Wanted claims
Ivermectin has beneficial effects against SARS-COV-2
Ivermectin does not have beneficial effects against SARS-COV-2 -- These two will be quite long because there is quite a lot of peer-reviewed literature that will need to be cited, but if someone wants to try their hand at it, go for it! JFG (talk) 21:33, 22 January 2022 (UTC)
Claim: "Wiki-style rhetorical annotation is a better format for crowdsourcing than other alternatives" Reason for wanting this claim: It is implicit in the use of arguably.io that we are using a wiki-style frontend for rhetorical annotation. What other frontend and backends facilitate rhetorical annotation as well as continuous deployment of epistemic resources?
American women had no rights prior to their enfranchisement -- rights such as property rights, freedom of association, education of women, choice of profession &c.. There is a common misconception of the historically illiterate people with whom I've spoken, that women were denied the same freedoms as men had until they received the ballot and 'voted' their way to freedom. We ought to correct the record. Cyanide Taste Sampler (talk) 19:40, 25 January 2022 (UTC)
- Sure, but we would need cited examples of people claiming that explicitly and specifically. Because I know a lot of people appear to take that implicit stance but I'd like to see serious quoting of some people who have truly said that. JFG (talk) 21:45, 25 January 2022 (UTC)
- I suggest this video: "Jordan Peterson: “There was plenty of motivation to take me out. It just didn't work" | British GQ" on YouTube - from 7:34 to around the 13minute mark. However, she makes reference to it in Britain, rather than America. Her book may contain a more comprehensive review of all the talking-points regarding this subject in the West in general. GrapeSkoda (talk) 23:28, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
Race is a social construct -- The claim that race and ethnicity are non-existent and cannot be tracked, studied or categorised as a result. Those arguing against its existence often use the Continuum Fallacy. They also claim that phenotype is an arbitrary indicator of behaviour and genotype; one famous example being from Jane Elliot's eye-colour experiment and subsequent quote: "One race: The Human Race". People often use this experiment to demonstrate that physical differences are superficial, and negative perceptions on these superficialities causes poor performance - when in-fact the experiment does not demonstrate that all differences are superficial, nor that all negative behaviours are or are not a result of someone's genes. -- An extensively cited article can be written regarding the various fallacies used and ways in which race can be reliably categorised via gene-frequencies.
- Great idea. The claim is often presented in the form "Race does not exists" or "Race is a social construct." JFG (talk) 22:13, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- Just started an article, have a look! Race exists JFG (talk) 03:30, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- Nailed it. Going to rapid fire some topics if that's okay. GrapeSkoda (talk) 16:07, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- Just started an article, have a look! Race exists JFG (talk) 03:30, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- Great idea. The claim is often presented in the form "Race does not exists" or "Race is a social construct." JFG (talk) 22:13, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
Diversity is a strength -- This argument is relative to the amount of diversity being presented. Some variation is arguably positive for a cooperative system (work, social-community, etc.) This argument presented today is usually referring to racial diversity, but also includes variations in sexuality and gender-identity. Arguably this has more detriment than not. In a work/goal environment, it can create conflict and strife, with the inability to agree on a mutually beneficial end-goal. It can also create imbalances in ability and competence, or create a target for others. This often leads to either bullying due to decreased social-viability and productivity, or protective-characteristics of the person who is bullied and/or less capable. These imposed restrictions and non-merit based preferential treatments can also affect productivity and wellbeing of groups pushed to the bottom of the protective hierarchy stack. It also affects who is more or less likely to be hired, reducing merit based hiring practice, which also limits productivity and sometimes quality. In a social-dynamic, there's evidence it reduces overall trust and social-cohesion; a likely result of behavioural, language and cultural barriers - as-well as our natural proclivity to seek genetic-similarity (best-friends are more likely to be genetically close, partners are often 3rd-Cousins, etc.)
- Counter Arguments: "Diversity is a weakness", "Too much diversity is a weakness", "Homogeneity is a strength".
You are born with your sexuality -- Many claim that sexuality is decided at birth. Although pre-natal hormone exposure can contribute to sexuality, as-well some evidence for genetic-components, there is evidence that female-sexuality is fluid. There are several studies, as-well as anecdotal evidence of self-identifying lesbians having sex with their male-roomates over the lockdown period of 2019/2020 -- one including a female journalist who detailed her encounter. There has been speculation in the past that male-homosexuality could be linked to adolescent or pre-pubescent sexual-assualt/abuse, but evidence largely suggests a mostly genetic and hormonal component. Studies suggest that post-fertility female homosexuality developed to function in a polygamous setting, where it would allow older-females to engage with other older or undesirable younger females in a crèche like setting. Evidence suggests that male-homosexuality is a mostly dysgenic mutation, as the body's salivary alpha-amylase glands are stimulated in the presence of male-homosexual acts.
