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100+ Philosophy Research Paper Topics

philosophy paper topics

One of the most difficult tasks philosophy students faces each year is in having to come up with a philosophy topic to write a paper on. Students can get notifications of big projects months ahead of time and then spend weeks trying to figure out whether their philosophy essay topics are good enough to earn a good grade.

We get it. It’s hard to pull this task together with schedules and responsibilities. This is why we work to find philosophical topics that are current and relatable. We stick to important issues that are at the forefront of the discipline and bring them to you in one convenient philosophical topic for the essay list.

Finding the right philosophy topics can turn regular assignments into A+-winning assignments and we’ve done the work to help you and hundreds of other students get started with these philosophy paper topics. Here are our top 100 philosophy topics for the current school year:

Argumentative Philosophy Research Paper Topics

  • Do people naturally have good and bad qualities?
  • Do we need family support to find happiness?
  • How humans can be happy without reproduction?
  • What is the definitive explanation of happiness?
  • Do most people feel they aren’t living their full lives?
  • Would you marry for money if it meant you could never be happy?
  • Would you like to live your life more than once?
  • Would you rather work vocationalation job or a high-paying job?
  • Are personalities unique or are they just template?
  • Do you think that it is moral to follow all the rules?

Good Philosophy Paper Topics for All Levels

  • Does one need to lead a moral life to achieve happiness?
  • Why do people find life harder than expected?
  • Which is the better teacher? Experience or learning?
  • Do people always do what they want at that moment?
  • Is truth universal or does it change because of perspective?
  • Do animals have a better sense of morals than humans?
  • Can people gain an education without proper schooling?
  • Does one need to be literate to understand philosophy?
  • Which ie preferable? Determinism or Free Will?
  • Is capital punishment ethical in today’s world?

Controversial Topics in Philosophy

  • How does society shape a person’s life and beliefs?
  • Do you need a lot of money to live a rich life?
  • Why are some people living without actually experiencing things?
  • Is spiritual power more important than free will?
  • Do genetics play a bigger role in the way people behave?
  • What impact does the word “love” have on positivity?
  • What is the real reason we live our lives?
  • Is it possible to form a perfect world?
  • Do religion and philosophy contradict one another?
  • Can a world exist without laws or regulations?

Fun Philosophy Paper Topics for High School

  • What would be your form ideal government?
  • What are the different ways in which humans understand each other?
  • How is the concept of happiness defined by different philosophers?
  • Is existence simply a dream experienced by a larger being?
  • If you can spend a week in any period, which would it be?
  • Are we alone in our galaxy or are there other intelligent life forms?
  • What does it mean to have free will versus determinism?
  • If you can change one thing from your past, what would it be?
  • Does religion limit our abilities to explore the meaning of life?
  • What does it mean to be loved or to love others?

Topics for Philosophy Paper on the Classics

  • What does it mean to understand our universe?
  • Does happiness come from our actions toward others?
  • Are our thoughts evidence that we exist?
  • What is the definition of evil as it relates to the modern world?
  • Could societies exist without laws and regulations?
  • Are people born good or evil or are they raised to be one or the other?
  • Is torture a justifiable form of punishment?
  • How can past leaders influence today’s youth positively?
  • Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder?
  • Can we refocus our minds to think more positively?

Easy Philosophy Paper Topics for High School

  • What does it mean to be moral in today’s world?
  • Can wars be justified if it supports the greater population?
  • What does it mean to be a postmodern philosopher?
  • What are today’s most important life values?
  • What is the current perspective on the definition of loneliness?
  • How does one prepare for life after death?
  • Would you like to repeat your life with full knowledge of the prior?
  • Does something better than nothing always lead to benefits?
  • Do people choose to suffer or is it a feeling beyond our control?
  • Should people have to right to die by suicide?

Philosophy Topics to Write About Quickly

  • Do we exist in some form after death?
  • Do supernatural entities exist in the world?
  • Are video games negatively impacting people’s moral values?
  • How does one boost his or her ability to be creative?
  • Is it important to spend your entire life learning?
  • What does it mean to be mentally conscious?
  • What is the definition of loneliness and have you experienced it?
  • What are the most important character traits for leaders to have?
  • Does one need a lot of money to be considered rich?
  • Are we alone in the universe or is there another life?

Philosophical Topics for Essays on Current Issues

  • Are parents responsible for how their children behave?
  • Are the U.S. and U.K. meritocratic societies?
  • Has social media had an impact on people’s morals?
  • Do you agree with the notion that love only exists for 3 years?
  • Are humans more likely to cause trouble because of boredom?
  • Is capital punishment morally justified in modern society?
  • Do humans have the same ideas about what is right and what is wrong?
  • How does death affect how humans view life?
  • Is it complicated to live a life of happiness?
  • Should teenagers be given the responsibility to make their own choices?

Philosophy Thesis Topics for a Big Project

  • Do religion and the belief in God change a person’s behavior?
  • Are Machiavellian ideals still relevant in today’s government?
  • Is animal experimentation ever justified to protect humans?
  • What are the pros and cons of a utilitarian society?
  • What are the pros and cons of a communist government?
  • Why are humans the only species to be violent?
  • Is economic justice more important than legal justice?
  • Should women have univerabortion rightstion?
  • What impact did the 20th-century wave of philosophy have on the U.S.?
  • How do you know that you are different from other people?

Philosophy Research Paper Topics

  • What are the tendencies we see most in humans?
  • Are our morals connected to or influenced by culture?
  • Would you live your life a second time?
  • Should religion have a voice in a nation’s government?
  • What do you think makes for an ideal society?
  • Are truths relative to specific situations or circumstances?
  • What is the most important aspect to gain human knowledge?
  • What is something that veritably upsets you?
  • What is something in your life that you would like to change?
  • What is the most effective way to increase one’s IQ?

Getting a good grade on a philosophy research paper requires you to consider several different options and narrow down those options to a topic you feel you can conduct complete philosophy research on. The topic should also be something that interests you and verges into new areas in the discipline and area of study. This can be a difficult task for many students, so we create custom philosophy research topics to suit every situation. If you can’t find a topic you like from this list, just give us a call, email us, or send us a message via chat. We can direct you to a qualified philosophy expert writer to create a custom list of philosophical ideas to fit your assignment needs.

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100 Philosophy Essay Topics For Students

This article will consider what a philosophical essay is and what philosophy essay topics are. We will consider how one type of paper differs from another. In addition, we will tell you by what criteria and how to choose a topic for your essay and give some ideas and examples of philosophy essay topics (created with our professional) to practice.

What Is a Philosophy Essay?

Philosophy is one of the oldest sciences that arose with the first intelligent thought of man. The concept of “philosophy” is translated as “search for truth.”

How much do we want to know about this world and its order or disorder if we succeed? How necessary is this knowledge for us? Any academic writing that defends a claim that can be proven valid can be considered a philosophy essay.

Argumentative philosophy essay topics follow a strictly basic format that must always be considered. When you write, you present your statement or fact as a reality throughout the essay.

Throughout the article, the writer seeks to defend his statement and provide a wide range of facts that support it.

How to Come Up With a Topic For the Philosophy Essay?

The first challenge of writing a philosophy essay is choosing a philosophy paper topic. The first step in selecting good philosophy paper topics is choosing the most appropriate field of study within philosophy. It is necessary to apply critical thinking in knowledge, which concerns the five branches of philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics.

When it comes to writing a philosophy essay, it can be difficult to come up with topics. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help students brainstorm and come up with topics for their essays. For instance, a quick search online can lead to a wealth of resources such as articles, books, and websites that discuss a variety of philosophy topics. Additionally, it is possible to buy college essay papers specifically tailored to cover a range of philosophical topics.

Good Philosophy Essay Topics

These ideas are classic but, at the same time, well-suited to modern philosophical questions. By choosing one of these philosophy topics for essays, you can reveal one or another relevant philosophical question that is relevant nowadays.

  • Being, substance, and matter: What is movement? What is space for you? What is the time?
  • The problem of “dialogue” between a person and computer systems.
  • Consciousness is a necessary condition for the restoration of culture.
  • Is it possible to know the world altogether?
  • Man and woman: equal or unequal?
  • Death penalty: to be or not to be?
  • Under what conditions do you consider euthanasia acceptable?
  • Nonviolence is a categorical moral prohibition.
  • The problem of human death and immortality.
  • Modern civilization and childbirth. Your attitude to abortion.
  • Childfree and large families.
  • Artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, adoption, or loneliness?
  • Your mindset to monogamy and polygamy.
  • Religion and atheism in the 21st century.
  • Unequal marriage: pros and cons.
  • Love and love. Do we know how to love?
  • Man and nature: unity or opposition?
  • Gender diversity in the 21st century.
  • Parents in the life of an adult.
  • Nationalism or cosmopolitanism: Which ideology is relevant in today’s world?

Easy Philosophy Essay Topics

The philosophy topics ideas below are suitable for beginners or people for whom philosophy is not the science they study at the university. These easy philosophy paper topics can lead you to specific philosophical thoughts, but creating a unique essay on one of them will not be difficult.

  • How does music affect the way we live?
  • Big money in sports is the essence of competition.
  • Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – is it relevant in the 21st century?
  • Personality tests – help you find yourself or drive you to limits.
  • Traumatic events should be openly discussed, not hidden.
  • Are people who love animals generally kinder and more optimistic?
  • Is it true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
  • For or against keeping animals in zoos?
  • How can technology be used to preserve the environment?
  • Describe how you made the decision about which career to choose.
  • Should modern education eliminate evaluation systems – yes or no?
  • A phrase that changed my life.
  • What is the difference between courage and fear?
  • What internal prisons have you already built from your fears?
  • Are people inherently more good or bad?

Political Philosophy Essay Topics

Politics is an integral part of our life. These essay topics will help you look at ethical issues of the critical social components from a philosophical point of view. By writing philosophy paper topics from this list, you will be able to understand better what politics is. So check these expository essay ideas .

  • Reasons for high unemployment.
  • Is money a tool or the goal of life?
  • Why do athletes become more socially active and proactive?
  • My ambitions are how I see my life in 10 years.
  • What does it take to become a politician?
  • In the world, everyone in it will do their own thing.
  • The development of the world is a chain of transformations of possibility into reality.
  • Social ontology. Image of flat ontologies.
  • We don’t have time to be ourselves.
  • The concept of fact in modern politic
  • Concept of person, individual in politics.
  • The concept of experiment in politics.
  • Humans as the main subject of political analysis
  • The concept of equilibrium in modern political philosophy.
  • The concept of risk in politics.

Ancient Greek Philosophical Topics for Essays

Mentioned below are philosophy topics to write a paper on your own for those who want to know more about the most magnificent world’s philosophy period. So, check these narrative essay topics , which can help better grasp that period.

  • Rational knowledge is supplemented by wisdom as an understanding of people’s life experiences.
  • The thoughts of the sophists (Protagoras, Gorgias, Antiphon, etc.).
  • Man is the measure of all things.
  • Is everything wrong in cognition?
  • Nothing exists, and if it does exist, it is incomprehensible.
  • A person should take care of himself first of all.
  • Is self-knowledge a requirement of reason?
  • Goodness begins with presentation and knowledge of it.
  • The sense organs give us information only about unrealities.
  • Being exists, and non-being does not have the unity of matter and form.

Philosophy Of Mind Essay Topics

These interesting philosophy paper topics often relate to the human mind, the study of the depths of human understanding of specific issues. Writing an essay on one of these topics will enable you to comprehend how the mind works from a philosophical perspective. If you feel you have little experience with such topics, you can get help from custom essay writing services .

  • The nature and essence of man: Freedom, choice, and responsibility
  • Man in biological and social dimensions
  • Meaning of life. Death and immortality.
  • The concept of risk in classical science.
  • The idea of risk in non-classical science.
  • The concept of sustainability in modern science.
  • The idea of the soul in European science.
  • The concept of the mind in Eastern science.
  • How does Eastern science understand “internal” knowledge?
  • “Everything was old; everything will happen again.” O. Mandelstam

Modern Philosophy Paper Topics

While studying the phenomenon of modernism in philosophy, it is possible to single out several questions that need explanation: this is the problem of the chronological status of modernism, the relationship between modernism and the modern, the prerequisites for the emergence of modernism, the connotations of modernism and its essential features. Also, you can ask some professionals to help you with writing a philosophy paper . Examining our suggested essay topics will allow you better understand these questions.

  • The transition of philosophy to other principles of self-determination. Concepts of marginality and liminality
  • The philosophy of cinema. The theory of photography by S. Sontag, R. Barth, and V. Fluser
  • Linguistic turn – the transition of philosophy to a concept value.
  • Iconic, visual turn / from the power of ideologues to the power of hieroglyphs.
  • The speech factor of polarization of modern philosophical science.
  • Problems and concepts of analytical philosophical science.
  • The main directions and problematic field of continental philosophical science.
  • Postpostmodernism: conditions of emergence and approaches to classification.
  • Postmodernism as pure proceduralism and postmodernism as reflection

Argumentative Philosophy Essay Topics

These essay topics require specific skills and a certain level of knowledge from the author. If the topics presented in the previous sections seem too easy for you, we advise you to choose one of these. Also, you can ask for some assistance from an argumentative essay writer .

Philosophy of Science Essay Topics

The topics we gathered for you will help you gain a deeper understanding of the science of philosophy . Writing philosophy papers on one of these topics requires some scientific knowledge, so we advise you to think carefully before you start to write your philosophy paper .

  • Social conditions of formation of philosophical science.
  • Spiritual sources of philosophical science.
  • Correlation between philosophical and generally scientific methods.
  • The subject of philosophical science and its historical evolution.
  • How does worldview determine worldview?
  • Philosophy is a unique form of social consciousness.
  • Forms and methods of philosophical science.
  • Prove that philosophy is a methodology of scientific knowledge.
  • How the “main question of philosophical science” is transformed within the limits of the theory of knowledge.
  • The relationship between ideology and politics.

Every essay topic in this article can help students better understand philosophy as a science, proving that interesting philosophy exists. So look at our lists of philosophy essay topics and choose the one or a few you like the most.

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691 Philosophy Essay Topics & Good Ideas

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Philosophy essay topics are vast, engaging, and intellectually stimulating, focusing on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, aesthetics, and more. They challenge students to ponder on fundamental questions, from the nature of reality and existence to the basis of morality, the meaning of life, and the intricacies of human knowledge. From exploring ancient philosophies to scrutinizing contemporary philosophical debates, various concepts are designed to ignite critical thinking, enhance argumentative skills, and deepen students’ understanding of the world, themselves, and their place within it. Thus, philosophical essay topics, by their nature, encourage students to develop and formulate their own unique perspectives, fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity and rigorous analysis.

Best Philosophy Topics

  • Unraveling Kant’s Perspective on Moral Imperatives
  • Analyzing the Concept of Existentialism in Sartre’s Works
  • Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”: A Modern Interpretation
  • Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence: A Philosophical View
  • Nihilism’s Influence on Contemporary Thought and Culture
  • The Intersection of Eastern Philosophy and Modern Science
  • Nietzsche’s “Will to Power”: Relevance in the 21st Century
  • Stoicism and Resilience: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
  • Deciphering the Notion of “Tabula Rasa” in Locke’s Philosophy
  • Dialectical Materialism: The Backbone of Marxist Philosophy
  • Heidegger’s “Being and Time”: A Deep-Dive Into Existential Analysis
  • Conceptualizing the “Simulated Reality” Hypothesis From a Philosophical Perspective
  • Philosophical Implications of Quantum Physics: Bridging the Gap
  • Utilitarianism vs. Deontology: An Ethical Debate
  • Contributions of Indian Philosophy to Global Philosophical Discourse
  • Philosophical Roots of Feminist Theory
  • Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics: Relevance in Modern Society
  • Philosophy of Language: Wittgenstein’s Revolutionary Viewpoint
  • Re-Examining Solipsism in the Digital Age
  • The Notion of “Free Will”: Philosophical Perspectives
  • Descartes’ Meditations: Rationalism and Skepticism
  • Spinoza and Pantheism: An Intriguing Relation
  • Causality and Hume: Breaking Down Empiricism
  • The Role of Suffering in Buddhist Philosophy
  • The Paradox of Time Travel: A Philosophical Enquiry

Philosophy Essay Topics & Good Ideas

Easy Philosophy Topics

  • Epicurus on Pleasure: Hedonism Redefined
  • The “Butterfly Effect” Concept: Philosophical Underpinnings
  • Schopenhauer’s Pessimism: Understanding the Philosophy of Suffering
  • Transcendental Idealism: Unpacking Kant’s Epistemology
  • Philosophical Investigations Into the Nature of Consciousness
  • Probing Into the Ethics of Cloning: A Philosophical Examination
  • Postmodernist Views on Objective Reality: A Critical Evaluation
  • Analyzing Ethical Egoism: An Inquiry Into Self-Interest
  • Ayn Rand’s Objectivism: A Philosophical Analysis
  • The Concept of “The Other” in Existential Philosophy
  • Philosophical Assumptions in Freud’s Theory of Psychoanalysis
  • Taoist Philosophy and Its Relevance to Sustainable Living
  • Rethinking the Philosophy of Death: Perspectives on Mortality
  • Philosophy of Mathematics: Beyond Numbers and Equations
  • Metaphysical Debates Surrounding the Existence of God
  • Interpreting the Principle of “Ma” in Japanese Aesthetics
  • Philosophical Perspectives on the Dichotomy of Good and Evil
  • Assessing the Phenomenological Approach in Philosophy
  • Heraclitus’ Philosophy of Change: A Dynamic View of Reality
  • The Mind-Body Problem: Insights From Dualism and Monism
  • Evaluating Zeno’s Paradoxes: A Philosophical Perspective
  • The Notion of Justice in Rawls’ Theory of Fairness
  • Pyrrhonian Skepticism: An Examination of Radical Doubt
  • Impacts of Existential Crisis on Human Behavior: A Philosophical Investigation

Interesting Philosophy Paper Topics

  • Rousseau and the “Noble Savage”: Revisiting Romanticism in Philosophy
  • Debating the Ethics of War: A Philosophical Approach
  • The Perception of Reality in Hindu Philosophy: Maya and Brahman
  • Analyzing the Philosophy of Crime and Punishment: Dostoevsky’s Perspective
  • The Golden Mean: Aristotle’s Take on Balance and Moderation
  • Philosopher Kings: Plato’s Vision of Ideal Rulership
  • A Deeper Look Into the Philosophy of Stoic Joy
  • Exploring the Boundaries of Human Knowledge: An Epistemological Enquiry
  • The Socratic Method: Its Philosophical Foundations and Educational Implications
  • Understanding the Notion of “The Absurd” in Camus’ Works
  • Critical Examination of Hobbes’ “State of Nature”
  • Kierkegaard’s Leap of Faith: A Philosophical Analysis
  • Transhumanism and Its Philosophical Implications: A Critical Study
  • Philosophy of Art: Aesthetic Theory and Practice
  • Evaluating the Existentialism of Nietzsche’s “Ubermensch”
  • Jung’s Archetypes: Unveiling the Philosophical Underpinnings
  • Moral Obligations Towards Future Generations: A Philosophical Perspective
  • Zen Buddhism: Its Philosophy and Influence on Eastern Thought
  • Philosophical Perspectives on Human Rights: Defining Dignity and Freedom
  • Confucius’ Philosophy of Harmony: Relevance in Contemporary Society
  • The Evolution of Social Contract Theory: From Hobbes to Rawls
  • Tracing the Evolution of Moral Relativism in Philosophy
  • The Philosophical Aspects of Happiness: A Comparative Study
  • Platonic Love: Its Philosophical Underpinnings and Influence on Western Thought

Argumentative Philosophy Topics

  • Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Ethics
  • Death Penalty: Deterrent for Crime or Infringement on Rights?
  • Free Will vs. Determinism: Influence on Human Behavior
  • Assisted Suicide: Compassionate Choice or Ethical Misstep?
  • Objectivity in History: Fact or Interpretation?
  • Truth of Absolutism: Unwavering Certainty or Egotistical Illusion?
  • Validity of Censorship in Safeguarding Public Morality
  • Role of Religion: Source of Morality or Cause of Conflict?
  • Virtue Ethics: Ideal Moral Compass or Unrealistic Standard?
  • Merit of Utilitarianism in Policy-Making Decisions
  • Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering in Humans
  • Vegetarianism: Moral Obligation or Personal Preference?
  • Pacifism: Cowardice or Bravery in the Face of Conflict?
  • Cultural Relativism: Respect for Diversity or Excuse for Human Rights Violations?
  • Existentialism: Path to Authenticity or Descent into Nihilism?
  • Intellectual Property: Protection of Creativity or Hindrance to Progress?
  • Aesthetic Judgements: Subjective Preference or Objective Criteria?
  • Human Nature: Innately Good or Inherently Evil?
  • Moral Responsibility of Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries
  • Ethical Dimensions of Universal Basic Income
  • Privacy in Digital Age: Fundamental Right or Sacrifice for Security?

