiple Meanings of Elections In Non-Democratic Regimes: Breakdown, Response and Outcome in the Arab Uprisings\u2019, Yale University, p.5."], "type": "binary", "id": "701"}
+{"question": "Is introducing a fat tax an overstepping of government's authority?", "perspectives": ["Introducing a fat tax is an overstepping of government's authority.", "Introducing a fat tax is not an overstepping of government's authority."], "docs": ["A fat tax infringes on individual choice  Introducing such a tax would constitute an overstepping of the government\u2019s authority. The role of government in a society should not expand further than providing basic services such as education, legal protection, i.e. only the services necessary for a society to function and for the individual\u2019s rights to be protected.  Such a specific tax is completely uncalled for and very unreasonable in the context of a fair society with a government that knows its place in it.  Protecting the individual should go no further than the protection against the actions of a third person. For instance: we can all agree that governments should put measures in place to protect us from thieves, scammers, etc. But should it also protect us from frivolous spending? Limit us in the number of credit cards we can own? Tell us how we can invest our money?  Of course not. But what this tax does is exactly that \u2013 it is punishing the citizens for a specific choice they are making by artificially inflating its cost.  Thus it is clear that levying such a tax against a specific choice an individual should be able to legitimately make is a clear overstepping of the government\u2019s authority. [1]  [1] Wilkinson, W., Tax the fat, not their food, published 7/26/2011,  , accessed 12/9/2011", "Such a limited view of the role of government may be something we have seen in the past, but even conservative governments today are warming to the ideas of social support, progressive taxation, etc.  This shows a clear trend that the perception of government is changing \u2013 and rightly so. The challenges of the 21st century are vastly different from those of a hundred or more years ago, when that idea of government was popular or mainstream.  Given the very recent and very cataclysmic events involving the world\u2019s economy, that were arguably sparked by some very bad financial choices made by consumers, one could think that societies around the globe would be more than ever inclined to answer yes to those questions.  In fact, what the government is doing in this case is respecting its boundaries \u2013 it cannot ban certain choices of food outright, although this might be the fastest solution. What it\u2019s doing instead is providing a disincentive for a certain individually and societally harmful choice. That sort of action is entirely legitimate, as it doesn\u2019t infringe on a person\u2019s right to make a certain choice, yet it awards those who make the socially conscious one and it also protects the society in general from harm, since it takes important steps to reduce medical spending."], "type": "binary", "id": "702"}
+{"question": "Is the popularity of skin-whitening products a result of neo-colonial influences?", "perspectives": ["The popularity of skin-whitening products is a result of neo-colonial influences.", "The popularity of skin-whitening products is not a result of neo-colonial influences."], "docs": ["Monetizing colonialism  Skin whitening can be seen as an attempt to fit in with a form of a neo-colonialist mind-set; a form of cultural imperialism driven by capitalism.  These products, often sold by big international FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) companies feed off a neo-colonialist mind-set \u2013 one of a cultural inferiority complex. These products form part of the process of tying African people into a globalised consumer world where non-westerners feel compelled to buy western products that they don\u2019t need. They are therefore kept in a colonial situation where they are dependent on the west both mentally and in terms of the products they buy. That is reason enough for nations that have been victims of colonialism by the Global North to take action against them.", "If there is a demand for it, people want it. Not only do indigenous skin-whitening products exist, they are so widespread and popular it cannot be ascribed to a \u201ccringe\u201d on a small area of society.  It is wrong to consider skin whitening to just be a colonial import as if being white is all about looking like a westerner. Many cultures, particularly in Asia but also some in Africa such as Egypt, valued lighter skin tones before colonisation; such tones showed that you were a woman of leisure who did not need to toil under the hot tropical sun. [1]  Maintaining a desire to look lighter may therefore neither be an effect of a neo-colonial mind-set nor create neo-colonial business ties.  [1] Goon, Patricia, and Craven, Allison, \u2018Whose Debt?: Globalisation and Whitefacing in Asia\u2019, Intersections: Gender, History and Culture in the Asian Context, issue 9, August 2003,"], "type": "binary", "id": "703"}
+{"question": "Is the implementation of free labor movement in Africa entirely feasible?", "perspectives": ["The implementation of free labor movement in Africa is entirely feasible.", "The implementation of free labor movement in Africa is not entirely feasible."], "docs": ["The freedom to move is a human right.  Mobility is a human right - which needs to be enabled across national spaces and Africa. Obstacles need to be removed. Mobility enables access to interconnected rights - such as ensuring women their right to move enables empowerment in the political, social and economic spheres.  Taking the case of migration of young people, the process reflects a right of passage, a means of exploring opportunities and identity.For example the Mourides of Senegal have established a dense network sustaining informal trading across multiple scales based on a foundation of \u2018Brotherhood\u2019 youths leaving rural areas become integrated into dynamic social networks and educated within the Mouride culture. As research in Tanzania shows although migration is not a priority for all youths, many identify the opportunity as a time to prove yourself and establish your transition into adulthood. The process empowers human identity and rights.", "The reality of achieving free labour movement is not as simple as it may seem in practice. Contradictions have emerged in the laws implemented by national governments, such as Uganda, and the desired EAC regional laws. In addition, the recent eviction and detainee of refugees from Rwanda and Burundi, from Tanzania, indicate political tensions are at the heart of ensuring 'free' movement. Labour and migrant workers rights cannot be guaranteed until the duty, and responsibility, is taken on at multiple scales - from local, national, and regional authorities.  Finally, in order for mobility to be seen as a right, labourers and migrants need to be granted the right to organise. Currently, labour unions operate at a national scale - for mobility to be accepted as a right and migrant rights to be recognised labour unions are required across COMESA, EAC, and ECOWAS."], "type": "binary", "id": "704"}
+{"question": "Does the U.S.'s refusal to ban cluster bombs negatively affect its international standing?", "perspectives": ["The U.S.'s refusal to ban cluster bombs negatively affects its international standing.", "The U.S.'s refusal to ban cluster bombs does not negatively affect its international standing."], "docs": ["Rejecting the Ban on Cluster Bombs Hurts the international image of the U.S.  The U.S. is one of the only remaining Western Liberal democracies to allow the U.S. of cluster bombs. The continued refusal of the U.S. to tow the same line as fellow liberal democracies makes it look bad internationally; especially considering that one of the main instigators behind the cluster bomb ban is the U.K. traditionally a great ally of the U.S. politically.  The U.S. is often seen as the greatest representative of Western liberal democracy as it is the most economically powerful. Part of this political clout however, comes from the continued cooperation of other Western Liberal democracies with the U.S. in failing to the sign the cluster bomb treaty despite pressure from other countries, the U.S. fails in this capacity and loses the support of the countries that it relies on to maintain its political status.  Moreover, given that the U.S. currently does not help with demining work, this further worsens relationships with other countries.6", "The U.S. is currently developing cluster bomb technology that will prevent cluster bombs from remaining armed over a long period of time. Given that the U.S. is a pioneer in this area, it knows more about the development of the technology than other countries that might have signed up to the treaty. If the efforts of the U.S. prove to be fruitful then their decision to avoid the ban will prove them as being the more politically shrewd of other liberal democracies.  Further, political status with other countries is unlikely to be entirely determined by treaties regarding cluster bombs. In fact these treaties are relatively minor and have almost no political affect by comparison to more pressing issues such as economics or other parts of international policy.7"], "type": "binary", "id": "705"}
+{"question": "Does increased protection of animals lead to an increase in human fatalities?", "perspectives": ["Increased protection of animals leads to an increase in human fatalities.", "Increased protection of animals does not lead to an increase in human fatalities."], "docs": ["Fewer human deaths  Fewer large beasts will lead to fewer deaths in Africa. Some endangered animals are aggressive and will attack humans. Hippopotamuses kill in excess of three hundred humans a year in Africa, with other animals such as the elephant and lion also causing many fatalities. [1] Footage released in early 2014 of a bull elephant attacking a tourist\u2019s car in Kruger National Park, South Africa demonstrated the continued threat these animals cause. [2] Tougher protection would result in higher numbers of these animals which increases the risk to human lives.  [1] Animal Danger \u2018Most Dangerous Animals\u2019  [2] Withnall, A. \u2018Rampaging bull elephant flips over British tourist car in Kruger Park\u2019", "Most of these human deaths are caused by humans invading the territory of the animals at hand. Even giraffes, usually considered peaceful animals, will attack if they feel that humans are too close. Generally, it is the human\u2019s responsibility rather than the animal\u2019s. Increased protection may save more lives as methods such as fencing will forcibly separate humans from animals and decrease the chances of the two coming in to contact. [1]  [1] Morelle, R. \u201cFencing off wild lions from humans \u2018could save them\u2019\u201d"], "type": "binary", "id": "706"}
+{"question": "Is the expansion of Heathrow airport detrimental to the environment and public health?", "perspectives": ["The expansion of Heathrow airport is detrimental to the environment and public health.", "The expansion of Heathrow airport is not detrimental to the environment and public health."], "docs": ["Expanding Heathrow would be at the expense of the environment  Expanding Heathrow will directly contribute to climate change and make it impossible for the UK to stay within the EU legal limits. The EU has established limits on the levels of harmful pollution and the UK has signed a commitment to reduce Green House Gases by 80% by 2050 and also to emit no more CO2 in 2050 than it did in 2005. However, building a third runway would be enabling and encouraging greater number of flights which would result in Heathrow becoming the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the country. [1] Attempts by the government to weaken pollution laws by lobbying Brussels would enable the third runway but at a deeply nefarious price, that of human health, currently fifty deaths a year are linked to Heathrow but with expansion this would go up to 150. [2]  [1] Stewart, John, \u2018A briefing on Heathrow from HACAN: June 2012\u2019   [2] Wilcockm David, and Harrism Dominic, \u2018Heathrow third runway \u2018would triple pollution deaths\u2019\u2019, The Independent, 13 October 2012,", "The former Labour government when considering expansion made it clear that environment would be taken into account when considering the construction of a third run-way so there would be environmental restrictions to make sure that this is not an issue. [1] However not expanding Heathrow also contributes to CO2 emissions; with so little spare capacity flights are often delayed due to any small disruption on the ground leaving planes circling above London increasing their emissions. Building more runways anywhere else would have a similar environmental impact to the expansion plans.  [1] The Labour Party, \u2018A future fair for all; The Labour Party Manifesto 2010\u2019. 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "707"}
+{"question": "Is democratic rule of law necessary for economic growth and stability?", "perspectives": ["Democratic rule of law is necessary for economic growth and stability.", "Democratic rule of law is not necessary for economic growth and stability."], "docs": ["Democratic rule of law is the best ground for political stability and growth  In order for a society to develop economically, it needs a stable political framework and dictatorships are often less stable. A dictator will have to prioritize the retention of power. As repression is inevitable, a dictator will not necessarily be entirely popular. There will regularly be a doubt about the future and sustainability of a dictatorship. Bearing in mind the messy collapses of some dictatorships, a democracy may be a more stable form of government over the long term [1] .  Only democracies can create a stable legal framework. The rule of law ensures all of society has access to justice and the government acts within the law. Free and fair elections act as a bulwark against social unrest and violence. Economic freedoms and human rights protection also have positive effects on economies. Private property rights, for example, encourage productivity and innovation so that one has control of the fruits of their labour.  It has been argued by Acemolgu and Robinson in their book Why Nations Fail? The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty that inclusive political institutions and pluralistic systems that protect individual rights are necessary preconditions for economic development [2] . If these political institutions exist then the economic institutions necessary for growth will be created, as a result economic growth will be more likely.  [1] See for example the work of Huntington, S, P., (1991), The third wave: democratization in the late twentieth century, University of Oklahoma Press,   [2] Acemolgu, D., and Robinson, J. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. London: Profile Books.", "Economic development is not exclusively bound up with regimes or institutions. Natural factors such as rivers for transport, potential land use and natural resources are key to explaining why some countries are more prosperous than others. Many countries with higher economic growth are authoritarian or unstable democracies [1] . These may have the necessary economic conditions for growth even without these inclusive political institutions.  [1] GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent, CIA World Facbook, 2013."], "type": "binary", "id": "708"}