- Counter Arguments: "You develop your sexuality", "Your sexuality can change", "Sexuality is a choice".
Humans have free-will -- A philosophical/biological argument regarding whether human-consciousness creates choice/free-will or if our actions and "choices" are a result of our physiology and bio-chemistry. Many types have arisen regarding this topic. The main ones being the Creationist standpoint of God-given free-will, the Biological Determinist/Materialist standpoint in which we are entirely driven by our physiology, biochemistry and external stimuli; arguments of Quantum physical facets, which include superposition relating to the Schrödinger's Cat experiment, Double-Slit Experiment, Many World's Hypothesis and other arguments regarding quantum-uncertainty and how it relates to consciousness/observation.
- Counter Arguments: "Humans do not have free-will".
White people have no culture -- A post-modern Leftist argument usually making the claim that all facets of culture originating from those of White-European descent is either appropriated, stolen or copied from non-White cultures/peoples.
- Counter Arguments: "White people have culture".
Louis Latimer invented the lightbulb -- One of many modern Historical Revisionist positions - usually espoused by Marxist/Leftist individuals attempting to exaggerate the accomplishments of people of African descent, usually at the behest of European inventors. The most notable example of this claim can be seen in the children's show "Steven Universe" on "Cartoon Network" (this can be found in a YouTube clip called: "Tell the Whole Story | The Crystal Gems Say Be Anti-Racist | Cartoon Network"). This position is argued on the false-premise that modification, improvement or additions made to an invention to make a commercial process more efficient, constitute initial invention of a product/item/device/technology. A similar point was argued with the invention of the Wind-Turbine -- equating it to the Windmill. Counter arguments also include the Wright Brothers invention of the Aeroplane being vastly different to a modern iteration. A steelman must be established as to what point an initial invention becomes a new invention that can be attributed to a different individual, and when one is simply a modification or improvement.
- Counter Arguments: "Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb", "Louis Latimer did not invent the lightbulb".
White Europeans started the African Slave Trade -- A modern misconception regarding the African Slave-Trade. Many groups participated heavily in the African Slave Trade, including Jewish people, Spanish/Latin people and African people themselves. Evidence suggests that African Warlords had been enslaving and selling other Africans long before other-groups arrived to buy, trade and own African Slaves. Many falsely believe that Europeans arrived on the continent and began kidnapping inhabitants with nets and cages.
- Counter Arguments: "White Europeans did not start the African Slave Trade", "Africans started the African Slave Trade".
Humans have an Alpha/Beta hierarchy -- Argument regarding whether or not humans and their varying populations abide a similar hierarchy to that of other Great-Apes (such as the chimpanzee). Modern Internet Memetics have made these dichotomies of "Alpha", "Beta" and the more modern "Zeta". Some suggest that humans abide a more cooperative stance due to extreme variation in the way they can gather and increase resources. Other arguments are that the hierarchy is too relative and a dynamic can alter depending on the setting, for example: Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos can arguably be considered "Alpha" in the sense that they are able to gather and utilise resources effectively. However, in an uncivilised setting in which strength and/or combat are favoured, individuals of this calibre would likely fall to the bottom of the hierarchy. An argument could be made that humans do abide this structure, but in much more dyanmic, varied and/or fluid way.
- Counter Arguments: "Humans do not have an Alpha/Beta hierarchy".
Masturbation is unhealthy -- Modern cultural phenomena such as "No Nut November" have reignited the debate regarding masturbation and the positive or negative overall health impacts. Studies have suggested that delayed ejaculation after 7-days can increase testosterone levels for a period. Other negative points are that masturbation can create passivity, anxiousness and addiction/dopamine dependency. Counter arguments to this are that the overall health benefits of relaxation and/or stress relief counter the negative effects. The likely argument would be moderation.
- Counter Arguments: "Masturbation is healthy", "Too much masturbation is unhealthy".
Porn is unhealthy -- Pornography and excessive hedonistic focus on sex have been highly criticised throughout history. Many religions seek to repress excessive sexuality and many political-movements have attempted to halt these practice -- a famous example being that of Nazi Germany, in which pornography and other sexually-explicit content was banned and/or removed from society. Many argue that porn can desensitise people (specifically young males) to normal sexual-activity, resulting in impotence or social-dysfunction towards women. Others argue that this is simply an ethical argument on the basis of prudishness and scare-mongering.