剑桥Re:think论文竞赛2025正式开放！ 纵览八大论文主题 解锁独家解析与书单！

牛剑部分专业不仅要求申请者提交书面作业（written work），还可能通过TSA、HAT、ELAT、CAT等笔试来评估申请人的学术潜力与能力。与此同时，高含金量的写作竞赛也成为越来越多优秀学生展现自身学术实力的重要途径。

2025年1月15日，剑桥Re:think论文赛将正式公布题目。作为与John Locke论文赛齐名的重量级赛事，Re:think以其强大的名校背书和多元化的主题选择，吸引了全球众多优秀学生的目光。

获奖者除了能够获得全球顶级学府认可的证书，还将获得丰厚的现金奖励！今天，Blue将为大家详细介绍该竞赛的八大主题和独家解析！

1、竞赛介绍

Re:think论文写作赛事由Cambridge Center for International Research（CCIR）主办，凭借剑桥大学的强大背书，吸引了全球顶尖学府的关注。赛事命题团队由麻省理工、哈佛、剑桥、牛津、布朗、伯克利等世界顶级院校的教授组成，确保了题目的学术深度与前沿性。

图源：https://cambridge-research.org/essay-competition/#prompt

比赛主题广泛，涵盖历史、当前社会问题以及未来推测性场景，旨在鼓励参赛者进行批判性思考，探索那些发人深省且常具争议性的话题。参赛者需要深入分析这些主题的各个方面及其影响，挑战既有的规范与信念，设想替代性的未来，思考新技术的潜在影响，并重新审视长期存在的传统。

Re:think的核心目标是搭建一个平台，让学生与学者分享他们对过去与未来紧迫问题的见解，拓宽集体认知边界，并为当代挑战提供创新性的解决方案。通过这一赛事，参赛者不仅能展现自己的学术能力与批判性思维，还有机会获得全球顶尖学府的认可与丰厚奖励。

2、八大主题

1. Animal Rights and Society：Should we prioritize animal rights to the extent that we eliminate all forms of animal agriculture?

动物权利与社会：我们是否应该将动物权利放在首位，以至于完全消除所有形式的动物农业？

2. Freedom and Accountability：Is the concept of“cancel culture”a legitimate way to hold individuals accountable, or does it stifle free expression and promote intolerance?

自由与问责：“取消文化”这一概念是有效的问责方式，还是扼杀了言论自由并促进了不容忍？

3. Technology and Ethics: How can we deal with algorithmic bias and opacity?

科技与伦理：我们如何应对算法偏见和不透明性？

4. Space Exploration and Governance: What should we do to prepare for the era of space colonization?

太空探索与治理：我们应如何为太空殖民时代做好准备？

5. Biotechonology: Is genetic modification a valuable bioengineering tool or an unethical way to change our natural world?

生物技术：基因改造是有价值的生物工程工具，还是一种不道德的改变自然世界的方式？

6. Economics and Globalization: Is globalization good for the world?

经济与全球化：全球化对世界有利吗？

7. Public Health: Is it ethical to force individuals to be vaccinated for the greater good, or does this violate personal autonomy and bodily rights?

公共卫生：为了更大的利益，强制个体接种疫苗是否合乎伦理，还是侵犯了个人自主权和身体权利？

8.Laws and Society: Should all drugs be legalized, and would such a policy lead to a more just and healthier society?

法律与社会：所有药物是否应该合法化，这样的政策是否能带来一个更加公正和健康的社会？

3、独家解析

讲解人：CKX

CKX导师本科毕业于牛津大学Brasenose学院，主修政治、哲学与经济学（PPE），并曾荣获Schwarzman Scholarship在清华大学攻读硕士学位。他以12门GCSEA和A-Level2A2A的优异成绩脱颖而出，收获了5封来自英国顶尖大学的录取通知书。在牛津求学期间，CKX深入研究了英国政治历史、政治社会学、全球经济史以及中国政治。

他在牛剑申请指导方面经验丰富，尤其擅长个人陈述（PS）文书修改和模拟面试培训，帮助多位学生成功斩获牛津、剑桥的录取。CKX导师还积极参与辩论和模拟联合国，曾担任牛津大学模拟联合国协会和牛津中国论坛的财长，并成为世界最大辩论社团——牛津辩论社的首位华人秘书长和图书老师（副主席）。

独家解析（一）

Animal Rights and Society：Should we prioritize animal rights to the extent that we eliminate all forms of animal agriculture?