+{"question": "Is providing school breakfasts an effective way to achieve equality among students?", "perspectives": ["Providing school breakfasts is an effective way to achieve equality among students.", "Providing school breakfasts is not an effective way to achieve equality among students."], "docs": ["A school breakfast gives all students an equal start to the day  All children should have equal opportunities, a breakfast for all helps provide this. With schools providing breakfast for everyone the start to the day will be the same for all. No one will starting school hungry or thirsty. Everyone will have had a chance to wake up before their lessons start allowing them to get as good a start to the day as possible.", "This will not be true equality. Some people naturally wake up earlier, yet many will still be feeling sleepy at 10:00. A school breakfast may have forced these students to be up even longer before their natural wake up time than would otherwise be the case."], "type": "binary", "id": "709"}
+{"question": "Is exposure to second-hand smoke a violation of non-smokers' human rights?", "perspectives": ["Exposure to second-hand smoke is a violation of non-smokers' human rights.", "Exposure to second-hand smoke is not a violation of non-smokers' human rights."], "docs": ["Exposing non-smokers to second-hand smoke goes against their rights.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (a list of rights to which the United Nations has declared that all human beings should be entitled) states that \"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family\"1. More than 50 studies carried out worldwide have found that people are at an increased risk of lung cancer if they work or live with somebody who smokes2. Given these very serious health risks, it goes against people's human rights to be exposed to second-hand smoke when they have not chosen to breathe it in. To avoid this happening, smoking should be banned in public places, so that non-smokers can be sure that they will not have to breathe in second-hand smoke.  1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights', General Assembly of the United Nations,   2 'Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking', World Health Organisation, Vol.83, 24 July 2002,", "It is very difficult to properly scientifically measure the risk for non-smokers of being exposed to second-hand smoke. To do a proper experiment, scientists would need to find a large group of people who had never been exposed to cigarette smoke before, split them into two groups, and then systematically expose one group to second-hand smoke for a period of time while the other group stayed smoke-free. They would then have to wait and see if more of the group exposed to second-hand smoke developed lung cancer than the other group over their lives. This would be a very expensive and time-consuming experiment. Besides this, it would be very difficult to find people who had never breathed in cigarette smoke and keep half of them that way for their whole lives for comparison. Because of these difficulties in the ideal experiment, scientists often just use questionnaires, asking people to try and remember how many cigarettes the person they live with smokes in a day, for how many hours a day they are exposed to smoking, etc. These kinds of studies are far from precise, since human memory is not very accurate, and so no truly scientific conclusions can be drawn1. Therefore, it is not a fact that non-smokers exposed to the smoke of others are at a serious health risk, so the proposition cannot say that having to sometimes be around other people who smoke goes against non-smokers' human rights.  1 Basham, Patrick, and Roberts, Juliette, 'Are Public Smoking Bans Necessary?' Democracy Institute, Social Risk Series Paper, December 2009,"], "type": "binary", "id": "710"}
+{"question": "Is the verification regime of the New START treaty less robust than the previous START treaty?", "perspectives": ["The verification regime of the New START treaty is less robust than the previous START treaty.", "The verification regime of the New START treaty is not less robust than the previous START treaty."], "docs": ["Problems with Verification.  Verification is vital in any agreement to limit arms. Both sides need to trust each other a bit but a lot of this trust needs to come from comprehensive mechanisms to monitor and ensure that both sides are carrying out their commitments. If the verification system is not good enough then neither side will have faith in the agreement and will be more likely to try and bypass it.  Unfortunately the expired START\u2019s verification regime was robust when compared to that for the New START. Baker Spring at the Heritage foundation lists some of the specific areas that are significantly less robust: A narrowing of the requirements for exchanging telemetry (electronic transmissions that give details of missile performance that helps give a good idea about whether Russia is complying with the treaty) , A reduction in the effectiveness of the inspections (the Russians feel that inspections are unfairly biased against them), Weaknesses in the ability to verify the number of deployed warheads on ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), Abolition of the START verification regime governing mobile ICBMs, and A weakening of the verification standards governing the elimination of delivery vehicles. [1]  [1] Spring, Baker. \"Twelve Flaws of New START That Will Be Difficult to Fix\". Heritage Foundation, The Foundry. 16 September 2010.", "The verification requirements of New START have satisfied not only the Obama Administration but also a large number of foreign policy experts. A panel including Henry Kissinger argues that New START \u201cemphasizes verification, providing a valuable window into Russia's nuclear arsenal.\" [1] Howard Baker argues that: \"President Reagan was famous for his adage about dealing with the old Soviet Union: \u201cTrust but verify.\u201d Since the last START treaty expired in December 2009, we\u2019ve had no right to conduct inspections of Russian nuclear bases, and thus no way to verify what the Russians are doing with their nuclear weapon systems. For us veterans of the Cold War, that\u2019s an alarming fact and a compelling reason to ratify this New START treaty without further delay.\" [2]  When the allegations are gone through individually they do not stand up to scrutiny. On the telemetry issue the treaty does not limit throw-weight so the data is not needed; the number of warheads per missile can be verified by other means. There are less facilities being inspected, but more inspections and the decline in Russia\u2019s nuclear forces means that not so many facilities need to be inspected. [3] There is no reason to be worried about the numbers of missiles as there will be a database detailing all the weapons both sides have and inspections to confirm this, [4] this will also mean that there are unique identifier tags on each missile, launcher and bombers so helping inspectors in their counting. [5] Mobile launchers are much less of a problem than they were as we already know the base number the Russia has whereas when START was originally negotiated the US did not know. Technology to track such mobile launchers has also become much more powerful. Finally if worried about the verification of the elimination of delivery vehicles both sides will have the right to inspect the debris and to demand demonstration of the procedures. [6] Neither side will be able to get around the new START\u2019s verification regime.  [1] Kissinger, Henry A. ; Shultz, George P. ; Baker III, James A\u2019 ; Eagleburger , Lawrence S. ; and Powell, Colin L. \"The Republican case for ratifying New START\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010.   [2] Baker, Howard. \"Dangerous if we reject New START.\" USA Today.   [3] Blook, Oliver, \u2018Nothing to Fear with New START Verification\u2019, Center For Strategic & International Studies, 8 July 2010,   [4] Woolf, Amy F., \u2018The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions\u2019, Congressional Research Service, 24 October 2011, p.3,   [5] \u2018Verification of New START\u2019, Union of Concerned Scientists, 13 July 2010,   [6] Blook, Oliver, \u2018Nothing to Fear with New START Verification\u2019, Center For Strategic & International Studies, 8 July 2010,"], "type": "binary", "id": "711"}
+{"question": "Should cultural practices be banned due to their illiberal nature?", "perspectives": ["Cultural practices should be banned due to their illiberal nature.", "Cultural practices should not be banned due to their illiberal nature."], "docs": ["You can extend that argument to any kind of illiberal practice. The same could easily be said of practices like FGM. Choosing not to ban certain traditions just because they are culturally entrenched could be extended to anything, from slavery to torture. The fact of the matter is that some practices simply cannot be allowed. There are already cases where the police choose not to intervene in cases of domestic violence where a south  Asian family is involved, giving rise to claims that they feel to timid to bring the same laws into practice for fear of infringing upon the cultural practices of minorities. [1] Furthermore, many writers like Pragna Patel [2] have claimed that the more illiberal elements of communities such as the South Asian diaspora are merely fabrications designed to oppress women. It is important not to fall into the trap of condoning practices that have no place in any society by allowing them to shelter behind the veil of \u2018cultural differences.\u2019  [1] Patel, Pragna, \u2018The Use and Abuse of Honour-Based Violence in the UK,\u2019 Open Democracy,6 June 2012 -   [2] Ibid.,", "It will cause resentment and make certain communities feel targeted.  Arranged marriages are seen as a very important aspect of the identity of lots of Euro-Asian communities. At a time when tensions between non-Muslims and Muslims in Europe are high enough, for example there were protests in London against the film innocence of Muslims, [1] targeting a practice carried out by many Muslim families could help extremist tendencies to flare up. It is important not try and cloak laws that are little more than blind intolerance with terms that make them seem like secular liberalism. Attempting to ban practices like wearing the veil in the name of inclusion have been proven to only inflame tensions, not improve integration. [2] Banning arranged marriages outright would therefore not only be intolerant, but potentially dangerous.  [1] Walker, Paul, \u2018Anti-US protesters in London condemn controversial film\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 16 September 2012,   [2] Younge, Gary, \u2018Europe: Hotbed of Islampobic Extremism,\u2019 14 June 2012 -"], "type": "binary", "id": "712"}
+{"question": "Should all EU treaties be subject to a referendum in each member state?", "perspectives": ["All EU treaties should be subject to a referendum in each member state.", "Not all EU treaties should be subject to a referendum in each member state."], "docs": ["There is a difference between holding a referendum for every decision and holding one for important constitutional changes that will affect a nation's future sovereignty. The logistics and the fear of rejection should not be a reason to not hold a referendum. If anything the current controversy surrounding the war on Iraq and its legality is proof that referendums are fundamental in important issues to ensure that the ruling government still reflects the will of the people.", "If all member states held a referendum on all EU treaties nothing would get passed.  The pure size and logistics of the European Union is such that if every member state had to hold a referendum on all EU Treaties, no EU Treaties would get enacted. It is too likely that one of the member states will vote against a motion. The EU should be able to vote on issues without consulting the citizens of all member states, in the UK legislation is voted on in parliament which is made of constituency representatives. The concept for government's voting in representation of their countries within the EU is the same. Furthermore the UK did not hold a referendum on the war with Iraq, so why should a referendum be held for issues of lesser importance."], "type": "binary", "id": "713"}
+{"question": "Is censorship necessary to protect society from harmful expressions?", "perspectives": ["Censorship is necessary to protect society from harmful expressions.", "Censorship is not necessary to protect society from harmful expressions."], "docs": ["We already frown upon certain forms of speech [1] as we recognise that it is important to protect groups form prejudice and hatred. Allowing the expression of hatred does not automatically mean that ordinary people will denounce it as evil; rather, it normalises hatred and is more likely to be acceptable in the public domain. It also appears to show implicit acceptance or even support from the government when we take no steps to prevent this kind of damaging expression; as such, the government fails in its duty to ordinary citizens to protect them and represent their best interests.  [1] Tatchell, Peter, \u2018Hate speech v free speech\u2019, guardian.co.uk, 10 October 2007,  on 09/09/11.", "Censorship is fundamentally incompatible with the notion of free speech.  Censoring particular material essentially blinds the public to a complete world view by asserting the patronising view that ordinary citizens simply cannot read extreme material without recognising the flaws in it. This motion assumes that those who have access to material such as religious opinion sites will be influenced by it, rather than realising that it is morally dubious and denouncing it. The best way to combat prejudice is to expose it as a farce; this cannot be done if it is automatically and unthinkingly censored. Meanwhile, it is paradoxical for a government to assert the general benefits of free speech and then act in a contradictory and hypocritical manner by banning certain areas of the Internet. Free speech should not be limited; even if it is an expression of negativity, it should be publicly debated and logically criticised, rather than hidden altogether."], "type": "binary", "id": "714"}