Philosophy Proposal Essay Topics

  • Exploration of Ethical Implications Surrounding Genetic Engineering
  • Unveiling Truth: An Investigation Into Epistemological Theories
  • Analyzing Moral Dilemmas: A Deep Dive Into Kantian Ethics
  • Perspectives on Existentialism: Influences and Repercussions
  • Rationality vs. Emotion: A Comparative Study in Decision-Making
  • Dialectics of Master and Slave: Hegelian Theory Revisited
  • Nature of Reality: Examination of Metaphysical Concepts
  • Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics: Relevance in Contemporary Society
  • Buddhist Philosophy and Its Impact on Modern Mindfulness Practices
  • Nietzsche’s “Übermensch”: Interpretation and Implications for Modern Man
  • Empathy’s Role in Ethical Decision-Making: A Philosophical Perspective
  • Aesthetic Judgement: Kant’s Analysis in the Modern Context
  • Phenomenology’s Evolution: Sartre and Husserl Comparative Analysis
  • Postmodern Deconstruction: Derrida’s Influence on Contemporary Thought
  • Quantum Mechanics and Philosophy: Revisiting Determinism and Indeterminism
  • Platonist Views on Love: An In-Depth Review
  • Mysticism and Rationalism: Contrasting Views on Human Experience
  • Panpsychism Reconsidered: Consciousness in the Universe
  • Multiverse Theory: Philosophical Discussions and Considerations
  • Nihilism in the 21st Century: An Evaluative Study

Philosophy Research Paper Topics

  • Ethical Conundrums of Genetic Engineering: A Philosophical Analysis
  • Unraveling Hegel’s Dialectics: The Synthesis of Thesis and Antithesis
  • Tracing the Origin and Development of Libertarianism
  • Environmental Ethics: Gaia Theory and Deep Ecology
  • The Trolley Problem: A Philosophical Conundrum
  • Examining “The Myth of Progress” From a Philosophical Lens
  • The Philosophical Basis of Humanism: Secular and Religious Perspectives
  • The Enigma of Time in Philosophy: Exploring Different Theories
  • The Moral Dimension of Veganism: A Philosophical Exploration
  • Materialism vs. Idealism: An Enduring Philosophical Debate
  • The Philosophy of Music: From Pythagoras to Nietzsche
  • Understanding the Philosophy of Education: Teaching and Learning Deconstructed
  • The Role of Doubt in Philosophy: A Discourse on Skepticism
  • Insights Into the Philosophy of Love: From Plato to Fromm
  • Unpacking the Concept of “Collective Consciousness” in Durkheim’s Works
  • Revisiting “The Allegory of the Sun” in Plato’s Republic
  • A Phenomenological Approach to Perception: Merleau-Ponty’s Perspective
  • Philosophical Implications of the Multiverse Theory: An Analysis
  • Exploring the Concept of Karma in Indian Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Space and Time: Unveiling the Mysteries

Comparative Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Exploring the Distinctions Between Eastern and Western Concepts of Justice
  • Contrasting Confucianism and Platonism: Ethics and Education
  • Buddhism vs. Stoicism: A Comparative Study of Approaches to Suffering
  • Existentialism in West versus Absurdism in East: Differing Views on Meaning of Life
  • A Comparative Analysis of Aristotle’s and Confucius’s Views on Friendship
  • The Role of Intuition in Eastern Mysticism and Western Rationalism
  • Daoism and Epicureanism: Different Paths to Tranquility
  • Relevance of Kant’s Categorical Imperative in the Context of Buddhist Ethics
  • The Influence of Taoist Philosophy on Western Environmental Ethics
  • A Comparative Study: Greek Hedonism and Indian Philosophy of Ananda
  • Comparative Evaluation of Duty in Kantian Ethics and Dharma in Hindu Philosophy
  • Parallel Themes in Zoroastrianism and Platonism: A Comparative Analysis
  • Comparative Examination of Eastern and Western Perspectives on Forgiveness
  • Kierkegaard’s Leap of Faith and Zen Buddhism’s Sudden Enlightenment: A Comparative Study
  • A Comparative Analysis of Schopenhauer’s Will and Buddhism’s Desire
  • Comparing Hindu Karma and Aristotelian Virtue Ethics: A Study of Moral Responsibility
  • Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence and the Buddhist Notion of Samsara: A Comparative Analysis
  • Analyzing the Differences in Hegelian and Taoist Dialectics
  • Examining Sufism and Christian Mysticism: Comparative Analysis of Divine Love
  • Understanding Free Will: A Comparative Study Between Sartre’s Existentialism and Islamic Determinism

Practical Philosophical Topics for Philosophy Essays

  • Altruism vs. Egoism: Which Guides Humanity?
  • Happiness Pursuit: The Role of Virtue Ethics
  • Consequentialism and Its Impact on Decision-Making Processes
  • Existentialism: Understanding Our Purpose and Meaning
  • Justice Examination: Balancing Equality and Fairness
  • Animal Rights: Ethical Obligations Towards Non-Human Creatures
  • Perception of Reality: An Analysis of Solipsism
  • Morality Origin: Divine Command Theory or Secular Humanism?
  • Feminist Philosophy: Promoting Gender Equality and Justice
  • Dilemmas in Bioethics: Dealing With Life and Death Decisions
  • Vegetarianism Advocacy: A Case of Moral Obligation
  • Capital Punishment: Weighing Retribution Against Rehabilitation
  • Personal Identity: Analyzing Persistence Over Time
  • War Ethics: Deciphering Justified Conflict
  • Environmental Ethics: Our Responsibility Toward Nature
  • Kant’s Imperative: Its Application in Modern Ethics
  • Stoicism Influence: Practical Philosophy for Modern Living
  • Political Philosophy: Understanding Social Contract Theory
  • Business Ethics: Corporate Responsibility and Stakeholder Theory
  • Utilitarianism: Critiquing Its Feasibility as a Moral Framework
  • Metaphysics of Mind: Analyzing Dualism vs. Physicalism

Philosophy Essay Questions

  • How Does Plato’s Theory of Forms Influence Modern Philosophy?
  • What Are the Ethical Dimensions of Nietzsche’s “Will to Power”?
  • In What Ways Does Kant’s Transcendental Idealism Contribute to Epistemology?
  • How Does Existentialism Manifest in Kierkegaard’s Philosophical Writings?
  • Which Holds Greater Influence: Empiricism or Rationalism?
  • What Role Does Phenomenology Play in Husserl’s Thought?
  • Can Derrida’s “Of Grammatology” Be Deconstructed?
  • How Can Philosophical Perspectives Shed Light on Artificial Intelligence Ethics?
  • What Are the Philosophical Implications of Quantum Physics?
  • How Does Epicurus’ Philosophy Contribute to the Art of Happiness?
  • How Does Camus’ Concept of the Absurd Explore the Search for Meaning?
  • How Does Hegel’s Dialectic Theory Influence His Phenomenology of Spirit?
  • What Are Feminist Perspectives Presented in Simone de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex”?
  • How Does Postmodernism Reflect in Baudrillard’s “Simulacra”?
  • How Does Leibniz’s Monadology Shape the Metaphysics of His Time?
  • Does the Paradox of Free Will Undermine the Concept of Personal Autonomy?
  • How Does Popper’s Falsification Theory Reinforce the Philosophy of Science?
  • How Has Wittgenstein’s Linguistic Turn Shaped Analytic Philosophy?
  • What Insights Does Heraclitus Provide on the Philosophy of Constant Change?
  • How Does Sartre’s Phenomenological Ontology Emerge in Being and Nothingness?
  • How Does Singer’s Utilitarian Ethics Shape the Argument for Animal Rights?

Aesthetics Philosophy Topics

  • Significance of Form in Aesthetic Appreciation
  • Relationship Between Aesthetics and Emotion
  • Impacts of Culture on Judgments of Beauty
  • Evolution of Aesthetic Taste Throughout History
  • Aesthetic Philosophy and the Nature of Creativity
  • Concept of the Sublime in Aesthetic Experience
  • Philosophy of Aesthetics and the Perception of Art
  • Roles of Imagination in Aesthetic Appreciation
  • Aesthetic Judgment and Criteria for Beauty
  • Philosophy of Aesthetic Experience and the Mind-Body Problem
  • Aesthetics and the Interpretation of Art
  • Connections Between Aesthetics and Ethical Values
  • Aesthetic Education and Development of Artistic Taste
  • Influence of Technology on Aesthetic Perception
  • Authenticity in Art and the Philosophy of Aesthetics
  • Aesthetics and the Concept of Artistic Intention
  • Temporal Perception in Aesthetic Experience
  • Philosophy of Art Restoration and Aesthetic Preservation
  • Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature and the Environment
  • Aesthetics and the Ethics of Environmental Responsibility
  • Philosophy of Architecture and Aesthetic Design
  • Aesthetic Pleasure and the Concept of Catharsis

Analytic Philosophy Essay Topics

  • The Epistemological Significance of Conceptual Analysis
  • Language’s Roles in Analytic Philosophy
  • Exploring the Ontological Status of Abstract Objects
  • Ethical Considerations in Language and Communication
  • The Problematic Nature of Induction in Scientific Reasoning
  • Mental States: Identity or Functionalism?
  • Unveiling the Metaphysics of Causation and Determinism
  • The Logical Structure Underlying Scientific Explanation
  • Perception and Sense Data: Epistemological Insights
  • Philosophical Perspectives on Mathematics: Platonism vs. Nominalism
  • Exploring Consciousness: Physicalism or Dualism?
  • The Epistemology of Testimony and Trustworthiness
  • Philosophy of Time: Presentism or Eternalism?
  • Understanding the Nature of Natural Laws
  • Ethical Dimensions of Human Enhancement Technologies
  • The Problem of Personal Identity and Continuity
  • The Epistemology of Scientific Realism and Anti-Realism
  • Philosophy of Language: Referentialism or Pragmatism?
  • Analyzing the Concept of Analyticity in Language Philosophy
  • Ethics of Animal Rights and Welfare

Ancient Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Stoicism and the Pursuit of Apatheia: Examining Emotional Detachment
  • Epicurus’ Hedonistic Philosophy and Its Critique of Pleasure
  • The Significance of Reason in Seneca the Younger’s Philosophy
  • Divine Providence in Stoic Metaphysics: Unraveling Its Meaning
  • Pythagorean Ethics: The Interplay of Virtue and Mathematics
  • Heraclitus’ Doctrine of Flux: A Paradigm Shift in Ancient Thought
  • Pythagorean Philosophy: Exploring the Harmony of Body and Soul
  • Aristotle’s Ethics: The Concept of Telos and Human Flourishing
  • Parmenides’ Metaphysics and Its Influence on Pre-Socratic Philosophy
  • Epictetus on the Integration of Reason and Passion in Moral Development
  • Zeno’s Paradoxes: The Philosophy of Paradox in Ancient Greece
  • Neoplatonism and the Anima Mundi: Unveiling the Cosmic Soul
  • The Aesthetic Dimension in Ancient Greek Philosophical Thought
  • Ethics and Politics: The Interconnectedness in Aristotle’s Philosophy
  • The Influence of Sophists on Rhetoric and Philosophical Discourse
  • The Logos: Stoic and Heraclitean Perspectives on Rationality
  • Divine Retribution in Ancient Roman Philosophical Thought
  • Skepticism and the Quest for Knowledge: An Ancient Philosophical Inquiry
  • Marcus Aurelius: Reason and Virtue in Stoic Philosophy
  • Stoicism and Epicureanism: Exploring the Concepts of Fate and Destiny
  • The Interplay of Ethics and Metaphysics in Plato’s Philosophy
  • Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”: Political Philosophy and the Quest for Truth

Continental Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Metaphysical Foundations of Existentialism
  • Phenomenological Analysis of Perception and Reality
  • Language and Interpretation in Hermeneutics
  • Hegelian Dialectics: Freedom Unveiled
  • Merleau-Ponty’s Embodied Phenomenology: Corporeality, Perception, and the World
  • Ethics of Care: Feminist Perspective in Continental Philosophy
  • Power’s Ontology: Foucault’s Discourse Analysis
  • Deconstruction: Critiquing Binary Oppositions
  • Emmanuel Levinas: Exploring the Notion of “Otherness”
  • Hannah Arendt: Political Philosophy and the Power of Action
  • Spirit’s Absolute Nature: Hegelian Philosophy
  • Sartre’s Existentialism: Crisis of Meaning
  • Heidegger’s Analysis of Being-in-the-World: Authentic Existence
  • History’s Roles in Walter Benjamin’s Philosophy
  • Bergson’s Philosophy of Duration: Time Unveiled
  • Ethics of Alterity: Julia Kristeva’s Perspective
  • Phenomenology of Love: Jean-Luc Marion’s Insights
  • Alienation: Marx and Adorno’s Conceptual Framework
  • Desire’s Philosophy: Gilles Deleuze’s Perspective
  • Sublime Aesthetics: Immanuel Kant’s Notions
  • Poststructuralist Critique: Challenging Essentialism and Identity

Eastern Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Analyzing the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism
  • Non-Attachment in Advaita Vedanta: A Transcendent Concept
  • The Significance of Mindfulness in Eastern Philosophies
  • Eco-Philosophy: Embracing the Way of Nature
  • Karma Yoga: Selflessness in Hinduism
  • Leadership and Daoism: The Way to Govern
  • Exploring the Three Jewels of Buddhism
  • The Paradox of Wu: Unveiling Daoist Mysteries
  • Impermanence: A Key Tenet in Buddhist Philosophy
  • Neo-Confucianism’s Influence on East Asian Societies
  • The Bhagavad Gita: Self-Realization through Yoga
  • Daoist Alchemy: Inner Transformation and Eternal Life
  • Shintoism: Rituals and Their Significance
  • Zen Koans: Illuminating Enigmatic Teachings
  • Qi: Vital Energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Philosophy
  • Laozi’s Teachings: Insights From “The Dao De Jing”
  • Asceticism: Renunciation in Indian Philosophy
  • Yogic Perspectives: Mind, Consciousness, and Beyond
  • Tea Ceremony: Harmony and Zen Aesthetics
  • Confucianism’s Ethical Teachings in Modern Society

Enlightenment Philosophy Essay Topics

  • The Influence of Descartes’ Dualism on Enlightenment Thought
  • Voltaire’s Critique of Religious Dogma and Superstition
  • Kant’s Concept of Reason and Its Role in Enlightenment Thinking
  • Empiricism in Hume’s Philosophy and Its Impact on Enlightenment
  • Locke’s Theory of Natural Rights and Its Influence on Enlightenment Politics
  • Rousseau’s Social Contract and the Idea of Popular Sovereignty
  • The Enlightenment’s Impact on the American Revolution
  • Montesquieu’s Theory of Separation of Powers and Its Influence on Modern Governments
  • The Feminist Critique of Enlightenment Philosophy
  • Diderot’s “Encyclopédie” and the Dissemination of Enlightenment Ideas
  • Enlightenment’s Influence on the French Revolution
  • Spinoza’s Pantheism and Its Relation to Enlightenment Metaphysics
  • Skepticism’s Roles in Enlightenment Philosophy
  • The Ethical Implications of Enlightenment Rationalism
  • Enlightenment’s Impacts on Education and the Spread of Knowledge
  • Critique of Colonialism in Enlightenment Philosophy
  • Aesthetics in Enlightenment Thought and Its Significance
  • Leibniz’s Monadology and Its Relation to Enlightenment Metaphysics
  • Newtonian Physics’ Influence on Enlightenment Philosophy
  • Freedom of Speech in Enlightenment Thinking and Its Importance
  • The Concept of Happiness in Enlightenment Ethics

Epistemology Philosophy Topics

  • The Nature of Knowledge: Exploring Epistemological Foundations
  • Rationality and Reasoning: Investigating Logic in Knowledge Attainment
  • Inductive Dilemma: Assessing Generalization Validity
  • Skepticism and Certainty: Unveiling Limits to Human Understanding
  • Empiricism vs. Rationalism: Contrasting Approaches to Epistemology
  • Epistemic Relativism: Evaluating Subjectivity in Knowledge
  • Warranted Belief: Examining Criteria for Epistemic Justification
  • Intellectual Virtues: Identifying Knowledgeable Traits
  • Foundationalism vs. Coherentism: Analyzing Knowledge Justification Theories
  • Gettier’s Challenge: Critiquing Traditional Knowledge Definition
  • Epistemic Authority: Investigating the Role of Experts
  • Ethical Dimensions of Knowledge: Exploring Epistemic Responsibility
  • Social Epistemology: Understanding Social Factors in Knowledge Acquisition
  • Epistemic Norms: Evaluating Standards for Knowledge
  • Testimony and Trustworthiness: Assessing Reliability in Second-Hand Knowledge
  • Internalism and Externalism: Contrasting Perspectives on Justification
  • Reliabilism: Analyzing Cognitive Processes in Knowledge Formation
  • A Priori vs. A Posteriori Knowledge: Distinguishing Analytic and Synthetic Truths
  • Epistemic Closure Principle: Assessing Knowledge Inference
  • Pragmatic Epistemology: Considering Practical Consequences of Beliefs

