Society B. J. F. Organizes Discussions on Wealthy Individuals and Advanced Technology in AI
The Benedict Fenwick Debate Society, the oldest campus organisation at Holy Cross, began its new semester on February 3, 2025, with a heated debate on the moral responsibility of billionaires. The event, held in the Hogan Campus Center (Hogan 320), saw a large turnout of students eager to witness the intellectual clash.
Matt Nickerson '24, the Chief Features Editor for the coverage of the B.J.F. Society's debates, reported that the affirmative team argued that AI has facilitated unethical practices and been promoted by ambitious corporations. On the other hand, the negative team presented an argument that AI has opened new frontiers of innovation, particularly in healthcare, and that governments can issue regulations to curb malicious usage.
However, a search for information about the specific argument presented by the negative team in the first debate revealed no results. The event and topic do not seem to be mentioned in any search results, suggesting that the debate may have been a private affair or that the argument was unique and not widely discussed.
The second debate of the semester, held on February 17, 2025, focused on the justifiability of heresy and presidential power. The third debate, held on an unspecified date, discussed the growth of AI and its impact on society.
The debates are managed by Jacob Wu '27, who serves as both Staff Writer and Web Editor. The debates are open to large numbers of students, and Nora Kelly '27 delivered a closing statement during one of the debates.
It is worth noting that the B.J.F. Society hosted its first public session in 20 years on Dec. 2, 2022, discussing topics related to Clarence Thomas and the state of capitalism. The society also held its first debate of the year on November 2, 2022, discussing topics related to the 2024 presidential election, the possibility of Greek life on campus, and the nature of human morality.
After a 20-year hiatus, the B.J.F. Society returned to its roots, providing a platform for students to engage in thought-provoking debates and discussions on a variety of topics. The society's debates are a testament to the intellectual vibrancy of Holy Cross and a valuable opportunity for students to hone their critical thinking skills.
If you have access to the debate record or a summary of the debate on the moral responsibility of billionaires, I could help analyze it further. Please let me know if you would like assistance with general arguments about the moral duty of billionaires or in another related area.
- The Benedict Fenwick Debate Society's first event of the semester in February 2025 was a debate on the moral responsibility of billionaires, with a large student turnout.
- Matt Nickerson, the Chief Features Editor, reported on the affirmative team's argument that AI has contributed to unethical practices.
- However, the argument presented by the negative team in the first debate of the semester remains undiscovered, implying it might have been a private debate or unique argument.
- The second debate focused on the justifiability of heresy and presidential power, the third on the growth of AI and its impact on society, but information about the first debate's negative team's argument is scarce.
- The Debate Society's debates are managed by Jacob Wu, who serves as both Staff Writer and Web Editor, and are open to many students, with Nora Kelly delivering a closing statement during one of the debates.
- The society held its first public session in 20 years in December 2022, discussing Clarence Thomas and the state of capitalism, and its first debate of the year in November 2022, focusing on the 2024 presidential election, Greek life, and human morality.
- After a 20-year hiatus, the Debate Society has returned, providing an opportunity for students to engage in intellectual debates and discussions, showcasing Holy Cross's educational-and-self-development and personal-growth focus.
- Online learning resources could help analyze the argument presented during the debate on the moral responsibility of billionaires, or provide assistance with general arguments about the moral duty of billionaires or related topics.
