Curated discussion topics that reliably split a class, drawn from 15,000+ student conversations at 100+ institutions. Every one is annotated with what happened when a class actually discussed it.
This guide is a curated collection of 159 discussion topics that have been tested in Sway conversations, organized by discipline and annotated with performance data. It is designed for instructors who are setting up Sway assignments and want to choose topics that reliably produce productive debates.
Every topic listed here was drawn from over 15,000 student conversations across 100+ institutions and 15+ disciplines. We selected topics that are well-balanced — meaning they produce a rough 30/70 to 70/30 opinion split among students. That threshold matters because Sway pairs students who disagree: if 95% of your class holds the same view, the platform cannot form enough productive pairings.
what you will find for each topic
The exact proposition text students see
Sample size — how many students have discussed it
Opinion split and mean rating before the conversation
Marks for standout performance: a balanced split, high satisfaction, or high rates of mind-changing
Browse by discipline to find topics relevant to your course, or scan the marks to find topics with the strongest track records. You can use any topic here as-is, adapt the wording to fit your syllabus, or write entirely original propositions. The next section covers how to do that well.
topic design
what makes a good sway topic
key principles
State a clear position, not a question. Students rate their agreement or disagreement, so the proposition must be something they can agree or disagree with.
Be specific enough to anchor debate. Vague propositions lead to vague conversations. Give students a concrete claim to grapple with.
Avoid loaded language. Phrasing that signals a “right answer” discourages honest disagreement and skews the opinion split.
Choose genuine points of disagreement. The best topics are ones where thoughtful, informed people land on different sides.
Match complexity to your students. Introductory courses benefit from accessible, broadly debatable propositions. Advanced courses can handle nuanced or domain-specific claims.
Consider using multiple related propositions. Assigning two or three propositions on the same theme gives students a richer, more layered discussion.
state a position, not a question
Sway asks students to rate agreement on a scale from −3 (strongly disagree) to +3 (strongly agree). The proposition must be a declarative statement that someone could meaningfully agree or disagree with. Open-ended questions do not work because there is no position to take a stance on.
be specific, not narrow
A good proposition stakes out clear enough ground that students know what they are debating, but leaves enough room for the conversation to develop. If the topic is too broad, students talk past each other. If it is too narrow, the conversation stalls after a few exchanges.
Three propositions rewritten, and why each rewrite works better
Weak framing
Stronger framing
Why it’s better
“What do you think about the death penalty?”
“The death penalty should be abolished in all cases.”
A clear position students can agree or disagree with. The original is a question, not a proposition.
“Social media is bad.”
“Social media companies should be required to verify that users are at least 16 years old.”
Specific enough to generate substantive arguments about policy, evidence, and trade-offs rather than vague complaints.
“We need to do something about the harmful effects of misinformation on our democracy.”
“The government should have the power to remove misinformation from social media platforms.”
The original signals a “right answer” through loaded language. The revision presents a debatable policy position where reasonable people disagree.
avoid consensus topics
Topics where 90% or more of students hold the same view do not work well on Sway. If almost everyone agrees, there are not enough dissenting students to form pairings, and the few dissenters may feel isolated. Aim for topics where your class is likely to split somewhere in the 30/70 to 70/30 range. The data in this guide helps you identify those topics in advance.
data reference
how to read the topic data
Each topic in this guide is annotated with data from student conversations. Here is what each metric means and how to use it when selecting topics for your course.
how to read the split
Every topic carries a bar showing how one set of students felt before they talked. The dashed line is the middle of the class: the further a bar reaches past it on one side, the more lopsided the room. Because every bar on this page is drawn against the same line, you can run your eye down the column and see which topics divide a class without reading a single number.
