47. Nowadays doctors can become very rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable activities such as plastic surgery or looking after rich patients and concentrate more on patients health, no matter how rich they are?
48. Will modern technology, such as the internet ever replace the book or the written word as the main source of information?
49. Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or re-educated and rehabituated, using community service programs for instance, before being reintroduced to society?
50. Computers can translate all kinds of languages well so our children don’t need to learn more languages in the future?
51. We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
52. In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?
53. ‘Telecommuting’ refers to workers doing their jobs from home for part of each week and communicating with their office using computer technology. Telecommuting is growing in many countries and is expected to be common for most office workers in the coming decades. How do you think society will be affected by the growth of telecommuting?
54. Technology is making communication easier in today’s world, but at the expense of personal contact as many people choose to work at home in front of a computer screen. What dangers are there for a society which depends on computer screens rather than face-to-face contact for its main means of communication?
55. Some businesses now say that no one can smoke cigarettes in any of their offices. Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. This is a good idea but it also takes away some of our freedom. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.
56. Should the same laws which prohibit the sale and consumption of heroin be applied to tobacco?
57. To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