+{"question": "Is open-source software a better solution for government IT systems?", "perspectives": ["Open-source software is a better solution for government IT systems.", "Open-source software is not a better solution for government IT systems."], "docs": ["Open source software is more adaptable to government needs.  Open source software starts from a completely different viewpoint of how products should be created. Rather than resembling a traditional hierarchical organisation (such as an early twentieth century business, an army or a monastic order) where everyone has their own clearly defined role and are told how to proceed by a top-down central authority, open-source software development is more like an open market where everyone is engaged in the same activity but come at it from different directions. [i]  Out of this cacophonous market, a more fluid product emerges. The basic advantage of open source software is that, as users can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of software, it evolves. This means that users and programmers can improve, adapt and fix the software at a much faster pace than Microsoft or another closed source developer can match. The highly collegiate culture in which contemporary approaches to coding evolved continues to create programmers who are naturally curious about the functions and features of new software. Open source software harnesses the wide range of ideas and methodologies that different coders use to writer software to refine and improve existing programmes. Open source software solicits a wide variety of solutions to particular coding problems; the more solutions that coders generate, the more likely it is that an optimal solution will be discovered.  Not only does the approach described above result in the creation of higher quality programmes, it also allows businesses and individual coders to easily adapt existing programmes to their needs. Monopolistic producers like Microsoft have an incentive to slow the pace of change, whereas the open source community will simply choose the best solution. In this way, open source software is more robust and more responsive to governments\u2019 changing needs than closed source alternatives.  [i] Raymond, Eric. \u201cThe Cathedral and the Bazaar.\u201d Cunningham & Cunningham. 18 February 2010.", "Open source software is not bug-proof and requires far more updates than the closed source alternatives. In fact, the most successful open source software after the operating system Linux is Apache, an open-source web-server which holds around 65% of the global market, and MySQL, an open-source database [i] . Both pieces of software are far from innovative; they are essentially just stripped-down versions of closed source programs. Real innovation is driven by the profit motive and comes from the knowledge that a firm can capitalize on a discovery, as Google has done with its search algorithm. For this reason, the open source software movement is doomed to producing mediocrity. As governments choose IT systems for five to ten years, they should look to a reliable closed source solution which provides quality rather than buying into a nebulous idea of \u2018moral software\u2019.  [i] \u201cMicrosoft\u2019s IIS web server market share is falling.\u201d Webserver. 3 October 2011."], "type": "binary", "id": "715"}
+{"question": "Is affirmative action an effective solution to societal inequalities?", "perspectives": ["Affirmative action is an effective solution to societal inequalities.", "Affirmative action is not an effective solution to societal inequalities."], "docs": ["Affirmative action has never sort to be the cure for underlying social problems. The goal of positive discrimination is to level out the playing field for admission procedures; and create opportunities for disadvantaged groups. In a society in which sweeping societal reforms that benefit minorities are not forthcoming, affirmative action may be regarded as an immediate solution which counteracts the continual injustice faced by certain groups.", "Affirmative action will not work  The underlying issue which affirmative action tries to gloss over is the embedded social problems which put the poor and ethnic monitories in continual disadvantages generation after generation. This policy merely papers over the cracks by masking the fact that the failures of state-funded schooling and attempts at integration have led to a situation in which ethnic minorities and the poor are so vastly underrepresented in universities. The state should do more to address these underlying problems, rather than covering up its failures with a tokenistic policy. Better funding of state schools, real parental choice in education, and accountability through the publication of comparable examination data would all drive up standards and allow more underprivileged children to fulfil their potential. [1] [2]  [1] Gryphon, M. \u201cThe Affirmative Action Myth\u201d. Cato Institute Policy Analysis. No 540. April 13, 2005.   [2] Rosado, C. \u201cAffirmative Action: A Time for Change?\u201d March 3, 1997."], "type": "binary", "id": "716"}
+{"question": "Should the House of Lords be reformed due to its undemocratic nature?", "perspectives": ["The House of Lords should be reformed due to its undemocratic nature.", "The House of Lords should not be reformed despite its undemocratic nature."], "docs": ["The current House of Lords is undemocratic  The House of Lords is undemocratic. Currently the members of the House of Lords consist of hereditary peers, senior members of the Church of England and those appointed by political parties. Whether or not there is an abuse of power or the outcome of the House of Lords is beside the point \u2013 its very existence in its current state is undemocratic and as such it should be reformed. It seems nonsensical that a country that lectures to the rest of the world the importance of democracy, to the point of war, should overlook such a grievance in their own society.", "Although the House of Lords may not be a true expression of \u2018democracy\u2019, it has a positive function in the governing of the country and is based in a tradition and heritage that the people of Britain should not try and abandon. One could argue in return that those very decisions and wars that Britain is in involved in to defend \u2018democracy\u2019 do not reflect the will of the people and that modern states are not true democracies at all. In practice the British people have a limited say in how the country is run and it would be na\u00efve to champion the idea of Britain being a \u2018democracy\u2019 by ignoring the existence of such an overpowering state machine."], "type": "binary", "id": "717"}
+{"question": "Is the limitation of information the best way to prevent juror bias?", "perspectives": ["The limitation of information is the best way to prevent juror bias.", "The limitation of information is not the best way to prevent juror bias."], "docs": ["We already recognise that we cannot place complete trust in juries.  Although we recognise that juries can provide valuable insight and represent the will of the general public in court cases [1] (and especially the communities in which the crimes occurred [2] ), there is also recognition that juries can be subject to bias [3] . Britain has even suggested plans to restrict the right to trial by jury in order to prevent undue bias from affecting court cases [4] . Elsewhere, experts are debating over whether jurors should learn about \u2018a victim\u2019s sexual history in rape cases where the defendant asserts that the accuser consented to sex, or a victim's propensity for violence in murder cases where the accused claims self-defense\u2019 [5] because of fears that it might cause juror bias. We do not grant ultimate knowledge to jurors, nor should we; it endangers the potential for an unbiased trial.  [1] Lawson Neal, and Simms, Andrew, \u2018A People\u2019s Jury of a thousand angry citizens\u2019, The Guardian, 31 July 2011.  [2] New Jersey Courts, \u2018Welcome to the New Jersey Court System\u2019, judiciary.state.nj.us, 2011.  [3] Howard Nations, \u2018Overcoming Jury Bias\u2019  [4] Davies, Patricia Wynn, \u2018Plans to restrict right to trial by jury condemned\u2019, The Independent, 28 February 1997.  [5] Silverglate, Harvey A., and Poulson, Dan, \u2018Getting Real at the SJC\u2019, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 30 May 2005 .", "Better training for jurors could easily override this problem. If we continue to use juries as an essential part of the justice system, it is important to make sure that they are as well-informed as possible. Ensuring that they are blind to the truth is not a legitimate way to achieve a fair or unbiased verdict; rather, it innately limits the accuracy of any verdict and confines it to only a portion of the truth."], "type": "binary", "id": "718"}
+{"question": "Does terrorism contribute to achieving successful long-term peaceful results?", "perspectives": ["Terrorism contributes to achieving successful long-term peaceful results.", "Terrorism does not contribute to achieving successful long-term peaceful results."], "docs": ["Terrorism can lead to discussion  In some cases, terrorism can result in the acknowledgement of certain groups. Therefore, terrorism is justified by its success in achieving results when peaceful means have failed. In many countries terrorists have succeeded in bringing governments to negotiate with them and make concessions to them. Where governments have not been willing to concede to rational argument and peaceful protest, terrorism can compel recognition of a cause. Nelson Mandela moved from terrorist to President. In many other countries we see this trend too \u2013 in Israel, Northern Ireland, in Sri Lanka, and in the Oslo peace process that led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority. [1]  [1] Palestine Facts. (n.d.). Details of the Oslo Accords. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from Palestine Facts:", "Terrorism, in the long term, has far less chances of success than other, peaceful means. It antagonises and angers the community that it targets. It polarises opinion and makes it more difficult for moderates on both sides to prevail and compromise. A lasting and peaceful settlement can only be won with the freely given consent of both parties to a conflict or disagreement. The examples given in this argument are of countries and areas that still counter much instability, and in countries such as Israel and Palestine a sustainable peaceful solution still seems far away. Moreover, the Oslo peace process is the result of long-term, diplomatic efforts on an international scale, and terrorism does not seem to have contributed directly to this process."], "type": "binary", "id": "719"}
+{"question": "Is electing a mayor more beneficial for local governments than having a council?", "perspectives": ["Electing a mayor is more beneficial for local governments than having a council.", "Electing a mayor is not more beneficial for local governments than having a council."], "docs": ["Mayors would be more accountable than a council  Electing mayors would improve accountability in local government. A Mayor would have a bigger mandate, which could be up to 500,000 votes compared to 5,000 for individual councillors making them more directly accountable to the city\u2019s electorate. [1] They are also more visible; 57% of people could name their mayor when they had one compared to only 8% being able to name their council leader and so they are more likely to be held to account for their individual policies. [2] By comparison where there are not mayors an elaborate and confusing series of committees make decisions in most areas, making it easy for individual councillors or parties to dodge responsibility for unpopular decisions or failed policies. Bristol is a good example of this with wobbly coalitions resulting from backroom deals and constantly shifting politics; the council changed hands seven times in the ten years to 2012. [3] Placing this power in the hands of an elected mayor would streamline decision-making and increase accountability. A mayor who failed to improve local services or in other ways implement their campaign promises would have little chance of re-election.  [1] Sims, Sam, \u2018Electing mayors for more English cities would increase local democratic accountability and widen political participation. But the government must grant them real power and freedom\u2019, blogs.lse.ac.uk, 7 October 2011.  [2] Gash, Tom, \u2018A turning point for England\u2019s big cities\u2019, Institute for Government, 29 March 2012.  [3] The Economist, \u2018Why elected mayors matter\u2019, 19 April 2012.", "An elected mayor would give the appearance of accountability, but at the risk of stifling democratic debate. At present policies are debated by council committees, and then by the full council, which represents a wide spectrum of views and interests; the public and media can usually attend these meetings, so overall proposals have to survive detailed examination. Focusing power in the hands of one person risks policy mistakes, ignores the interests of minorities, and allows for the possibility of corruption, especially if they are in office for four years and cannot be removed by vote of the council. Ken Livingstone, who was Mayor of London for eight years, argues \u201cIt\u2019s easy to avoid serious scrutiny \u2013 Boris has had six press conferences in four years. When you come to see how the assembly gets to question him once a month that\u2019s not the same as a detailed scrutiny by a council committee.\u201d [1] Greater accountability could instead be achieved by use of citizens\u2019 juries to consider particular local issues, and local referenda on issues such as the level of council tax.  [1] Waterson, James, \u2018Ken: Mayor has too much power for one person\u2019, City A.M., 18 April 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "720"}
+{"question": "Should the Catholic Church drastically change its stance on issues such as contraception?", "perspectives": ["The Catholic Church should drastically change its stance on issues such as contraception.", "The Catholic Church should not drastically change its stance on issues such as contraception."], "docs": ["Promotes image of Catholic Church as uncaring and stubborn.  Organised religious groups, such as the Catholic Church, around the world, regardless of faith and denomination, change their official stances in an effort to keep up with a changing world. For example, the Church of England allowing women to become bishops. In doing this, these groups show that they are able to be reactive and can fit into a world that changes every day. Even the Catholic church has begun to realise that by stubbornly refusing to change its stance, the Catholic Church presents itself as unable to adapt and stuck in its ways 1. As a result, it finds that it will lose a lot of its influence and, by extension, its propensity to do good. Since its stance on contraception limits the Church's ability to do good, then it is clearly a stance that generally causes harm and, therefore, is an unjustified one.  1.Wynne-Jones 2010", "Radical changes risk stability of the Catholic Church. As outlined in the main proposition case, rather than making the Catholic Church seem as if it can move with the times, suddenly changing its stance on barrier contraception would make the Church seem weak and would lose a lot of its support. Since their stance on barrier contraception is something that the Catholic Church has stood by for a huge number of years suddenly moving on it would throw their conviction on everything into question and would have a severe negative effect on the stability of the Church."], "type": "binary", "id": "721"}