−3strongly disagree
−2disagree
−1slightly disagree
0neutral
+1slightly agree
+2agree
+3strongly agree
Disagreement runs left of the line and agreement right of it. The darker the fill, the stronger the view; neutral is the open band that straddles the middle. Neither side is coloured as the good one — a class that lands mostly on the left is exactly as useful as one that lands mostly on the right.
balanced
Roughly a third each way, with a band in the middle. Sway can pair almost everyone with somebody who disagrees. This is what to look for.
leans agree
About a quarter dissent. Still workable — there are enough of them to pair — but the ones who disagree will meet the same arguments repeatedly.
one-sided
Nine in ten agree. Too few dissenters to pair, and the ones there are can end up feeling singled out. Reword it, or pick another.
The four figures recorded for every topic
What it says
What it means, and how to use it
opinions
The number of students who have discussed this topic on Sway. Higher counts give you more confidence that the opinion split and satisfaction data are reliable. Topics with small samples may still work well, but the data is less stable. The big group filter above the list keeps only topics with 75 or more.
disagree / agree
The percentage of students who disagreed (rated −3 to −1) versus agreed (rated +1 to +3) with the proposition before the conversation began. A split near 50/50 is ideal for pairing efficiency. Splits in the 30/70 to 70/30 range still work well. Beyond that range, some students may not get a partner who disagrees with them.
mean
The average pre-conversation opinion on the −3 to +3 scale. A mean near 0 indicates a centered topic. Positive means indicate the class leans toward agreement; negative means indicate a lean toward disagreement. Use this alongside the split to get a quick read on how balanced the topic is likely to be for your students.
where it ran
The institution or region whose conversations produced the figures — an R1, a community college, an HBCU, a campus outside the United States. A split measured somewhere unlike your own classroom is a weaker guide to what your students will do than one measured somewhere like it.
the marks a topic can carry
What each mark on a topic means
Mark
What it means
star
The topic earned all three of the others: balanced, well-liked, and effective at prompting reconsideration. Eight topics in the guide have it.
balanced split
The opinion split falls in the well-balanced range, meaning Sway can reliably pair students who disagree.
student favorite
Students gave this topic high satisfaction ratings in post-chat surveys.
mind-changer
A high proportion of students reported reconsidering or changing their view after the conversation.
big group
Not a mark on the topic but a filter above the list: 75 or more student opinions, so the figures are steadier. Set it when you want the safest bets rather than the widest choice.
Satisfaction and mind-change figures come from optional post-chat surveys completed by students after their conversations. Not every student completes the survey, so these reflect the subset who did. They are useful directional indicators, not census-level measurements.
No topic in the guide answers to every filter at once. Widen the search, choose another discipline, or start again.
ethics & moral theory 9 topics
Foundational questions about morality, justice, and how to reason about right and wrong. These are the staples of an ethics or philosophy course, and they travel easily into law, political science, and general education seminars where students are learning to build and test an argument.
Social contract theory is the best normative ethical theory, better even than ethical egoism, utilitarianism, natural law, Kant's categorical imperative, virtue ethics, and care ethics.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast M1 HBCU · 83% rated it awesome or good (42 surveys)
“It definitely increased my confidence. Hearing my partner’s challenges helped me think more critically about my own arguments and express them more clearly.”
Subjective relativism is worse than emotivism, divine command theory, and cultural relativism.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast M1 HBCU · 85% rated it awesome or good (27 surveys)
“I think it helps in a way because it gives each person some time to think about what they're going to say and how they're going to say it which usually gives a better representation of what they think.”
“It is flexible with time, allows for deeper thought without the constraints of time, and there is less social pressure to cause bias. However, it is a bit less enjoyable without face to face interactions”
We should NOT seed life across space because doing so risks spreading immense future suffering.
balanced split
Canada
33% disagree36% agree
31% neutralmean -0.03
36 opinions
psychology & human behavior 10 topics
Propositions about the mind, the self, and why people act as they do — several of which psychologists and philosophers argue about from opposite directions. They suit psychology, cognitive science, and behavioral science courses, and the applied ones work in social work, counseling, and nursing.
