Are you looking for questions to discuss with friends, colleagues, or students? Try our deep philosophical questions, which are fun, interesting, and thought-provoking. These questions really make you reflect on yourself, think critically, and discuss tough topics like ethics and morals.
Just because a philosophical question is deep doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. We have a good mix of some serious questions and funny philosophical questions. Not only are these questions great for discussions, but they also work as fun icebreakers and conversation starters.
30 Deep Philosophical Questions
Here’s the list of our deep philosophical questions that can start an endless conversation.
- Can you daydream at night?
- If time is money, can I get a refund for procrastinating?
- Why do we press harder on the remote control when we know the batteries are weak?
- If knowledge is power, and power corrupts, does that mean studying can lead to moral corruption?
- If life is a simulation, is death just logging out?
- Does God exist, and if so, what is the nature of God?
- Can we ever have true knowledge about the nature of reality?
- What is the nature of consciousness?
- Can we truly know anything, or is knowledge always subjective?
- Is there such a thing as objective morality?
- Can something come from nothing?
- What is the nature of good and evil?
- If time is a great teacher, why does it kill all its students?
- If you’re waiting for the waiter, aren’t you the waiter?
- If you try to fail and succeed, is it a failure or a success?
- What is the relationship between the individual and society?
- Can you be truly happy without experiencing sadness?
- Can you ever have too much of a good thing?
- Can a person be both religious and scientific at the same time?
- Can you feel empathy for artificial intelligence?
- If you don’t expect the unexpected, is it still unexpected?
- If knowledge is power, is wisdom its currency?
- Can you ever truly know yourself, or are you an ever-changing entity?
- Can you love someone without liking them?
- Can you define success without referencing external achievements?
- If everything happens for a reason, what’s the reason for that?
- If reality is a construct, who is the architect?
- If life is short, why do we often act as if we have all the time in the world?
- Why do we say we “slept like a baby” when babies wake up every two hours crying?
- If ignorance is bliss, why do we seek knowledge?
Tips for Using Philosophical Questions
If you are a teacher who wants to use some of our questions in class, check out the following tips.
Introduce the Concept
Whether you want to use it at the beginning of the class as an icebreaker or as a topic of discussion class, start by telling them a little bit about the concept of philosophy. Think about how you want your students to tackle the philosophical question. Sometimes, if we introduce students straight to the questions, students will simply answer with yes or no without thinking about it too much. We want to prevent that from happening.
Ask Follow-Up Questions
If it is the first time your students are dealing with philosophical questions, it can be a little bit challenging. Ask follow-up questions depending on their answers to guide them. By guiding, you’re not suggesting a direction of thought. Instead, you are encouraging students to continue with their critical thinking. With every question, students will get better at elaborating their responses.
Facilitate Group Discussions
Now that your students know what to do, let’s make them talk amongst themselves. Put students into small groups and give each group a different philosophical question. Within the time limit, students have to think, discuss, and come to a conclusion. When the time is up, ask one person from each group to tell the class what the question was and their group’s conclusion.
FAQs About Deep Philosophical Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about deep philosophical questions.
What are some famous philosophical questions?
The following is the list of the most famous philosophical questions:
- What is the meaning of life?
- Do we have free will, or is everything predetermined?
- What is the nature of consciousness?
- What is the purpose of art?
- Is there an afterlife?
What are some deep philosophical questions about life and existence?
Here are some deep philosophical questions about life and existence:
- Is there a universal moral code, or is morality subjective?
- Can a meaningful life be achieved without a sense of purpose or passion?
- Is there such a thing as a soul, and if so, what is its nature?
- What happens after death, if anything?
- Can we trust our senses to accurately perceive the world?
What are some deep philosophical questions about love and relationships?
Exploring love and relationships from a philosophical perspective can lead to profound and thought-provoking questions. Check out the following list of philosophical questions about love and relationships:
- Is love a choice, an emotion, or a combination of both?
- Can love exist in the absence of trust?
- How does self-love relate to love for others?
- How does the concept of love change over the course of a long-term relationship?
- Is jealousy a natural aspect of love, or does it indicate a lack of trust?
What are some philosophical questions about morality and ethics?
If you want to examine the nature of right and wrong, good and evil, and the principles that guide human behavior, here are some philosophical questions about morality and ethics:
- Do individuals have a moral obligation to act for the greater good?
- What is the relationship between morality and law?
- Do the ends justify the means in ethical decision-making?
- What role does empathy play in moral decision-making?
- Can ethics be taught, or is it an inherent aspect of human nature?
What are some questions to stimulate critical thinking in philosophy?
Stimulating critical thinking in philosophy involves posing questions that encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and explore concepts deeply. Here are some questions designed to foster critical thinking in philosophy:
- Can a belief be rational even if it lacks empirical evidence or logical proof?
- Is it possible to have objective moral values, or is morality inherently subjective?
- Is it possible to have absolute certainty about anything, or is all knowledge subject to doubt?
- How does the concept of “the other” influence our ethical judgments and treatment of others?
- What are the ethical implications of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and genetic engineering?
What are some good philosophical questions for kids?
Here are some kid-friendly philosophical questions:
- What makes something right or wrong?
- Can you have a happy life without any toys or possessions?
- What makes a person a good friend?
- If you could talk to animals, what would you ask them?
- What makes something beautiful, and is it the same for everyone?
More Fun Questions
If you are looking for more questions to use in class or simply to have fun with asking the people around you, check out these topics:
- Funny What If Questions to Ask Friends
- Birthday Would You Rather Questions
- Would You Rather Food Questions
- Language Trivia Questions
- Country Trivia Question
- Debate Topics
Deep Philosophical Questions: Join the Conversation
Which question was your favourite one and what was your response? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.