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Debate Debate Topics — page 2

71 debate topics, all ages. Debatable motions with arguments for and against. Open the arguments below, pick one at random, or present them full-screen.

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  1. 51.

    We should abolish safe spaces

    For

    • 100% agree, should they do that, it would be a good thing
    • a safe space does not permit discussion on anything that might inform uneducated people why their views are wrong

    Against

    • a safe space is a great place for youth to hang out so that they are not in dangerous places.
    • a safe space might mean the difference between coping and not coping with mental health.
  2. 52.

    We should stop the development of autonomous cars

    For

    • a lack of control means there is nobody to step in if it goes wrong
    • an autonomous car can not predict well enough to avoid certain accidents.

    Against

    • a very high percentage of crashes are caused by distracted or drunk driving and with machines they can't be distracted or drunk
    • Accidents due to causes like driver error, distracted driving, and intoxication, for example, would be eliminated if everyone had an autonomous car,
  3. 53.

    Blockade of the Gaza Strip should be ended

    For

    • A Blockade is the perfect way to create stagnation on both sides
    • A blockade is what you do when you want any chance for peace eliminated and for both nations to grow suspicious towards each other

    Against

    • a blockade is sometimes the only non-violent option available in trying to force a diplomatic hand.
    • As the occupying power over the Gaza Strip, Israel has the right to determine where and how goods and people should enter the territory it occupies so the maritime blockade as a tactic is legal
  4. 54.

    We should subsidize stay-at-home dads

    For

    • a father figure that takes an active role in their child's life has a positive effect on the child
    • a modern society espousing gender equality has a duty to subsidize stay-at-home dads, just as it would support mothers - this both improves womens' career prospects, and fathers' emotional bonding.

    Against

    • a father is entitled to sacrifice his work for time with his new-born, but this is a lifestyle choice and should be self-funded, not financially supported by the tax payer.
    • a man's place is in the workforce to provide for his family. why should anyone else have to pay for that guy's family just because he doesn't want to go to work?
  5. 55.

    We should ban cosmetic surgery for minors

    For

    • a child is still growing, physically and mentally, cosmetic surgery should not be considered until they are an adult and able to make these decisions
    • a child's body is still developing and the faults that a child sees in themselves may resolve when they're an adult

    Against

    • a birth defect or a disfiguring injury can highly impact someone's self esteem, with parental permission minors should have the opportunity to correct this.
    • a child cannot just walk into a cosmetic surgeons and get unnecessary surgery, parental consent and medical regulations are in place to ensure this is only conducted safely and on worthy cases of deformity
  6. 56.

    We should abolish the three-strikes laws

    For

    • a three-strikes system does not allow for people to be treated fairly as individuals and instead is used as a "one-size-fits-all" control method for minority populations.
    • abolishing the three strikes law would save money

    Against

    • a criminal that offends two times is likely to keep committing crimes so the three strikes law would keep them out of the public earlier for the better
    • a criminal will think twice about committing a crime knowing that the next crime he commits might mean life imprisonment.
  7. 57.

    We should subsidize vocational education

    For

    • academic education has been promoted at the expense of vocational education and this needs to be re-balanced by subsidizing vocational education.
    • achieving high levels of education is positive for the nation

    Against

    • a person who receives a vocational education earns less over his or her lifetime than someone with a college degree.
    • any subsidy for education after school is unnecessary, the right to access education ends at 16 at which point people can fund their own adult decisions
  8. 58.

    We should introduce compulsory voting

    For

    • a compulsory vote we make everyone contribute their opinion.
    • a high turnout is important for a proper democratic mandate and the functioning of democracy

    Against

    • a well informed population is always better for the voting process and democracy. forcing populations to vote undermines the well of free people and should not be adopted.
    • american citizens have the right to choose whether or not they want to vote.
  9. 59.

    Holocaust denial should be a criminal offence

    For

    • 6 million people died so to deny the holocaust should be a crime against their memory
    • a person that denies the holocaust need to be charged with a criminal offense if they can not see the truth of those that suffered.

    Against

    • a person has freedom of speech and making this a crime limits a person's freedom guaranteed under this amendment
    • a person has their right to their own opinion and making denial of the holocaust a criminal offense takes away the rights of that person.
  10. 60.

    We should ban telemarketing

    For

    • A good portion of the telemarketers these days are not even human and this is illegal and Immoral
    • ban telemarketers so they stop calling at all times of day and bothering us

    Against

    • a telemarketing ban violates the first amendment rights of the telemarketer.
    • anyone that is bothered by telemarketing can block these types of calls without anyone having to ban all telemarketing
  11. 61.

    We should subsidize journalism

    For

    • access to information is a crucial right for a voter in a democratic society
    • as long as it is fair and unbiased.