动物权利与社会：我们是否应该将动物权利放在首位，以至于完全消除所有形式的动物农业？

适合的专业：PPE(政治经济哲学)， 哲学，政治，社会学

解题思路：

The debate over prioritizing animal rights and eliminating animal agriculture is deeply relevant to politics, philosophy, and ethics, as it intersects with issues of governance, justice, and moral responsibility. Politically, it raises questions about state intervention in food systems, subsidies for agriculture, and regulatory frameworks for animal welfare. Philosophically, it engages with theories like utilitarianism, championed by Peter Singer, which emphasizes minimizing suffering, and rights-based ethics, advanced by Tom Regan, which asserts that animals possess inherent rights. Ethical considerations also draw from ecofeminism, which critiques the domination of both nature and animals, and environmental ethics, which prioritize the ecological consequences of human actions. Thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, with her capabilities approach, and Alasdair Cochrane, who advocates for animal rights within political frameworks, provide valuable perspectives. These theories and thinkers highlight the complexity of balancing ethical imperatives with practical challenges in shaping policies that consider both human and non-human stakeholders.

Argument in Favor: Ethical and Environmental Imperatives

Advocates for eliminating animal agriculture argue that it is an ethical necessity to prioritize animal rights, as animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain and pleasure. Philosophers like Peter Singer (utilitarianism) argue that continuing to exploit animals for food, especially when plant-based alternatives exist, is morally indefensible. Beyond ethics, the environmental impact of animal agriculture provides strong justification for its elimination. Livestock farming contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water depletion, and biodiversity loss, exacerbating climate change and threatening ecosystems. By eliminating animal agriculture, societies can reduce animal suffering and make substantial progress toward environmental sustainability goals.

Argument Against: Socioeconomic and Cultural Realities

Opponents of eliminating animal agriculture highlight the profound socioeconomic and cultural challenges such a transition would pose. Millions of people globally depend on animal farming for their livelihoods, particularly in developing nations where it is integral to rural economies. Furthermore, animal-based diets are deeply woven into cultural traditions and practices, making the shift to plant-based or lab-grown alternatives socially complex. Eliminating animal agriculture entirely could undermine food security, especially in regions where plant-based alternatives are scarce or economically inaccessible. Therefore, the complete elimination of animal agriculture risks creating significant economic and social upheaval, suggesting the need for a more pragmatic, reform-focused approach.

关于优先考虑动物权利和消除动物农业的辩论，与政治、哲学和伦理学密切相关，因为它涉及治理、正义和道德责任等议题。从政治角度来看，这一辩论引发了国家对食品系统的干预、农业补贴以及动物福利监管框架的质疑。从哲学层面，它涉及如彼得·辛格（Peter Singer）所倡导的功利主义理论，强调减少痛苦；以及汤姆·里根（Tom Regan）提出的基于权利的伦理学，主张动物拥有固有权利。伦理考量还借鉴了生态女性主义，批判对自然和动物的支配；以及环境伦理学，强调人类行为对生态的影响。玛莎·努斯鲍姆（Martha Nussbaum）的能力路径理论，以及阿拉斯代尔·科克伦（Alasdair Cochrane）在政治框架内倡导动物权利的观点，都为这一辩论提供了宝贵的视角。这些理论和思想家凸显了在制定兼顾人类与非人类利益的政策时，平衡伦理要求与实际挑战的复杂性。

支持观点：伦理与环境的迫切性

支持消除动物农业的人士认为，优先考虑动物权利是一种伦理上的必然，因为动物是有感知能力的生命，能够体验痛苦和快乐。像彼得·辛格这样的哲学家（功利主义）认为，继续剥削动物作为食物来源，尤其是在植物性替代品存在的情况下，在道德上是站不住脚的。除了伦理问题，动物农业对环境的影响也为其消除提供了强有力的理由。畜牧业显著加剧了温室气体排放、森林砍伐、水资源消耗和生物多样性丧失，进一步加剧了气候变化并威胁生态系统。通过消除动物农业，社会可以减少动物痛苦，并在实现环境可持续性目标方面取得实质性进展。

反对观点：社会经济与文化的现实

反对消除动物农业的人士则强调，这种转变将面临深刻的社会经济和文化挑战。全球数百万人依赖畜牧业为生，尤其是在发展中国家，畜牧业是农村经济的支柱。此外，动物性饮食深深植根于文化传统和习俗中，转向植物性或实验室培育的替代品在社会层面极为复杂。完全消除动物农业可能会破坏粮食安全，特别是在植物性替代品稀缺或经济上难以获得的地区。因此，彻底消除动物农业可能会引发重大的经济和社会动荡，这表明需要一种更务实、以改革为重点的路径。

#推荐书单：

1. Peter Singer – Animal Liberation (1975)

This foundational work introduced the concept of speciesism, arguing that animals deserve moral consideration comparable to humans. It is essential for understanding the ethical basis of the animal rights movement and the argument for eliminating animal exploitation.

2. Tom Regan – The Case for Animal Rights (1983)

Regan's work offers a compelling argument for recognizing animals as individuals with inherent rights. It provides a rights-based perspective, contrasting with Singer’s utilitarianism, making it critical to philosophical debates on the issue.

