# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=5 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 6 --- ## [Infinite universe?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-universe/1026295)
**Author:** [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Replies:** 103\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2026, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-universe/1026295 "2026-02-18T07:23:34Z")
Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of comments on reddit that seem to take it as given that the universe is infinite. (Obviously the whole universe, not just the observable universe.) I have been pushing back on this, chara… --- ## [Is AI overhyped?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ai-overhyped/1005471)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 268\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ai-overhyped/1005471 "2026-02-12T17:31:26Z")
The people (Kurzweil, Kaku etc) Saying that AGI is gonna happen this year or in 2029, where are they getting their optimism from? My yardstick is we have AGI when the average entry level worker (Me) Doesn’t need to do th… --- ## [Religion gets itself into trouble when it tries to be logical](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-gets-itself-into-trouble-when-it-tries-to-be-logical/1027028)
**Author:** [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-gets-itself-into-trouble-when-it-tries-to-be-logical/1027028 "2026-02-11T18:50:35Z")
Continuing the discussion from Is “limbo” a real thing for christians/Catholics? Or is it made-up?: Logic and faith actually seem like opposites. Logic tries to prove things but it has to start from definitions. Faith… --- ## [Who profits from Trump's policies?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-profits-from-trumps-policies/1027495)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2026, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-profits-from-trumps-policies/1027495 "2026-02-10T17:30:04Z")
Thread inspired by this thread: I posted this in that other thread - where it was off topic. But what I’ve been wondering lately is who in power - either in the R party, businesspersons, wealthy persons - supports Tr… --- ## [Reappraising property tax rates at point of sale--is this a thing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reappraising-property-tax-rates-at-point-of-sale-is-this-a-thing/1027353)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [February 6, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reappraising-property-tax-rates-at-point-of-sale-is-this-a-thing/1027353 "2026-02-06T20:38:15Z")
Our community has a common problem, but turned up to eleven: property tax rates are driving low-income families from our community, while they’re too low to support strong local services like schools, firefighters, and i… --- ## [Police officers shouldn't wear camouflage](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-shouldnt-wear-camouflage/1027052)
**Author:** [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [February 5, 2026, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-shouldnt-wear-camouflage/1027052 "2026-02-05T11:48:55Z")
One of the things that’s immediately noticeable about the ICE guys is they don’t look like cops. They seem to have no real uniform at all, actually, and variously dress either like total slobs or in camouflage. Cops wear… --- ## [Did effects of the changes in climate as the glaciers receded result in highly distorted biblical accounts in the book of Genesis?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-effects-of-the-changes-in-climate-as-the-glaciers-receded-result-in-highly-distorted-biblical-accounts-in-the-book-of-genesis/1027246)
**Author:** [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2026, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-effects-of-the-changes-in-climate-as-the-glaciers-receded-result-in-highly-distorted-biblical-accounts-in-the-book-of-genesis/1027246 "2026-02-02T03:09:16Z")
Continuing the discussion from Adam & Eve: Why Fig Leaves?: Sea level rose several hundred feet as the glaciers melted. People were alive at the time and quite probably had spoken language but writing had not developed… --- ## [In an ideal society, would/should we let people isolate themselves as much as they want?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-an-ideal-society-would-should-we-let-people-isolate-themselves-as-much-as-they-want/1025727)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2026, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-an-ideal-society-would-should-we-let-people-isolate-themselves-as-much-as-they-want/1025727 "2026-01-29T02:31:34Z")
Triggered by a side conversation where introverts talked about how much they enjoyed the lockdown era of Covid, even as they realize how that can come off. (I’ve also heard echoes of this in the WFH debate.) in an ideal… --- ## [What is the job of ICE supposed to be (if not what it is doing?)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-job-of-ice-supposed-to-be-if-not-what-it-is-doing/825949)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2026, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-job-of-ice-supposed-to-be-if-not-what-it-is-doing/825949 "2026-01-29T00:19:49Z")
ISTM there is a major difference between protests against, say, police brutality, and the protests against ICE. With protests against police shooting unarmed black men, the protesters are contending that the police didn’… --- ## [What targets in the US should be prioritized by a conquering force?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-targets-in-the-us-should-be-prioritized-by-a-conquering-force/1026365)