+{"question": "Should the personal interests and prejudices of consumers dictate what news editors consider important?", "perspectives": ["The personal interests and prejudices of consumers dictate what news editors consider important.", "The personal interests and prejudices of consumers do not dictate what news editors consider important."], "docs": ["It is routine to make determinations on the basis of the race or religion of those affected in a story as to whether it is newsworthy or not. Sixty people of another nationality die in an accident, it may be barely reported, if two people of the news outlet\u2019s home nationality dies in such a tragedy then it is a major story. The interests and prejudices of the consumers of news are reflected all the time in what editors consider to be important.", "The job of a journalist is to report the world and events as they see them. Cultural sensibilities do not alter the fact that these events have happened.  It is difficult to see how a matter that is undeniably controversial on the international stage and impacts on the perception of the perpetrating government around the world could not be deemed newsworthy [1] . It should not be the responsibility of journalists to determine whether or not viewers and readers might find something of interest but, rather, to report events that have happened and that may have an impact on the lives of consumers either as individuals or as a nation. By that standard, these matters are clearly news.  News organisations and individual journalists do not report on military, political, financial or terrorist actions because they agree with them but do so because of their impact on the world in which their consumers live. Often the very stories which are the most important to report \u2013 and do so impartially \u2013 are those very stories that evoke strong feelings on both \u2013 or all \u2013 sides. Al Jazeera gained its reputation by being willing to go where other Arabic channels had not gone such as showing Israeli guests speaking Hebrew which shocked the Arab world. [2] It should be willing to do the same with gay issues.  [1] CNN. Hala Gorani. The Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East. June 02 2006.  [2] Yeginsu, Ceylan, \u2018Al Jazeera English Fresh outlook from the Middle East\u2019, Global Media Wars,"], "type": "binary", "id": "722"}
+{"question": "Is underground storage a safe method for disposing nuclear waste?", "perspectives": ["Underground storage is a safe method for disposing nuclear waste.", "Underground storage is not a safe method for disposing nuclear waste."], "docs": ["Underground Nuclear Storage is Safe  Underground nuclear waste storage means that nuclear waste is stored at least 300m underground. [I1]  The harm of a leak 300m underground is significantly limited, if the area has been chosen correctly then there should be no water sources nearby to contaminate. If this is the case, then a leak\u2019s harm would be limited to the layers of sediment nearby which would be unaffected by radiation. By comparison a leak outside might lead to animals nearby suffering from contamination. Further nuclear waste might reach water sources should there be a leak above ground, if it is raining heavily when the leak happens for example.  Further, the other options available, such as above ground storage present a potentially greater danger, should something go wrong. This is because it is much easier for nuclear waste to leak radiation into the air. This is problematic because even a hint of radiation may well cause people to panic owing to the damaging and heavily publicised consequences of previous nuclear safety crises. As such, underground storage is safer both directly and indirectly. [1]  As well as this, underground storage also prevents nuclear waste or nuclear radiation from reaching other states and as such, results in greater safety across borders. [2]  Further, storing all nuclear waste underground means that countries can concentrate their research and training efforts on responding to subterranean containment failures. Focus and specialisation of this type is much more likely to avert a serious release of nuclear material from an underground facility than the broad and general approach that will be fostered by diverse and distinct above-ground storage solutions.  [1] \u201cEurope eyes underground nuclear waste repositories.\u201d Infowars Ireland. 20/02/2010   [2] \u201cEU Debates Permanent Storage For Nuclear Waste.\u201d 04/11/2010 AboutMyPlanet.   [I1] I am not sure how to replace this section. \u201cLeakage\u201d of radioactive material into the air is a minimal danger. The contributor may be referring to the ejection of irradiated dust and other particulates that has occurred when nuclear power stations have suffered explosive containment failures, but this is not comparable to the types of containment failures that might happen in facilities used to store spent nuclear fuel rods and medical waste.  One of the more substantial risks presented by underground storage is release of nuclear material into a water source.", "Journalist Jeremy Shere describes the problems with most methods of nuclear storage:  \"There have been a few other interesting ideas \u2013such as burying nuclear waste beneath the ocean floor. Scientists have also thought about putting waste in really deep holes, burying it in polar ice sheets, and stashing it beneath uninhabited islands. [...] But there are problems with each of these ideas. For example, it would be difficult to monitor nuclear waste under the ocean floor. Waste buried deep in the earth, meanwhile, might contaminate ground water. And as ice sheets continue to melt, it\u2019s hard to say how long nuclear waste would remain buried, or where it would end up if it floated away. Plans to store waste produced in the United States in Yucca Mountain, in Utah, have been put on hold. So for now almost all nuclear waste is kept above ground in special containers at a few hundred different sites around the country.\u201d [1]  The point with underground nuclear storage is that geological conditions are often very different between states and regions; this would often mean that in some states underground nuclear storage would be completely inappropriate because it could leak due to geological changes. Further, underground nuclear storage as mentioned in the first opposition counterargument, actively encourages a state to become reliant on nuclear power.  [1] Shere, Jeremy. \u201cWhat Is The Best Way To Dispose Of Nuclear Waste?\u201d Moment of Science. 23/03/2010"], "type": "binary", "id": "723"}
+{"question": "Is providing contraception a higher priority than investing in education and healthcare for the poor?", "perspectives": ["Providing contraception is a higher priority than investing in education and healthcare for the poor.", "Providing contraception is not a higher priority than investing in education and healthcare for the poor."], "docs": ["It is undeniably true that greater investment in public services would help the poor. It is however, difficult to see how these two things are mutually exclusive. Indeed the results of this measure look set to considerably increase the chances of an education and healthcare for every child.", "Poor families would be helped far more by investment in education and healthcare  This has been an urban and political obsession from the outset. The idea that the hungry and homeless need condoms more than food and shelter is clearly absurd. The poor would be better helped through \u201caccessible education, better hospitals and lesser government corruption.\u201d [i] Rather than interfering in the moral life of the nation, parliamentarians would be better exercised in tackling these concerns.  This issue has consumed political energy for over a decade and received massive national and international attention and yet there are far more pressing concerns for the nation \u2013 and its political leaders.  Instead this bill, which carries the marks of both political and moral corruption has been the main focus of the president and congress. At the very least this suggests a questionable sense of priority, at worst a gross lack of interest in the welfare of the Filipino people.  [i] Villegas, Socrates B., \u2018Contraception is Corruption!\u2019, CBCP News, 15 December 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "724"}
+{"question": "Should we make life-and-death decisions based on statistical probabilities?", "perspectives": ["We should make life-and-death decisions based on statistical probabilities.", "We should not make life-and-death decisions based on statistical probabilities."], "docs": ["Given that we don\u2019t know anything about these individuals all we have to work with are the numbers. If you take five random people and one random person then there is a greater chance that among the five people there is a life saving doctor. The only time this is not true is if the average person has a negative effect on the world. However, if this is the case we would always have to act in a way that fewest people survived which is absurd.", "We cannot make any judgments about whose life is valuable and whose is not  It is impossible to know what any of the people involved in the situation will do with their life. One might be a serial killer while another might be a life-saving doctor. By attempting to use some sort of calculation in the scenario we are presuming that we have more knowledge than we actually do. In reality we are totally ignorant to the right course of action and doing anything in the situation could be a terrible mistake that causes a lot of pain and suffering in the future."], "type": "binary", "id": "725"}
+{"question": "Is the ICC likely to prosecute vulnerable communities for the use of child soldiers?", "perspectives": ["The ICC is likely to prosecute vulnerable communities for the use of child soldiers.", "The ICC is not likely to prosecute vulnerable communities for the use of child soldiers."], "docs": ["The cultural construction of armed conflict  The jurisdiction of the ICC is primarily exercised according to culturally constructed assumptions about the way war works \u2013 that there will be a clear division between aggressors and defenders, that armies will be organised according to chains of command, the civilians will not be targeted and will be evacuated from conflict zones. But countless conflicts in Africa and central Asia have proven these assumptions to be flawed.  It should not be forgotten that almost all formulations of this motion define cultural relativism only as a defence to the use of child soldiers. It will still be open for ICC prosecutors to prove that the use of child soldiers has been systematic, pernicious and deliberate, rather than the product of uncertainty, necessity and unstable legal norms. Moreover, not all defences are \u201ccomplete\u201d defences; they do not all result in acquittal, and are often used by judges to mitigate the harshness of certain sentences.  It can be argued that it was never intended for the ICC to enforce laws relating to child soldiers against other children or leaders of vulnerable communities who acted under the duress of circumstances. At the very least, those responsible for arming children in these circumstances should face a more lenient sentence than a better-resourced state body that used child soldiers as a matter of policy.  Due to the nature of conflicts in developing nations, where the geographic influence of \u201crecognised\u201d governments is limited, and multiple local law-making bodies may contribute to an armed struggle, it is difficult for the international community to directly oversee combat itself. United Nations troops are often underfunded, unmotivated and poorly trained, being sourced primarily from the same continent as the belligerent parties in a conflict. When peacekeepers are deployed from western nations, their rules of engagement have previously prevented robust protection of civilian populations. Ironically, this is partly the result of concerns that western states might be accused of indulging in neo-colonialism. It is outrageous for the international community to dictate standards of war-time conduct to communities and states unable to enforce them, while withholding the assistance and expertise that might allow them to do so.  Therefore, the ICC, as a specialist legal and investigative body, should be encouraged to use the expertise it has accumulated to distinguish between child military participation driven by a desire to terrorise populations or quickly reinforce armies, and child military participation that has arisen as a survival strategy.", "The ICC is not likely to target children or the leaders of marginalised communities when prosecuting the use of child soldiers. Officials of states parties who play a role in commanding and deploying military units can be held liable for failing to prevent the use of child soldiers at a local level.  If the agony of their circumstances forces a community to recruit ever younger boys into its militia, then officers, ministers or heads of state, along with the commanders of non-state actors, can be brought to trial for allowing children to be used as soldiers. This will be the case whether these individuals do so negligently or by omission. A guilty party need not engage in a positive act.  ICC prosecutors and judges exercise their discretion in order to avoid the types of injustice that the proposition describes. The lack of prosecutions relating to the ad-hoc use of child soldiers by pro-independence groups in South Sudan underlies this fact [i] .  Moreover, the ICC is bound by the principle of complementarity, an obligation to work alongside the domestic courts and legislators of the states that refer potential war crimes to the international community. If a state\u2019s corpus of law allows for a margin of appreciation in judging the actions of isolated and endangered communities, these principles must also be reflect in the investigation and inquiries conduct by the ICC.  Complementarity enables the ICC to function with the flexibility and insight that proposition assume it lacks.  [i] \u201cRaised by war: Child Soldiers of the Southern Sudanese Second Civil War\u201d, Christine Emily Ryan, PhD Thesis, University of London, 2009"], "type": "binary", "id": "726"}