Existentialism Philosophy Topics

  • Existentialist Perspectives on Life’s Purpose
  • Freedom and Authenticity in Existentialist Thought
  • The Absurdity of Human Existence: An Existential Inquiry
  • Existential Anxiety and Dread: Navigating the Uncertainty
  • The Existential Crisis: Questioning the Fundamentals of Existence
  • Reflecting on the Nature of Being in Existentialist Philosophy
  • God and Existentialism: Exploring the Existential Dimension
  • Mortality and Existentialism: Reflections on Life and Death
  • Individualism and Authenticity in Existentialist Ideology
  • Ethical Dilemmas and Freedom of Choice in Existentialism
  • Human Condition: An Existentialist Perspective
  • The Existential Hero: Embracing Freedom and Responsibility
  • Existential Angst: Navigating the Depths of Existence
  • The Search for Meaning: Existentialism and the Void
  • The Quest for Authenticity in an Existentialist Framework
  • Phenomenology of Existence: Exploring the Essence of Being
  • Embracing Uncertainty: Existentialism and the Unknown
  • Personal Fulfillment: Existentialist Insights and Perspectives
  • The Paradox of Freedom: Choices and Limitations in Existentialism
  • Existential Responsibility: The Weight of Our Choices
  • Rejecting Objective Morality: Existentialist Perspectives

Feminist Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Intersectional Feminism: Exploring the Interconnected Struggles of Gender, Race, and Class
  • Agency and Autonomy: Reconceptualizing Women’s Empowerment in Feminist Thought
  • Ethics of Care: Rethinking Relationships and Responsibilities in Feminist Philosophy
  • Embodiment and Subjectivity: The Role of the Female Body in Feminist Philosophy
  • Epistemology of Gender: Challenging Male-Centered Knowledge Systems
  • Gender and Power: Analyzing Patriarchy’s Impact on Women’s Lives
  • Feminist Perspectives on Sexuality and Desire: Embracing Pleasure and Liberation
  • Reproductive Justice: Examining Women’s Rights Over Their Bodies and Reproduction
  • Environmental Feminism: Valuing Women’s Contributions to Sustainability
  • Language and Gender: Deconstructing Gendered Discourse and Linguistic Norms
  • Capitalism and Feminism: Unveiling Gendered Exploitation and Economic Inequalities
  • Sexual Violence and Consent: Reshaping Consent Culture in Feminist Philosophy
  • Feminist Ethics in Healthcare: Redefining Medical Decision-Making
  • Feminist Philosophy of Science: Challenging Biases in Scientific Research
  • Gender Identity and Transgender Rights: Recognizing Diverse Experiences
  • Feminist Perspectives on Marriage and Family: Reimagining Relationships and Roles
  • Feminist Pedagogy: Transforming Education to Empower Women
  • Body Politics: Exploring Appearance and Beauty Standards in Feminist Philosophy
  • Feminist Perspectives on Globalization: Analyzing Neoliberal Policies’ Impact on Women
  • Feminist Approaches to Political Theory: Reconceptualizing Power and Democracy

Metaphysics Philosophy Topics

  • The Essence of Reality: Unveiling the Fundamentals of Existence
  • Consciousness and Its Role in Metaphysics: Exploring the Mystery
  • Causality and Determinism: Investigating the Link Between Cause and Effect
  • Metaphysical Dualism: Examining the Mind-Body Connection
  • Free Will and Determinism: Reconciling Human Choice With Universal Laws
  • Ontological Arguments for the Existence of God: Unraveling Deity’s Nature
  • The Problem of Evil: Addressing Suffering in a Perfect World
  • Time and Temporality: Delving Into the Nature of Chronology
  • Personal Identity and the Self: Defining Being’s Essence
  • Metaphysics of Space: Exploring Universe’s Dimensions and Boundaries
  • The Nature of Knowledge: Epistemological Considerations in Metaphysics
  • Essentialism and Nominalism: Debating Universals’ Nature
  • Teleological Arguments for God’s Existence: Examining Design in the Universe
  • Metaphysics of Morality: Investigating Ethical Principles’ Foundation
  • Substance and Attribute: Understanding Objects’ Fundamental Properties
  • Identity and Individuation: Exploring Criteria for Personal Distinction
  • Metaphysics of Language: Analyzing Words’ Relationship With Reality
  • Idealism and Realism: Examining Diverse Views on the World’s Nature
  • Metaphysical Paradoxes: Investigating Logical Inconsistencies in Reality
  • The Problem of Induction: Evaluating Generalized Knowledge’s Validity
  • Theories of Universals: Debating Abstract Concepts’ Existence

Modern Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Ethical Implications of Technological Advancements
  • Epistemological Challenges in the Digital Era
  • Consciousness and Selfhood in Contemporary Metaphysics
  • Impacts of Postmodernism on Art and Aesthetics
  • Existentialist Perspectives on Freedom and Responsibility
  • Power Dynamics and Oppression in Critical Theory
  • Feminist Philosophy: Embodiment and Phenomenology
  • Ethics in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
  • Consumer Culture: The Paradox of Choice
  • The Intersection of Philosophy and Science in the Mind
  • Language, Communication, and Analytic Philosophy
  • Environmental Ethics in the Anthropocene Era
  • Exploring Evil: Contemporary Philosophy of Religion
  • Temporal Concepts in Contemporary Metaphysics
  • Cultural Diversity and Moral Relativism
  • Animal Rights: Ethics and Contemporary Philosophy
  • Transhumanism: Technology and Human Flourishing
  • Quantum Philosophy: Understanding Reality
  • Social Contract Theory and Political Legitimacy
  • Philosophy of Education in a Globalized Context

Phenomenology Philosophy Topics

  • Human Consciousness and the Lived Experience
  • Intentionality in Phenomenological Analysis
  • Embodiment and the Phenomenology of Perception
  • Temporality and the Experience of Time in Phenomenology
  • Social Interactions and Intersubjectivity in the Phenomenological Context
  • Phenomenology of the Other: Encounter With Alterity
  • Emotions and Their Role in Phenomenological Investigation
  • Authenticity: Exploring the Phenomenology of Being
  • Place and Space: Phenomenological Perspectives
  • Selfhood and the Phenomenology of Identity
  • Existential Inquiry: Unveiling Meaning Through Phenomenology
  • Embodied Mind: Phenomenological Reflections on the Body-Mind Relationship
  • Art and Aesthetics: Phenomenological Engagement
  • Temporality: The Structuring Principle of Consciousness in Phenomenology
  • Language and Its Significance in Phenomenological Discourse
  • Ethics of Care: Phenomenological Considerations
  • Objectivity and Intentionality in Phenomenology
  • Perception and Its Role in Phenomenological Inquiry
  • Technology and Its Impact on Phenomenological Reflection
  • Lifeworld: Foundation of Phenomenology

Philosophy Ethics Topics

  • Freedom, Responsibility, and Existential Ethical Inquiry
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Medical Decision-Making
  • Feminist Ethics: Gender, Equality, and Justice
  • Moral Relativism and Cultural Diversity
  • Capital Punishment: An Ethical Assessment
  • Ethical Considerations in Artificial Reproduction
  • Implications of Human Cloning: An Ethical Examination
  • Ethics of War and Justifications for Violence
  • Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research
  • Ethical Dimensions of Privacy and Surveillance
  • Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Ethical Perspectives
  • Moral Realism vs. Subjectivism: A Philosophical Debate
  • Ethical Challenges in Globalization and Trade
  • Corporate Ethics: Responsibilities and Accountability
  • Resource Allocation in Healthcare: Ethical Considerations
  • Ethical Questions in Genetic Privacy and DNA Analysis
  • Obligations Toward Future Generations: An Ethical Inquiry
  • Artificial Intelligence in Warfare: Ethical Implications
  • Criminal Justice Ethics: Balancing Punishment and Rehabilitation
  • Ethical Considerations in Organ Transplantation
  • Human Enhancement and Transhumanism: Ethical Perspectives

Philosophy of Education Essay Topics

  • The Role of Ethics in Educational Practices: Cultivating Moral Responsibility
  • Examining the Influence of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Enhancing Educational Approaches
  • Philosophy of Inclusion: Embracing Diversity Within Educational Settings
  • Constructivism and Its Impact on Education: Fostering Active Knowledge Construction
  • The Importance of Critical Thinking in Educational Environments: Nurturing Analytical Minds
  • Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education: Promoting Holistic Development
  • Examining the Purpose of Education: Cultivating Lifelong Learners
  • Ethics of Standardized Assessment: Balancing Accountability and Student Well-Being
  • Existentialism in Education: Nurturing Authenticity and Personal Freedom
  • The Significance of Emotional Intelligence in Educational Contexts: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning
  • Promoting Creativity in Education: Unlocking the Potential of Imagination
  • Exploring Cultural Education: Celebrating Diversity and Promoting Intercultural Understanding
  • Examining Progressivism in Education: A Student-Centered Approach
  • The Importance of Education for Sustainable Development: Fostering Environmental Responsibility
  • Addressing Gender Equity in Education: Promoting Equality and Inclusivity
  • Perennialism in Education: Cultivating Enduring Knowledge and Universal Truths
  • Ethical Considerations in Classroom Management: Balancing Discipline and Empathy
  • Philosophy’s Roles in Teacher Education: Shaping Educators’ Perspectives and Practices
  • The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Education: Addressing Educational Disparities
  • Philosophy of Epistemology in Education: Examining the Nature of Knowledge Acquisition

Philosophy of Language Topics

  • Linguistic Constructs: Exploring the Role of Language in Shaping Reality
  • Verbal Determinism: Examining the Influence of Language on Thought
  • Expressive Boundaries: Unraveling the Ineffability of Linguistic Expression
  • Intentional Communication: Understanding Meaning in Verbal Acts
  • Referential Dynamics: Investigating the Relationship Between Words and the World
  • Social Significance: Analyzing Power Dynamics in Linguistic Interactions
  • Semantics and Truth: Exploring the Correspondence Between Language and Reality
  • Contextual Meaning: Examining Pragmatics in Language Usage
  • Language Acquisition: Unveiling the Process of Learning and Acquiring Verbal Skills
  • The Challenge of Indeterminacy: Exploring Ambiguity and Vagueness in Language
  • Figurative Language: Analyzing Metaphors and Metonymy in Linguistic Representation
  • Linguistic Influence on Identity: Investigating Language’s Impact on Personal and Cultural Identities
  • The Nature of Naming: Understanding the Significance of Lexical Representation
  • Theories of Referentiality: Comparing Descriptive, Causal, and Direct Reference
  • Linguistic Relativity Debate: Examining the Influence of Language on Thought and Perception
  • Evolutionary Aspects of Language: Tracing the Origins and Development of Human Communication
  • Meaning in Interpretation: Exploring Context, Intention, and Understanding
  • Language and Power Structures: Investigating the Relationship between Linguistics and Social Hierarchies
  • Translation Challenges: Unraveling the Philosophical Implications of Language Transfer
  • Cognitive Representations: Examining the Connection Between Language and Thought
  • Logical Structures: Analyzing the Formalism of Language and Reasoning
  • Language and Technological Influence: Exploring the Impact of Digital Communication on Linguistic Practices

Philosophy of Law Essay Topics

  • Ethical Dilemmas in Legal Punishment
  • Reasoning and Decision-Making in Legal Systems
  • Metaphysics of Rights and Legal Personhood
  • Intersection of Morality and Legal Enforcement
  • Epistemological Foundations of Legal Systems
  • Ontological Status of Legal Norms and Obligations
  • Concept of Justice in Legal Theory
  • Hermeneutics of Legal Texts and Interpretation
  • Relationship Between Law and Social Change
  • Teleology of Legal Institutions and Systems
  • Deontological Perspective on Legal Ethics
  • Aesthetics of Law and Legal Systems
  • Pragmatism in Legal Positivism
  • Roles of Equality in Legal Rights and Obligations
  • Existential Dimensions of Legal Responsibility
  • Dialectics of Individual Liberty and Legal Constraints
  • Precedents and Case Law: Hermeneutics and Interpretation
  • Phenomenology of Legal Authority and Obedience
  • Ethics of Civil Disobedience and Legal Reform
  • Epistemological Challenges of Legal Realism

Philosophy of Mind Topics

  • The Conceptualization of Consciousness: Exploring Self-Awareness Phenomena
  • Dualism and Materialism: Examining Mind-Body Relationship Nature
  • Embodied Cognition: Understanding Role of Body in Cognitive Processes
  • Free Will and Determinism: Investigating Boundaries of Human Agency
  • The Problem of Other Minds: Unveiling Understanding of Mental States in Others
  • Intentionality and Mental Representation: Unraveling Nature of Cognitive Content
  • Personal Identity: Analyzing Self-Continuity Over Time
  • The Nature of Qualia: Discussing Subjective Experience of Sensations
  • Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness: Exploring Potential Machine Sentience
  • Epistemological Challenges of Perception: Examining Reliability of Senses
  • Mental Causation: Investigating the Relationship Between Mental Events and Physical Events
  • Panpsychism: Contemplating Mind Presence in All Things
  • Reductionism and Emergence: Analyzing Explanation Levels in Mind-Body Problem
  • Consciousness and Brain Activity: Linking Neural Processes to Subjective Experience
  • Philosophy of Memory: Understanding the Nature of Remembering
  • The Problem of Induction: Examining Justification for Generalizing From Experience
  • The Nature of Belief: Investigating Epistemology of Mental States
  • Philosophy of Emotion: Exploring Subjective Experience of Feelings
  • Philosophy of Language: Analyzing the Relationship Between Language and Thought
  • Introspection and Self-Knowledge: Reflecting on Inner Experience Nature
  • Mental Imagery and Perception: Examining Role of Mental Images in Cognition

Philosophy of Religion Essay Topics

  • The Existence of God: A Critical Examination
  • The Problem of Evil: Reconciling Divine Omnipotence and the Presence of Suffering
  • Religious Pluralism: Is There One Ultimate Faith?
  • The Teleological Argument: Investigating Design and Purpose in the Cosmos
  • The Cosmological Argument: Exploring the Origin of the Universe
  • The Ontological Argument: Examining the Concept of a Necessary Existence
  • Faith and Reason: Coexistence or Conflict?
  • Mystical Encounters: Understanding the Significance of Spiritual Experiences
  • The Euthyphro Dilemma: Does Morality Depend on Divine Commands?
  • Divine Hiddenness: Why Does God Not Reveal Himself Universally?
  • Supernatural Interventions: Exploring Miraculous Events
  • Divine Foreknowledge and Human Free Will: A Philosophical Inquiry
  • Religious Language: Expressing the Ineffable?
  • Soul and Personal Identity: Investigating Immortality and the Self
  • Theodicy: Justifying God’s Actions in the Face of Evil
  • Religion and Science: Navigating the Relationship Between Two Ways of Knowing
  • Pascal’s Wager: Rationality in Belief
  • Ineffability: The Challenge of Describing the Divine
  • Afterlife Beliefs: Exploring Concepts of Existence Beyond Death
  • Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom: A Paradoxical Connection

Philosophy of Science Essay Topics

  • The Epistemological Significance of Experimentation in Scientific Inquiry
  • The Role of Induction in Scientific Theory Formation
  • Metaphysical Implications of Quantum Mechanics
  • Ethical Considerations in Scientific Research
  • The Nature of Causality in Scientific Explanations
  • Time’s Concept in Philosophy of Science
  • Observation-Theory Relationship in Scientific Practice
  • Social Dimensions of Scientific Knowledge Production
  • Underdetermination Problem in Scientific Theories
  • Mathematics’ Roles in Scientific Understanding
  • Exploring Life and Its Fundamental Principles in Philosophy of Biology
  • Objectivity’s Concept in Scientific Inquiry
  • Falsification Methodology in Science
  • Models and Simulations in Scientific Explanation
  • Space’s Philosophy: Examining the Nature of Physical Reality
  • Epistemological Status of Scientific Laws
  • Explanation’s Concept in Science
  • Ethics of Animal Experimentation in Science
  • Philosophy of Neuroscience: Understanding Mind and Brain
  • Rationality in Scientific Reasoning
  • Emergence Concept in Complex Systems Science

Plato Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Metaphysical Concepts in Plato’s Philosophy
  • Forms and Their Role in Plato’s Theory of Ideas
  • Epistemological Foundations: Understanding Plato’s Philosophy
  • Ethical Implications: Exploring Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
  • Political Idealism: Plato’s Vision in the Republic
  • Recollection and Knowledge: Unraveling Plato’s Theory
  • The Philosopher-King Concept: Plato’s Ideal Ruler
  • Reason and Knowledge: Key Elements in Plato’s Philosophy
  • Dialectic Method: Examining Plato’s Dialogues
  • Education in Plato’s Philosophy: Unlocking the Mind
  • Justice: Plato’s Concept in the Republic
  • The Dualistic Nature of the Soul: Plato’s Unique Perspective
  • Love’s Philosophy: Analyzing Plato’s Symposium
  • Immortality of the Soul: Plato’s View in the Phaedrus
  • Beauty’s Essence: Plato’s Philosophical Reflection
  • Poetry’s Significance: Exploring Plato’s Republic
  • Critique of Democracy: Plato’s Examination of Governance
  • Body and Soul Relationship: Plato’s Intriguing Connection
  • Mathematics: Plato’s Philosophical Exploration
  • Virtue’s Essence: Unpacking Plato’s Ethics

Political Philosophy Essay Topics

  • The Role of Democracy in Modern Governance
  • Ethical Implications of Political Authority
  • Justice and Equality in Political Systems
  • Examining the Nature of Political Obligation
  • Conceptualizing Freedom in Political Philosophy
  • Ethics Surrounding Political Violence
  • The Interplay of Ethics and Politics
  • State’s Responsibility in Safeguarding Individual Rights
  • Justifying Political Authority Legitimacy
  • Ethical Challenges in Political Campaigning
  • Civil Disobedience as a Democratic Instrument
  • Consent as the Basis of Political Legitimacy
  • Ethics of Promoting Political Correctness
  • Political Philosophy’s Roles in Policy Formation
  • Balancing State Intervention in Economic Affairs
  • Significance of Political Ideologies in Contemporary Politics
  • Moral Foundations of Social Welfare Programs
  • Moral Dilemma of Political Power
  • Ethics in Global Political Governance
  • Educational Influence on Political Philosophy
  • Linking Political Stability to Economic Development

Postmodern Philosophy Essay Topics

  • Deconstruction and Its Impact on Language
  • The Influence of Postmodernism on Contemporary Art
  • Identity Construction in the Postmodern Era
  • Epistemological Challenges in Postmodern Philosophy
  • Postmodern Ethics and the Question of Moral Relativism
  • The Role of Power in Postmodern Political Thought
  • Postmodernism and the Crisis of Metanarratives
  • Language Games and Meaning in Postmodern Philosophy
  • The Rejection of Objectivity in Postmodern Thought
  • The Relationship Between Postmodernism and Postcolonial Theory
  • Aesthetics in the Postmodern Era: The Collapse of Beauty Standards
  • The Fragmentation of Self in Postmodern Philosophy
  • Deconstructing Gender: Postmodern Feminist Perspectives
  • Consumer Culture Critique in Postmodern Philosophy
  • Enlightenment Dialectics: Postmodern Interpretations
  • Challenging Traditional Design Principles: Postmodern Architecture
  • Rethinking Authorship in Postmodernism
  • The Critique of Modern Science in Postmodern Philosophy
  • Postmodernism and Literary Theory: Influence and Implications
  • The Crisis of Representation in Postmodern Visual Arts

Transcendentalism Essay Topics in Philosophy

  • The Influence of Nature in Transcendentalist Philosophy
  • Self-Reliance: A Core Tenet of Transcendentalism
  • Intuition’s Roles in Transcendentalist Thought
  • Transcendentalist Perspectives on Divinity
  • Individualism vs. Society in Transcendentalism
  • Transcendentalism’s Quest for Truth
  • Imagination’s Significance in Transcendentalist Philosophy
  • Nonconformity as an Ethical Principle in Transcendentalism
  • Transcendentalism’s Oversoul Concept
  • Transcendentalism’s Impacts on American Literature
  • Mind-Body Connection in Transcendentalist Philosophy
  • Transcendentalism’s Environmental Ethics
  • Seeking Spiritual Enlightenment in Transcendentalism
  • The Self in Transcendentalist Thought
  • Transcendentalism’s Influence on Civil Disobedience
  • Transcendentalism’s Embrace of Immediacy
  • Transcendentalism’s Critique of Materialism and Consumerism
  • Universal Truths in Transcendentalism
  • Art and Spirituality in Transcendentalist Philosophy
  • Transcendentalism’s Rejection of Traditional Institutions
  • Nonviolence as an Ideal in Transcendentalism

Worldview Philosophy Topics

  • Metaphysics of Reality: Exploring the Nature of Existence
  • Ethical Dilemmas in a Globalized Society
  • Technological Advancements: Ethical Implications and Considerations
  • Aesthetics: The Philosophy of Art Appreciation
  • Epistemology: Foundations of Scientific Inquiry
  • Mind-Body Dualism: Understanding the Relationship
  • Reason’s Roles in Ethical Decision-Making
  • Identity Construction: Gender, Race, and Social Constructs
  • Searching for Meaning in an Absurd Universe
  • Free Will’s Significance in Human Action
  • Environmental Ethics: Conservation and Sustainability
  • Ontological Arguments for God’s Existence
  • Philosophy of Language: Meaning and Communication
  • Political Authority: Justification and Statehood
  • The Problem of Evil: Philosophical Reflections
  • Epistemology of Perception: The Limits of Knowledge
  • Biomedical Research Ethics: Human Experimentation
  • Philosophy of History: Understanding the Past’s Significance
  • Temporal Metaphysics: Exploring the Nature of Time
  • Authenticity and Personal Freedom: An Existentialist Perspective

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100+ Philosophy Essay Topics

PHILOSOPHY ESSAY TOPICS

Table of Contents

What is a Philosophy Essay?