Studies show that when some people do something good, like conserving water, they may feel ‘licensed’ to be wasteful elsewhere. Policymakers should avoid nudging because it might backfire due to moral licensing.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 · 92% rated it awesome or good (12 surveys)
“The Guide's suggestions allowed us to see alternative perspectives and enhanced the conversation.”
Default retirement plan enrollment dramatically increases retirement savings. Companies should use automatic enrollment more aggressively, even when people may not fully understand what they’re being enrolled into.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 · 83% rated it awesome or good (30 surveys)
“I was a good way to see both perspectives. The guide also helped push our arguments further, and in the end, we were both able to reach an understanding.”
It should be easier to involuntarily commit (hold in a facility against their will) mentally ill people for both their safety and everyone else's safety.
balanced split
Northeast Doctoral/Professional · 100% rated it awesome or good (5 surveys)
Men are just as harmed by body image pressures as women, but society refuses to treat this as a serious issue. This is a double standard.
student favoritemind-changer
West R2 HSI · 64% rated it awesome or good (22 surveys)
“Guide was helpful at keeping our discussion on track and making sure we were thoroughly discussing the prompt at hand.”
29% disagree68% agree
3% neutralmean +0.81
72 opinions
literature, art & popular culture 7 topics
Interpretive claims about particular texts, characters, and cultural forms, from Sophocles to pop stardom. A literature or classics seminar gets something to argue about where the evidence is the text itself; the rest suit film, media, and art history courses.
The “Cool Girl” trope — female characters who love sports, beer, and being “one of the guys” — is harmful because it pressures women to perform a narrow version of femininity to be liked.
balanced split
West R2 HSI · 70% rated it awesome or good (37 surveys)
“Sway chat helped in broadening the conversation and brining up topics that could help us critically think more about the topic.”
Fat women in Hollywood, the music industry, or social media face harsher criticism than fat men because society expects women to be physically desirable. That’s simply reality, not discrimination.
starstudent favoritemind-changer
West R2 HSI · 96% rated it awesome or good (22 surveys)
“I really liked this. This was my first time using Sway and it was really easy to use. I prefer this that class discussions, it was fun to use.”
AI-generated art can have the same aesthetic and social values as human-generated art.
100% rated it awesome or good (14 surveys)
“i think my partner was great at making all his points. I really like how guide raised questions and concerns I wouldn't have thought of. It really helped in our discussion!”
50% disagree41% agree
9% neutralmean -0.50
22 opinions
culture, identity & belonging 7 topics
How groups mark themselves, borrow from one another, and decide who counts as one of them. Suited to sociology, anthropology, ethnic studies, and cultural studies, and to first-year seminars where students are thinking about identity for the first time.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a policy that tends to put less qualified people into various positions of authority.
balanced split
Northeast R2
“Guide’s approach felt like an ideal classroom discussion: they asked thoughtful follow-up questions, encouraged nuance, challenged assumptions, and helped me reflect on my biases.”
K-pop’s use of Black musical styles reflects global cultural exchange, not appropriation — and American fans are not responsible for policing the industry’s influences. Accusing them of cultural appropriation ignores the fact that pop music has always evolved through cross-cultural borrowing.
starstudent favoritemind-changer
West R2 HSI · 94% rated it awesome or good (16 surveys)
“I thought the Sway chat format was cool, similar to texting, which is what made it comfortable to discuss complex issues”
What people drink at a bar (e.g., Bud Lite, martini), clothing styles (e.g., board shorts, business suits), and brand logos (like Nike, Target, or Chanel) tells you more about what someone believes in than anything they say out loud.
balanced split
West R2 HSI · 89% rated it awesome or good (9 surveys)
“I liked it because it helped me see a side I didn't see in the beginning.”
