Debate: Can Companies Be Trusted?
Volkswagen's vast cheating on emissions tests has been called proof that stronger regulation is needed.

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: Unless death rates rise to a certain level and potential law suits are attention-grabbing enough, law firms won't file class action suits against companies.
Warrant 0: companies create products that kill people
Warrant 1: companies try to create products that don't kill people
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: Companies will lie in order to turn a profit, even at a cost to society, a fact proven by oil companies consistently causing environmental damage.
Warrant 0: that is the norm and most companies aren't fair or honest
Warrant 1: that is not the norm and most companies are fair and honest
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: Credible testing and policing need to be in effect.
Warrant 0: testing is done by third parties
Warrant 1: testing is not done by third parties
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: Businesses are not best equipped to regulate themselves.
Warrant 0: their customers can complain if they are unhappy with the companies actions
Warrant 1: their customers can complain if they are unhappy with the companies actions but no one forces a solution
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: We need effective ways to hold companies accountable for harm caused by faulty products.
Warrant 0: companies are not held accountable
Warrant 1: companies area held accountable
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can't be trusted
Reason: Businesses have proven they cannot self regulate over time.
Warrant 0: they have clearly learned their lesson and will do better
Warrant 1: they have clearly haven't learned their lesson and will keep taking advantage
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Corporations have only one goal: to make a profit.
Warrant 0: profit requires trust on the part of customers
Warrant 1: profit does not require trust on the part of customers
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies break the law and chalk it up as their duty to their shareholders and consider any financial penalties as part of business costs.
Warrant 0: this behavior is ultimately bad in a capitalist society
Warrant 1: this behavior is ultimately good in a capitalist society
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: If it isn't in a companies best interest, we cannot rely on them to be honest.
Warrant 0: we need them to be honest
Warrant 1: we don't need them to be honest
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies cheat regulations
Warrant 0: it is the government's responsibility to create regulations that can not be cheated
Warrant 1: companies will try to cheat the regulations
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies will use any means necessary to be competitive.
Warrant 0: companies will compete to make shareholders money
Warrant 1: companies will compete to steal the shareholders money
Correct warrant: 0