A philosophy essay is an analytical piece of writing where the author critically explores philosophical concepts, theories, and arguments. Unlike typical essays that simply present information, a philosophy essay demands that you present a clear thesis or a specific point of view and then provide arguments or evidence to support or challenge it. The nature of philosophy is often abstract, dealing with questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language, thus requiring a thoughtful approach and careful analysis.

Guide to Choosing a Philosophy Essay Topic

Selecting the right topic for your philosophy essay is essential for laying the foundation for an intriguing and insightful paper. Here’s how:

  • Identify Your Interest : Pick topics that genuinely intrigue you. Philosophy is vast; find your niche!
  • Consider Your Audience : Who will read the essay? Tailor your topic to match their level of understanding and interest.
  • Research and Familiarize : Ensure you have enough resources and knowledge to write extensively on the chosen topic.
  • Challenge Yourself : Opt for topics that allow you to analyze and present unique perspectives critically.

Philosophy Essay Topics Lists

Metaphysics.

  • Is there a purpose to life, or is existence merely accidental?
  • Can the idea of an omnipotent and benevolent God coexist with the presence of evil in the world?
  • What is the nature of reality – is it objective or subjective?
  • Do human beings have free will, or are our actions predetermined?

Epistemology

  • What is the nature and scope of human knowledge?
  • Can we ever know something with absolute certainty?
  • How do belief, knowledge, and truth interrelate?
  • Is skepticism about the external world justified?
  • Is morality absolute or relative?
  • What makes an action morally right or wrong?
  • Is there a universal standard of good, or is it culture-specific?
  • How does self-interest play into moral decisions?
  • What defines beauty in art or nature?
  • Can art be morally wrong and still be considered great art?
  • Is the appreciation of beauty purely subjective?
  • How does cultural context influence our interpretation of art?

Social and Political Philosophy

  • Is democracy the best form of governance?
  • How should resources be distributed in a society – equally or based on merit?
  • Is there a right to privacy in the digital age?
  • Should there be limits to freedom of speech?

Existentialism

  • What is the essence of human existence?
  • How does one find meaning in a seemingly meaningless world?
  • Is authenticity necessary for a fulfilled life?
  • How do death and the finite nature of life influence human behavior?

Ancient Philosophy

  • How did Socratic irony influence philosophical dialogue?
  • Plato’s allegory of the cave: What does it reveal about human perception?
  • Aristotle’s conception of virtue ethics.
  • Stoicism and its relevance in today’s world.
  • Epicureanism: The pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

Philosophy of Religion

  • The problem of evil: Challenges to religious belief.
  • Pascal’s Wager and its criticisms.
  • Arguments for and against the existence of God.
  • Religion and science: Are they compatible or conflicting?
  • The concept of the afterlife in different religious traditions.

Philosophy of Mind

  • Mind-body dualism: Arguments and implications.
  • Is artificial intelligence capable of consciousness?
  • The problem of other minds: How do we know others have consciousness?
  • Emergent properties and the nature of consciousness.
  • The philosophical implications of neuroscientific discoveries.

Feminist Philosophy

  • The role of gender in epistemology.
  • Feminist critiques of traditional ethical theories.
  • The concept of the “male gaze” in feminist aesthetics.
  • How does intersectionality reshape philosophical discussions on identity?
  • The influence of Simone de Beauvoir on contemporary feminist thought.

Eastern Philosophy

  • The Daoist conception of the “Way” and its significance.
  • Buddhist philosophy on suffering and the path to enlightenment.
  • Confucian values in modern Asian societies.
  • The philosophy of karma and reincarnation.
  • Comparing Western and Eastern notions of the self.

Philosophy of Science

  • The demarcation problem: What distinguishes science from pseudoscience?
  • Philosophical challenges posed by quantum mechanics.
  • Scientific realism vs. anti-realism: Is science discovering truth?
  • The role of paradigms and revolutions in the history of science, as posited by Thomas Kuhn.
  • The ethics of genetic engineering and human enhancement.

Environmental Philosophy

  • Deep ecology vs. shallow ecology: Different environmental ethics.
  • The intrinsic value of nature: Should we value nature for its own sake?
  • Philosophical perspectives on climate change and human responsibility.
  • The rights of non-human animals: Ethical considerations.
  • The anthropocentrism vs. biocentrism debate.

Postmodern Philosophy

  • The nature of truth in a postmodern world.
  • Derrida’s concept of deconstruction and its implications.
  • The philosophical underpinnings of postmodern art and literature.
  • Critiques of grand narratives and meta-narratives.
  • Postmodernism and its impact on ethics and morality.

Logic and Argumentation

  • The nature and types of logical fallacies.
  • Inductive vs. deductive reasoning: Strengths and limitations.
  • The paradoxes of Zeno and their resolutions.
  • The importance of soundness and validity in argumentation.
  • The challenges and limitations of formal logic in philosophical argumentation.

Applied Philosophy

  • The ethics of euthanasia and assisted suicide.
  • Philosophical arguments for and against capital punishment.
  • The moral implications of global economic inequality.
  • The philosophical challenges of privacy in the age of digital surveillance.
  • The ethics of war: Just War Theory and its criticisms.

Philosophy of Language

  • Wittgenstein’s “language games” and their implications for meaning.
  • The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Does language shape our reality?
  • Deconstructionism: How does language conceal and reveal truth?
  • The philosophy of names: What’s in a name?
  • Metaphor in language: More than just a linguistic device?

Continental Philosophy

  • Heidegger’s notion of “Being” and its significance.
  • Sartre and existential freedom: Are we condemned to be free?
  • Foucault’s philosophy of power: How is power dispersed in society?
  • Husserl’s phenomenology: A fresh approach to consciousness.
  • Derrida vs. Foucault: Debating the nature of discourse and power.

African Philosophy

  • Ubuntu: The African conception of community and humanity.
  • African communitarianism vs. Western individualism.
  • Oral traditions in African philosophy: A different way of knowing?
  • Colonialism and its effects on African philosophical thought.
  • The concept of time in African philosophy.

Philosophy of Education

  • The Socratic method: Is questioning the best way to teach?
  • Education for liberation: Paulo Freire’s pedagogical approach.
  • Philosophy in the classroom: Should ethics be a mandatory subject?
  • The hidden curriculum: What are schools really teaching?
  • Moral education: Can virtue be taught?

Are you stuck on how to approach your chosen topic? Dive deep into philosophical insights with WriteOnDeadline’s essay writing service. Our expert writers are well-versed in all philosophical realms and can craft an insightful, cogent essay tailored just for you. Let’s make your philosophical journey an enlightening one.

Useful References

  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • PhilPapers: Online Research in Philosophy
  • MIT’s Free Philosophy Course Materials

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160 Philosophy Essay Topics

An essay on a philosophical topic can be challenging in several different ways. If you haven’t been assigned a topic, then you need to carefully consider both the type of philosophy you want to illuminate as well as the topic and the philosopher who originally championed the idea. This calls for a fair amount of research. If you need a place to start, there is an extensive list of topics below that are broken down by the schools of thought and/or the eras that inspired them.

Researching a Philosophy Topic

Philosophers are the embodiment of deep thinkers, and many of the best ones have offered up theories and perspectives that have gone on to influence the world. It helps to pick a specific school of thought, whether it is the classical Greek, Transcendentalism, Rationalism, or another, and then research the school of thought as well as the era that inspired them. This often calls for researching the specific philosophy and accomplishments of a specific philosopher.

While researching a topic or a school of thought try to think of examples you can cite in the body of the essay. This might be a historical example from the era the philosopher lived in or a real-world example that is pertinent today. A concept that was pertinent when it was originally written and is still relevant now will lend strength to your essay.

Tips for Writing a Philosophy Essay

Ideally, you want to choose a topic for your philosophy essay that has a strong and defensible position, as well as relevance in the present day. The research you have already done will provide you with an intellectual foundation to make a strong and well-supported argument.

When writing a philosophy essay, you want to compose it from a third-person point of view. This gives the essay an objective perspective that engages the reader while making it clear that the ideas being presented are not coming from your own personal bias. When providing supporting facts in your argument, make sure to quote them directly, include the source, and a relevant composition that it came from. You might also need to provide the date it was originally published.

How to Structure a Philosophy Essay

Depending on the required length of the philosophy essay, you can use a standard five-paragraph structure and expand the number of body paragraphs if necessary. This will give your philosophy essay a natural flow that makes it easy for the reader to follow.

This essay structure includes an introduction with a strong thesis statement, which might include a direct quote from a well-known philosopher. You then follow up with supporting body paragraphs that have their own distinct point that is supported by strong evidence, rather than flowing together into a single idea. Then you finish with a strong conclusion that illustrates the point or demonstrates its historical relevance or relevance in present times.

Introduction

A philosophy essay needs to directly state the topic in the introduction while enticing the reader to want to learn more about the topic. It’s best to use authoritative language, while also making sure that you are speaking to the reader, rather than talking down to them about a subject that might be disagreeable.

A strong thesis statement is a critical component of a philosophy essay’s introductory paragraph. The end of the introduction should include a sentence of two that leads into the first body paragraph.

Body Paragraphs

The first paragraph of your philosophy essay should have a strong connection to the thesis statement while also offering supporting evidence. This might include a direct quote from a philosopher or a well-known historical figure. Then make sure to document when it was said and who made the statement.

Each body paragraph should be its own idea and includes well-documented examples. If another philosopher argued against the thesis, you can include that information as well to demonstrate the counterpoint.

Each body paragraph should conclude with a sentence of two that leads into the next body paragraph’s point or central theme. If you are writing a topic that compares and contrasts two opposing opinions, you can give each view its own body paragraph.

The conclusion of your philosophy essay needs to have an assertive tone while providing a definite answer to the topic. This might be demonstrating why one view is more applicable to the modern world or why one view won out over the opposing view. If there is some lingering controversy about the topic, you should try to win encourage the reader to reexamine their own personal opinions on it.

Choosing the right topic for your philosophy essay can be challenging. There are many different schools of thought spanning thousands of years and historical eras. The following list of the topic below have been broken down into the schools of philosophy and relevant themes. They are a great jumping-off point for your research process.

Classical Greek and Roman Philosophy Topics

  • Did Socrates really exist, or did Plato make him up to offer perceived validity to his own Philosophy?
  • Does Aristotle’s concept of The Hearthless man have an equivalent in the modern age?
  • Is Aristotle’s notion of Eudaimonia akin to the pursuit of happiness, or can Eudaimonia be accomplished like the Buddhist idea of Nirvana?
  • In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics he discusses the different forms of human friendship. Compare and contrast the differences between Telia Philea and friendships of convenience. Using modern-day examples.
  • Was Socrates’ decision to drink the hemlock the correct moral choice, or was he driven to accept suicide by his ego?
  • Does Plato’s Republic make sexism acceptable in his age, or was Plato uninformed about the importance of equality in ancient Greek society?
  • Aristotle’s idea of Hexus notes that nature fits us with emotion for a reason and that no emotion is morally wrong. Instead, Aristotle notes that it is the reason or virtue behind that emotion that constitutes a good or a bad Hexus. With this in mind can you give real-world examples of when Anger was virtuous and Happiness was devoid of moral virtue?
  • What did Socrates mean when he said that “The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living?
  • Are the stoic philosophers the bridge between classical Roman polytheism and Christianity?
  • Would the Renaissance Era have been possible, had it not been for the Golden Age of Islam preserving Greek & Roman philosophy during the European Dark Ages?
  • What Did Plato Mean when he said “Those who tell the stories rule society.”
  • Explain Aristotle’s view on the importance of intellectual virtue.
  • Was Aristotle correct when he said, “The Moral Virtues Are Not Innate?”
  • What did Plato mean when he said, “knowledge only comes when we are able to justify and account for our true beliefs.”
  • Why did Cicero convalesce to stoicism?
  • What is the Epicurean philosophy of life?
  • What do epicureans believe about happiness?
  • Does epicurean philosophy have a place in modern life?
  • Compare and contrast the difference between how pleasure is valued in epicurean philosophy compared to how to is valued in hedonism?
  • Compare and contrast the difference between epicurean happiness and Artistotle’s view on eudaimonia.

Stoicism Topics

  • What are the three main beliefs of stoicism?
  • Did the stoics see Gods as omnipotent apart from nature, or integrated as an active element of the natural world?
  • Why is self-control a critical component of stoic philosophy?
  • How do the Stoics believe happiness is achieved?
  • What are the two duties of stoicism?

Hedonism Topics

  • Does hedonism recognize other motivations besides please and pain?
  • How does hedonistic philosophy define good and evil?
  • What is hedonist moral philosophy?
  • How does hedonistic philosophy interpret the appreciation of art?
  • What is aesthetic hedonism?
  • Does hedonism promote substance abuse?
  • Does hedonism encourage the objectification of women?
  • Does hedonism promote internet pornography?
  • Is the drive to legalize marijuana a form of hedonistic philosophy?
  • Does hedonism treat alcoholism as permissible?

Nihilism Topics

  • What are the four different types of nihilism and what makes them different?
  • Is Nihilism inherently pessimistic or realistic?
  • Can nihilism co-exist with religious belief?
  • What did Nietzsche mean when he said “God Is Dead?”
  • Why did Nietzsche believe that all imposed values and meanings need to be repudiated

Existentialism Topics

  • Explain the relationship between Anxiety and Authenticity through the lens of existentialist philosophy.
  • Explain Irrationality/Absurdity through the lens of existentialist philosophy.
  • What is Cartesian Dualism?
  • What did Des Carte mean when he said “I think therefore I am?”
  • Explain Kierkegaard’s writing in the context of his approach to Christianity.
  • Why do existentialist philosophers believe that it is impossible to find the true reasons and explanations of events?
  • Explain Jean-Paul Sartre’s Opinions on Existentialism and Human Emotions.
  • What is the influence of existentialism in Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage?
  • What is the influence of Existentialism in the Literature of Samuel Beckett?
  • How did existentialism influence Psychoanalysis, and Behaviorism?

Topics on Transcendentalism

  • What did Emerson mean when he said “The mind once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions?”
  • Did the philosophy of Emerson influence John Muir’s views on naturalism?
  • What did Thoreau mean when he said a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual.
  • What is the common thread between the transcendentalist concepts of individualism, idealism, and the divinity of nature?
  • What is the significance of the battle between the red ants and the black ants in Thoreau’s book On Waldon Pond?
  • What did Thoreau mean when he wrote “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”
  • Compare and contrast the differences between Kant & Hume on the concept of transcendentalist idealism.
  • Does transcendentalism offer a philosophy that promotes “The truest way of life?”
  • Why is time in nature away from civilization a critical component of transcendental philosophy?
  • What is the significance of Emerson’s “Consequences of Self-Doubt.”
  • How does Transcendentalism make a link between philosophy and science
  • Compare and contrast the differences between the American 19 th Century version of transcendentalism and the Eastern notions of transcendentalism.
  • Explain transcendentalism’s conflict with the industrial revolution.
  • Was John Muir a transcendentalist?
  • Are Luddites their own philosophical system or an extreme version of transcendentalism?

Marxism Topics

  • Has the negative relationship with failed communism hindered Marxism as a contemporary school of philosophy?
  • What is the relationship between Marxism and social science?
  • Explain Karl Marx’s Theory of Alienation.
  • Do the ideologies of Marxism affect 21 st Century western culture?
  • Why does Spencer believe that human nature is flexible and is in the process of advancement?
  • How doe the concept of Surplus Value influence the division of social & economic classes?
  • Why does Marxism devalue the importance of religion?
  • Explain why the Young Hegelians refute religion in place of a philosophical system?
  • Explain Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s view on the role of money in human life.
  • Compare and contrast the differences between Marx’s view of socialism and the communism of Russia in the 20 th

Eastern Philosophy Topics

  • Compare and contrast Zazen and Rinzai Zen forms of Buddhism.
  • Is the “Ah-Ha” moment of “Satori” a requirement in the pursuit of nirvana as it is recognized in modern-day Buddhism?
  • Is Buddhism a religion, a philosophical life practice, or both?
  • The philosophy of the Buddha and Jesus of Nazareth are very similar. Though they both came from a completely different upbringing. Does this affect the principles of the religions they founded or is the exposure to the poverty of Jesus’ childhood and the wealth of the Buddha’s early years merely background details in their stories?
  • When the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree he said “As the earth is my witness. Seeing this morning star, all things and I awaken together.”
  • Why is begging for one’s meal an important tenant of classic Buddhist daily practice?
  • How do Siddhartha’s four sights on the road influence the Buddha’s teaching about the four noble truths?
  • What is the relationship between the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold path?
  • When Siddhartha gives up asceticism he takes food from a peasant woman, what does this symbolize, and does it influence his eventual awakening as the Buddha?
  • Does Herman Hess’ novel Siddhartha make Buddhism more or less accessible for Western culture to assimilate?
  • What did the Buddha mean when he said “If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.”
  • Is the Caste system of India based on moral philosophy and religious beliefs or is it a form of discrimination and classism?
  • In Hindu philosophy what is the difference between dharma, and karma?
  • Can the concept of Karmic rebirth be used to forgive someone’s misdeeds in this current life?
  • Compare and contrast the moral influence of reincarnation offered by many Eastern Religions and the concept of eternal life offered by Christianity. How do these different philosophical concepts affect the choices made in everyday life?
  • Do the six systems of Hindu philosophy Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, and Vedanta work together seamlessly?
  • Is Sun Tzu’s The Art of War a philosophy text or an ancient military guide?
  • What is the relationship of ren (humanity) and li (ritual propriety) in the philosophy of Confucius?
  • Explain the Confucian concept of de “Virtue.”
  • How did the philosophy of Mencius and Xunzi differ from the philosophy of Confucius?
  • How does the philosophy of Confucius address Family, filial piety,and ancestor worship?
  • Is Neo-Confucian critical of Daoism and Buddhism
  • Does Neo-Confucian philosophy offer up effective solutions to the problem of evil?
  • Explain the Cheng-Zhu theory of human nature.
  • Explain Neo-Confucian theories of mind and how it applies to modern culture
  • What are the main tenents of Taoism?
  • How are currents interpreted in Taology?
  • Does the Tao concept of Letting Go have value in modern western culture?
  • In Taoism is there a connective relationship between simplicity, patience, and compassion.
  • Does Daoism compete with Confucianism or stand beside it?