**Author:** [@Cmyers1980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cmyers1980)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 26, 2026, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-targets-in-the-us-should-be-prioritized-by-a-conquering-force/1026365 "2026-01-26T23:53:53Z")
Aliens, supervillains or some other force far more powerful than any real world entity decide they want to invade and conquer the US as effectively and efficiently as possible. They don’t want to conquer a wasteland and … --- ## [Has there ever been an economic crash that didn't involve speculation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-economic-crash-that-didnt-involve-speculation/1026987)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 26, 2026, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-economic-crash-that-didnt-involve-speculation/1026987 "2026-01-26T06:28:26Z")
I’m not an economist (if I was, I could probably answer this question myself) so I may not be using the right term. When I say speculation, I’m talking about buying a thing with the intent of selling that same thing at a… --- ## [Korean reunification](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korean-reunification/686041)
**Author:** [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [January 24, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korean-reunification/686041 "2026-01-24T17:15:40Z")
It’s going to happen eventually, or North Korea is going to implode. German reunification didn’t set that much of an impressive example. Prohibitively expensive and nearing 25 years and there’re still having massive prob… --- ## [Does "White Culture" Exist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-white-culture-exist/1026483)
**Author:** [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Replies:** 196\ **Last updated:** [January 24, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-white-culture-exist/1026483 "2026-01-24T12:33:48Z")
\[Moderation\] I’ve split this conversation out of the “What Were You Thinking” Pit thread, which was inspired by this post in the “WhiteDate and several other “White” sites scraped for data” thread in P&E. - Miller \[/Mo… --- ## [Is it immoral to retain wealth in a world of extreme poverty and suffering?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-immoral-to-retain-wealth-in-a-world-of-extreme-poverty-and-suffering/1026711)
**Author:** [@Cmyers1980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cmyers1980)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [January 22, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-immoral-to-retain-wealth-in-a-world-of-extreme-poverty-and-suffering/1026711 "2026-01-22T16:49:38Z")
There’s an article written years ago where the author argues that even if you obtained wealth in a moral way, that wouldn’t necessarily make it moral to retain it. He uses an analogy of someone obtaining an EpiPen that t… --- ## [Is humanity now going through a genetic diversity bottleneck?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-humanity-now-going-through-a-genetic-diversity-bottleneck/1026288)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [January 21, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-humanity-now-going-through-a-genetic-diversity-bottleneck/1026288 "2026-01-21T15:01:14Z")
Through the 20th century with both the great expansion of the total number of living humans and far greater opportunities for populations to mix, it would have looked like genetic diversity had never been wider. But in t… --- ## [The psychology of giving to charities](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-psychology-of-giving-to-charities/1025630)
**Author:** [@mglambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mglambo)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [January 15, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-psychology-of-giving-to-charities/1025630 "2026-01-15T19:05:59Z")
I run a 501c3 non-profit. Our mission is getting underprivileged and/or handicapped children as well as adults into the outdoors for adventure. Folks that ordinarily are housebound or otherwise do not get outside. Monda… --- ## [How are we not in the Fourth Reich?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-we-not-in-the-fourth-reich/1026444)
**Author:** [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-we-not-in-the-fourth-reich/1026444 "2026-01-14T20:38:02Z")
I’ve been thinking that for some time, and what happened in Minneapolis today (1/7/26) has pretty much convinced me. Can anyone counter that, and offer some hope? --- ## [Transgender Sports bans](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transgender-sports-bans/1026656)
**Author:** [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transgender-sports-bans/1026656 "2026-01-13T19:38:21Z")
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/supreme-court-arguments-transgender-athletes-01-13-26 So what does everyone think- do trans athletes have an unfair advantage? --- ## [Where is the U.S. (roughly) on the Germany 1930-1945 scale?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-u-s-roughly-on-the-germany-1930-1945-scale/1026338)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2026, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-u-s-roughly-on-the-germany-1930-1945-scale/1026338 "2026-01-13T06:51:40Z")
If you were to compare the actions and attitudes of the U.S. to that of Germany during the time of WWII, where in the timeline would you place the former? --- ## [What is the best evidence/analysis of modern human behavior before 10,000 BC?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-evidence-analysis-of-modern-human-behavior-before-10-000-bc/1026412)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2026, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-evidence-analysis-of-modern-human-behavior-before-10-000-bc/1026412 "2026-01-08T03:57:21Z")