    Against

    • aren't subsidies opening the door for manipulating journalists and inducing media bias in favor of the government?
    • Even if the government doesn't gain influence over the reported news, the perception that it does will increase public distrust and prevent journalists from doing their job.
  12. 62.

    We should cancel pride parades

    For

    • all these parades do is emphasize the fact that many people believe that being anything other than cis gender is strange or different. by promoting these rallies we are perpetuating this myth.
    • being gay doesn't mean you deserve a parade. many people don't support that and it seems ridiculous for non supporters to have to look at that for a whole day.

    Against

    • all are made to feel welcome and included in pride parades
    • all people are entitled to celebrate in their prefered ways.
  13. 63.

    Foster care brings more harm than good

    For

    • a study comparing more than 22,000 former foster children with their age-matched peers found that the former group had higher risk of suicide attempts, risk of psychiatric disorders, and excess risks for psychosis and depression
    • abuse and bullying are rife among foster children it does not provide stability just temporary solutions

    Against

    • an upbringing with parents rather than an orphanage leads to children who are better socially adapted
    • another positive within the foster care system is the environmental change.
  14. 64.

    We should fight for the abolition of nuclear weapons

    For

    • A miniature arms race between missile defense developers and missile developers creates an arms race that costs a massive amount to any state with either industry.
    • a nuclear free world would ensure humanities survival

    Against

    • A country is entitled to develop any weapon that will help it defend itself against an enemy.
    • a country should have the right to defend itself in whatever way it sees fit even if they do not intend to use nuclear weapons.
  15. 65.

    Social media brings more harm than good

    For

    • all these videos of violence is bragging and producing more violence to happen
    • bad cuts deeper than good. though social media has good aspects, it is the bad that cuts deeper than the good, therefore, causing more harm than good.

    Against

    • a presence on social media allows small businesses to reach a larger audience and thrive, whereas in the past they may have failed because not enough people knew they existed.
    • For a company, social media platforms are a great way to keep in touch with their customer base and showcase new products.
  16. 66.

    We should abolish capital punishment

    For

    • A state that outlaws murder cannot then turn around and murder prisoners in the name of the law. It is perverse and unjust.
    • abolish capital punishment so that we never put an innocent person to death

    Against

    • A basic principle of punishment is that it should be proportional to the crime, and therefore capital punishment is the only legitimate response to a crime such as first degree murder.
    • Abolishing capital punishment is impossible. It is mostly used today by dictatorial countries and religious monarchies, and they don't obey world norms and suggested human rights
  17. 67.

    We should legalize prostitution

    For

    • a lot of woman who prostitute themselves were sexually assaulted themselves so it may be better to have better options.
    • a man or woman has the right to do what they wish with their body, and if they choose to sell it for sex, the government should not interfere.

    Against

    • banning prostitution is must for all of us who cares about moral and dignity of women.
    • being a prostitute is a very dangerous job.
  18. 68.

    We should legalize cannabis

    For

    • a great deal of money is wasted every year on trying to police the use of cannabis which would be saved if cannabis was legalized
    • a shift from drinking alcohol to cannabis use will decrease crimes because the amount of crime and violence caused by alcohol use is ten times higher than by marijuana

    Against

    • a product that is going to put more impaired drivers on the road and increase traffic accidents and deaths should be never legalized!
    • addiction, drugged driving accidents, increased crime and a negative impact on health from secondhand smoking is just a small list of legalizing marijuana cost
  19. 69.

    Assisted suicide should be a criminal offence

    For

    • a cure or treatment may be discovered shortly after having ended someone's life unnecessarily.
    • allow assisted suicide could allow unscrupulous people to become serial killers

    Against

    • `people reach their limit when it comes to their quality of life and should be able to end their suffering. this can be done with little or no suffering by assistance and the person is able to say good bye.
    • A patient should be able to decide when they have had enough "care".
  20. 70.

    We should ban the Church of Scientology

    For

    • banning the church of scientology would be good because it is very cult like.
    • banning this church is of utmost importance because it is a cult.

    Against

    • a group should be able to identify and practice as a religion if they so please
    • all religions enjoy religious freedom in the us, so singling out this particular church is unfair and unconstitutional.
  21. 71.

    We should adopt atheism

    For

    • adopting atheism will help to end senseless wars that are based on religion
    • Adopting atheism will prevent non-religious people from being offended.

    Against

    • a large majority of the world believes in god in some form so adopting atheism is not going with what the majority believes.
    • a majority of americans identify with a religion.

How to use these debate topics

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Questions adapted from IBM Debater — Argument Quality 30k (CC BY 3.0), edited for clarity. This collection may be reused under the same terms — see sources & licenses.