Philosophy in Modern Literature and Movies

  • Is the novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance truly about the Metaphysics of Quality, or is it Robert Pirsig attempting to cope with his electroshock therapy experience?
  • Does William Van De Wettering’s novel The Empty Mirror make the Zen practice of Koan study more feasible, or less accessible to Westerner modalities of thinking?
  • In Kahlil Gibran’s book The Prophet he says “If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.” What did he mean by this?
  • In Primo Levi’s book Bear Meat, he said “the sea’s only gifts are harsh blows and, occasionally, the chance to feel strong. Now, I don’t know much about the sea, but I do know that that’s the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your own hands and your own head.” What does he mean by this?
  • Is Dan Millman’s book “The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior” a bridge between Buddhist philosophy and Western Culture or is it a standalone philosophy onto itself?
  • Explain the existentialist philosophy of the Shawshank Redemption?
  • In Into The Wild does Chris McCandless succeed in “Killing The False Being Within?”
  • Does the philosophy of the Celestine Prophecy offer a realistic way of life, or is it better off being classified as fiction?
  • Does the heightened compassionate approach to the medical philosophy of Patch Adams have a place in modern medicine?
  • Is transcendentalism properly represented in the movie Dead Poet’s Society?

Rationalism Topics

  • Compare and contrast the differences between rationalism and empiricism.
  • Is rationalism’s view of questioning everything tediously unnecessary?
  • Is Des Carte truly a rationalist philosopher.
  • Is there a difference between traditional rationalism and the Scottish Englightenment?
  • What caused the Scottish Enlightenment.
  • Compare and contrast the differences between the philosophy of David Hume and Adam Smith.
  • Compare and contrast the differing philosophies of David Hume and Des Cartes.
  • How does rationalism address the theory of knowledge?
  • What is the conflict between rationalism and the romantic movement?
  • Is constructivism a separate philosophy or a form of rationalism?

Humanism Topics

  • Does humanist philosophy promote atheism?
  • What are the three core beliefs of humanism philosophy?
  • How has humanism philosophy influenced modern psychology?
  • How has humanism philosophy changed over the last century?
  • As a metaphysical doctrine, how does humanism related to the natural world?
  • Does humanism reject the philosophical divinity of nature in transcendentalism?
  • Humanism borrows many aspects of Aristotle’s notion of Eudaimonia, but not all of them, why?
  • What is the importance of self-determination in humanism philosophy?
  • Does humanism support scientific skepticism?
  • How has humanism influenced modern politics?

Middle Eastern Philosophy

  • Has the Koran discouraged the development of Middle Eastern Philosophy
  • Is Islam a philosophy or a religion?
  • Is Arabian philosophy a derivative of Classical Greek philosophy?
  • Was the Golden Age of Islam bolstered by Classical Greek philosophy?
  • What is Arabic Logic?
  • Platos influence on Ab? Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyy? al-R?z?.
  • How the philosophy of Saadia Gaon influenced Jewish Law.
  • How did Yahya ibn Adi use philosophical knowledge to produce defenses of Christian theology that were grounded in classical thought?
  • The influence of Aristotle on Avicenna.
  • How did Aristotle influence Sohrevardi in founding the Islamic school of Illuminations?
  • How did Fakhr al-Din al-Razi integrate philosophy into his model for the cosmos?
  • How did the philosophy of Kâtip Çelebi influence 16th and 17th-century social change in the Ottoman empire
  • How did the philosophy of Dara Shikoh find common underpinnings shared by Hinduism and Islam?
  • How did the philosophy of Muhammad Abduh help introduce liberal thought to the Islamic world?
  • How did Fatema Mernissi address the conditions for women in the Islamic world?

Political Philosophy Topics

  • How do ethics affect socio-political policy?
  • Is agrarianism philosophy represented in today’s political parties?
  • How did the Federalist papers influence our modern democratic system?
  • What is the difference between liberalism and socialism?
  • What is the difference between conservatism and fascism?
  • What is libertarian political philosophy?
  • Does paternalism still affect political philosophy?
  • What is progressivism in political philosophy?
  • Is effective altruism necessary for globalism to thrive?
  • How would Socrates view our current notions of Civil Disobedience?

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1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

Philosophy, One Thousand Words at a Time

How to Write a Philosophical Essay

Authors: The Editors of 1000-Word Philosophy [1] Category: Student Resources Word Count: 998

If you want to convince someone of a philosophical thesis, such as that God exists , that abortion is morally acceptable , or that we have free will , you can write a philosophy essay. [2]

Philosophy essays are different from essays in many other fields, but with planning and practice, anyone can write a good one. This essay provides some basic instructions. [3]

An image of an open, blank notebook with a black pen lying on the right-side page.

1. Planning

Typically, your purpose in writing an essay will be to argue for a certain thesis, i.e., to support a conclusion about a philosophical claim, argument, or theory. [4] You may also be asked to carefully explain someone else’s essay or argument. [5]

To begin, select a topic. Most instructors will be happy to discuss your topic with you before you start writing. Sometimes instructors give specific prompts with topics to choose from.

It’s generally best to select a topic that you’re interested in; you’ll put more energy into writing it. Your topic will determine what kind of research or preparation you need to do before writing, although in undergraduate philosophy courses, you usually don’t need to do outside research. [6]

Essays that defend or attack entire theories tend to be longer, and are more difficult to write convincingly, than essays that defend or attack particular arguments or objections: narrower is usually better than broader.

After selecting a topic, complete these steps:

  • Ensure that you understand the relevant issues and arguments. Usually, it’s enough to carefully read and take notes on the assigned readings on your essay’s topic.
  • Choose an initial thesis. Generally, you should choose a thesis that’s interesting, but not extremely controversial. [7] You don’t have to choose a thesis that you agree with, but it can help. (As you plan and write, you may decide to revise your thesis. This may require revising the rest of your essay, but sometimes that’s necessary, if you realize you want to defend a different thesis than the one you initially chose.)
  • Ensure that your thesis is a philosophical thesis. Natural-scientific or social-scientific claims, such as that global warming is occurring or that people like to hang out with their friends , are not philosophical theses. [8] Philosophical theses are typically defended using careful reasoning, and not primarily by citing scientific observations.

Instructors will usually not ask you to come up with some argument that no philosopher has discovered before. But if your essay ignores what the assigned readings say, that suggests that you haven’t learned from those readings.

2. Structure

Develop an outline, rather than immediately launching into writing the whole essay; this helps with organizing the sections of your essay.

Your structure will probably look something like the following, but follow your assignment’s directions carefully. [9]

2.1. Introduction and Thesis

Write a short introductory paragraph that includes your thesis statement (e.g., “I will argue that eating meat is morally wrong”). The thesis statement is not a preview nor a plan; it’s not “I will consider whether eating meat is morally wrong.”

If your thesis statement is difficult to condense into one sentence, then it’s likely that you’re trying to argue for more than one thesis. [10]

2.2. Arguments

Include at least one paragraph that presents and explains an argument. It should be totally clear what reasons or evidence you’re offering to support your thesis.

In most essays for philosophy courses, you only need one central argument for your thesis. It’s better to present one argument and defend it well than present many arguments in superficial and incomplete ways.

2.3. Objection

Unless the essay must be extremely short, raise an objection to your argument. [11] Be clear exactly which part of the other argument (a premise, or the form) is being questioned or denied and why. [12]

It’s usually best to choose either one of the most common or one of the best objections. Imagine what a smart person who disagreed with you would say in response to your arguments, and respond to them.

Offer your own reply to any objections you considered. If you don’t have a convincing reply to the objection, you might want to go back and change your thesis to something more defensible.

2.5. Additional Objections and Replies

If you have space, you might consider and respond to the second-best or second-most-common objection to your argument, and so on.

2.6. Conclusion

To conclude, offer a paragraph summarizing what you did. Don’t include any new or controversial claims here, and don’t claim that you did more than you actually accomplished. There should be no surprises at the end of a philosophy essay.

Make your writing extremely clear and straightforward. Use simple sentences and don’t worry if they seem boring: this improves readability. [13] Every sentence should contribute in an obvious way towards supporting your thesis. If a claim might be confusing, state it in more than one way and then choose the best version.

To check for readability, you might read the essay aloud to an audience. Don’t try to make your writing entertaining: in philosophy, clear arguments are fun in themselves.

Concerning objections, treat those who disagree with you charitably. Make it seem as if you think they’re smart, careful, and nice, which is why you are responding to them.

Your readers, if they’re typical philosophers, will be looking for any possible way to object to what you say. Try to make your arguments “airtight.”

4. Citations

If your instructor tells you to use a certain citation style, use it. No citation style is universally accepted in philosophy. [14]

You usually don’t need to directly quote anyone. [15] You can paraphrase other authors; where you do, cite them.

Don’t plagiarize . [16] Most institutions impose severe penalties for academic dishonesty.

5. Conclusion

A well-written philosophy essay can help people gain a new perspective on some important issue; it might even change their minds. [17] And engaging in the process of writing a philosophical essay is one of the best ways to develop, understand, test, and sometimes change, your own philosophical views. They are well worth the time and effort.

[1] Primary author: Thomas Metcalf. Contributing authors: Chelsea Haramia, Dan Lowe, Nathan Nobis, Kristin Seemuth Whaley.

[2] You can also do some kind of oral presentation, either “live” in person or recorded on video. An effective presentation, however, requires the type of planning and preparation that’s needed to develop an effective philosophy paper: indeed, you may have to first write a paper and then use it as something like a script for your presentation. Some parts of the paper, e.g., section headings, statements of arguments, key quotes, and so on, you may want to use as visual aids in your presentation to help your audience better follow along and understand.

[3] Many of these recommendations are, however, based on the material in Horban (1993), Huemer (n.d.), Pryor (n.d.), and Rippon (2008). There is very little published research to cite about the claims in this essay, because these claims are typically justified by instructors’ experience, not, say, controlled experiments on different approaches to teaching philosophical writing. Therefore, the guidance offered here has been vetted by many professional philosophers with a collective hundreds of hours of undergraduate teaching experience and further collective hundreds of hours of taking philosophy courses. The editors of 1000-Word Philosophy also collectively have thousands of hours of experience in writing philosophy essays.

[4] For more about the areas of philosophy, see What is Philosophy? by Thomas Metcalf.

[5] For an explanation of what is meant by an “argument” in philosophy, see Arguments: Why Do You Believe What You Believe? by Thomas Metcalf.

[6] Outside research is sometimes discouraged, and even prohibited, for philosophy papers in introductory courses because a common goal of a philosophy paper is not to report on a number of views on a philosophical issue—so philosophy papers usually are not “research reports”—but to rather engage a specific argument or claim or theory, in a more narrow and focused way, and show that you understand the issue and have engaged in critically. If a paper engages in too much reporting of outside research, that can get in the way of this critical evaluation task.

[7] There are two reasons to avoid extremely controversial theses. First, such theses are usually more difficult to defend adequately. Second, you might offend your instructor, who might (fairly or not) give you a worse grade. So, for example, you might argue that abortion is usually permissible, or usually wrong, but you probably shouldn’t argue that anyone who has ever said the word ‘abortion’ should be tortured to death, and you probably shouldn’t argue that anyone who’s ever pregnant should immediately be forced to abort the pregnancy, because both of these claims are extremely implausible and so it’s very unlikely that good arguments could be developed for them. But theses that are controversial without being implausible can be interesting for both you and the instructor, depending on how you develop and defend your argument or arguments for that thesis.

[8] Whether a thesis is philosophical mostly depends on whether it is a lot like theses that have been defended in important works of philosophy. That means it would be a thesis about metaphysics, epistemology, value theory, logic, history of philosophy, or something therein. For more information, see Philosophy and Its Contrast with Science and What is Philosophy? both by Thomas Metcalf.

[9] Also, read the grading rubric, if it’s available. If your course uses an online learning environment, such as Canvas, Moodle, or Schoology, then the rubric will often be visible as attached to the assignment itself. The rubric is a breakdown of the different requirements of the essay and how each is weighted and evaluated by the instructor. So, for example, if some requirement has a relatively high weight, you should put more effort into doing a good job. Similarly, some requirement might explicitly mention some step for the assignment that you need to complete in order to get full credit.

[10] In some academic fields, a “thesis” or “thesis statement” is considered both your conclusion and a statement of the basic support you will give for that conclusion. In philosophy, your thesis is usually just that conclusion: e..g, “Eating meat is wrong,” “God exists,” “Nobody has free will,” and so on: the support given for that conclusion is the support for your thesis.

[11] To be especially clear, this should be an objection to the argument given for your thesis or conclusion, not an objection to your thesis or conclusion itself. This is because you don’t want to give an argument and then have an objection that does not engage that argument, but instead engages something else, since that won’t help your reader or audience better understand and evaluate that argument.

[12] For more information about premises, forms, and objections, see Arguments: Why do You Believe What You Believe? by Thomas Metcalf.

[13] For a philosophical argument in favor of clear philosophical writing, and guidance on producing such writing, see Fischer and Nobis (2019).

[14] The most common styles in philosophy are APA (Purdue Online Writing Lab, n.d.a) and Chicago (Purdue Online Writing Lab, n.d.b.).

[15] You might choose to directly quote someone when it’s very important that the reader know that the quoted author actually said what you claim they said. For example, if you’re discussing some author who made some startling claim, you can directly quote them to show that they really said that. You might also directly quote someone when they presented some information or argument in a very concise, well-stated way, such that paraphrasing it would take up more space than simply quoting them would.

[16] Plagiarism, in general, occurs when someone submits written or spoken work that is largely copied, in style, substance, or both, from some other author’s work, and does not attribute it to that author. However, your institution or instructor may define “plagiarism” somewhat differently, so you should check with their definitions. When in doubt, check with your instructor first.

[17] These are instructions for relatively short, introductory-level philosophy essays. For more guidance, there are many useful philosophy-writing guides online to consult, e.g.: Horban (1993); Huemer (n.d.); Pryor (n.d.); Rippon (2008); Weinberg (2019).

Fischer, Bob and Nobis, Nathan. (2019, June 4). Why writing better will make you a better person. The Chronicle of Higher Education . 

Horban, Peter. (1993). Writing a philosophy paper. Simon Fraser University Department of Philosophy . 

Huemer, Michael. (N.d.). A guide to writing. Owl232.net .

Pryor, Jim. (N.d.). Guidelines on writing a philosophy paper. Jimpryor.net .

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (N.d.a.). General format. Purdue Online Writing Lab . 

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (N.d.b.). General format. Purdue Online Writing Lab .

Rippon, Simon. (2008). A brief guide to writing the philosophy paper. Harvard College Writing Center .

Weinberg, Justin. (2019, January 15). How to write a philosophy paper: Online guides. Daily Nous .

Related Essays

Arguments: Why do You Believe What You Believe? by Thomas Metcalf

Philosophy and its Contrast with Science by Thomas Metcalf

What is Philosophy? By Thomas Metcalf

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Introduction

Chapter outline.

For most college students, an Introduction to Philosophy course is their first encounter with the study of philosophy . Unlike most of your other courses, philosophy is not something usually covered in high school. Yet you are probably familiar with the term philosophy and may have some preconceived notion about what philosophy is and what philosophers do. Perhaps you have stayed up late at night talking with friends or family about topics like free will or the existence of God. Maybe you have a friend who always talks about big ideas or asks tough questions that sound like riddles. Perhaps you think of them as “philosophical”; you might be right.

In this chapter, we will provide a brief introduction to the field of philosophy as a historical and academic discipline. This first chapter should prepare you for your philosophy course and give you a better idea of what it means to be a philosopher. As with all introductions, this one is just a start. Your job is to explore more, think more, read more, and write more like a philosopher. Soon you may even find that you are doing philosophy.

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  • Publisher/website: OpenStax
  • Book title: Introduction to Philosophy
  • Publication date: Jun 15, 2022
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Philosophy Research Topics: 400+ Captivating Ideas

Philosophy Research Topics Ideas

As a Ph.D. student, writing a top-notch research paper will demonstrate your understanding of a subject. Students pursuing philosophy courses tend to be perpetually engaged in studying philosophical questions and framing a philosophy research paper around those answers. The goal of a research paper in philosophy isn’t limited to stating facts; instead, it includes asking the student to think through those facts. It includes students’ ability to analyse, discern, and construct logical arguments in their papers. Thus, to conduct enticing research, one must select a strong philosophical research topic that will keep them inspired and assist them in constructing a strong research paper .

In this post, we will demonstrate some significant areas of philosophy from which you can select some excellent philosophy research paper topics for your upcoming research.

Table of Contents

Significant Areas to Consider In Philosophy

As discussed earlier, philosophy is the study of truth about the hidden realities of humankind. Before moving forward with your topic selection, students need to acknowledge different areas of philosophy. It will assist you in narrowing down your research into significant research areas as per your interest. Thus, continue to read this section to understand different branches of philosophy.

Branches of philosophy

  • Metaphysics : At its core, the study of metaphysics deals with the principle of existence and the nature of what truly exists in the real world, what it is like, and how it is formed. In metaphysics, you learn about ontology, nature, space and time, change, identity, objects, modality, laws of nature, etc.
  • Epistemology  is the study of belief and knowledge. Epistemology is primarily concerned with seeking the answer to what we know about the universe and how we can know it. Additionally, epistemology studies the difference between believing something and knowing something, determining whether what we know is factual.
  • Logic:  This is yet another important area of studying philosophy. Logic is generally the study of inference patterns. Logic in philosophy studies the scope and nature of logic. Philosophers employ logic to explore the nature and structure of arguments. Additionally, they study how other claims support any particular claim. Logic investigates related concepts, such as if, and, or, not, and some.
  • Political Philosophy:  This branch of philosophy involves concepts, values, and arguments concerned with political matters.
  • History of philosophy:  The study of knowing the philosophical positions, principles, and concepts that are highlighted, analysed, and explained in history.
  • Ethics:  The term “ethics” concerns the philosophical study of the principles of moral rights and wrongs and moral good or bad for any philosophical concept.