It’s fair for jobs to expect people to “tone it down”—like changing how they dress, talk, or act—if they want to get ahead. Employees should be expected to “self-edit” (adjust their appearance, language, or behavior) if they want to succeed in professional environments. Expressing your personality is something you can do on your own time.
balanced splitstudent favorite
West R2 HSI · 89% rated it awesome or good (18 surveys)
“I think Sway did a great job at providing questions for us to analyze the topic a lot deeper and giving insight more to both sides to help both of our understandings”
57% disagree40% agree
3% neutralmean -0.46
68 opinions
gender, sex & sexuality 18 topics
Gender roles, sex and gender identity, sexual culture, and the law that governs them. For gender and women's studies, sociology, psychology, and public policy — and worth being deliberate about which you set, because several of these are live on campus right now.
Women were subordinated to men in the United States in the past, and they are subordinated in other countries today, but they have full legal, social, and economic equality in the contemporary United States.
balanced splitstudent favorite
West R1 HSI · 88% rated it awesome or good (60 surveys)
“I liked my chat with my classmate and sway. i feel like it makes us question ourselves or agree with the person in front of us which helps us understand each others views.”
Health insurance should NOT be required to cover transition surgery for adults who make the choice to alter their bodies to the gender they identify with.
balanced split
2 institutions across 2 regions (Midwest R1, Northeast R1 Ivy League) · 62% rated it awesome or good (8 surveys)
Teachers in grades K-12 should be required to notify parents if their child wants to be referred to as a gender other than what their parents call them.
Transgender women who went through male puberty but who have used hormone therapy for at least two years to reduce their testosterone levels to within the female range should be able to compete in women’s sports at all levels.
starstudent favoritemind-changer
West R1 HSI · 79% rated it awesome or good (19 surveys)
West R1 HSI · 77% rated it awesome or good (43 surveys)
“Guides approach compare to my experience in classroom discussions because it allows me to have a respected conversation with someone on the opposing side and prompts us to respond with more points as a real life setti...”
Women need to take responsibility for their own safety at fraternity parties by limiting their alcohol consumption.
balanced splitstudent favorite
West R1 HSI · 82% rated it awesome or good (51 surveys)
“I was and am still confident in discussing people with differing opinions. We found that our opinions were fairly similar and discussed the differences.”
Adults who create explicit sex videos and post them online shouldn’t complain if they get fired from their jobs.
balanced split
Midwest R1
25% disagree53% agree
22% neutralmean +0.58
73 opinions
politics, democracy & public policy 9 topics
Elections, representation, immigration, and the institutions that decide who gets a say. Political science, public policy, and American government courses; several also carry a civics class or a first-year seminar on citizenship.
Voting should be mandatory for all citizens in federal elections.
balanced split
Canada · 88% rated it awesome or good (8 surveys)
“It was interesting participating in this, I've never had an AI host before, I like how it pressed us for furthur clarification on both sides and kept it engaging.”
Congress should look roughly like America. For instance, if 51% of citizens are female (or Hispanic or rich or gay or...), then ideally about half of Congresspersons would be female (or Hispanic or rich or gay or...), too.
balanced splitstudent favorite
South R2 · 88% rated it awesome or good (24 surveys)
“I thought guide helped drive our agreement while questioning us. I thought it was a good way to moderate the conversation”
How many immigrants to admit is ultimately a question about national identity — and democratic majorities have the right to answer it through the electoral process.
balanced split
Northeast Baccalaureate · 50% rated it awesome or good (6 surveys)
U.S. law should favor immigrants who are willing to take jobs that can’t be filled by Americans.
balanced split
Midwest R1
27% disagree35% agree
38% neutralmean +0.15
79 opinions
international affairs & global ethics 8 topics
What America owes the rest of the world, and the harder question underneath it: whether one society may judge another's practices. For international relations, global studies, anthropology, and development studies.
