This week we debated whether or not space exploration is a waste of time. Yes, it costs a lot of money, and that money could be spent on other things. But do we get anything out of space exploration programmes in various countries? Do we need them? The Year 12 team of Jessica Bell and Ella Goodman made the strongest contribution to the debate, speaking as the first opposition speakers. Jessica argued that human nature means that people just have to ‘know what’s out there’, that we’ll never be happy until we do, and that the future, without space exploration, would be bleak, and everyone would be far less happy. This took the debate in an unexpected direction, and the other teams didn’t deal with it well. Georgia Holmes picture of world apocalypse caused by asteroids, if we don’t know ‘what’s out there’ and deal with it, was also a very strong point. However, Sufyaan Farid managed to make enough good points about how harmful exploration is in itself, to take a second place. Next week we will be debating the Just Stop Oil movement, and whether it is counter-productive. Next Thursday at 3.00 in Room 9.

 

Mr Ahern & Mr Murphy