400+ Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Now that we have studied the central branches of philosophy on which you can base your research paper, it is time to get onto the list of philosophy topics below that you can consider.

Axiology Research Paper Topics

Axiology, also known as the “theory of value,” is the branch of philosophy that studies value. It explores the nature and classification of values. Additionally, axiology studies what kinds of things have values and even logic. Below you can find some excellent axiology research paper topics in philosophy to get you started on your research:

  • Axiology and aesthetics
  • Comparative analysis between Axiology and aesthetics
  • Understanding the theories and science of values through Axiology
  • Epistemology, Axiology, and ideology in sociology
  • The Roles of Values and Axiology
  • Understanding the relationship between ethics and aesthetics with the help of Axiology
  • A critical analysis of the phenomenon of values through Axiology
  • Axiology in teacher education: challenges and opportunities
  • Transdisciplinary Axiology: to be or not to be

Read Also – Anthropology Research Paper Topics

Epistemology: Philosophical Topics to Write About

As discussed above, epistemology is the study of belief and knowledge. It employs questions such as, “what is knowledge”? or “how can we justify our beliefs”? Are you one of those students who are intrigued to research more on epistemology topics? If so, then you can have a look at the following philosophy paper ideas on epistemology topics:

  • Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge
  • A critical analysis of the structure of knowledge and justification
  • Leibniz’s contribution to epistemology
  • Moderate modal skepticism
  • The significance of epistemology for the growth of philosophical literature
  • Self-blindness and self-knowledge: a conceptualized study
  • Philosophical Skepticism: A Critical Analysis
  • Internalism and externalism in epistemology
  • Contextualism in Epistemology
  • Contextualism and epistemic rationality
  • Contextualism as a Theory of Knowledge
  • Epistemological Problems of Perception
  • Fundamental flaws in epistemology
  • A detailed study on epistemic reactive attitudes
  • Shoemaker’s concept of “self-blindness.”
  • Epistemic closure principles: an overview
  • Exploring knowledge as a mental state
  • Epistemology and educational research in the 21st century
  • The impact of facts and beliefs on human beings
  • Language, epistemology, and mysticism
  • Arguments and positions in epistemology in the 21st century
  • A comparative analysis between epistemology and psychology

Phenomenology and Philosophy Topic List

Phenomenology is the branch of philosophy that explores the structures of consciousness that a person experiences. It is the study of phenomena, i.e., it studies things and events literally as they appear from the first-person point of view. Consider the following ideas for a phenomenology philosophy paper:

  • A brief history of existential phenomenology
  • The European roots of existential phenomenology
  • Edmund Husserl’s contribution to phenomenology
  • An introduction to phenomenology
  • How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others
  • The phenomenology of Dvali–Gabadadze–portrait cosmologies
  • Understanding the challenges and opportunities for understanding phenomenology
  • An introduction to perception phenomenology
  • Understanding the relationship between phenomenology and general science
  • Husserl’s (descriptive) versus Heidegger’s (interpretive) phenomenological research approaches
  • Understanding the role of phenomenology in nursing research
  • Philosophy of phenomenology: an overview
  • The role of phenomenology in research on mental health patients
  • A Phenomenological Research Study on Writer’s Block
  • Understanding the power of multi-perspective through phenomenological research
  • Phenomenological approaches and techniques in psychology and health science
  • An introduction to phenomenological approaches to studying anthropology
  • Edmund Husserl’s Transcendental Phenomenology

Read Also – 150+ Research Topics in Marketing

Ideas for a Philosophy Paper on Ontology

Ontology is one of the oldest branches of philosophy that explores the nature of existence or reality. In this field, philosophers seek the answers to questions like whether God exists and nature’s existence. If this research area piques your interest, these topics are specifically compiled to help you out. Take a look and choose what topic suits you the best:

  • A detailed analysis of the different conceptions of ontology
  • The philosophy of science: paradigm, ontology, and epistemology
  • A comparative analysis of ontology modeling with other data-based models
  • Ontology of research philosophies
  • Understanding the theories of ontology in business studies
  • The language of gene ontology
  • The study of ontology based on Plato, Aristotle, and Avicenna’s opinions
  • Historical ontology: a critical analysis
  • Anselm’s ontological argument for God’s existence
  • Anselm’s Ontological Proof of God
  • Ontological and epistemological perspectives
  • Ontology in Deleuze’s “The Fold”
  • Ontological and Pascal’s wager arguments about God
  • Evaluating the importance of epistemology and ontology in leadership research
  • An ontological and epistemological perspective on the quality of life
  • the ontological, cosmological, or teleological arguments
  • Constructing ontology-based exclusive environmental certification systems
  • Ontology-driven data mediation in Web services
  • Visualizing information science knowledge by modeling domain Ontologies
  • Ontology-enhanced concepts Hierarchies for text identification

Realism and Philosophy Research Topics

In philosophy, the reality is considered independent of human perceptions. This way of thinking is based on the belief that information is developed through a scientific method. This section of our blog is dedicated to philosophy research paper topics based on realism. Let’s have a look at these interesting philosophical topics about realism:

  • Realism, poetry, and naturalism
  • Thomas Reid’s direct realism
  • Exploring the significance of realism and liberalism in international relations
  • Idealism and realism: a detailed analysis
  • Theories, realism, and liberalism
  • An introduction to the philosophy of mind by Thomas Reid
  • Maze’s direct realism and the character of cognition
  • The seduction of realism: a critical analysis
  • The significance of semantic realism
  • A comparative analysis of realism and anti-realism
  • Speculative realism: understanding the thoughts and realities
  • A critical analysis of the threefold cord
  • Understanding the theory of modern liberalism
  • Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism
  • Confusions and Criticisms of Classical Realism and Neorealism
  • Exploring the importance of naturalism and realism in American literature
  • A guide to romanticism, realism, and expressionism in art
  • Concept of direct realism in philosophy
  • Magical realism in literature
  • Realist and constructivist approaches to China-Japan relations

Read Also – A List of 100+ Research Topics in Education

Philosophy Research Paper Topics in Human Science

Philosophy has always been an important part of human culture. Students who are eager to research topics in philosophy related to humankind can consider the following research topics:

  • Introduction to the practices of philosophy and their impact on human science
  • A critique of global human behavior practices and assumptions
  • A meticulous and methodical approach to human nature
  • Development of the human sciences in the 18th century
  • The origins of existential phenomenology in Europe
  • The biological and cultural aspects of human science research initiatives
  • The importance of qualitative research techniques in all areas of the human sciences
  • A review of the institutions devoted to the humanistic/human science philosophy
  • Talk about how American culture has influenced other countries’ cultures and systems.
  • Western civilization’s core values in developing nations
  • Human interactions have a long history.
  • Acceptable political and cultural norms for all human interactions
  • Choosing optimism in a society that is constantly bombarded with doom and gloom
  • A methodical approach to understanding human nature
  • A critical analysis of philosophy as a model of human science
  • Philosophical presuppositions and the human sciences
  • The influence of Greek philosophers on human sciences
  • The effects of American infusionism on global civilizations

Transcendentalism Topics in Philosophy

Transcendental philosophy is another name for transcendentalism. This school of thought holds that humans are born good but become corrupted due to social obligations, peer pressure, and societal wrongdoing. It is one of the most interesting branches of philosophy that most students prefer to research.

  • Transcendentalism, a major philosophical movement in the eighteenth century
  • Beliefs and characteristics associated with transcendentalism
  • Exploring the history of transcendentalism in 19th-century America
  • The Transcendentalist Ideas in the Writings of Henry David Thoreau and Emily Dickinson
  • History of British Transcendentalism
  • Role of Transcendentalism and Romanticism in the Development of Nineteenth-Century Literature
  • Transcendentalism in American history
  • Transcendentalist battle between Ralph Emerson and Henry David Thoreau
  • Lois Lowry’s The Giver: Individualism and Transcendentalism
  • A Quantitative Essay on Transcendentalism and Self-Love
  • The Literary Movement of Transcendentalism
  • Romantic and transcendental movements in the 1830s
  • Philosophical Aspects of the Transcendentalist-BTS Relationship
  • The Development of Transcendentalism in Early American Society
  • A critical analysis of the literary movements of transcendentalism
  • Transcendentalism and Nature’s Worth
  • The Religious movement Of Transcendentalism in Modern England
  • The Spirit of Individualism and Transcendentalism
  • Romanticism and transcendentalism in Dead Poets’ Society
  • Transcendentalism: A Critical Analysis of Walden by Henry David Thoreau
  • The philosophy of transcendentalism in New England in the early 1830s
  • Transcendentalism through the eyes of Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller
  • The political philosophy behind transcendentalism in Britain
  • Transcendentalism as the Antidote to Brainwashed Youth
  • Transcendentalism versus Anti-Transcendentalism
  • The impact of transcendentalism in the works of Emily Dickenson
  • Great utopian thinkers and transcendentalism in 19th-century America
  • Transcendentalism in Western Individualism and Spirituality

Philosophy Research Paper Topics in Education

The philosophy of education is the branch of applied philosophy that entails the nature and aim of education and the philosophical issues revolving around it. This practice is ubiquitous in human societies, has so many different manifestations in society, and has such a profound impact that it encompasses a wide range of philosophical issues, including ethics, social/political philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind and language, among others.

Below is a list of some of the best philosophy research topics on education. For the best results, consider reading every philosophy topic in the below-given list:

  • An examination of education through the lens of the cave allegory
  • Taliban policies and philosophies toward the education of women
  • Educational philosophy: a detailed analysis of pragmatism in education
  • Educational philosophy in the K–12 classrooms
  • How has educational philosophy transformed over time?
  • How has the significance of education evolved?
  • A detailed study on the educational philosophies of training and developing an adult
  • How can educational philosophy train the mind of an individual?
  • How does proper schooling evolve an individual’s personality?
  • The significance of formal education
  • A detailed study of the philosophy of education in ancient Greece
  • Immanuel Kant: International Bureau of Education
  • How is morality concerned with the education of an individual?
  • A theoretical framework for the teacher’s philosophy of education
  • The idea of educational philosophy
  • Al-Ghazali’s philosophy and principles of education
  • Significance of Philosophy
  • Radical adult education philosophy: a detailed study
  • Philosophy of multicultural education
  • Educational Essentialism: An Untold Story in American Educational History
  • American philosophies toward education
  • A notion of change and advancements in education
  • Philosophy of Nigerian Education: A Detailed Handbook
  • An analysis of educational philosophy and curriculum
  • Rousseau’s concept of education
  • Exploring the evolving philosophy of women’s education
  • The history and growth of philosophical education in America
  • A detailed study on constructivism as a theory of learning
  • Applying constructivism to constructivist learning cultures

Read Also – 150+ Creative Neuroscience Research Topics

Religion-Related Philosophical Topics

Students who find the philosophy of religion an intriguing subject can have a look at the following philosophy research topics on religion:

  • An introduction to the phenomenology of religion
  • Heidegger’s phenomenology of religion
  • Can the fallen angel become a saint again?
  • A critical analysis of education and religion in Thomas More’s Utopia
  • Origin, Movement, and Religion of the Enlightenment
  • Philosophy and religion in Buddhism
  • Religion in the modern, contemporary world
  • Influence of religion on the behavior of an individual
  • Declaration of humanity as a supreme religion
  • Compatibility of science with religion
  • Can we practice religion while abandoning humanity?
  • Morality and religion: a comparative analysis
  • Will COVID-19 lead to a decline in religion?
  • Religion and Democracy in Taiwan
  • Does the devil deserve a second chance?
  • A philosophical discussion on religion
  • Exploring the contradictions between religion and philosophy
  • Does religion restrict our ability to contemplate life’s meaning?
  • Would COVID-19 undermine the foundations of established religions?

Classic German Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Students are always excited to read and research classic German research topics. Thus, to help students, we have gathered some of the most appropriate topics for a classic German research paper. If you’re interested in this subject, consider reading each topic and selecting the topic that closely matches your interests:

  • 17th and 18th-century German philosophy
  • Kant’s Works in Theoretical Philosophy
  • Leibniz: Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
  • Kant: Metaphysics and Epistemology,
  • Kant: Synthesis
  • Social, political, and religious thought in the ancient German world
  • Kant: Transcendental Idealism
  • Aristotle’s Scientific Demonstrations as Expositions of Essence
  • Philosophy of Gender, Race, and Sexuality
  • Kant: Philosophy of Mind
  • Leibniz’s Philosophy of Science
  • Leibniz: Aesthetics
  • Leibniz: Metaphysics
  • Leibniz: Epistemology
  • Leibniz: Philosophy of Mind
  • Lambert on Morality and Moral Illusion
  • Leibniz: Philosophy of Action
  • The Birth of Ontology
  • Leibniz: Philosophy of Language
  • Leibniz’s Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic

Buddhist Philosophy Topics for Research Papers

Buddhist philosophy is based on the beliefs and principles developed among different Buddhist schools in India following the Parinirvana of Gautama Buddha and later spread throughout Asia. In Buddhist philosophy, meditation and philosophical reasoning are inextricably linked. This section compiles a list of Buddhist philosophy paper ideas and topics that summarize everything you need to know about Buddhist philosophies.

  • Buddhism: religion and philosophy
  • A comparative study between Buddhism and Stoicism
  • Buddhism and western philosophy
  • A comparative study of Buddhism versus Hinduism
  • An in-depth study on the convergence of Buddhism and Hinduism in India
  • Buddhism-associated theories in China
  • Indo-Buddhist and Taoist-Confucian types of culture
  • The philosophy of Buddhism and Hinduism: a historical sketch
  • The view of sin and punishment in Buddhism versus other religions
  • Japanese Zen Buddhist philosophy
  • A handbook on Zen Buddhism and Enlightenment
  • The philosophy of Schopenhauer: an in-depth research analysis
  • A detailed study of the misconceptions concerning sexuality in the Buddhist religion
  • Philosophical impact of Buddhism and Shinto practices
  • Exploring the relationship between Shintoism and Buddhism in China
  • The philosophical reasoning behind the noble truths in Buddhism
  • Elements of Buddhism’s religion that make it scary
  • Influence of Buddhism on Schopenhauer’s idea
  • An in-depth study of the components of Buddhism that make it sacred
  • An introduction to Buddhism as philosophy: why does it matter to philosophy?

Pragmatism and Philosophy Paper Topics

Pragmatism is a philosophical movement that consists of individuals who believe that an ideology or concept can only be true if it works satisfactorily. This movement originated during the latter quarter of the 19th century. Throughout the years, this philosophy field has constantly motivated individuals from the fields of law, sociology, education, etc. Thus, if you are a student of any such field, you can use the below-given research topics according to your interests and needs.

  • An introduction to pragmatism
  • Pragmatism as a philosophy of the social sciences
  • Philosophical ideas of pragmatism
  • The role of classic pragmatism in the development of feminist theories
  • Feminism and pragmatism: a comparative analysis
  • A detailed study for understanding the evolution of pragmatics
  • Implementation of Pragmatism in Education
  • Pragmatism and Feminism as Qualified Relativism
  • Bridging Pragmatism and Feminism Through Education
  • A methodological interpretation of contemporary feminist pragmatism
  • American pragmatism and analytic philosophy
  • A detailed study on the principles of pragmatism
  • American pragmatism in the 20th century
  • Pragmatism and education: a detailed study
  • Pragmatic liberal education
  • The necessity of pragmatism for studying philosophy
  • Consequences of positivism: A pragmatist assessment
  • Pragmatism and positivism
  • Pragmatism: A Learning Theory for the Future
  • Pragmatism in the field of communication theory

Read Also – 150+ Brilliant Child Development Topic Ideas

Interesting Ancient Philosophy Topics

Ancient philosophy is one of the most interesting branches of philosophy. A huge number of philosophical issues were discussed in this era. Thus, you can find some excellent and interesting philosophy topics for your research paper in this section:

  • Philosophy was considered a branch of theory in classical times.
  • Immanuel Kant’s philosophy
  • The truth as perceived by the ancient thinkers
  • The philosophy of stoicism
  • How did the prehistoric philosophical system change?
  • A study of classical philosophy
  • Roman Stoic beliefs and philosophers
  • A detailed study of philosophical anthropology
  • Greek philosophy and its impact on medicine
  • How does ancient philosophy elaborate on creationism?
  • Philosophers and medicine in ancient times
  • Philosophy, its various issues, and its place in prehistoric civilization
  • “Know thyself,” the philosophy of self-knowledge
  • Ancient philosophy’s conception of the world
  • Ancient philosophy and science
  • The history of philosophy and medicine
  • Ancient Greek Philosophy
  • The early Greek philosophers’ cosmology
  • Understanding mythology from a philosophical point of view
  • The demise of Democritus
  • Platon’s political philosophy: history and myth
  • The development of philosophy and ancient mythology
  • Creationism: The Origin of Human History and the First Man
  • The Rise of Christianity and Roman Stoicism
  • Democritus and his atomic theory of the universe
  • The ancient origins of medieval culture
  • Cosmology in ancient philosophy: a detailed study
  • What was the role of Seneca Stoicism in shaping ancient society?
  • Ancient philosophy, mystery, and magic: Empedocles and Pythagorean tradition

Enlightenment-Related Philosophical Topics to Write About

Are you thinking of choosing enlightenment-related topics for your academic paper/project? If yes, then take a quick peek at the following philosophical topics regarding Enlightenment:

  • The Enlightenment Movement’s Principal Contributors
  • Age of Enlightenment: A Detailed Handbook
  • Enlightenment’s Positive and Negative Aspects
  • A detailed study of the political theory of Enlightenment
  • The seventeenth-century Rosicrucian Enlightenment
  • The French Enlightenment’s naturalistic view of human nature and civilization
  • the ideas of falsifiability, illumination, and Judith Thunberg
  • In what ways is the Enlightenment the culmination of earlier revolutions?
  • The extent to which the Enlightenment changed English society
  • Zen, Enlightenment, and Buddhism
  • The Enlightenment Tradition and its Critics
  • The sexual Enlightenment of children
  • A Critique of Freudian Psychosexual Child Enlightenment
  • The Essence of Political Thought in the Enlightenment: Arguments for and Against the Radicality of the Enlightenment
  • American Enlightenment thought: a detailed analysis
  • Enlightenment and the era of modernity
  • The age of revolution, Renaissance, and Enlightenment
  • Movements of Enlightenment and Romanticism: An Analysis

Renaissance Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Students interested in studying Renaissance philosophy can have a look at the below-listed research topics and choose one:

  • A comparative analysis of the High Renaissance in Rome and that of Northern Europe
  • William Shakespeare and the Renaissance: an overview
  • The Art, Architecture, and Artists of the High Italian Renaissance
  • How the Renaissance changed the way individuals saw the world
  • The impact of the Great Migration and economic developments on literature and art
  • The importance of the Carolingian Renaissance on the Bible
  • How the discoveries of the Renaissance period influenced people’s perspectives toward life
  • The Renaissance art patronage system in Italy
  • Renaissance Drama in England and Spain
  • Scottish Literature before the Enlightenment
  • Italian Renaissance: Paintings
  • The effects of the early Renaissance on medical breakthroughs
  • What have been the advancements in Renaissance culture and arts over the years?
  • Contributions of some of the Renaissance’s greatest forefathers
  • The ideal fusion of musical and artistic endeavors
  • The psychology of Renaissance art
  • Renaissance art and the motives of philosophy about the world
  • Early responses to Renaissance drama
  • The Renaissance’s humanist intellectual, cultural, and creative revolution
  • The representation of erotica and sexuality in works of 16th-century Renaissance art
  • 15th-century Northern Renaissance
  • The Timeline of the French Renaissance
  • The life of Leonardo da Vinci: the genius
  • How discoveries made during the Renaissance influenced people’s outlook on life
  • The aspirations of global philosophy and Renaissance art
  • New patterns of Renaissance thought
  • Individualism and Humanism in the Renaissance
  • The myth of Renaissance individualism
  • Artists of the High Renaissance
  • Why did Renaissance art incorporate all essential worldviews into one cohesive whole?
  • Individualism is a trait of Renaissance humanism.
  • Philosophy in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
  • Psychology’s Renaissance
  • Influential English poetry in the sixteenth century
  • The woman in question in Renaissance texts
  • How the Reformation grew from the Renaissance
  • Family of the Medici and Florentine Renaissance

Modern Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Modern philosophy can be an excellent branch of philosophy to use in your research. The important aspect is bringing new perspectives to these existing research topics. Here are some interesting modern philosophy research paper topics.