+{"question": "Are international courts more effective than domestic courts in handling cases of human rights violations?", "perspectives": ["International courts are more effective than domestic courts in handling cases of human rights violations.", "International courts are not more effective than domestic courts in handling cases of human rights violations."], "docs": ["International prosecution encourages domestic justice  By introducing internationally based prosecution, the laws are able to effectively filter down into the domestic system. The international system takes care of powerful offenders who might otherwise not receive a fair trial or be brought to justice. This then allows domestic courts to prosecute those involved in the crimes at a lower level. This has worked in Ivory coast where the former leader was brought to face charges committed at home and also helped stabilize the situation in the country [1].  [1] Smith, David, \u2018Laurent Gbagbo appears before international criminal court\u2019, thegurdian.com, 5 December 2011,", "By using international courts, countries do not actually gain skills or dependence within their own systems, but may instead become reliant on that system.  However, such an international institution cannot handle all the cases and delays the process of justice; The ICTR have completely finished 47 cases in 20 years [1], a slow operation compared to the Rwandan local courts. The domestic Gacaca system has done much more trying nearly 2million suspects.[2] But this system has been reconciliatory in nature without forensic evidence and cross examination.  [1] Will, Ross, \u2018Rwanda genocide: Did Bizimungu trial take too long?\u2019, bbc.co.uk, 17 May 2011,   \u2018Status of cases\u2019, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, accessed 24/2/2014,   [2] Kimenyi, Felly, and Asiimwe, Bosco, \u2018Legal experts hail Gacaca\u2019, newtimes.co.rw, 18 June 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "727"}
+{"question": "Is full transparency about a leader's health necessary for a fair election?", "perspectives": ["Full transparency about a leader's health is necessary for a fair election.", "Full transparency about a leader's health is not necessary for a fair election."], "docs": ["Transparency allows citizens to choose for a healthy leader as to ensure proper functioning  The health and fitness of a leader is a vital issue when choosing a leader; the electorate deserves to know if they are likely to serve out their term. When health conditions are hidden from the people they may mistakenly elect a leader who is unable to serve a full term or is at times not in control of the country. There would be little point in voting for a leader who will often not truely be in charge of the country, if voters are told it becomes their choice whether this is a problem. Transparency in terms of clear, accurate and up-to-date information is necessary for the electorate to judge the fitness of a leader which is a necessary precondition for election. In a democracy a leader needs to be accountable, he can only be accountable if the elctorate knows such vital information.", "Administrative capabilities should not be compared to health. Unhealthy leaders may perform better than the healthy ones, people could be misled to choose inappropriate leaders while taking health as a black spot while the leader could actually have a better potential than the rest. If the electorate had just elected on the basis of health, or had been fully informed about presidents health then it is plausible that neither FD Roosevelt of JF Kennedy would have been elected. Neither completely hid their illnesses but they were not discussed and did not become election issues as they would have in a modern election. 1  1 Berish, Amy, \u2018FDR and Polio\u2019, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum,"], "type": "binary", "id": "728"}
+{"question": "Is the formation of a UN standing army feasible?", "perspectives": ["The formation of a UN standing army is feasible.", "The formation of a UN standing army is not feasible."], "docs": ["A U.N. standing army is not impossible to form. The United Nations has already conclusively proved, in numerous peacekeeping among other missions, its ability to play a constructive, effective military role in interventions; a standing army would merely replace the top level of command. Instead of taking orders from the top brass in a national military, the orders would come from United Nations commanders. For soldiers trained to listen and respond to commands, this would constitute merely a subtle shift that would not alter their operational effectiveness. Furthermore, funding would be provided through similar streams to how peacekeeping forces are funded contemporaneously,; however, once the U.N. standing army has proved itself capable, funding will surely come from those states who recognize that pooling resources to form a U.N. army is more prudent than scratching together a under-resourced, native army.", "A UN standing army is simply impossible to form.  A standing army for the United Nations has an existing legal framework; it has never been attempted in practice because it would be impossible to create. Article 43 of the original UN Charter specifies that all member states are expected, upon the signing of a future UN agreement, to provide \u2018forces, assistance and facilities\u2019 for the maintenance of international peace and security 1. That it is has never been attempted is the direct result of its sheer impracticality; who would contribute the troops? How would they be trained, and ensure that troops trained in one state would not be asked to thereafter fire on their own colleagues? Furthermore, where would the U.N. standing army be located, for the United Nations has no land, and the United States would not take kindly to a reprisal attack on the UN Army at the United Nations Headquarters. And who would fund this army? The United States hasn\u2019t paid its bills to the United Nations in years due to their opposition to some of its actions/ What is there in place to prevent that continuing? Lastly, and most importantly, whose will would they be implementing, for the United Nations is not a single voice but the aggregated noise of its member states? The Security Council, which currently dictates the form that U.N. peacekeeping operations take, are not a group to whom impartiality can be attributed. A U.N standing army at the behest of the Security Council would be used sparingly at best and only in regions and conflicts for whom all the P5 had a vested interest in the maintenance of peace. Any impartiality that the U.N. standing army had in theory would be lost in practice.  1. U.N. Charter, (1945)"], "type": "binary", "id": "729"}
+{"question": "Does celebrity endorsement in politics lead to less informed voters?", "perspectives": ["Celebrity endorsement in politics leads to less informed voters.", "Celebrity endorsement in politics does not lead to less informed voters."], "docs": ["People will have less information about politicians\u2019 manifestos and ideas.  Celebrity endorsement distracts those who normally provide information to voters. Newspapers, blogs and other online media all have limited space, and, because celebrities sell, will use that space showing who is supporting whom, rather than covering debate about a politician\u2019s policies and ideas.  Though the presence of celebrities may actually give the masses more avenue to relate to electoral processes, the fact still stands that in status quo people are more interested in the activities of their favorite celebrities which will thus blot out the candidates themselves. When voters see celebrity endorsements they are no longer thinking about how these future politicians can make an impact on their lives. In some cases the celebrity may help show the platform of policies the candidate is standing on but most of the time they are simply taking airtime from more in depth analysis. What is worse when wooing celebrities becomes important for politicians the politicians themselves have less time to formulate and articulate their policies.  This is detrimental to the democratic process. People having less information than they would otherwise impairs their ability to make an informed choice about how they would like to vote. A prohibition on celebrity interference in political debate would remove this obscuring effect.  All of the above adds to the depoliticisation of politics. If the celebrity endorsement continues to thrive, younger generations will disengage with the important political issues at hand. Instead of learning about the fundamental issues surrounding their country, they will be exposed to party tactics that are of no use to their political development.", "This is not necessarily the case: there remains a diverse assortment of news sources, and with the explosion in size and quality of the blogosphere, people are increasingly accessing information from a wide range of sources. Thus it is decreasingly the case that space in the news can be conceived of as limited in this way.  Further, providers of political analysis might find it easier to sell papers/shows to a wider audience when they can use a celebrity image or quote as well, resulting in a more, not less, informed population."], "type": "binary", "id": "730"}
+{"question": "Can states or institutions created in concession to terror function efficiently and fairly?", "perspectives": ["States or institutions created in concession to terror can function efficiently and fairly.", "s or institutions created in concession to terror cannot function efficiently and fairly."], "docs": ["States or institutions created in concession to terror can work, if the process of creation is handled with care and is done with the interests of the whole population at heart. It is true that some terrorist organisations have no political experience, but some have, and these organisations should have a say in the political process, in corporation with representatives of other groups. Modern South Africa is a state created as a result of terrorism, yet it is not a state that would be accused of conducting a violent foreign policy or excessive internal repression, especially when compared to other parts of the continent.", "Corrupt states  States or institutions created in concession to terror are often corrupt, dominated by men of violence with links to organised crime. Nothing is achieved to improve the lives of the people in whose name terror has been used. Terrorist organisations have often a military and violent character. The sort of people who attracted to committing acts of terror often glorify illegitimate acts of violence and justify the possible harm done to civilians by proving their complicity or the outcome of the actions. More precisely, they have only the interest of their ideology or the minority they are supporting. When these people are put in a position of power, they are likely to follow the same lines as before, especially when they do not have a political background. They are likely to be ignorant of how political processes work, and will appoint people that have the ideology in other powerful positions. This will make the whole political system inefficient and biased towards a minority or a fringe interest. As a result, level of corruption could rise, and in extreme cases people with other opinions can be persecuted. Iran went from a Westernizing state to an Islamic one, and is now hostile to dissidents. [1]  [1] BBC News. (2012). Iran Profile, Retrieved 17 February 2012 from BBC News:"], "type": "binary", "id": "731"}
+{"question": "Is migration a beneficial strategy for economic development in Africa?", "perspectives": ["Migration is a beneficial strategy for economic development in Africa.", "Migration is not a beneficial strategy for economic development in Africa."], "docs": ["Migration is 'developmental'.  Recent reports by the HDR (2009) and WDR (2009) have shown migration is a means of development \u2013 free movement has the power to alleviate poverty, enable markets, and connectivity. Taking recent evidence concerning worldwide remittance flows, the developmental nature of free movement is shown.  In 2013, it is estimated, through international migration, $414bn were remitted back to developing countries [1] . Remittance flows into Africa (from within and internationally) accounted for $40bn in 2010, accounting for an increasing percentage of GDP (AfDB, 2013; IFAD, 2013). Northern Africa articulated the largest total of remittances received. Remittances remain beneficial for supporting livelihoods. The influx of remittances to households provides security, an additional income for support, enables household consumption, and investment in alternative assets, such as education and land, of which present crucial benefits in reducing poverty. Although the geography of remittances remains uneven, and currently barriers remain to sending and receiving money, the developmental potential of remittances from African diasporas (both outside and within Africa) is now recognised [2] .  [1] See further readings: World Bank, 2013.  [2] For additional information on the debate of migration, remittances and social development see further readings: De Haas, 2010.", "Migration results from poverty; poverty will not be solved through migration. Migration is a survival strategy - therefore development initiatives are required first for poverty to be reduced. Three points need to be raised. First, patterns of migration showcase the prevalence of a 'brain drain' [1] across Africa, and inputting a free labour market will continue to attract skilled migrants to desired locations. Research by Docquier and Marfouk (2004) indicates Eastern and Western Africa accounted for some of the highest rates of brain drain; with rates increasing over the past decade . Rather than promoting free movement African nations need to invest in infrastructure, health and education, to keep hold of skilled professionals.  Second, the extent to which remittances are \u2018developmental\u2019 are debatable. Questions emerge when we consider who can access the money transferred (gender relations are key) and therefore decide how it is used; the cost, and security, of transfer.  Lastly, migration is not simply \u2018developmental\u2019 when we consider social complexities. Research has identified how increased mobility presents risks for health, particularly with regards to the HIV/AIDS epidemic [2] . Therefore migrating for jobs may put the migrant, or their partner, at risk of HIV/AIDS.  Migration cannot resolve poverty disparities across Africa. Poverty disparities, both spatial and social, reflect the unequal, growing, gap between the rich and the poor. Neither economic growth, or migration, will reduce poverty in the face of inequality.  [1] \u2018Brain drain\u2019 is defined as the loss of high-skilled, and trained, professionals in the process of migration.  [2] See further readings: Deane et al, 2012."], "type": "binary", "id": "732"}
