topic
stringlengths 3
73
| argument
stringlengths 24
222
| label
stringclasses 2
values |
|---|---|---|
DC handgun ban
|
If the 2nd amendment was to protect an individual right it would have clearly expressed it
|
PRO
|
Muhammad cartoons controversy
|
The cartoons were an exercise in hate, rather than free, speech.
|
CON
|
Muhammad cartoons controversy
|
Hateful and harmful representations of Muhammad are illegal and should be censored.
|
CON
|
Muhammad cartoons controversy
|
Because the cartoons were legal, they did not require a government response.
|
PRO
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Why give Osama Bin Laden a dignified religious burial?
|
CON
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Many Muslims would have preferred to see body, confirm death.
|
CON
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Sea burial doubts diminishes blow to terrorists.
|
CON
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Americans deserved to see Osama bin Laden's body.
|
CON
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Islamic law flexible to special burials such as Bin Laden's.
|
PRO
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
No alternative to sea burial was available.
|
PRO
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
Sea burial elegant solution to burying Bin Laden's corpse
|
PRO
|
Osama Bin Laden Sea Burial
|
No country would accept his body; sea burial appropriate.
|
PRO
|
Michigan and Florida delegates in 2008 US elections
|
Michigan and Florida knowingly violated the rules and so should be punished
|
CON
|
Dollarization
|
Dollarization will not help nations with sound economic policies
|
CON
|
Dollarization
|
Dollarization is a band-aid approach to poor economic policy
|
CON
|
Dollarization
|
Overnight dollarization is not feasible
|
CON
|
Dollarization
|
The UK would benefit from dollarization
|
PRO
|
Dollarization
|
Dollarization can benefit nations suffering from hyperinflation
|
PRO
|
Ending US sanctions on Cuba
|
Sanctioning Cuba is appropriate punishment for its flouting the UN
|
CON
|
Ending US sanctions on Cuba
|
United Nations Resolutions condemning sanctions have never passed through the Security Council and therefore lack any authority.
|
CON
|
Ending US sanctions on Cuba
|
Sanctions against Cuba have not worked at all in their long history.
|
PRO
|
Ending US sanctions on Cuba
|
Sanctions violate the principle of just war
|
PRO
|
Ending US sanctions on Cuba
|
Sanctions against Cuba violate United Nations resolutions since 1992.
|
PRO
|
Free trade
|
Global governance will make governing free trade possible
|
PRO
|
Superdelegates
|
The US superdelegate system is undemocratic
|
CON
|
Superdelegates
|
Superdelegates represent old era of closed-door politics.
|
CON
|
Legalization of Marijuana
|
There is no evidence that marijuana decreases cognitive functions
|
PRO
|
Legalization of Marijuana
|
Marijuana prohibition is equally impossible as alcohol prohibition
|
PRO
|
Prostitution
|
Prostitution is an inappropriate solution to poverty
|
CON
|
Prostitution
|
Many libertarian feminists consider that prostitution reflects the independence and dominance of modern women.
|
PRO
|
Prostitution
|
State resources should not be wasted fighting prostitution
|
PRO
|
Prostitution
|
Common prostitution is not a biblical conflict
|
PRO
|
Prostitution
|
Governments should not set moral standards on prostitution
|
PRO
|
UN Security Council veto
|
Vietnam supports banning UN security council veto power
|
PRO
|
Abolition of nuclear weapons
|
It's not possible to abolish nuclear weapons now that the are at large.
|
CON
|
Abolition of nuclear weapons
|
Nuclear weapons can not just be simply destroyed or dismantled,
|
CON
|
Abolition of nuclear weapons
|
A nuclear abolition treaty is feasible with worldwide unanimity
|
PRO
|
Abolition of nuclear weapons
|
Israel could be compelled to sign a nuclear weapons ban
|
PRO
|
Return of Israel to pre-1967 borders
|
Pre-1967 borders uphold legitimate Palestinian aspirations.
|
PRO
|
Three Gorges Dam
|
The TGD taps China's underexploited hydroelectric potential
|
PRO
|
Primaries in US elections
|
Well organized conventions have always been coronation events.
|
PRO
|
Hate crime laws
|
Hate crime is a major problem, requiring a state response
|
PRO
|
Hate crime laws
|
Hate crime laws provide special protections like other laws do
|
PRO
|
Assault weapons ban in the United States
|
The Supreme Court has affirmed the individual right to bear arms.
|
CON
|
Assault weapons ban in the United States
|
Semi-automatic weapons has not decimated animal populations.
|
CON
|
Assault weapons ban in the United States
|
There are adequate alternatives to assault weapons for self-defense.