  • An introduction to modern philosophy
  • Essential modern life values: an overview
  • Why do morality and religion, which address the same issues, differ?
  • Why do people slaughter animals for their religion?
  • A comparative analysis of modern and ancient philosophies
  • The postmodernist ideas in philosophy
  • Monistic modern science vs. pluralistic modern science
  • The existence of fate in the modern world
  • A controversial aspect of modern life
  • Abortion in modern society: a critical analysis
  • War and peace in the modern era
  • Modern ideas of language and its relation to reality
  • Capital punishment in the modern era: is it justified?
  • The mental demands of modern life
  • The impact of covid-19 on religious freedom
  • Essential life lessons that modern philosophy teaches us
  • The concept of power in the modern age
  • Understanding evil as a collective phenomenon in the modern world
  • Will covid-19 lead to a decline in religion?
  • An introduction to postmodern philosophy
  • Exploring happiness through the prism of modern youth
  • Postmodernism ideas in philosophy
  • The dignity of human life: an ethical analysis
  • Understanding Friendship Through the Eyes of Aristotle
  • Hans Georg Gadamer on prejudice and the trans-modern project
  • What are we learning from the nature of language?
  • The existence of American dreams
  • Humanity and philosophy

Basic Philosophy Research Topics on Capital Punishment

Some research paper topics revolve around some basic yet interesting facts. These basic philosophy research topic ideas are one of them:

  • Drawbacks and benefits of capital punishment in the modern world
  • Should capital punishment be justified in modern society?
  • Abolishment of capital punishment for resolving the root causes of the problems
  • Capital punishment: a global perspective
  • An introduction to capital punishment in America
  • Capital punishment as a legal system
  • Adaptation of a permanent solution over capital punishment: an overview
  • The role of criminal justice in debating the legality of capital punishment
  • Relationship between capital punishment and reformative punishment
  • Abolition of capital punishment
  • Legalization of capital punishment: a philosophical investigation
  • Understanding capital punishment as a global system
  • The political and personal issues related to capital punishment
  • Arguments for life and death regarding capital punishment
  • The pros and cons of capital punishment
  • A detailed introspection on the controversies related to capital punishment
  • History and present status of capital punishment from a global perspective
  • The psychological differences between criminals when they commit crimes and when they are punished

Argumentative Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Our experienced expert writers have managed to compile this list of excellent argumentative philosophy research topics for you. Read each one of these topics and choose the best for your research:

  • Do most people feel they are living to the fullest extent possible?
  • If being married for money meant you’d never be content, would you do it?
  • Do you want to experience life more than once?
  • A critical analysis of whether abiding by all regulations is morally right or not
  • Religion-related philosophical debates
  • Does life continue after death?
  • Reconstructing the meaning of loneliness
  • Multiculturalism and Autonomy in a liberal society
  • Machiavelli’s concepts: examining the drawbacks and advantages
  • Arguments against claiming that humanity is the only true religion
  • Assessing the presence of life: Are people the only living things?

Argumentative Philosophy Research Paper Topics on Feminism

Feminism has been a source of contention for several decades. Feminism has come a long way, but much more must be done. This section is thoroughly concerned with students interested in knowing more about the philosophical aspects of feminism.

  • Mary Baker Eddy’s pragmatic transcendental feminism
  • A detailed analysis of feminism and transcendentalism in 19th-century America
  • Feminism as a cultural renaissance
  • Multiculturalism and Feminism
  • Philosophical approaches to feminism
  • The ruling of the spirit over the mind
  • Feminism: Marriage and Civil Unions
  • Feminist beliefs and feminist movements
  • Normative and descriptive components
  • Feminism and the Diversity of Women
  • Feminist perspectives on rape
  • Feminist perspectives on reproduction and the family
  • Feminist perspectives on science
  • Implications for feminist thought as well as teaching and learning
  • Feminist perspectives on sex and gender
  • Feminist perspectives on sex markets
  • Feminist perspectives on the body
  • Feminist standpoint theory
  • Feminist perspectives on the self
  • Feminist perspectives on trans issues

Political Philosophy Topics to Write About

Political philosophy is the branch of philosophy concerned with the philosophical study of government at the most abstract level, with the nature, concepts, scope, and arguments of political opinion.

  • An introduction to political philosophy
  • Platon’s political philosophy
  • Difference between “positive” and “negative” liberty
  • Understanding liberalism and feminism through political philosophy
  • Classical and contemporary readings of political philosophy
  • Appropriate limits on individual liberty and government authority
  • The ethics of immigration
  • Anatomy in political theories
  • Cultural relativism: a detailed analysis
  • The Leveling-Down Objection
  • Philosophy of sexual orientation
  • Retrieving Rawls for Racial Justice
  • Rational Choice and Democratic Deliberation
  • Apply philosophical thinking to real-world problems in politics;
  • Libertarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know
  • A detailed study on the origins of inequality
  • Political and philosophical rights against discrimination
  • A Concise Introduction to the World’s Greatest Political Philosophers and Their Ideas
  • Epistemological commitments involved in social movements, civic, and political action interpretation of historical and contemporary texts in political philosophy
  • A theory of government and freedom

The Bottom Line

These were some of the best 400+ philosophy research topics for your upcoming paper. Go ahead and choose the best philosophy topic idea that intrigues you the most.

The above topics are meant to serve and inspire you in your upcoming research work. After selecting the right topic for yourself, you can complete the research and, later on, the writing part. Remember that this will only be the initial phase of your research work. It is indeed going to be a long and challenging journey ahead. But know that hard work always keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit. No matter how hard the journey will be, you will always find a light at the end of the tunnel.

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130 Powerful Philosophy Research Topics to Get Started

Table of Contents

If you are a philosophy student who needs a good topic to prepare your research paper, then have a look at this blog post. Here, to make your topic selection process easier, we have presented a list of the best 100+ philosophy research topics and ideas. In addition to that, we have also shared some key tips on how to identify one ideal philosophy research topic out of many. Just explore and get interesting ideas for your philosophy research paper writing.

What is a Philosophy?

Philosophy is an interesting subject that deals with the study of fundamental and general questions about knowledge, existence, reason, language, values, and the mind. It is a vast discipline that revolves around reality, truth, and goodness. Some popular areas of philosophy include Metaphysics, Logic, Epistemology, and Political Philosophy .

Philosophy Research Topics

Philosophy Research Paper Topic Selection Tips

In order to write a powerful philosophy research paper, instead of just focusing on the facts, you need to critically analyze, identify hidden arguments, build logical arguments, and should also persuade your readers that your argument is reliable. Most importantly, for writing a good philosophy research paper, you must have an impressive philosophy research topic.

If you have no idea how to identify the right topic for your philosophy research paper, then simply follow the below-mentioned tips.

  • Select a topic that pleases you.
  • Pick a topic that allows you to identify and fill the areas that are lacking.
  • Always go with a topic that has ample references or resources to make your thesis writing process easier.
  • The ultimate goal of your research paper should be to attract the readers and hence choose a philosophy research topic that is impressive and informative to your readers.
  • Select a topic that has a wide scope of presenting your ideas and arguments with relevant examples or a piece of evidence.

List of Philosophy Research Paper Topics

Till now, we saw the tips for selecting the best philosophy research topics. Next, let us move on to the philosophy research paper topic ideas.

To make your search process easier, here we have shared a list of top philosophy research topics for you to consider.

Philosophy Research Topics

Simple Philosophy Research Topics

  • What is loneliness?
  • Dog and cat: Which is superior?
  • What are utopia and anti-utopia?
  • Should abortion be legalized?
  • What are the pros and cons of capital punishment?
  • Why is cloning banned in many countries?
  • Can belief in God change human nature?
  • What is eternity?
  • What is harmony?
  • What is power?
  • How achieving harmony helps to increase empathy?
  • Inner harmony and peace are the key factors of psychological well-being: Explain
  • Impact of good and evil on the society
  • How do virtue and integrity play a pivotal role in the formation of good character?
  • Is happiness a chemical flowing through the brain or something else?
  • What in life is not subjective but instead truly objective and why?
  • Analyze the civilizational approach in understanding the development of human society
  • Critically analyze the African traditional philosophies
  • Comparative analysis between epistemology and psychology
  • Describe the opportunities and challenges for understanding phenomenology
  • Analyze the philosophy of phenomenology
  • Discuss the direct and indirect realism in philosophy
  • Analyze the philosophy of transcendentalism in New England in the early 1830s
  • Critically analyze the  political philosophy behind transcendentalism in Britain

Interesting Philosophy Research Paper Topics

  • Can a person be happy without a family?
  • What is the Supernatural? Is there any proof of its existence?
  • Is it possible to be rich without having a lot of money?
  • Should people always obey the rules?
  • What is the value of truth?
  • What makes people kill in the name of religion?
  • Can we connect traditions supported by science and force people to follow them as customs?
  • Is it possible to change the main characters that define a person?
  • Discuss crucial modern-life values.
  • What is your definition of happiness?
  • Monistic, pluralistic, and dualistic understanding of the substance of thinking
  • Discuss French philosophy of the XIX-XX centuries
  • Discuss the philosophical anthropology about the essence of man and how it was reflected in ancient philosophy
  • Compare and contrast the philosophical ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
  • African philosophy echoes the deep-seated subjectivity of the African as an African: Explain
  • Analyze the philosophy of Anselm’s ontological argument for God’s existence

Philosophy Research Topics on Human Life

  • Why is it complicated to live a happy life?
  • What things make human life senseless?
  • Is there life after death?
  • What is the perfect life?
  • What makes human life meaningful?
  • Should death be treated as the final point in human life or as the beginning of something new?
  • Would you like to live your life more than once?
  • Evaluating life’s existence: Are humans the only living organisms?
  • Human life and culture
  • How to lead a happy life?

Read more: Best Humanities Research Topics To Explore and Write About

Impressive Philosophy Research Ideas

  • What makes people commit crimes even when they know that they will face capital punishment?
  • What makes women physically less strong as compared to men?
  • To love or to be loved: Which is more important?
  • Is it possible to always think positively?
  • Can torture be justified?
  • A vacation or well-paid job: What would you take?
  • Why is religion important above anything else for a lot of people around the globe?
  • Can we declare humanity as a supreme religion?
  • How can the custom of dowry be eliminated from people’s minds?
  • Is it possible for parents to be the best friends of their children in a real sense?
  • How is the age of maturity and the age of marriage defined by society?
  • What is the best way to boost a person’s creativity?
  • Why can’t social behavior and ethics be separated?
  • Are animals different from people?
  • Why do some people live without feeling alive?

Captivating Philosophy Research Topics

  • Is it possible to create an ideal society?
  • What are the best ways to reach peace in the world?
  • Should the church be involved in politics?
  • What are the pros and cons of genetically modified objects?
  • Is euthanasia ethical?
  • Evaluate the relationship between war and peace.
  • How has social media affected people’s moral behavior?
  • Analyze the impact of beauty on human development.
  • Should parents be held responsible for the actions of their children?
  • Can animal experiments be justified?
  • What are the pros and cons of committing suicide?
  • Can we justify the experiments on human beings?
  • What is the ethics behind Bitcoin or other cyber-currency applications?
  • How to increase the level of IQ?
  • What are the pros and cons of utilitarianism?

Excellent Philosophy Research Questions

  • Is there a moral obligation to be honest?
  • Should we allow incarcerated criminals to have children?
  • What are the pros and cons of marriage?
  • Should human beings claim a stake in other planets such as the moon and Mars?
  • What are the pros and cons of childless families?
  • Is it ethical to use steroids to enhance results in athletics?
  • What are the pros and cons of communism?
  • Positive and Negative features of Machiavelli’s ideas
  • Are humans really the kings of the universe?
  • What are the pros and cons of total control?
  • Is it really true that early to bed, early to rise can make a person stay healthy forever?
  • Should modern celebrities be considered positive models for contemporary youth?
  • Does genetics contribute to human behavior?
  • Evaluate the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.
  • What does the term ‘to cross the border of ethical conduct’ mean?
  • Ethical ideas concerning abortions.
  • Video games and their effects on the moral behavior of people.
  • Is morality objective or subjective?
  • What are the roles of Good and Evil?
  • What is the effect of binary opposition on the development of humankind?

Read also: Leadership Research Topics and Ideas To Deal With

Amazing Philosophy Research Topics

  • What is your attitude to “artificially designed babies”?
  • What is the future of humankind and humans?
  • Is 1 + 1 really equal to 2?
  • What is the sense of your existence?
  • Is there a possibility of working out a universal language?
  • The postmodernism ideas in philosophy.
  • What ideas or principles should an ideal family possess?
  • Should patriotism be regarded as a virtue?
  • What are the pros and cons of organ transplantation?
  • Is it ethical to have circuses?
  • Is it reasonable to tell a white lie?
  • Can murder be justified?
  • How to solve an issue between parents and children?
  • Why are humans cruel and evil?
  • Should religion be banned by law?
  • Are morals related to culture?
  • Do human beings deserve to have children?
  • Reasons and solutions for mass panic and hysteria
  • Is it worth sacrificing health in order to become more beautiful?
  • Is science compatible with religion in the contemporary world?

Informative Philosophy Research Topics

  • A critical analysis of the phenomenon of values through Axiology.
  • Write about Contextualism in Epistemology.
  • Conduct a detailed analysis of idealism and realism.
  • Explain the theory of modern liberalism.
  • Examine the influence of Greek philosophers on human sciences.
  • Conduct a critical analysis of the literary movements of transcendentalism.
  • A theoretical framework for the teacher’s philosophy of education
  • Philosophy and religion in Buddhism.
  • Conduct a comparative analysis of feminism and pragmatism.
  • Discuss the philosophy of stoicism.

Philosophy Research Paper Writing Tips

Choosing a perfect topic for philosophy research is a difficult task. Once you have selected a topic for your philosophy research, follow the below-mentioned writing tips to make your philosophy research paper stand unique in the crowd.

  • Structure the essay or research paper by including the following elements- Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
  • Write a strong thesis statement in the introduction paragraph suitable to the philosophy research paper topic that you have selected.
  • Explain your points or arguments on the topic with supporting evidence and other credible information in the body section of the research paper.
  • Present your ideas in a logical order to avoid confusion.
  • The sentence flow should be natural throughout the essay or research paper.
  • Present your arguments or points in a way to persuade your readers.
  • Do a complete revision so as to make your final draft free from grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Out of the different ideas recommended in this blog post, choose any topic of your choice and craft an excellent philosophy research paper as per your university guidelines. In case, you need an expert to offer you help with philosophy research paper topic selection, writing, and editing, feel free to approach us.

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An Introduction to Philosophy

(7 reviews)

philosophy assignment topics

Russ W. Payne

Copyright Year: 2023

Publisher: BCcampus

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Attribution-NonCommercial

Learn more about reviews.

philosophy assignment topics

Reviewed by Glenn Tiller, Professor of Philosophy, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi on 4/22/24

The text is suitably comprehensive and has chapters on the main branches of philosophy: logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. The author does a good job of discussing some of the main philosophical issues in these areas, such as logical... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text is suitably comprehensive and has chapters on the main branches of philosophy: logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. The author does a good job of discussing some of the main philosophical issues in these areas, such as logical arguments, the nature of scientific inquiry, free will, and how we should live our lives. It does not have an index, but terms are easily searchable with an e-text, and the text has a mini glossary at the end of each chapter with key terms for review. The text also does a decent job of providing historical context and a sense of the development of Western philosophy. Some significant topics are omitted, such as personal identity. On the other hand, some topics that are often not discussed (e.g., metaethics) are discussed at length.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The text engages with most of the standard philosophical issues and questions that students encounter in a typical Introduction to Philosophy course. The author seems to have no major biases or philosophical axes to grind. The author’s tone is teacherly, though not overly formal, and similar (at times, very similar) to many other introductions to philosophy in the analytic tradition. Broad in scope and short on detail, the text is meant to be supplemented, so it may be a useful basis for many teachers of first-year philosophy. The historical overview of philosophy is welcome, and the supplementary readings (e.g., Aristotle, Russell, and Chalmers) are well chosen. Some of the objections to traditional problems, such as Descartes’s Cogito argument, are somewhat narrow and do not plumb the depths of skepticism and the difficulties with Descartes's program of methodological doubt.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The author states in the introduction that "Philosophy has progressed dramatically as the sciences over the last century" (p.3). He also states that he aims to "remedy" the situation of a general lack of introductory texts that pay heed to recent developments in philosophy. However, the text is very much grounded in philosophy's history- in the Classic, Medieval, and Modern eras - and comparatively little attention to 20th and 21st C authors. This is not a fault of the text, but it is much more of a standard introduction to philosophy text than one that emphasizes current trends and philosophers. I believe this is a good pedagogical practice for a general introduction to philosophy.

Clarity rating: 5

Philosophy is often daunting to the newcomer, and it has its share of technical jargon, much of which must be explained so that issues can be inquired into. The text is written in a lucid, accessible manner that should appeal to newcomers to philosophy. Major terms (e.g., "Metaphysics") are put in bold and always defined (or at least given a working definition). Each chapter has a vocabulary section at the end, along with review and discussion questions and (in some chapters) "exercises." All of this is helpful. If supplementary definitions, instructors can easily link the text to, say, the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy or the (more challenging) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Consistency rating: 4

The book is internally consistent in its use of terminology and its organization of thematic chapters. The sequencing of the chapters is helpful, with a nice introduction to the nature of philosophy given first, followed by a primer on logical reasoning, a quick tour through some major eras in philosophy, and later chapters building on the preceding ideas and articulation of historical trends. I think it would have been helpful to have a more detailed section on the so-called "linguistic turn" in philosophy and note other 20th-century trends in philosophy, such as Existentialism. The latter would have been particularly helpful for the sections on, say, "Love and Happiness." Of course, the topics and themes can be easily added with an open-source text like this.

