Intelligence Squared

All posts tagged Intelligence Squared

Live Tonight: Will Video Games Make Us Smarter?

by robertrosenkranz on May 10, 2017

Robert Rosenkranz will introduce tonight’s debate. Tune into the live debate here.

As video games gain prominence, some game creators are turning to global issues, such as poverty alleviation, international diplomacy, and combating climate change, for inspiration. Playing these socially minded games, they argue, allows users to build tangible skills in combating crisis and solving critical problems. But others see the multi-billion-dollar gaming industry, dominated by portrayals of crime and war, as a threat that desensitizes its users to violence and encourages anti-social behavior.  Will video games soon provide innovative solutions to our most pressing social, political and economic challenges?  Or is the impact of gaming overrated and potentially destructive?

READ REMARKS....
robertrosenkranzLive Tonight: Will Video Games Make Us Smarter?

Free Speech Is Threatened on Campus

by robertrosenkranz on August 3, 2016

Debate Overview

There are some today who argue that colleges and universities have arrived at a point in time where the directive to create a more inclusive space has actually produced an atmosphere less tolerant of diverse opinion.

Does the removal of offensive language or images amount to suppression of free speech?

READ REMARKS....

robertrosenkranzFree Speech Is Threatened on Campus

The President Has Usurped the Constitutional Power of Congress

by robertrosenkranz on July 13, 2016

Debate Overview

When the framers of the United States Constitution granted legislative authority to Congress, they envisioned it as the most powerful branch of the federal government. The constitutional role of the president, meanwhile, was to faithfully execute the instructions of Congress. The modern perception of the executive branch is quite different, however, with the head of state often appearing to be the nation’s most powerful policy maker. President Barack Obama certainly asserted his power when he acted unilaterally to defer deportation for millions of immigrants.

READ REMARKS....
robertrosenkranzThe President Has Usurped the Constitutional Power of Congress