Topic suggestions here.

DeVore

I am trying to think of emotive but balanced and current topics to line up for debating.

things like:
"The upcoming ban on smoking in pubs is good for the country."
"Ireland would benefit if Eircom went out of business."

etc...

I'm also trying to think of good debating threads or threads that created more light then heat in the history of Boards like (taken from Humanities)

Should All male Golf Clubs be allowed?
Legalise Canabis!
What should we do with child-porn users?
Freemasons: Evil society or misunderstood nice guys?


So, since we intend go live with the first debate in 4 weeks (after I get back from my hols)... chuck in your topics here and we'll vote or something to decide which is first.


They should be balanced as much as possible so that people can see both sides of the argument (topics like: "Should we shoot all gay people?" arent going to produce much thought provoking writing are they?).


DeV.

imp

I haven't fully thought this one through, but perhaps one on the idea of Punishment versus Rehabilitation??

Just an idea I had bouncing about...

}:>

Sparks

Here's a few DeVore. You may have seen them lurking beneath the surface of some Politics threads...

1. That Dail Eireann is an outmoded institution in dire need of abolition or significant reform.
2. That abortion on demand should be made available in Ireland.
3. That leglislation should be enacted to ensure that political campaigns shall be funded purely from public funds.
4. That the Eircom phone network be confiscated by the government and made a nationally owned public resource.
5. That all newspapers should be required to be funded by an independent fund, as is done by the Irish Times.
6. That there should be a mandatory course throughout the Junior and Leaving cert courses on civics, ethics, philosophy and politics.
7. That electronic voting should be adopted.
8. That the government should not use any software that is not open-source.
9. That a constitutional amendment is required to grant the right to the people to call for a binding referendum on a topical issue by means of a petition signed byf a set percentage of the population.
10. That the M50 should be built over Carrickmines castle.
11. That the gardai should be directed to resume the granting of licences for handguns.

bizmark

how about

1.feminest have they gone mad ? to me it seems they wont be happy till all men are dead


The vast majorty of women are notting like the 1% of feminest so why are they still listened 2 ?

mike65

In the great Boards tradition of "dissing" a new board then
feeding it first I'll say this is nothing that the Humanities board could'nt do and second, my sugested topic for debate is -

"Will the Irish ever get over it?" It being petty much anything
to do with the old enemy.

Mike.

Moriarty

Tum tee tum..

• Should the EU aim to become a superpower.
• Should Ireland change its policy of military neutrality.
• Should the Gardai be an armed police force.

Ill add more as they come to me.

Boston

Originally posted by DeVore

Freemasons: Evil society or misunderstood nice guys?



DeV.

few people would actually know what there talking about in relation to this.

I was talking to someone the other day, and they where moaning at me about how when they first came to ireland they got the crap kicked out of them because they where english. Then they came out with a line " its not like i was black or anything" i couldn't believe what i was hearing, so maybe a debate on the issue of prejudice in a modern ireland would be good.

Also the isreali palestinian conflict is always good

Ilike the one about civics and the like is schools.

TomTom

Originally posted by Sparks
Here's a few DeVore. You may have seen them lurking beneath the surface of some Politics threads...

1. That Dail Eireann is an outmoded institution in dire need of abolition or significant reform.
2. That the government should not use any software that is not open-source.

I think the above are great ideas along with the smoking in the pub one.

Also
Alcohol : Is it controled in this county?
Public House Laws : Are out pubs being given fair rules?
Tv licencing : Do we have to pay so much?
Do the police need policing?

Hobart

1) The death penalty should be (re) introduced for murder?
2) USA. The real Axis of evil?
3) Terrorism is never justified.
4) Priests should be allowed marry

Sparks

Technically Hobart, priests are allowed to marry - in fact it's one of their main jobs ....

DeVore

Some of those are good... others are almost impossible to imagine finding people who would be willing to stand up and argue them.

This IS something that Humanities cant do, we cant have a week long debate between people who REALLY know what they are talking about without someone jumping in and dragging the conversation off in another direction (or 18 people doing that )

Thats not a BAD thing, its just that I am looking for something thats more, I dunno, spotlighted or in-depth.

Also, this is a little like Big Brother but with brains and wit

DeV.