3. Cora Diamond – “Eating Meat and Eating People” (1978)

This provocative essay challenges cultural norms around why some animals are treated as food and others as companions, sparking essential ethical questions central to the essay’s theme.

4. Will Kymlicka and Sue Donaldson – Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights (2011)

This work reimagines the relationship between humans and animals through a political lens, proposing a framework where animals are seen as members of society with their own roles and protections, providing a fresh angle on the topic.

5. Jonathan Safran Foer – Eating Animals (2009)

Foer’s book offers a personal and emotional exploration of the ethical and environmental consequences of animal agriculture. It bridges philosophical arguments with real-world impacts, making it highly relevant to the essay.

6. Michael Pollan – The Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006)

Pollan examines the complexities of food production, from industrial farming to sustainable practices, offering insights into alternatives to animal agriculture and the practicality of reforming existing systems.

独家解析(二)

What should we do to prepare for the era of space colonization?

太空探索与治理：我们应如何为太空殖民时代做好准备？

解题思路：

Preparing for the era of space colonization requires an integrated approach that balances sociological insights, governance frameworks, and political considerations to ensure sustainable and equitable human settlements in extraterrestrial environments. Sociologically, we must anticipate how isolated, resource-constrained communities will develop social norms, hierarchies, and systems of cooperation, drawing from Émile Durkheim’s theories on social cohesion and Max Weber’s work on bureaucracy and authority structures. Governance will play a critical role in designing systems of decision-making and resource allocation that maintain fairness and prevent conflict. Hannah Arendt’s insights on governance and participatory democracy provide a lens to avoid authoritarian structures in space societies. Politically, the establishment of international treaties and institutions, building on frameworks like the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, will be essential to regulate resource use, prevent territorial disputes, and ensure space remains a domain of peaceful exploration. Ethical considerations, guided by John Rawls’ principles of justice, can help design equitable policies for access to space and the distribution of resources among nations and settlers. Furthermore, ecological sociologists like Bruno Latour remind us to account for the environmental implications of human expansion into space, ensuring responsible stewardship of extraterrestrial ecosystems. By harmonizing sociological theories, governance strategies, and political frameworks, humanity can prepare for space colonization in a way that fosters both social resilience and global cooperation.

为迎接太空殖民时代的到来，需要采取一种综合性的方法，平衡社会学洞察、治理框架和政治考量，以确保在extraterrestrial环境中建立可持续且公平的人类定居点。从社会学角度来看，我们必须预见到孤立且资源有限的社区将如何发展社会规范、等级制度和合作体系，这可以借鉴埃米尔·涂尔干（Émile Durkheim）关于社会凝聚力的理论以及马克斯·韦伯（Max Weber）对官僚制和权威结构的研究。治理将在设计决策和资源分配系统中发挥关键作用，以维护公平并防止冲突。汉娜·阿伦特（Hannah Arendt）关于治理和参与式民主的见解为我们提供了避免太空社会中出现威权结构的视角。在政治层面，建立国际条约和机构，以1967年《外层空间条约》等框架为基础，对于规范资源使用、防止领土争端以及确保太空作为和平探索的领域至关重要。约翰·罗尔斯（John Rawls）的正义原则可以指导伦理考量，帮助设计公平的政策，确保各国和定居者平等获得太空资源。此外，布鲁诺-拉图尔（Bruno Latour）等生态社会学家提醒我们要考虑人类向太空扩张对环境的影响，确保负责任地管理地外生态系统。通过协调社会学理论、治理战略和政治框架，人类可以为太空殖民做好准备，从而促进社会复原力和全球合作。

#推荐书单：

1. Yuval Noah Harari – Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2014)

This work provides a sweeping historical and philosophical view of humanity’s trajectory, raising critical questions about our long-term survival and the ethical considerations of space colonization as a potential next step in human evolution.

2. Carl Sagan – Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space (1994)

Sagan’s reflections on space exploration explore its philosophical implications, emphasizing humanity’s responsibility to unify and act ethically as we venture into space, while addressing practical challenges and hopes.

3. James A. Dator, Richard C. Pratt, and Yvonne Marie Andres – Fairness in Space: Social Justice in Space Settlement (2019)

This book explores governance and justice in space, offering theoretical and practical approaches to addressing social inequality and ensuring equitable governance in extraterrestrial settlements.

4. Gerard K. O’Neill – The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space (1976)

A visionary work advocating for space habitats, this book discusses the feasibility of large-scale orbital colonies and highlights the potential for technological and social innovation in space colonization.

5. Stephen Hawking – Brief Answers to the Big Questions (2018)

Hawking argues that space colonization is crucial for humanity’s survival, while also addressing the ethical and technical challenges associated with living off Earth, providing both existential motivation and pragmatic insights.

6. Christopher Wanjek – Spacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond (2020)

This book provides a thorough examination of the technical, social, and ethical aspects of space colonization, with a focus on its feasibility and the societal structures necessary for extraterrestrial living.