IQ² live debates - past events
2008 series
Below is a summary the debates held during the 2008 IQ² Australia series, which has now concluded.
Visit the future events page to see what's coming up.
America has lost its moral authority
29 October 2008
Final debate for 2008
There was a time when America spoke with a semblance of moral authority – not because the world believed the rhetoric, but because Americans did. Thus, America received the benefit of the doubt – even when self-interest was evidently mixed with a just cause. However, has America lost legitimacy?
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For a sporting nation we’re not very sporting
30 September 2008
When Adam Gilchrist ‘walked’ during the semi-final of cricket’s World Cup in 2003, it was front page news across the land. Why? Because such an act of sportsmanship, by an elite Australian athlete, was deemed to be so rare.
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We’d be better off without religion
19 August 2008
While the world’s religions have inspired stunning acts of creation, they also have been implicated in some of the darkest deeds in human history. If God cannot be blamed for such moments of evil, His priests and prophets at least have a case to answer. So what might they say?
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By 2020 only the rich will be at home in Australia
8 July 2008
It used to be that the ‘Australian Dream’ was to own your own home – a tangible sign of achievement in an egalitarian society. However, for many people the dream has become an expensive fantasy.
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China is not fit to host the Olympics
20 May 2008
Prince Charles has declined to attend the Beijing games as a protest against perceived human rights abuses. Steven Spielberg heads a list of celebrities urging others to stay away. However, are China’s failings any greater than those of other nations that have hosted the Olympics?
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Islam is incompatible with democracy
15 April 2008
In Islam, Allah is the ultimate authority. In democracy, authority ultimately lies with the people. But does this mean that Islam is incompatible with democracy?
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