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

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies want to be held to more lose standards than the average citizen.
Warrant 0: some are run by trustworthy people
Warrant 1: some are not run by trustworthy people
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies cheat regulations
Warrant 0: the worst offenders are not punished
Warrant 1: the worst offenders are punished
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: VolksWagen scammed us and created more carbon by cheating with software.
Warrant 0: VolksWagen admitted they were wrong
Warrant 1: VolksWagen denied they were wrong
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Corporations have only one goal: to make a profit.
Warrant 0: profits benefit workers, shareholders and the community
Warrant 1: profits do not benefit workers, shareholders and the community
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Businesses value the bottom line profits over anything else.
Warrant 0: the bottom line profits usually align with what is good for the general public
Warrant 1: the bottom line profits usually don't align with what is good for the general public
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: not all laws are good for the economy
Warrant 1: most laws are good for the economy
Correct warrant: 0

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: it may be argued honesty is actually a capitalist virtue
Warrant 1: it may be argued dishonesty is actually a capitalist virtue
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Businesses have proven they cannot self regulate over time.
Warrant 0: businesses are failing
Warrant 1: businesses failing is part of the growth of capitalist economies
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies use lawmakers to stifle competition and bend rules.
Warrant 0: beating the system isn't acceptable in laissez faire capitalism
Warrant 1: beating the system is acceptable in laissez faire capitalism
Correct warrant: 1

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: If companies are not watched then bad things will happen.
Warrant 0: companies are always being reviewed and monitored by their customers
Warrant 1: companies are not always being reviewed and monitored by their customers
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Companies resort to unfair, unsafe practices in order to turn profits.
Warrant 0: companies turn profits for shareholders
Warrant 1: companies steal profits from shareholders
Correct warrant: 0

Claim: Companies can be trusted
Reason: Corporations have only one goal: to make a profit.
Warrant 0: they have to satisfy customers to make a profit
Warrant 1: they do not have to satisfy customers to make a profit
Correct warrant: 0