I’ve never been a believer of the “chariots of the gods/lost city of Atlantis/lost super civilization/inexplicable stonework” theories. However, I often find myself wondering what life was like for homo sapiens before 1… --- ## [Does North Korea really still hope to reunify the Koreas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-north-korea-really-still-hope-to-reunify-the-koreas/1025601)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [January 4, 2026, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-north-korea-really-still-hope-to-reunify-the-koreas/1025601 "2026-01-04T02:01:01Z")
(Great Debate because answers must largely be speculative. Mods, move if you see fit). Of course that’s the sacred ideology; indeed the regime couldn’t really do without a perpetual external enemy. But seriously in the … --- ## [How long could the U.S. last against an enemy of collective nations?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404)
**Author:** [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Replies:** 87\ **Last updated:** [January 2, 2026, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404 "2026-01-02T10:36:26Z")
Let’s say that every other nation that has an army that is worth a damn suddenly decided to collectively attack the U.S. How much of a fight could the U.S. put up. Would it possibly survive? How long would the US. last? … --- ## [An alternative to Israel that probably would have worked](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternative-to-israel-that-probably-would-have-worked/1023135)
**Author:** [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Replies:** 79\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2025, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-alternative-to-israel-that-probably-would-have-worked/1023135 "2025-12-31T10:40:49Z")
It’s too late now, but back in 1948, it would have been a good idea. Instead of dumping the world’s Jews in a little scrap of land next to a lot of Muslims who had recently lived there, the wise leaders of the victors of… --- ## [Most people get Ayn Rand's philosophy wrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-people-get-ayn-rands-philosophy-wrong/1024474)
**Author:** [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Replies:** 412\ **Last updated:** [December 21, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-people-get-ayn-rands-philosophy-wrong/1024474 "2025-12-21T15:41:40Z")
Disclaimer: I am not a strong proponent of any specific ideology. IMHO people tend to glom onto them as if they were gospel without using their brains to figure out when or if they work. Nor do I consider myself an exp… --- ## [The UK (and Europe's) free speech problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-and-europes-free-speech-problem/1021153)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 431\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-and-europes-free-speech-problem/1021153 "2025-12-11T21:45:52Z")
Splitting this from the Roger Waters thread to avoid side tracking… Roger Waters is a tankie - #338 by OldOlds IMO this is a demonstration of something that comes up pretty frequently. JR Vance’s pro-fascist lectures i… --- ## [Is it possible to be racist against AIs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-be-racist-against-ais/1023946)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 208\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2025, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-be-racist-against-ais/1023946 "2025-12-11T03:24:18Z")
I was talking to my sister earlier today about how so much of the United States’ GDP growth is just based on AI advancements right now, and how we’ve got practically nothing else going for us. She asked me why I’m so ra… --- ## [Cancel Culture and Canceling versus consequences for actions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-canceling-versus-consequences-for-actions/1020644)
**Author:** [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Replies:** 842\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-canceling-versus-consequences-for-actions/1020644 "2025-12-09T01:15:12Z")
In another thread I made a glib definition of canceling as “when liberals do to conservatives what conservatives have always done to everyone”. This drew a retort that I must think what those conservatives were doing wa… --- ## [Has Affirmative Action become a liability for the Left?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-affirmative-action-become-a-liability-for-the-left/1025434)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [December 6, 2025, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-affirmative-action-become-a-liability-for-the-left/1025434 "2025-12-06T08:49:27Z")
Judicially I think it’s dead for the time being, rather I was curious if you believe this plank in The Democratic Party is still a viable tool to win votes? The AI had this to say when I asked it this question: Contin… --- ## [The Ethics of "My Octopus Teacher" \[Possible Spoilers\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-my-octopus-teacher-possible-spoilers/939157)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [December 4, 2025, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-my-octopus-teacher-possible-spoilers/939157 "2025-12-04T08:42:04Z")
Yay or nay: OK to befriend wild animals? The Oscar-nominated documentary film My Octopus Teacher was a wonderful film to watch but I do wonder about the ethics. First, I am posting here (not CS) because I see this as a … --- ## [I am finding it hard to be patriotic these days](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-finding-it-hard-to-be-patriotic-these-days/1024319)
**Author:** [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [December 2, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-finding-it-hard-to-be-patriotic-these-days/1024319 "2025-12-02T17:11:16Z")
It upset me when conservatives talked about how ‘No Kings’ protestors hated America. At the protest I attended there were American flags and a ton of veterans. I felt it was more propaganda when some said that liberals … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=6)