Sparks

Also, this is a little like Big Brother but with brains and wit

And no snogging!

bonkey

Irish

---

1. Ireland should get over itself.
2. We are still the 51st State.
3. Romantic Ireland is dead and gone, 'tis with Religious Ireland in the grave.
4. Dublin needs a facelift.

General

---

1. Security, Privacy, Freedom : The New Uncertainty Principle?
2. Age is wasted on the Old


Anything else I could think of off the top of my head has already been mentioned.

jc

Boston

Violence on irish streets would be interesting. shoudl sinn fein be allowed in goverment?

bonkey i like what you have done with 3, but i stil lthink yeats was a muppet

davej

Right a few topics for consideration:

"We all had such optimism for it in the mid 90's but the Internet Revolution has let us down."

"Manufactured pop music is a product of our own society, and as such we should embrace it."

"Ireland's image as 'the land of a thousand welcomes' has been torn into a thousand pieces"

davej

DeVore

Oooh. I kinda like the first one davej

I'll respond in depth soon, y'all...

DeV.

Hobart

Originally posted by Sparks
Technically Hobart, priests are allowed to marry - in fact it's one of their main jobs ....

You know. I just new somebody would come up with that. I swear. I was goin to place brackets around the end and say (not perform the ceromony but actual take a wife for themselves) but I just a sucker for punishment.

TheWolf

How about bin taxes? Opinions pretty divided on them.

Also taxes on ciggies while we're on the subject

Boston

speaking of bin charges, i got yet another bil lfor 255 euro today, ironically it went in the bin. i liek that idea.

DeVore

This topic has come up a few times on Boards has been contentious every time. I think it would provide excellent debating material and also some well needed spotlighting of facts vs fiction.

I know the number 1 cop in Ireland for this sort of thing and guess what, he's a big Boards fan
Could be a good one to kick it off perhaps...

There are some other great ideas here too, I think we might also need a few light hearted ones too.. for a bit of a change of pace!

DeV.

Sparks

Wow, deVore, a topic custom-made for libel cases...

DeVore

like I dont live my life under that threat anyway...

But I doubt anyone is about to say something libelous about it in Logos and Pathos we can watch like a hawk.

I dont like backing off a topic just cos our government has f*cked up libel laws that make me responsible for what you say!

DeV.

smiles

I seem to remember myself and WWM having fun with his argument that:

"Ireland is not a first world county."

<< Fio >>

DeVore

oooh... I like it Smiles! I think that might be our second topic (I'm kinda settling on Globalisation and the Irish Presidency though we dont have an actual proposal for a topic yet).

DeV.

sci0x

Can we post up our own debates to be discussed or do is there one person who puts up a debate and everyone else debates on that topic?

And excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between Ethos, Pathos and Logos?

vasch_ro

I think it should be something that really effects every one , something that evertone will care about because it will effect them either directly or indirectly, in this fashion real passion can be aroused by both the debaters and spectators on the pathos board
a purely intellectual topic will lose this passionate appeal to the great unwashed.
bin charges is topical and effects everyone either directly or indirectly we all know some one who will have to pay them or we will have to pay them or selves plus there are anti bin charge movements on the go maybe they might like to have a rep debate etc etc
thats my two European cents worth !

Evil Phil

1) The death penalty should be (re) introduced for murder?

I like this one, gets a thumbs up.

My suggestions

• Should torture be legalised to prevent terrorist attacks?
• Male Circumcision: Hygienic or Barbaric
• Who provides the most benefit to society: cats or dogs?

Gordon

Mine: "Does she fancy me?"

It comes up all the time in PI so it must be a worthy topic.

oysterman

It was Evil Phil, I think, that mantioned male circumcision as a topic! A good topic might be whether our health service should supply the service on non-medical grounds or should it only be available as a private service under such circumstances.

sci0x

How about:
Lying is never morally justified
Animals have rights.
A nation is morally justified in using force to limit the number of children a citizen may have.
It is impossible in principle to know anything.

Gordon

corkie

Subliminal Messages and the use of in Irish Media and on the Internet.

We are bombarded with these hidden messages every day of the week. Some are used for good effects, like the Driving Ads on tv that try to stop drink driving and to slow down etc.

But they are also used to intice you to do things you may not want to. Encourage you to buy utilities/food/clothes etc.

In my signature I have even used them. Puting the different smilies next to the different ISP.