Resolved: Individual claims of privacy ought to be valued above competing claims of societal welfare.

Is an individual’s claim to privacy concerning his or her medical information more important than the potential benefits resulting from having access to this information for medical research? Should this information be disclosed to employers or insurers? Does the right to privacy mean that abortion should be protected? Should the government protect the privacy of celebrities, even though it may infringe upon freedom of the press? Each of these issues is a key aspect of this resolution.

The fundamental question is, “Do individual rights supercede the greater good?” Successful debaters will defend absolute claims to rights on the affirmative and uphold utilitarianism or communitarianism on the negative. This collection of articles will help you explore many of the philosophical and policy implications of the protection of privacy.