+{"question": "Should the state mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses?", "perspectives": ["The state should mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses.", "The state should not mandate the distribution of art under creative commons licenses."], "docs": ["The creative commons is a more effective means for artists to build and expand their reach and markets than traditional copyright licensing arrangements  The nature of the internet and mass media on the 21st century is such that many artists can benefit from the freedom and flexibility that creative commons licenses furnish to them. Wider use by other artists and laymen alike helps artistic works \u201cgo viral\u201d and to gain major impact that allow the artist to generate a name for his or herself and to attain the levels of earnings conventional copyrights are meant to help artists generate but that ultimately hamstring them. A major example of this is the band Nine Inch Nails, which opted in 2008 to begin releasing its albums through the creative commons. [1] Creative commons licenses are so remarkable because they can be deployed by artists to expand their markets, and to profit even more from their greater recognition. After all, the artists still retain control of the commercial uses of their work and are guaranteed under creative commons licensing regulations to be credited by users of their content. [2] Giving undue artistic and distribution control to the artists through constricting and outmoded copyright may mean less significant reach and impact of the work. The state should thus facilitate the sharing by mandating the distribution of art of all kinds under creative commons licenses.  [1] Anderson, N., \u201cFree Nine Inch Nails albums top 2008 Amazon MP3 sales charts\u201d, arstechnica, 7 January 2009,   [2] Creative Commons. \u201cAbout the Licenses\u201d. 2010.", "Choosing to release one\u2019s work into the viral market may be a shrewd business and artistic move, or it might not. All of this depends on the individual artist and the individual work. Nine Inch Nails both has the money that they can afford to take the risk and the name recognition that means they can be sure some fans will purchase the music, this is not the case with most artists. Thus the decision can really only be made effectively and fairly by the artists themselves. Trying to usurp that choice through a state mandate only serves to undermine the artist\u2019s creative vision of how he or she wishes to portray and distribute their work to the world."], "type": "binary", "id": "733"}
+{"question": "Is above ground storage the best method for handling nuclear waste?", "perspectives": ["Above ground storage is the best method for handling nuclear waste.", "Above ground storage is not the best method for handling nuclear waste."], "docs": ["There Are Better Alternatives to Underground Nuclear Waste Storage  France is the largest nuclear energy producer in the world. It generates 80% of its electricity from nuclear power. [1] It is very important to note, therefore, that it does not rely on underground nuclear waste storage. Instead, it relies on above ground, on-site storage. This kind of storage combined with heavy reprocessing and recycling of nuclear waste, makes underground storage unnecessary. [2]  As such it seems logical that in most western liberal democracies that are able to reach the same level of technological progress as France, it makes more sense to store nuclear waste above ground. Above ground, checks and balances can be put into place that allow the maintenance of these nuclear storage facilities to be monitored more closely. Furthermore, reprocessing and recycling leads to less wasted Uranium overall. This is important as Uranium, whilst being plentiful in the earth, is often difficult to mine and mill. As such, savings here often significantly benefit things such as the environment and lower the economic cost of the entire operation.  [1] BBC News, \u2018France nuclear power funding gets 1bn euro boost\u2019, 27 June 2011,   [2] Palfreman, Jon. \u201cWhy the French Like Nuclear Energy.\u201d PBS.", "Side proposition supports the reuse of nuclear waste; however, it also believes that the remaining nuclear waste left by the process should be stored underground.  This is because, the nuclear waste created from such a recycling process ends up being more concentrated and dangerous radioactively than normal nuclear waste. As such, storage above ground is incredibly dangerous if there is a leak. By comparison, storing the waste underground leaves 300m of sediment between the waste and the air. As such, the chances of the waste reaching a water source or causing panic are reduced as detailed in the proposition substantive. Further, even if there is a leak, the facilities can often be sealed off to prevent this from happening.7"], "type": "binary", "id": "734"}
+{"question": "Is the collation and sale of personal data by companies detrimental to individual privacy?", "perspectives": ["The collation and sale of personal data by companies is detrimental to individual privacy.", "The collation and sale of personal data by companies is not detrimental to individual privacy."], "docs": ["Collecting and selling personal information is a major violation of privacy  The gathering of personal data that companies undertake is done in a fashion that is fundamentally invasive of individuals\u2019 privacy.  When individuals go online they act as private parties, often enjoying anonymity in their personal activities. Companies, particular online services, collate information and seek to use it to market products and services that are specifically tailored to those individuals. In the context of the internet, this means that individuals\u2019 activities online are in fact susceptible to someone else\u2019s interference and oversight, stealing from them the privacy and security the internet has striven to provide since its inception. At the most basic level, the invasion of privacy that collating and using private data gleaned from customers is unacceptable. [1] There is a very real risk of the information being misused, as the data can be held, and even resold to third parties that the customers never consented to giving their data and might well not want to come into possession of their personal details. This can lead to serious abuses of individuals\u2019 private information by corporations, or indeed other agents that might have less savoury uses for the information, most obviously the more places your personal information is the more likely it is to be lost in a data breach with 267million records exposed in 2012. [2] Even when the information is not exposed it may be used in ways that have a real impact on the individual such as determining credit scores. [3] People as a matter of principle should have control over who gets access to their private information. Giving companies that are driven by profit motive to sell on their customers\u2019 data to anyone that might offer a suitable price stands as an absolute theft of personal information and privacy.  [1] The Canadian Press. \u201cAcademics Want Watchdog to Probe Online Profiling\u201d. CTV News. 28 July 2008.   [2] Risk Based Security, \u201c2012 Sets New Record for Reported Data Breaches\u201d, PR Newswire, 14 February 2013,   [3] Morris, J., and Lacandera, E., \u201cWhy big companies buy, sell your data\u201d, CNN, 23 August 2012,", "Much of the \u201cpersonal\u201d data that is kept, collated, and sold is freely available online already and can be protected in many ways. The programmes that are used to collect information online, where most of this collation takes place, often do not ever gain real access to individuals\u2019 identities, but rather only have access to search details. It is highly unlikely that any of this information could be used to identify actual individuals, and where it can it is safeguarded by laws regarding privacy. Furthermore, the information in question is put into the public sphere by individuals availing of services and may well not be guaranteed any form of special protection. They exist and are revealed in the public sphere, and belong there."], "type": "binary", "id": "735"}
+{"question": "Is animal testing only conducted when absolutely necessary?", "perspectives": ["Animal testing is only conducted when absolutely necessary.", "Animal testing is not only conducted when absolutely necessary."], "docs": ["Animal research is only used when it\u2019s needed  EU member states and the US have laws to stop animals being used for research if there is any alternative. The 3Rs principles are commonly used. Animal testing is being Refined for better results and less suffering, Replaced, and Reduced in terms of the number of animals used. This means that less animals have to suffer, and the research is better.", "Not every country has laws like the EU or the US. In countries with low welfare standards animal testing is a more attractive option. Animal researchers tend to only do animal research so don\u2019t know about the alternatives. As a result they will use animal testing unnecessarily not as just a last resort."], "type": "binary", "id": "736"}
+{"question": "Should a \"sin\" tax be applied to unhealthy food to combat obesity?", "perspectives": ["A \"sin\" tax should be applied to unhealthy food to combat obesity.", "A \"sin\" tax should not be applied to unhealthy food to combat obesity."], "docs": ["There is ample precedent in the form of other \u201csin\u201d taxes  A sin tax is a term often used for fees tacked on to popular vices like drinking, gambling and smoking. Its roots have been traced back to the 16th century Vatican, where Pope Leo X taxed licensed prostitutes. [1]  More recently, and with greater success, US federal cigarette taxes were shown to have reduced consumption by 4% for every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes. [2]  Given the success achieved with uprooting this societal vice, which on a number of counts is similar to the unhealthy food one - immense health costs linked to a choice to consume a product \u2013 we should employ this tried and true strategy to combat the obesity epidemic.  In fact, a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine followed 5000 people for 20 years, tracking food consumption and various biological metrics. The report states that \u201cResearchers found that, incremental increases in price of unhealthy foods resulted in incremental decreases in consumption. In other words, when junk food cost more, people ate it less.\u201d [3]  Thus leaning on the successful tradition of existing \u201csin\u201d taxes and research that points out the potential for success of a similar solution in this arena, it should be concluded that a fat tax is an important part of a sensible and effective solution to the obesity epidemic.  [1] Altman, A., A Brief History Of: Sin Taxes, published 4/2/2009,  , accessed 9/12/2011  [2] CDC, Steady Increases in Tobacco Taxes Promote Quitting, Discourage Smoking, published 5/27/2009,  , accessed 14/9/2011  [3] O'Callaghan, T., Sin taxes promote healthier food choices, published 3/10/2010,  , accessed 9/12/2011", "Choosing to introduce a new policy based on experience with a different, seemingly similar case, is not a good idea.  Tobacco and fatty food are vastly different things for a couple of reasons. An obvious one is the fact that fat is in fact necessary nourishment, even the trans-fat kind. Cigarettes on the other hand have absolutely no value to a persons\u2019 health \u2013 their detrimental impact is quite infamous.  A different one is the importance of dosage. While smoking is harmful in all doses, indulging in larger amounts of fatty food isn\u2019t. Consuming what we consider \u201cjunk food\u201d in moderation has no ill effect on health. [1] This results in legislating for any kind of fat tax much more difficult as the tax needs to allow consuming fat in moderation while preventing excess.  [1] Roberts A., Let Them Eat Cake (Why Junk Food Is OK For Kids, In Moderation), published 5/9/2011,  , accessed 9/12/2011"], "type": "binary", "id": "737"}
+{"question": "Is the International Criminal Court overly reliant on US funding?", "perspectives": ["The International Criminal Court is overly reliant on US funding.", "The International Criminal Court is not overly reliant on US funding."], "docs": ["The ICC generates crippling expenses.  Cautious estimates suggest an operating budget of $100 million per year1. The costs of the ICTY and ICTR have already spiralled out of control, and the latter tribunal has a legacy of maladministration and internal corruption. The US contributes 25% of the budget for both the tribunals, which amounted to $58 million in the fiscal year 20002. It is dubious whether the ICC could survive without US financial support. The UN as a whole is obligated only to fund investigations and prosecutions initiated at the request of the Security Council. Every other investigation must be funded by assessed contributions from the States that have ratified the Rome Statute. Although the UN could authorise the transfer of additional funds, the procedure would require a UN Security Council resolution that would of course be subject to the US veto. Alternatively, it is accepted that State Parties to the Statute could directly contribute funds or personnel to the ICC. However, the possibility of partiality or even corruption is manifest where States with their individual political interests are deploying and directing their own staff within the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC.  1 Irwin, R. (2010, January 8). ICC Trials Hit by Budget Cuts. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Institute for War & Peace Reporting:  2 Scharf, M. P. (2000, October). The Special Court for Sierra Leone. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from American Society of International Law:", "The budget of the ICC is not particularly excessive and can be maintained without US finance. The withholding of US funds from the UN budget is a familiar tactic for expressing disapproval. In 1998, the total US arrears on assessed contributions that had been approved by the Security Council amounted to over $1.3 billion1. Whilst the operation of UN institutions and operations, in particular peacekeeping, might have suffered, the UN was still able to function. Likewise, there is no reason to suggest that the refusal of the US, or even Japan, to ratify the Rome Statute, would preclude the operation of the ICC. The Statute allows the donation of additional funds and resources from other State Parties. With regard to the ICTY, the EU has consistently contributed personnel, in addition to the payment of the assessed contribution of each of the 15 States. $100 million might seem a significant expense. However, it is both trite and true that no price should be put on justice. Not least justice for thousands of victims of some of the most heinous crimes imaginable.  1 Lautze, S. (2000, October). US Arrears to the UN. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Humanitarian Exchange Magazine:"], "type": "binary", "id": "738"}