The US should NOT get involved in foreign conflicts that do not pose a direct threat to Americans.
balanced splitstudent favorite
2 institutions across 2 regions (Midwest R1, Northeast R1 Ivy League) · 93% rated it awesome or good (14 surveys)
“Yes, as a bigger writer than a speaker, I feel more confident in participating in classroom discussions. Especially since this assignment layout gives me the opportunity to be able to write down my thoughts to underst...”
Countries in the developed world should NOT be allowed to spend more than 0.5% of GDP on the military. The spending on environmental conservation efforts must always be at least 2.5% of GDP. This will allow developing nations to not be bullied by wealthier nations that spend heavily on their militaries.
In some societies, people practice female genital mutilation, including surgically removing part or all of the clitoris, as part of their religion. We should respect people’s right to practice that tradition and not impose Western values onto those in the Global South.
balanced splitstudent favorite
West R1 HSI · 75% rated it awesome or good (40 surveys)
40% disagree40% agree
20% neutralmean -0.05
146 opinions
law, crime & punishment 8 topics
What the state may punish, and how. These carry a criminal justice, criminology, or law course, and the propositions on drugs, drink, and gambling work equally well in public health.
Private citizens should NOT be allowed to own assault-style weapons.
balanced split
Northwest R1 HSI
“I’m not into debating my ideas I rather people gain their own understanding through their own independent experiences or their choices to hear out others.”
Canada · 100% rated it awesome or good (5 surveys)
“The mediator is useful and good for asking more questions when stuck, but in person I feel like I can ask questions to get an understanding of where to take the discussion easier than online.”
Southeast R1 MSI · 71% rated it awesome or good (103 surveys)
“This Sway chat made me feel more confident talking about topics like this. It helped me think more about my points instead of just saying my opinion.”
Online sports betting should be legal and unregulated.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 MSI · 89% rated it awesome or good (132 surveys)
“I became more confident in my opinion as I was talking to my classmate and Guide aiding us to what to discuss to formulate our opinion on the topic.”
38% disagree31% agree
31% neutralmean -0.13
941 opinions
work, money & markets 12 topics
Wages, wealth, inheritance, and what an employer may ask of an employee. Economics, business and management, and social policy courses; the hiring and remote-work propositions land well in organizational behavior.
The wealthiest people in society deserve their financial success.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Northeast Baccalaureate · 85% rated it awesome or good (13 surveys)
“It increased my confidence by giving me useful tips for keeping the conversation going (Guide). In this conversation, the guide helped me explore different views by introducing the moral debate about wealth in the top...”
Concern about inequality between the rich and everyone else is misplaced; what matters is actually whether people at the bottom can meet their basic needs.
balanced split
Northeast Baccalaureate · 83% rated it awesome or good (6 surveys)
The Trump administration's economic plan, particularly its significant tax cuts for corporations and high-income individuals, disproportionately benefits the wealthy and corporations, while doing little to address the growing national debt and the potential negative long-term effects on middle-class Americans and social programs.
Wealth accumulation should be capped through taxation, making billionaires impossible and redistributing excess wealth to prevent exploitative business practices.
balanced split
60% rated it awesome or good (5 surveys)
“This was a great experience. I enjoyed the discussion and learned a lot.”
Companies should use the content of a job candidate’s social media presence to influence hiring decisions.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 MSI · 88% rated it awesome or good (330 surveys)
“He was extremely responsive. His mannerisms in the entire conversation allow us proper constructive criticism. Overall, it was a productive conversation.”
Companies should make remote work permanent as it increases productivity and employee satisfaction while reducing costs.
balanced splitmind-changer
38% rated it awesome or good (13 surveys)
“This was a great experience. I enjoyed the discussion and learned a lot.”
45% disagree32% agree
23% neutralmean -0.30
44 opinions
teaching & the university 11 topics
How teaching should work and what a university is for, including what to do about AI in the classroom. Education and higher education courses — and unusually good material for a first-year seminar, because the students are the ones being talked about.
