The team debated ethical issues in current events, such as the #MeToo movement, restrictions on gun permits, a ban on Kosher slaughter in Belgium, restoring voting rights for felons, Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal and the case of Rachel Dolezal, who self-identifies as a black woman despite having white parents.

“The team put in a great deal of work over the past two months to research 12 cases and develop their stance on them,” said coach Joshua May, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy. “Team members practiced three nights per week, developing arguments for their positions and anticipating alternative points of view. It takes discipline and a passion for debating ethical issues.”