+{"question": "Should Turkey be considered a suitable candidate for EU accession?", "perspectives": ["Turkey is considered a suitable candidate for EU accession.", "Turkey is not considered a suitable candidate for EU accession."], "docs": ["Turkey has a poor human rights record  Turkey\u2019s human rights record is improving rapidly, with the abolition of the death penalty and the removal of restrictions on the use of the Kurdish language. \"Encouraged by the EU, Turkey has pursued legislative and constitutional reforms liberalizing the political system and relaxing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and expression. Turkey signed and ratified Protocols 6 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It abolished the death penalty and adopted measures to promote independence of the judiciary, end torture during police interrogations, and reform the prison system. In addition, Turkey has significantly reduced the scope of its antiterrorism statutes, which had been used to curtail political expression, and it amended the Penal Code and Codes of Criminal and Administrative Procedure. Police powers have been curbed and the administration of justice strengthened, due partly to the dismantling of state security courts.\" [1]  The Kurdish minority is also enjoying better treatment. \u201cThe protection and promotion of the rights of the Kurds, which make up about a fifth of Turkey's population, have also progressed\u2026 In June, an appeals court ordered the release of Leyla Zana and three other Kurdish parliamentarians who were jailed ten years ago after the Kurdistan Workers' Party was banned.\" [2]  Surely countries with a history of bad human rights activities should be embraced by the EU, in the hope that the EU will have a positive influence on them. It is true that banning them from membership is an effective punishment but that will not enforce any change. If we wish to see compliance with Human Rights conventions we have to ensure that countries that may contravene them are under its jurisdiction in the first place. Once they are members we can then encourage better behaviour through punishing any further contraventions.  [1]  \u2018Turkey\u2019s Dreams of Accession\u2019 by David Phillips, Foreign Affairs September/October 2004  [2]  \u2018Turkey\u2019s Dreams of Accession\u2019 by David Phillips, Foreign Affairs September/October 2004", "Turkey has a large number of pending cases to be addressed by the European Court of Human Rights [1] . Police use of torture is widespread against PKK members and sympathisers. Turkey refuses even to acknowledge that Kurds have a separate culture and ethnicity, referring to them as 'Mountain Turks'. Peaceful protestors, including (but not only) those wanting improved rights for the Kurdish minority, are still tried and imprisoned under anti-terrorist laws. The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances reported that in 1994 there were over 50 disappearances in Turkey, more than in any other country [2] . There are also restrictions on the freedom of the press.  It is true that reforms have begun, but there are questions as to how thoroughly these will be implemented. And in cases where judgments have been put forward by the European Court of Human Rights, Turkey is often loath to implement the advice of the court, as in the Loizou Case [3] . Until political dissidents are freed, those accused of human rights abuses are brought to trial and punished, and Kurds are given equal rights, Turkey cannot be judged a suitable candidate for EU accession.  [1]  Report by Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, 1st October 2009  [2]  United Nations Commission on Human Rights  [3]  Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, summary Loizuo and others v Turkey"], "type": "binary", "id": "739"}
+{"question": "Is gambling and stock investing fundamentally the same thing?", "perspectives": ["Gambling and stock investing are fundamentally the same thing.", "Gambling and stock investing are not fundamentally the same thing."], "docs": ["Other forms of online gambling  What is the difference between gambling and playing the stock market? In each case people are putting money at risk in the hope of a particular outcome. Gambling on horse-racing or games involves knowledge and expertise that can improve your chances of success. In the same way, trading in bonds, shares, currency or derivatives is a bet that your understanding of the economy is better than that of other investors. Why should one kind of online risk-taking be legal and the other not?", "Gambling is quite different from buying stocks and shares. With the stock market investors are buying a stake in an actual company. This share may rise or fall in value, but so can a house or artwork. In each case there is a real asset that is likely to hold its value in the long term, which isn\u2019t the case with gambling. Company shares and bonds can even produce a regular income through dividend and interest payments. It is true that some forms of financial speculation are more like gambling \u2013 for example the derivatives market or short-selling, where the investor does not actually own the asset being traded. But these are not types of investment that ordinary people have much to do with. They are also the kinds of financial activity most to blame for the financial crisis, which suggests we need more government control, not less."], "type": "binary", "id": "740"}
+{"question": "Is euthanasia a sensible option to relieve suffering and ensure quality of life?", "perspectives": ["Euthanasia is a sensible option to relieve suffering and ensure quality of life.", "Euthanasia is not a sensible option to relieve suffering and ensure quality of life."], "docs": ["Medical science allows us to control death, suicide and euthanasia are sensible corollaries to that.  We now live longer than at any time in the 100,000 years or so of human evolution and longer than the other primates [i] . In many nations we have successfully increased the quantity of life without improving the quality. More to the point, too little thought has been given to the quality of our deaths.  Let us consider the example of the cancer patient who opts not to put herself through the agony and uncertainty of chemotherapy. In such a circumstance, we accept that a person may accept the certainty of death with grace and reason rather than chasing after a slim probability of living longer but in pain.  All proposition is arguing is that this approach can also apply to other conditions, which may not be terminal in the strict sense of the world but certainly lead to the death of that person in any meaningful sense. The application of medical science to extend a life, long after life is \u2018worth living\u2019 or would be possible to live without these interventions cannot be considered a moral good for its own sake. Many find that they are facing the prospect of living out the rest of their days in physical pain or are losing their memory. As a result, some may see \u2018going out at the top of their game\u2019 as the better, and more natural, option.  [i] Caleb E Finch. Evolution of Human Lifespan and the Diseases of Aging: Roles of Infection, Inflammation, and Nutrition. Proceding of the National Academy of Sciences of the united States of America. 12 October 2009.", "This conveniently ignores that patients in a permanent vegetative state (PVS) do recover. It also ignore that Alzheimer\u2019s patients enjoy moments of lucidity that bring pleasure to both themselves and their friends and relatives. It also discounts the possibilities offered by advances in medical science. The one point in any of the processes that is irreversible is the point of death \u2013 in the event of a misdiagnosis or the creation of a new drug, it\u2019s too late if the person is already dead."], "type": "binary", "id": "741"}
+{"question": "Would a default lead to a collapse of the Greek economy?", "perspectives": ["A default would lead to a collapse of the Greek economy.", "A default would not lead to a collapse of the Greek economy."], "docs": ["Defaulting would cause chaos in Greece  There is no good solution for the crisis Greece finds itself in, only less bad ones. Austerity measures imposed on Greece may currently be causing suffering, but austerity is the least bad option available for the Greek people: default would be considerably worse. Here is what would most likely happen:  The Greek banking sector would collapse [1]. A large portion of the Greek debt is owed to Greek banks and companies, many of which would quickly go bankrupt when the Government defaults. This is also because Greek banks are almost totally reliant on the ECB for liquidity. [2] People would consequently lose their savings, and credit would be close to impossible to find.  The Government would quickly devalue the Drachma by at least 50%. This will lead to imported goods being more expensive and consequently to a huge rise in inflation with the living costs increasing tremendously.[3]  These two events would lead to a severe shortage of credit, making it almost impossible for struggling companies to survive. Unemployment would soar as a result. It will become increasingly difficult to secure supplies of oil, medicine, foodstuffs and other goods. Naturally, those hit worst would be the poor. The Government, in this respect, would be failing on an enormous scale in providing many citizens with the basic needs. [4]  [1] Brzeski, Carsten: \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,   [2] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012   [3] ibid  [4] Arghyrou, Michael: \u201cViewpoints: What if Greece exits euro?\u201d, BBC News, 13 July 2012,", "It is not necessarily true that the whole banking sector in Greece would collapse. Given that the default would be orderly and take place within the context of the European Union, the ECB and European Commission would still provide substantial liquidity aid for Greek banks. Moreover it is not true that a devaluation of domestic currency necessarily leads to high inflation \u2013 this was not the case, for example, when Britain exited the European Exchange-rate Mechanism in 1992 and pursued a devaluation policy of the British Pound. [1] Lastly, evidence of recent governments that have defaulted suggests that even though some of the harms the opposition refer to may actualise, recovery generally follows fairly quickly, as was the case with Argentina, South Korea and Indonesia. [2]  [1] Ruparel, Raoul and Persson, Mats: \u201cBetter off Out? The short-term options for Greece inside and outside of the euro\u201d, June 2012, Open Europe, 2012   [2] Becker, Garry: \u201cShould Greece Exit the Euro Zone?\u201d, The Becker-Posner Blog, 20.5.2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "742"}
+{"question": "Does the line-item veto authority pose a potential risk for presidential abuse of power?", "perspectives": ["The line-item veto authority poses a potential risk for presidential abuse of power.", "The line-item veto authority does not pose a potential risk for presidential abuse of power."], "docs": ["A President would be able to abuse the power given to them in a line-item veto authority, leveraging it into undue influence over other elements of the legislative process. By threatening to veto items dear to particular Congressmen, they could obtain assent to bills, treaties and appointments that otherwise would not be forthcoming. Such intimidation would be subtle and hard to prove, but it would erode checks on the executive and fundamentally alter the balance of power within the constitution. This means that budgets are politicised even more than is currently the case. When the line item veto was previously used by Clinton republicans such as Rick Santorum argued that every decision \"has political overtones, but that's fine, it comes with the territory,\" Senator Ted Stevens went further \"We're dealing with a raw abuse of political power by a president who doesn't have to run again\".1  1 Hugliotta, Guy and Pianin, Eric, 'Line-Item Veto Tips Traditional Balance of Power', Washington Post, 24/10/97,accessed 5/5/11", "This amendment would only give the President a limited power for a limited but worthwhile purpose. The media and interest group scrutiny that accompanies the Presidency will ensure that the White House will have to justify every line-item decision made. It does not affect the Congress's power regarding policy-making, entitlement programmes or taxation. Indeed, it is little different to the existing convention of executive \"Signing Statements\" whereby the President can sign legislation while making it clear his intention not to fully implement aspects of it. It would create a budgetary separation of powers between the president and congress so introducing checks and balances against the abuse of power.1  1 Ferro, Lucas and De Magalhaes, Leandro M. 'Budgetary Separation of Powers in the American States and the Tax Level: A Regression Discontinuity Design', Bristol University, Oct 2009,accessed 5/5/11"], "type": "binary", "id": "743"}
+{"question": "Should creative commons licenses become the standard for publicly-funded works?", "perspectives": ["Creative commons licenses should become the standard for publicly-funded works.", "Creative commons licenses should not become the standard for publicly-funded works."], "docs": ["The default of total copyright is harmful to the spreading of information and experience  Current copyright law assigns too many rights, automatically, to the creator. Law gives the generator of a work full copyright protection that is extremely restrictive of that works reuse, except when strictly agreed in contracts and agreements. Making Creative Commons licenses the standard for publicly-funded works generates a powerful normalizing force toward a general alteration of people\u2019s defaults on what copyright and creator protections should actually be like. The creative commons guarantees attribution to the creator and they retain the power to set up other for-profit deals with distributors. [1] At base the default setting of somehow having absolute control means creators of work often do not even consider the reuse by others in the commons. The result is creation and then stagnation, as others do not expend the time and energy to seek special permissions from the creator. Mandating that art in all its forms be released under a creative commons licensing scheme means greater access to more works, for the enrichment of all. This is particular true in the case of \u201corphan works\u201d, works of unknown ownership. Fears over copyright infringement has led these works, which by some estimates account for 40% of all books, have led to huge amounts of knowledge and creative output languishing beyond anyone\u2019s reach. A mix of confusion over copyright ownership and unwillingness of owners to release their works, often because it would not be commercially viable to do so, means that only 2% of all works currently protected by copyright are commercially available. [2] Releasing these works under creative commons licenses will spawn a deluge of enriching knowledge and creative output spilling onto the market of ideas. It would mark a critical advancement in the democratization and globalization of knowledge akin to the invention of the printing press.  [1] Creative Commons. \u201cAbout the Licenses\u201d. 2010.   [2] Keegan, V. \u201cShorter Copyright Would Free Creativity\u201d. The Guardian. 7 October 2009.", "There are many ways to correct for the dearth of some works on the market such as orphan works. By simplifying copyright law, reducing lengths of copyright and more robust searches for legal provenance can all help correct for the shortfalls without eroding an important part of law and material rights. Or indeed the law might be revised simply to free works that have unclear ownership from copyright by default. Creators should retain, no matter how annoying it may be to would-be enjoyers of their work, control over their artistic output. Artists\u2019 creations are fundamentally their own, not the property of the state or society."], "type": "binary", "id": "744"}