In the context of computer science education, AI does more harm than good.
balanced split
2 institutions across 1 region (Southeast R1, Southeast M1) · 75% rated it awesome or good (32 surveys)
“I thought that guide understood our points and prompted some good questions for the both of us. I think it helped to drive the conversation and debate further and deeper.”
AI tools like ChatGPT make it pointless to struggle to understand course concepts, because you can still produce competent work without understanding them.
balanced split
Africa · 100% rated it awesome or good (9 surveys)
“This was so helpful becuase it allowed me time to really think through what I was wanting to say before saying it. I wish it was anonymous though :)”
Colleges and universities are incubators of "woke" ideologies.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Northeast Baccalaureate · 82% rated it awesome or good (17 surveys)
“I felt the chat was quite respectful and we allowed room for both of us to make our points, which was key in feeling confident in speaking my thoughts.”
A professor who refuses to use a student’s preferred pronouns should be punished.
balanced split
Midwest R1
23% disagree50% agree
27% neutralmean +0.36
88 opinions
media, speech & the internet 9 topics
The limits of expression, the duties of platforms, and what privacy still means once you have posted. Communication, journalism, media studies, and First Amendment law.
Social media companies should be required to remove obvious misinformation from their platforms.
balanced split
Northwest R1 HSI · 100% rated it awesome or good (6 surveys)
“This conversation was easy, and my partner was a good conversationalist, since he made good points and asked good questions. This conversation definitely boosted my confidence towards having discussions (and not debat...”
Media consolidation might have mattered to older generations but this isn’t a big deal anymore. Streaming, social media, and podcasts give us more variety than other generations could have dreamed of.
balanced split
West R2 HSI · 83% rated it awesome or good (6 surveys)
“It felt nice going back and forth, trying to understand each other's points of view and providing factual points to our statements.”
By intentionally posting about yourself online in a public space (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) you thereby consent to this information being used by anyone.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Canada · 71% rated it awesome or good (21 surveys)
“I had a good chat with my partner, we were both able to iterate our stances through different examples. We both basically ended up agreeing on the same thing”
Suppose a hidden camera simply pops into existence in your home, and records you for days, before popping out of existence. No one ever knows about the camera (including you), and the information it records disappears when it disappears. Your right to privacy has still been violated.
balanced split
Canada · 31% rated it awesome or good (16 surveys)
34% disagree52% agree
14% neutralmean +0.47
86 opinions
computing, AI & data 15 topics
What these systems are, what they owe us, and what we might owe them. Written for computer science, data science, and engineering ethics courses, where a technical class often has no ready-made way to argue about the thing it is building.
Because we can’t know for sure that any LLM system won’t be misaligned, our best strategy is to exert power over LLMs in the same way we exert power over humans (through laws, social sanctions, police, military force, and so on) in order to incentivize ‘aligned’ behaviour.
starstudent favoritemind-changer
Canada · 80% rated it awesome or good (10 surveys)
The idea that humans could be permanently disempowered (e.g., made extinct) by 2100 as a result of AI is just a speculative sci-fi scare, NOT a real possibility.
balanced split
Canada · 50% rated it awesome or good (14 surveys)
We can meaningfully ‘trust’ objects and algorithms, beyond just relying on them.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Canada · 83% rated it awesome or good (18 surveys)
“I thought it was an interesting chat, my partner seems well informed on various topics relating to philosophical ideas of trust, so for me, it was interesting to see that knowledge”
Spotify playlists, Netflix recommendations, and dating-app matches (etc.) limit our freedom by relying on predictive algorithms that decide what we’re likely to want.
balanced split
Canada · 64% rated it awesome or good (14 surveys)
“It is more in depth because it is actually a one on one conversation rather than just a surface level discussion between many people in class”
Designers of social media platforms (Facebook, e.g.) and LLMs (ChatGPT, e.g.) are responsible, or should be held responsible, for what their users do with them.
balanced split
Canada · 64% rated it awesome or good (28 surveys)
The economic impact of AI is likely to be positive.
balanced split
Northeast Baccalaureate · 88% rated it awesome or good (8 surveys)
“Talking on Sway felt more relaxed and less pressure-filled than speaking up in class. Having time to think and write made it easier to organize my thoughts and respond directly to what others said.”
