Best Source for
Debate Topics?
Having good debate topics to choose from is important for a meaningful online debate. There are many sources for debate topics that will help you find what to debate. You can choose good debate topics either from political debates, economics, business, news, controversial issues, debate websites, movies, tv shows, or personal life.
What is the best source of debate topics for you?
There are a number of debate topics sources I found useful.
Debate Topics - Political debates
With so much attention in US politics, there are many good debate topics to chose from. President Trump and his administration has plenty selection of debate topics. For example, Healthcare bill, Tax reform, Russian connection accusations, there is no shortage of topics to debate there.
Specific government policies are also full of debate topics.
World politics is another good source of political debates. Middle East conflict, North Korea, Putin, Ukraine - still at a loss for debate topics? Any of these has many variation of good debate topics and can either be debated based on core issues, or latest developments.
A small sample
1. In the U.S. primary voting system, caucuses ought to be abolished.
2. The U.S. Presidential election cycle is significantly too long.
3. U.S. primary elections should be held simultaneously.
4. As a campaigner and candidate, Hillary Clinton is more lucky than skilled.
5. The Supreme Court found wrongly in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
6. In the United States, the absence of viable third parties is regrettable.
7. The U.S. should adopt a parliamentary form of government.
Debate Topics - News
Every newspaper article is a source of good debate topics. That's why many of the online newspapers have a comments section where people come to debate (or argue and troll).
There is controversy in every article that spans off a good debate or a controversial argument of some sort. Editorial sections of major newspapers are especially great sources of debate topics. Whenever an editor writes one of these editorial pieces, he essentially provokes their readership base.
Debate Topics - Controversial issues
There are timeless controversial issues that have been sources of debate topics for years, with many one-sided or complex opinions. Topics range from abortion, gun control, immigration, same sex couple rights, and etc.
ProCon.org has a great list of debate topics, with most popular debates on
Medical Marijuana
Gun Control
Animal Testing
Death Penalty
School Uniforms
6Drinking Age - Lower It?
7Social Networking - Good or Bad?
8Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide
9Illegal Immigration
10Abortion
Debate Topics - Debate Websites
Debate websites have sections for most popular debates, where you can get ideas for good debate topics. Some popular debate topics on DebateIsland include
gun control debate
will Trump increase American jobs
debateisland.com/discussion/394/will-trump-increase-american-jobs
If you browse through idebate.org you will also find good examples.
Debate Topics - Personal Life
Often everyday activities are great sources for debate topics. Did something happen to you when you went to a store, pickup kids at school, a conflict with a colleague, a casual argument with your spouse? These may all be good debate topics.
Funny debate topics
There are many sources of funny debate topics, including
Open source list debate topics
As part of Open debate topic list, there is a compiled list of debate topics from Arts, Economics, to Sports and Public Policy.
Here are some examples for
history debate topics list
1. Had the Roman Empire won the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, its lifespan would likely have significantly increased.
2. Generally speaking, the U.S. began as a Christian nation.
3. The US ought to have dropped Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
4. The US ought to have entered [WWI or WWII].
5. On balance, European conquest of Native American lands was justified.
6. On balance, European colonization was good for the colonized peoples.
arts and culture debate topics
1. In the context of the Odyssey, it is likely that a majority of Odysseus's story to the Phaeacians was a lie.
2. In Star Trek, Judge Advocate General Louvois's ruling that Lt. Cmdr. Data had "a right to choose," was wrong.
3. In Star Trek, Kaelon II’s custom of “resolution" is ethical.
4. On balance, the Force is more of an instrument than an end in itself.
5. To be art, something must have been created with artistic intent.
6. On balance, the Louvre Museum is better than the Uffizi Gallery
7. Literature originally written in a European language cannot qualify as African literature.
8. Pierce Brosnan was the best James Bond actor.
9. The Coen Brothers are better directors than Quentin Tarantino.
10. Everything is art.
11. In Journalism, it is better to prioritize impartiality over truthfulness when the two are in conflict.
12. That the modern-day fusion of journalism and entertainment is alarming.
economics debate topics
1. As a substitute for government regulation, workers should receive stronger collective bargaining rights and protections.
2. Estate and/or inheritance taxes ought not to be levied.
3. Supply-side economics is a better remedy for recession than Keynesian fiscal policy.
4. The US Congress should not raise the debt ceiling.
5. The Federal Reserve ought to raise interest rates.
6. Janet Yellen’s decision in December, 2015, to raise interest rates was in the best interests of the United States.
7. The USFG should increase unemployment benefits.
8. On balance, affluent countries ought to offer a universal basic income.
9. Universal healthcare is a wise economic investment for developed countries to make.
10. Countries ought to engage in free trade.
ethics debate topics
1. Adultery is nearly always immoral.
2. Collective Punishment is just.
3. For individuals in developed countries, recycling is a moral obligation.
4. The French government's ban on Burqas is morally permissible.
5. Black lives matter ought to be opposed on ethical grounds.
6. The fairness of the process is more important to justice than the fairness of the results.
7. Regarding criminal acts, justice can usually be obtained without the victim's forgiveness of the criminal.
8. First use of a nuclear weapon would be immoral.
9. An unjust law is no law at all.
10. That human cloning ought to be opposed on moral grounds.
Debra AI Prediction
Post Argument Now Debate Details +
Arguments
http://www.debate-motions.info/best-debatable-topics/
Interesting and funny debate topics
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1. Should your class be permitted to go on a field trip this year?