|
PRO
|
Assault weapons ban in the United States
|
Semi-automatic weapons do not serve a sporting purpose
|
PRO
|
Kosovo independence
|
Serbia's abuses in Kosovo are exaggerated
|
CON
|
Kosovo independence
|
Kosovar Albanians have terrorized ethnic Serbs in Kosovo
|
CON
|
Kosovo independence
|
An independent Kosovo is the least bad option now
|
PRO
|
Kosovo independence
|
The potential of violence should not deter a principled move to an independent Kosovo
|
PRO
|
Kosovo independence
|
Kosovo's autonomy within Yugoslavia supports moves to independence
|
PRO
|
Kosovo independence
|
Serbian abuses invalidate their sovereignty over Kosovo
|
PRO
|
Driftnet ban
|
By-catch doesn’t need to be a reason to ban driftnets.
|
CON
|
Driftnet ban
|
The reports of extinction through over-fishing are inconclusive and based on anecdotal evidence.
|
CON
|
Driftnet ban
|
Driftnet fishing is a form of subsistence living for many.
|
CON
|
Driftnet ban
|
An effective driftnet ban must go beyond international waters into countries' Exclusive Economic Zones.
|
PRO
|
Ecotourism
|
Ecotourism is just green-washing for profit
|
CON
|
Corn ethanol
|
Corn ethanol is inferior to sugar ethanol
|
CON
|
Corn ethanol
|
Corn feedstock is a beneficial byproduct of corn ethanol production
|
PRO
|
Corn ethanol
|
Many race cars run on corn ethanol:
|
PRO
|
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
|
Boycotting China will be against the spirit of the Olympics
|
CON
|
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
|
Olympic boycotts have achieved nothing historically
|
CON
|
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
|
China's unwillingness influence Burma's crisis justifies an Olympic Boycott
|
PRO
|
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
|
Boycott Beijing Olympics
|
PRO
|
Fish farming ban
|
Farmed fish is not healthy
|
PRO
|
Bush economic stimulus plan
|
A tax rebate is not a sustained, long-term stimulus
|
CON
|
Bush economic stimulus plan
|
Tax Rate Cuts, Not Tax Rebates, Stimulate the Economy
|
CON
|
700 mile US Mexico border fence
|
US education and health care are more important than building a border fence
|
CON
|
700 mile US Mexico border fence
|
Building a border fence is not racism
|
PRO
|
700 mile US Mexico border fence
|
San Diego is symbol of efficacy of fence
|
PRO
|
700 mile US Mexico border fence
|
The 700 mile fence is not relatively expensive
|
PRO
|
700 mile US Mexico border fence
|
Good fences make good neighbors
|
PRO
|
Waterboarding
|
Torture violates the dignity of the human being
|
CON
|
Waterboarding
|
Torture violates protections of the vulnerable
|
CON
|
Waterboarding
|
Waterboarding is a mild interrogation technique
|
PRO
|
Waterboarding
|
Torture is justified in saving lives.
|
PRO
|
Waterboarding
|
Torture is justified in the ticking time-bomb scenario
|
PRO
|
Waterboarding
|
Waterboarding is highly valuable in the war on terror
|
PRO
|
Legalization of drugs
|
Forbidden fruit concept is nonsense.
|
CON
|
Legalization of drugs
|
There is no such thing as a safe drug (regulated by the state).
|
CON
|
Legalization of drugs
|
An immoral drug-trade should be confined to criminal-agents rather than governments.
|
CON
|
Legalization of drugs
|
Individuals have the right to control their bodies and consume drugs
|
PRO
|
Legalization of drugs
|
Drug-use does not directly harm others, so it should be legalized
|
PRO
|
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
|
Offering illegal immigrants driver's licenses would violate the rule of law
|
CON
|
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
|
Seattle doesn't need a tunnel highway
|
CON
|
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
|
Environmental groups prefer surface route over tunnel.
|
CON
|
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
|
Development after removing viaduct will pay for tunnel.
|
PRO
|
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
|
Clean electric cars will use Seattle's tunnel.
|
PRO
|
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
|
Tunnel works well with surface-street option.
|
PRO
|
High-speed rail
|
High-speed rail can't work without subsidies.
|
CON
|
High-speed rail
|
High speed rail not best way to create local jobs.
|
CON
|
High-speed rail
|
High-speed trains: costly govt project in search of need
|
CON
|
Mandatory military service
|
Impossible to mandate morality of state
|
CON
|
Mandatory military service
|
Government better off running training schemes.
|
CON
|
Mandatory military service
|
Mandatory military service popular where it exists.
|
PRO
|
No-fly zone over Libya
|
No-fly zone does not constitute military intervention.
|
PRO
|
Military recruiting in public schools
|
Military uses sophisticated persuasion techniques on kids.
|
CON
|
Military recruiting in public schools
|
Recruiters there to persuade, not provide information.
|
CON
|
Military recruiting in public schools
|
Military recruiting in high schools is not essential.
|
CON
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.