33% disagree46% agree
21% neutralmean +0.15
52 opinions
medicine, health & clinical practice 15 topics
Bedside judgment, professional boundaries, and the systems that pay for care. Deep enough to carry a nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, or public health course as well as a medical one — the propositions on homeopathy and on who may order equipment came out of exactly those classrooms.
Pharmacists should be able to sell homeopathic products in their pharmacies even though they only work because of the placebo effect.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Canada · 91% rated it awesome or good (34 surveys)
“Sway provides good summary of points said and sometimes clarifies them. It also helps reframe arguments into a new questions that can stoke discussion.”
We should be gender-neutral when it comes to genital mutilation. If we are going to ban female genital mutilation (surgically removing part or all of the clitoris), we should also ban male circumcision.
balanced splitstudent favorite
West R1 HSI · 84% rated it awesome or good (32 surveys)
Canada should increase the role of private, for-profit companies in its healthcare system to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Canada · 94% rated it awesome or good (16 surveys)
“it was really nice while chatting with a person who is debating about the same topic . i used to know may things form this chatting session and the guide gives perfect way to get success in our chat session and guide ...”
The definition of food security has expanded too far; in a resource‑constrained society, it should focus on preventing hunger rather than ensuring culturally appropriate or preferred foods.
starstudent favoritemind-changer
Northwest R1 · 78% rated it awesome or good (46 surveys)
“I enjoyed it and found it similar! It was very easy to chat together and get a sense of agreement and sway assured the conversation kept going!”
It’s perfectly safe to eat genetically modified food.
balanced split
Midwest R1
30% disagree58% agree
12% neutralmean +0.73
81 opinions
abortion & reproductive rights 10 topics
The philosophical arguments about personhood and the policy questions about consent, waiting periods, and funding, kept together. Enough for a full unit in bioethics, medicine, philosophy, political science, or law — and worth setting two or three rather than one on its own.
A fetus merits, at best, quite low moral consideration because it lacks altogether or only marginally possesses the characteristics definitive of personhood.
Abortions often seriously harm the mental and physical health of the women who undergo them.
balanced split
Midwest R1
22% disagree44% agree
34% neutralmean +0.24
68 opinions
environment, animals & conservation 11 topics
Conservation strategy, the moral standing of animals, and the politics of a changing climate. The strongest science section in the guide: it works in conservation biology, zoology, and veterinary or animal science courses, not only in environmental ethics.
Regulated trophy hunting, when properly managed and revenues are reinvested into local communities and conservation, can be an effective tool for wildlife conservation.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 · 89% rated it awesome or good (18 surveys)
“Guide does a great job of coming up with new discussion topics and things to focus on, depending on what the partner said.”
De-extinction, the process of bringing extinct species back to life through genetic engineering, is a viable and ethical conservation strategy that should be pursued to restore lost biodiversity.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 · 92% rated it awesome or good (12 surveys)
“We were able to reach a proper understanding, we both expressed our views and provided alternate solutions to each others concerns”
The billions of dollars spent maintaining high-cost captive facilities should be diverted entirely toward protecting habitats in the wild, even if it means losing 'charismatic' species in the short term.
balanced split
Southeast R1 · 100% rated it awesome or good (6 surveys)
“I think it keeps the conversation flowing smoothly and creates a space where we can debate a topic comfortably while also giving us time to gather our thoughts.”
If it is morally permissible to perform medical experiments on an animal, then it must be morally permissible to perform medical experiments on a cognitively-similar human being.
balanced splitstudent favorite
Southeast R1 · 91% rated it awesome or good (11 surveys)