2. Should students be required to wear uniforms at school?
3. Should you be permitted to choose whatever clothes you want to wear outside of school?
4. Should you be permitted to have a job such as mowing yards or baby-sitting if your grades are poor?
5. Should you be permitted to purchase or buy whatever you want to with your own money or allowance?
6. Should you be permitted to get any style of haircut you want?
7. Should you be permitted to have a birthday party and invite friends other than family?
8. Should you be allowed to go anywhere you want to with your friends?
9. Should you be given an allowance or maybe an increase in the amount of your allowance?
10. Should you be permitted to go to a PG-13 or R rated movie?
11. Should you be permitted to have or attend a sleep-over party?
12. Should you be permitted to have a pet?
13. Should you be permitted to join any group you want to--basketball, soccer, girl scouts, martial arts, or others?
14. Should you be required to do chores around the house? Which jobs?
15. Should you be permitted to have your own bedroom?
16. Should you have to dress up for those special occasions that your parents feel are important?
17. Should you be allowed to take up any hobby that you want to?
18. Should you be allowed to take lessons to play any musical instrument you like?
19. Should you be allowed to stay home when the family goes to visit someone for the day?
20. Should you be permitted to have a TV in your bedroom?
21. Should you be allowed to have your ears pierced or maybe pierce other body parts?
22. Should you be allowed to get a tattoo?
23. Should you be required to wear mandatory bicycle helmets?
24. Should you have homework assignments every night?
25. Should there be corporal punishment at school?
26. Does society have a right to put someone to death?
27. Should you have a curfew? If so, what time and on what days?
28. Should the cafeteria offer fast food lunches instead of cafeteria food.
29. Should school hours be changed to 12:00 to 6:00 pm.
30. Should students be allowed to bring their pets to school.
31. Why their favorite book is better than one the school makes them read.
32. Why they should have the freedom to choose their own bedtime.
33. Why they should be able to watch a certain program.
34. Why they should raise or lower the age to vote, smoke or drink.
35. Should kids between the ages of ten and thirteen be dropped off at the mall without adult supervision?
36. Should skateboards be allowed on sidewalks?
37. Should animals be used for scientific experimentation?
38. Should Pokemon cardds be allowed in schools?
and more...
Television is better than books.
Girls have it better than boys.
Cats make better pets than dogs.
Animals should not be kept in cages.
Computers should replace teachers.
School should be two hours longer.
Beauty is only skin deep.
The Olympics are a waste of money.
http://kiwiyert.tripod.com/ideas_for_debate_topics.htm
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Cellular phones should be allowed in schools.
Television makes people violent and lazy.
Torture is justified when dealing with terrorists.
Fast food should not be served in schools.
Peer pressure is more useful than harmful.
Human cloning should be permitted for progress of humanity.
The United States should allow mercy killing in all states.
People should become vegetarian to save the planet.
Schools should allow online attendance.
10. Violent video games make children violent.
11. Parents should not purchase toys that are based on fighting and violence for their children.
12. Formula one racing should be banned because it wastes fuel.
13. SUVs versus Economy cars.
14. Plan for the future versus Live for the moment.
15. Beauty pageants are good for girls.
16. Smoking should be banned.
17. Middle schools student must wear uniforms.
18. Supreme Court dealings should be broadcasted on television.
19. Celebrities are good role models.
20. Today’s children are fashion victims.
21. Success is more important than happiness.
22. Physical education should be compulsory in school.
23. Pledge of Allegiance should not be mandatory.
24. The U.S. should not send humans into space.
25. Medical testing on animals is necessary for progress.
26. The United States should ban the death penalty.
27. Wal-Mart is a good employer.
28. Teenagers should be tried differently than their adult counterparts.
29. The Internet has become more harmful than useful.
The United States use the metric system.
30. Girls are better than boys at studying.
31. Passive acceptance of a teacher’s knowledge and authority leads to disastrous consequences.
32. All educational institutes should be co-ed.
33. Organ donation should be obligatory for all American citizens.
34. All criminals in America must have the right to vote.
35. Wikipedia is a better resource than many libraries.
36. Perseverance and determination are more important than talent to achieve success.
37. Great things are done only by individuals who can lead the masses.
http://www.tutorvista.com/english/debate-topics-for-middle-school?view=simple
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I like the idea of debating from the news, as it ia both relevant and keeps you updated on the current news.
Affirmative Action
Debate topics from personal life and funny debate topics are fine, and occasionally break a streak of serious discussions we often find in US political debates.
it is important that middle school and high school students learn to debate early on, and there are good lists of debate topics for students.
To me, it is actuall less important what debate topics to use, but making sure there is a forum for meaningful debates with sufficient number of knowledgeable debaters, and that is what I found at DebateIsland.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_controversial_issues
Their topics list is organized among many categories.
I don't like debate topics list from some other debate sites, as in many cases it's really immature and inappropriate.
I reviewed the open source debate topics list provided by love2debate, and that is a solid resource.
I don't see a shortage of debate topics, and to islander507 point, good debaters to debate with are more importamt than good debate topics.
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Past Topics - Public Forum Debate
2017-2018 debate topics
2016-2017 debate topics
2015-2016 debate topics
2014-2015 debate topics
2013-2014 debate topics
2012-2013 debate topics
2011-2012 debate topics
2010-2011 debate topics
2009-2010 debate topics
2008-2009 debate topics
2007-2008 debate topics
2006-2007 debate topics
2005-2006 debate topics
2004-2005 debate topics
2003-2004 debate topics
2002-2003 debate topics
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