+{"question": "Should journalists exercise discretion and self-censorship to avoid causing offense or distress?", "perspectives": ["Journalists should exercise discretion and self-censorship to avoid causing offense or distress.", "Journalists should not exercise discretion and self-censorship to avoid causing offense or distress."], "docs": ["Broadcasters almost never show scenes of torture or torment because they know this will cause offence, the same principle should apply here.  Journalists and editors use their judgement all the time on what is acceptable to print or broadcast. Expletives [1] or graphic images of violence or sex are routinely prevented because they would cause offence, giving personal details might cause distress and are omitted as a courtesy, and the identities of minors are protected as a point of law in most jurisdictions. It is simply untrue to suggest that journalists report the \u2018unvarnished truth\u2019 with no regard to its ramifications. Where a particular fact or image is likely to cause offence or distress, it is routine to exercise self-censorship \u2013 it\u2019s called discretion and professional judgement [2] . Indeed, the news outlets that fail to do so are the ones most frequently and vociferously denounced by the high-minded intelligentsia who so frequently argue that broadcasting issues such as this constitutes free speech.  It is palpably and demonstrably true that news outlets seek to avoid offending their market; so liberal newspapers avoid expos\u00e9s of bad behaviour by blacks or homosexuals otherwise they wouldn\u2019t have a readership. [3] Most journalists try to minimise the harm caused by their reporting as shown by a study interviewing journalists on their ethics but how they define this harm and what they think will cause offence differs. [4] Western journalists may find it awkward that many in the Arab world find the issue of homosexuality unpleasant or offensive but many of the same journalists would be aghast if they were asked to report activities that ran counter to their cultural sensibilities simply as fact.  [1] Trask, Larry, \u2018The Other Marks on Your Keyboard\u2019, University of Sussex, 1997,   [2] For example see the BBC guide to editorial policy.  [3] Posner, Richard, A., \u2018Bad News\u2019, The New York Times, 31 July 2005,   [4] Deppa, Joan A, & Plaisance, Patrick Lee, 2009 \u2018Perceptions and Manifestations of Autonomy, Transparency and Harm Among U.S. Newspaper Journalists\u2019, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, pp.328-386, p.358,", "All of the issues that Prop raises are matters of choice - the use of expletives or the visual portrayal of a brutal act are the representations of an active choice, either by the subject of the story or the reporter. The endemic homophobia in the Arab world attacks people on the basis of their humanity, if people were being imprisoned for having green eyes or red hair or black skin or breasts or an attraction to the opposite sex, nobody would suggest that there were cultural sensitivities involved. Journalists would report it as a crime of apartheid.  Free speech is grounded in giving voice to the voiceless, not only regardless of the fact that some may find that inconvenient but in active defiance of it. Journalism at its best recognises that fact. For example the ethics guide of the American Society of Professional Journalists states that journalists should, \u201cTell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience even when it is unpopular to do so.\u201d [1] At its worst it\u2019s merely a handy way of filling space between adverts for washing powder; the best of journalism happens when it challenges, takes risks and, frequently, offends. In demonstrating that an American President was, in fact, a crook, [2] or reminding Western viewers that there was a famine happening in much of Africa, the journalists concerned made their readers and viewers uncomfortable because they reminded them that they were complicit.  [1] Quoted in Handbook for Journalists. Publ. Reporters Without Borders. P 91.  [2] \u2018Watergate at 40\u2019, Washington Post, June 2012,"], "type": "binary", "id": "745"}
+{"question": "Should politicians be granted immunity from prosecution for their actions in office?", "perspectives": ["Politicians should be granted immunity from prosecution for their actions in office.", "Politicians should not be granted immunity from prosecution for their actions in office."], "docs": ["Politicians should be able to make difficult decisions without fear that selecting one option will lead to their incarceration.  By the most popular definition, a state is the entity with the monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a defined territory. Politicians, as the government of that state, necessarily wield the institutions of that state force. This results in the tremendous responsibility of deciding when the overwhelming power of the state is exercised. This pertains to a variety of areas, such as police action against civil unrest, the interrogation of both alleged and convicted terrorists, and economic policies that subsidize industries with state resources. While it is certainly possible to brazenly abuse this power, in many cases politicians are presented with options which are, if at all illegal, marginally so, and made with the good faith interest of the nation at heart. There are even conceivable situations in which a politician may exercise options that are clearly illegal but serve an overwhelming state interest; consider an illegal raid on a private building in order to prevent a nuclear bomb from going off. While documented instances of policy-makers choosing not to act for a particular reason are rare, several senior CIA officials stated that they had become risk averse merely because the idea of prosecuting officials who made security policy had entered the public discourse. [1] We ought to place politicians in a situation where the only factor in their decision-making process is what serves the public interest, rather than having to weigh what they consider to be the right action against the chance it will lead to their incarceration. Attempting to avoid this through a limited system which allowed for the prosecution of apolitical crimes but immunity for political decisions would fail to accomplish the goals of prosecution of politicians, which is primarily to protect against political abuses of state power which threaten the rights of the citizenry.  [1] Crawford, Robert, \u2018Torture and the Ideology of National Security\u2019 Global Dialogue, Vol.12 No.1, Winter/Spring 2010, (\u201cA Risk-Averse CIA\u201d subsection)  [Accessed 22 September 2011]", "No one doubts that politicians have to make morally difficult decisions, where sometimes every option is unpleasant. However, no one wants politicians to have an unrestricted ability to make ethical questionable decisions. That is exactly what immunity would deliver them. A politician who knows that they cannot be touched is incentivized and licensed to be much more brazen in their behavior when in office, and we want a bulwark against unrestricted rule-breaking. A state of affairs wherein politicians can sometimes be prosecuted creates the ideal amount of disincentive for politicians to break rules; they will do so only when there is a pressing need, and only to a moderate degree. Because of the plausible justifications for such acts, politicians need not fear prosecution in the overwhelming majority of cases. For instance, no official from either the UK or USA has been actually indicted with regard to highly-legally-dubious programs to torture detainees [1] [2] . Moreover, politicians are seldom prosecuted anyway, especially because they tend to belong to socioeconomic strata that punished less or not all compared to the rest of society. There is no legitimate need to give them more protection.  [1] Ambinder, Marc, \u2018CIA Officers Granted Immunity from Torture Prosecution\u2019, The Atlantic, 16 April 2009,  [Accessed September 9, 2011]  [2] Human Rights Education Association, \u2018Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment\u2019, hrea.org,  [Accessed September 9, 2011]"], "type": "binary", "id": "746"}
+{"question": "Should external powers arm rebels in the Syrian conflict?", "perspectives": ["External powers should arm rebels in the Syrian conflict.", "External powers should not arm rebels in the Syrian conflict."], "docs": ["Diplomacy is not going anywhere  The best solution would be a ceasefire between the two sides in the Syrian civil war and a negotiated settlement, but it is clear we are long past the point where this approach stood a chance of success. The United Nations peace effort under Kofi Annan failed in the middle of last year [1] and there has been no progress since. Similarly all attempts to bring pressure to bear throughout the security council have failed as a result of Russia supporting Assad's regime. This leaves the unilateral initiatives to help the rebels. No state wants full intervention as France did in Mali [2] so the only alternative is simply to help the Free Syrian Army. To do so means providing what they need to win the conflict; primarily arms that can defeat the Syrian army. This need not be considered to be exclusive with diplomacy; the intervening state should continue to try to find a diplomatic solution just as before the Dayton accords NATO helped the Croats militarily while at the same time looking to diplomacy to provide an overall solution to the conflict. [3]  [1] Plett, Barbara, \u2018Syria crisis: Kofi Annan quits as UN-Arab League envoy\u2019, BBC News, 2 August 2012  [2] See the debatabase debate \u2018 This House believes France is right to intervene in Mali \u2019.  [3] Hokayem, Emile, in \u2018Roundtable: arming the Syrian rebels\u2019, Foreign Policy, 21 February 2013", "Simply because there is stalemate in diplomacy and on the ground does not make arming the rebels the option that should now be taken, indeed it does not mean that outside powers need to take any action at all. Those with Syria's best interests at heart would remain on the sidelines, provide humanitarian assistance, and encourage new diplomatic initiatives. The response should not be to turn Syria into a rerun of the proxy wars of the Cold War with the west arming be side and Russia the other."], "type": "binary", "id": "747"}
+{"question": "Is agnosticism the rational stance in the absence of definitive evidence about God's existence?", "perspectives": ["Agnosticism is the rational stance in the absence of definitive evidence about God's existence.", "Agnosticism is not the rational stance in the absence of definitive evidence about God's existence."], "docs": ["In the absence of positive evidence for the existence of God the rational position is agnosticism, not atheism:  In a situation where there is an absence of either positive evidence for a claim or definite negative evidence for it, the natural response is not rejection of the claim, but rather skepticism and admission of lack of knowledge one way or the other. [1] In the case of religion and God, this position is agnosticism. Humans are fallible organisms, and thus all statements about truth and about the Universe must be qualified by some degree of doubt. Positively rejecting the existence of God, as atheism does, ignores this requisite doubt even though it cannot prove that there is no God. Rather, in the absence of evidence for or against the existence of God, the most the atheist can say honestly is that he does not know. The claims of atheism are positive ones and thus require evidence; an atheist position is thus faith-based in the same way a theist one is.  [1] Hume, David. 1748. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. New York: Oxford University Press (2008).", "The rational position in the absence of positive evidence about God is not agnosticism, but atheism. While there is always a degree of doubt in every statement, this does not mean that negative claims about an entities existence can never be made. One can rationally state that fairies do not exist, even if there is no positive evidence for their non-existence. The very fact that no evidence exists for the existence of fairies, in the same way there is no evidence for the existence of God, is evidence of the negative. Thus, in the evidence of positive evidence for God, the rational default position is atheism."], "type": "binary", "id": "748"}
+{"question": "Should professional acting and sports involvement be discouraged among children due to the associated physical risks?", "perspectives": ["Professional acting and sports involvement should be discouraged among children due to the associated physical risks.", "Professional acting and sports involvement should not be discouraged among children despite the associated physical risks."], "docs": ["Being a performer can make the child physically vulnerable  Children involved at a professional level in sports are at a higher risk than their peers of physical problems like breaking bones. In some cases, these physical problems can be fatal; e.g., Julissa Gomez, who died from complications of a vaulting injury contracted when she was 15 in warm-ups for a gymnastics competition. [1]  Even in careers like acting and dancing there are risks for child performers. Actors and dancers are usually encouraged to stay thin, often to an unhealthy degree. Because children are particularly vulnerable, they are more susceptible to the perils of over-exercising for athletes and eating disorders for performers. It has been found, for example, that girls who dance in their childhood are more likely than their peers to develop anorexia nervosa in later life. [2] Lena Zavaroni, the childhood winner of \u2018opportunity knocks\u2019 in the 1970\u2019s, struggled with eating disorders for all of her life and died aged 34.  With the damage eating disorders can do to a person\u2019s body, it should be illegal to expose children to such risks.  [1] Hoffman, \u2018Obituaries\u2019  [2] BBC News, \u2018Anorexia linked to child dancers\u2019", "The added risk for most child athletes and performers is very low, and there is professional help in place for them to manage it.  Children who compete professionally in sporting events are only exposed to real risk in very rare, extreme situations. Some elements of risk exist in all aspects of life: children who are allowed to play on rollerblades are slightly more at risk of injury than those who are not; children who live in cities are at more risk of traffic accidents than those who live in the countryside, who are at more risk of falling out of trees, etc. Adults and children alike make decisions in which they take risks in the name of the greater benefits. For children who play a sport professionally, the physical training they receive can build strength and muscle and increase fitness levels, which provide the child with improved health and protection from injury in future. If child performers were banned, there would be no way of making sure that any children who still ended up in the business (i.e., illegally) had access to the support staff (e.g., physiotherapists, nutritionists) currently available. [1]  When it comes to the possibility of eating disorders in child performers, professionals also exist for the prevention thereof. For example, in New York the Child Performer Advisory Board to Prevent Eating Disorders (Labor Law Section 154) exists to educate and provide information for child performers and their guardians. [2]  [1] Canadian Athletic Therapists Association, \u2018Athletic Therapy\u2019  [2] New York Department of Labor, \u2018Child Performer Advisory Board\u2019"], "type": "binary", "id": "749"}