Modularity rating: 4

The text's "modularity" is fine. Major thematic chapters are divided into smaller sections, each with a subheading. At the start of each chapter, a summary of what's to follow is briefly outlined, sometimes using bullet points for concision. Overall, the reader is guided through the thicket of philosophy in a nicely organized manner. Chapters could, I think, be read individually, but the sequencing of the books is purposeful, and later chapters build on earlier chapters, so readers are rewarded if they follow the book from start to finish.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text is well organized, and the topics covered are given lucid overviews. The opening chapters are especially strong. It might have been more helpful to fully integrate the historical sections into the topics sections. As it is, the text is something of a hybrid. Again, the historical sections are welcome and will benefit students who often need a timeline of ideas to grasp the ongoing philosophical conversations and philosophy's perennial issues.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is excellent. There were no problems with external links, and the external readings and resources provided are top-notch (such as Early Modern Texts). Some chapters do not have links or as many as one might like, but again, these can be easily supplemented.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found no significant grammar or prose problems, and the book appears to be generally well-edited.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Like most texts, it pays little attention to the philosophizing of women, minorities, and others who have generally been excluded from Western philosophy. The author rightly notes that "women in Descartes’ time were rarely given a thorough education or allowed to participate fully in intellectual life." To help correct persistent biases, it would have been beneficial to include more women philosophers, be they historically well-known figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft or contemporary philosophers such as Martha Nussbaum. The text also mentioned Hindus and Buddhists, but a few more words on the nature of Eastern philosophy - even if to point the reader in the right direction - would enhance the text (esp., say if there was a section on Personal Identity). In addition, sometimes a phrase here or there is a bit unnecessarily jarring. Spinoza is referred to as the “God intoxicated Jew,” for example, and there is a line stating that "Such was the influence of the outcast Jew of Amsterdam." I am not sure about the weight of emphasizing Spinoza being Jewish. Of course, it's a historical fact, but how does the last line, particularly, call for racial and/or cultural identification? Last, there is little to nothing discussing (or mentioning) current issues in philosophy and gender and sexuality.

Again, given that the book is open source and easily modifiable, all of the above criticisms can be remedied. The author has done many a philosophy professor a service by providing a free text that can at least be used as a helpful point of departure for teaching an introduction to philosophy course.

Reviewed by Sean Gould, Adjunct Professor, College of Western Idaho on 4/28/22

An Introduction to Philosophy provides a survey of central themes within the western, analytic tradition of philosophy. The book presents the fundamentals of logic and critical thinking, the Socratic method, and approaches to knowledge based in... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

An Introduction to Philosophy provides a survey of central themes within the western, analytic tradition of philosophy. The book presents the fundamentals of logic and critical thinking, the Socratic method, and approaches to knowledge based in the Rationalist an Empiricist movements. Through following a historical approach, topics including Plato’s Forms, Cartesian Dualism, Pantheism, and Idealism are introduced in the context of their development. The chapter of Philosophy of Mind further discusses the Mind/Body, while the Philosophy of Science section rounds out the epistemological theme of the initial chapters. The final four chapters focus on Ethics, Metaethics, and Social Philosophy. Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Virtue Ethics, Relativism, Social Contract Theory, and Divine Command Theory are all discussed, either in these final chapters or at points fitting a historical appearance in the early chronologically based chapters. Payne provides a comprehensive introduction to the boarder topics of Epistemology, Metaphysics, Logic, and Ethics as they are studied in the western, analytic tradition.

The survey of western philosophy provided by An Introduction to Philosophy is quite brief. Even within the adopted bounds of this tradition, large jumps over time periods and movements are made for the sake of compactness. For example, discussion of Descartes follows quickly upon Aristotle after a brief 2-page transition glossing over the Roman and Medieval contributions to the story. Kant does not appear until his ethical theory is picked up in the chapters on Metaethics and Right Action. There is little or no discussion of Existentialism, Feminism, movements within a broadly Continental Eurocentric tradition, or of any non-western philosophical traditions.

There is no glossary to the text; however, when viewed electronically the “find” function serves as a proxy tool for locating key words.

In general, the text remains safely within the bounds of established scholarship in its presentation of material. There are a few points where the author interjects some personal commentary into the material, but these are generally presented in a transparent way and can be isolated and treated as one would wish. However, an exception to the safe presentation of ideas occurs in the Meta Ethics chapter. Here, the chapter takes a thinly veiled argumentative approach promoting metaethical realism against anti-realism and relativism. As an introductory text, this approach risks portraying the subject in an overly simplistic and decisive manner to introductory students.

The safe and roughly historical approach of the text ensures that the content will not be dated for some time. The material of the text is highly relevant within the field of philosophy it the perennial issues it addresses, although there is little explicit reference to contemporary and topical issues.

Clarity rating: 4

An Introduction to Philosophy proceeds with a clear and approachable tone. The ideas are presented in a language that does not require prior familiarity with philosophical study and should be appropriate to most first-year college students.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent throughout in its style, difficulty, and presentation of content.

Modularity rating: 3

The text can easily be divided into modular units to be adopted or passed over at an instructor’s discretion without harming the value of any given section’s use. However, the first five chapters do flow together into a historical narrative of ideas that some might find beneficial insofar as it helps provide some added structure to the introduction to the concepts. This beneficial structure would be lost were these early chapters to be taken in isolation. The Philosophy of Mind chapter also utilizes some reference to the prior section on Descartes.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The individual chapters of the text flow from chapter to chapter in a reasonable way. The presentation of material and tone of the text remains structurally consistent throughout. However, the text has detectable sections to its content.

An Introduction to Philosophy begins by providing a subject overview, while the second chapter on critical thinking supplies some methodological sideboards for the student. After this, the text moves through three phases. First, chapters 3-5 present a historical approach of Ancient Philosophy, Rationalism, and Empiricism. Concepts are organized by their association with a particular philosopher and that philosopher’s broad historical context. Chapters 6 and 7 roughly fit into the chronology established by presenting 20th C discussions of the Philosophy of Science and Mind.

Chapters 8-11 break this pattern and focus on ethics. Here, the ideas are presented thematically. Both in the focus ethic and the topical organization, the structure of the book changes. If one wanted to use the entire text for a course but did not want isolate discussion of ethics into one single block, then attempting to reintegrate these following, topic-centered chapters into a sequence parallel to the first would be challenging.

Interface rating: 4

An Introduction to Philosophy is all text. There are no images, figures, or other learning aids. The format of the text functions like a book. The table of contents does not contain internal links. There are some hyperlinks to further readings and materials, but these are often broken. When viewed through a web-browser, the browser’s page selection and “find” features can assist in navigating the material.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are a few typos or grammatical errors in the text, but generally the text is clean and presented to professional standards.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

With some exceptions, the text primarily presents the views of dead, white, male Europeans, and its cultural relevance suffers from faults of omission. As an introduction to philosophy, greater transparency regarding its limited content would have helped the text inform readers that this narrowness reflects a decision for the text rather than speaking to the scope of philosophy itself. There are no explicitly insensitive or offensive remarks in the text. When mentioned explicitly, the few acknowledgements of diversity from the narrow scope of the text are done appropriately, with one minor exception that warrants flagging. Elizabeth Simmern van Pallandt is given due attention for her critical correspondence with Descartes regarding the Mind/Body problem. At this point, Payne provides a well-intentioned interjection to identify and condemn the patronizing nature of some of Descartes’s communications with Pallandt. Payne also suggests that Pallandt, “provides a brilliant illustration of how to deal most effectively with patronizing behavior whether it is of sexist variety or some other kind: just be competent and this will show that you deserve to be taken seriously” (p 72). Rather than place full responsibility and condemnation for patronizing behavior on the perpetrator, some might worry that Payne’s interjection places some responsibility for patronizing behavior upon those who have yet to prove they deserve being taken seriously. This is an issue with the text that people might want to be aware of. I have had to interject on this passage for my students and have repeatedly received thankful comments from students for doing so. However, besides this gaffe and the narrowness of scope, An Introduction to Philosophy remains appropriate in what it does present.

Reviewed by Shalon van Tine, Adjunct Instructor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 4/9/21

Payne has written a solid introduction to philosophy for students with little to no background in the subject matter. His text covers the core ancient philosophers, basic logical reasoning, explorations in the philosophy of science and mind, and... read more

Payne has written a solid introduction to philosophy for students with little to no background in the subject matter. His text covers the core ancient philosophers, basic logical reasoning, explorations in the philosophy of science and mind, and the main branches of ethics. It is a short text, so therefore Payne has left out some key branches of thought, such as aesthetics, structuralism, or critical theory. Additionally, there is no index or glossary with this text. Still, he does a good job introducing the basics within his limited space.

As far as accuracy is concerned, there were no glaring mistakes, although sometimes the author’s personal views are embedded within the text.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

There are some instances within the book that are dated, such as examples that point to public figures at the time the book was written. Additionally, Payne’s lack of Marxist or sociological analysis in his section on social justice is a stark oversight. This omission leaves him struggling to explain atrocities like racism or genocide in individualistic ethical terms, as if these social problems are the cause of individuals with personal bad ethics rather than products of larger-scale structural realities. In light of recent world events and uprisings, this text would be more relevant if it took societal analyses into consideration.

A benefit of Payne’s book is its conversational tone. Too often students new to philosophy can get lost in the jargon. Payne does a good job using natural, easy-to-understand language.

The text is consistent with its organization. Payne keeps most chapters to a reasonable and readable length.

At times, the author refers to his own life as examples. While this tactic works well in a classroom setting, it does not work as well in a textbook that other professors will use. Shifting the textbook to a third-person narrative would solve this issue.

Regardless, Payne has organized his text well, and readers can easily navigate it.

Interface rating: 2

One major problem with this book, however, is its lack of images, charts, etc. Rather than revise charts to fit his text, Payne has included hyperlinks to outside web sources for information. Unfortunately, about half of all links included were either non-secure websites or dead links. The information he linked to could have been easily rewritten into his own book rather than linking outside the text to questionable sites.

While there are some minor grammatical errors, they do not interfere with the overall readability of the text.

Payne makes some references outside of Western philosophy, such as a brief exploration into Confucianism, but mainly this book sticks to the classics of the Western canon. As stated earlier, a main problem is his lack of philosophers who deal with social and cultural problems. Students interested in real-life issues, especially those that deal with race, gender, or class, will not find many solutions in this textbook.

Overall, Payne has written a useable introduction to the basic ideas in philosophy for 100-level students. The book is not organized like a traditional textbook and is lacking some core ideas that should be explored in an introductory philosophy class. Including more real-life examples and illustrations would help students grasp the concepts presented better.

Reviewed by Sally Parker-Ryan, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington on 12/13/20

Every introduction to philosophy is a reflection of the author’s opinionated view about what the most important topics are that should serve as a student’s first taste of college level philosophy. As this is often a student’s first taste of... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Every introduction to philosophy is a reflection of the author’s opinionated view about what the most important topics are that should serve as a student’s first taste of college level philosophy. As this is often a student’s first taste of philosophy simpliciter, it is an important decision to make. W. Russ Payne’s choices are at once careful to appeal to the interests of students, and comprehensive enough to cover a wide swathe of philosophical landscape. It should be said that the approach is definitely historical; and indeed the progression through philosophical topics follows a roughly chronological order (and often referring back to the ancients for the locus classicus of a particular philosophical view or problem). For some, like me, this works well. I like to give philosophical problems an historical context, and I like to introduce students to the writing of past thinkers. Other teachers, however, might find the historical bent a bit tedious and frustrating, perhaps preferring to introduce problems through more contemporary writers and treatments. At any rate, Payne’s text covers all of the major branches of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind and ethics (normative and meta), and socio-political philosophy, and the main philosophical problems that each branch treats of. The classic problems are presented through the classic texts (but you will not find, for example, much on contemporary epistemology such as the Gettier issues, nor more modern philosophical questions in mereology or personal identity etc.) However, I think that as an introduction to the discipline, the topics covered offer the right level and the right emphasis to furnish the student new to it with a range of philosophical concepts, views and questions that they may move on to more advanced, contemporary topics well prepared. As with any Introduction, it curates topics according to the author's editorial and pedagogical decisions, so it doesn't cover every topic one might be interested in teaching. Nor does it have an index or glossary (but I find these are available everywhere on the web, and can be added to one's class materials separately). I should also mention that the book approaches philosophy from within the analytic tradition, and thus has limited reference to the more 'continental' texts, authors and issues. Many will find this disappointing (but not surprising, as this distinction is unfortunately fairly standard within the discipline itself). Everything I say below about supplementing this basic textbook with the instructors' own choice of topics and materials applies here, of course.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As far as I can see, the content is quite accurate; at least I did not notice any glaring errors. The content is also unbiased; there appears to be nothing in the language or ideas that takes anything but a neutral, inclusive line.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book will be relevant for some time, as it does take an historical approach and does not pretend to be offering the latest, most cutting-edge views on things. As a solid historical introduction, it has a fairly long shelf-life. As with all textbooks, one should regularly ensure that the material reflects current thought, where it does mention contemporary authors, approaches or views. It is especially important to update with breakthrough work, when it happens. This text is pretty well up to date on the latter, and I would imagine it to stay so for at least 5 - 10 years, at the current pace of philosophical development.

Written very clearly, with a conversational style that is sensitive to the requirement to explain jargon and technical terms, when they arise. The tone is direct and simple, and aimed at the curious and intelligent freshman (so, not overly difficult and not unchallenging or condescending).

The book is consistent, and maintains a sense of flow and direction, and all the parts hang together as a whole.

Modularity rating: 5

The chapters, and certain subsections, of the book are easily used as separate modules. There is some self-reference - to a certain degree, this book is written as a course to follow in order. But it is possible to treat each section separately, to mix and match with other topics and materials, and to rearrange the order of presentation of the chapters if one wanted. Some editing or re-writing may be need for this, but not a lot.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I find the topic organization quite logical. Again, the order of topics and philosophical problems and text is ordered along roughly historical lines, and I personally find this arrangement a good one, for introductory purposes. For example, the course begins with a general introduction to to the discipline; then turns to some issues in argumentation and logic, followed by the ancients, rationalism and empiricism, philosophy of science (which connects back to the earlier topics), philosophy of mind; and then it turns to the more normative philosophical topics: philosophy of love and happiness, meta-ethics and normative ethical theories, and finally, to some social and political issues. Of interest here is the inclusion of the chapter on the philosophy of science, and the breadth of normative topics included in the last chapters. Firstly, I have found it rare to find an introduction to philosophy that includes topics in the philosophy of science. This part of philosophy might be passed over in introduction because it is thought too difficult for freshman, or those new to philosophy, or at least that it presupposes a lot of other philosophy before it can be approached. This can be true, but it is also true that this topic is foundational, and it can be introduced in a way as not to confuse students or to have them lose interest. Particularly if it is introduced in the context, as Payne does, of historical empiricism. It is also an area that gestures to more contemporary philosophical issues, and provides a good basis for moving on to those for future students. Secondly, the wide choice of topics in the normative branches of philosophy is a positive, in my view. There are students who are more attracted to these topics, but they are often treated in a very perfunctory fashion i.e. often just he meta-ethics part, or just some quick treatment of normative ethical theories. The four chapters here go together quite well, and give a more complete exploration of the issue that can arise in these parts of philosophy.

Interface rating: 3

The pdf version is not 'clickable' throughout, meaning that one has to scroll through to find parts of the text. Of course, it could be printed and used simply as a traditional book. There are links in the text to other open-source materials and texts, which is very helpful (although the links should always be checked regularly). It might have helped to make at least the table of contents clickable, to navigate directly to chapters.

No grammatical errors that I detected, although there are a few typos throughout.

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way that I could detect. I found the examples used were culturally diverse, as well as gender-neutral and appropriate. Here is probably the place to mention that this textbook fails to include many examples of female or other minority philosophers or texts. As a discipline, we all need to do more to undermine this view of the philosophical canon as white, western, male and privileged. I would be supplementing this textbook with readings from female philosophers, and I would consider introducing a topic from a non-traditional perspective such as asian or african philosophy. No textbook can include everything, but introductions to a discipline need to be at the forefront in making sure students don't think the subject is only for white, male people and interests.

This textbook takes an interesting introductory route through philosophy. It is both fairly traditional in terms of its topic range, and yet also a bit fresher in its inclusion of the philosophy of science, and a more extensive than usual treatment of the normative areas of philosophy. In my view, this is a solid, reliable introductory text for freshman philosophy. As a CC license, one can use this as one prefers, which might mean editing in or out certain topics and rearranging the order etc. I would definitely supplement it with topics I think need to be included. Dealing as it does with historical texts might require the teacher to create more readable excerpts of the longer, difficult texts. It might also be supplemented with a choice of further readings, or even other kinds of media like podcasts ( at least one is mentioned, and linked, by Payne), discussions, interviews, videos, blogs etc. But overall, this textbook is terrific and if it means a student can have access to the materials need for a class without being sent broke, then it is a great choice.

Reviewed by Kyle Hirsch, Adjunct Instructor, Community College of Aurora on 6/28/20

Please see overall review below. read more

Please see overall review below.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

This is a highly usable and economical introduction to philosophy textbook. It covers the definition, branches and application of philosophy as well as the major theories and issues of epistemology, metaphysics and ethics in the history of Western philosophy from the Ancient Greeks to Rawlsian theories of justice and Chalmers’ contributions to the philosophy of mind. Such a textbook always requires making difficult decisions regarding topical inclusion, and the author does an excellent job tracing the evolution of major philosophical thought to help students see the connections and influences between prominent thinkers as well as the relevant differences and departures. The chapters are succinct, clear, while rigorously dense which both novice and intermediate students will appreciate. While the author employs college-level vocabulary and subject-specific terminology throughout, he often will present numerous relevant examples to help contextualize the more abstract concepts. A great example of this is in the section on critical thinking and logical argumentation. The author provides ample homework exercises as well as an external link to a great resource on learning logical fallacies replete with everyday examples. Indeed, each chapter contains external links to primary readings and supplemental resources for students to access and dig deeper into content. Instructors would be wise to preview all of the externally linked resources and determine which they would like to feature in their course. For example, there are links to entire Socratic dialogues and essays when assigning only a particular section might be sufficient for the needs of the course. Additionally, there are links to encyclopedic biographies of particular thinkers that may have particular sections worth reading; one suggestion for the author is to be more consistent in linking thinkers’ biographies as there doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason why some are included and others aren’t. Overall, the inclusion of external links provides flexibility that is a tremendous asset of this textbook since it allows for instructors to curate content to fit their syllabus. Furthermore, a few of these links are currently broken, and the author has asked readers to let him know which ones need repair so that he can fix them (which I will do) The discussion questions and possible quiz questions found at the end of each chapter are excellent tools for both instructor and student. . Moreover, I would recommend that instructors who wish to supplement these chapters with additional resources do so to enrich the experience for their students and add their personality and particular areas of expertise and interest to the curriculum.

Some other feedback for the author is that the text lacks significant inclusion of minoritized and culturally relevant thinkers. There are several female philosophers, including an excellent section on Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia are her devastating critiques of Descartes’ substance dualism. However, the text would benefit from an inclusion of more female philosophers, thinkers of color and from the eastern hemisphere. Also, the text lacked visual aids aside from those included in the external links. Including more pictures

It is an excellent foundational source that when combined with other OER material is sufficient for an introductory philosophy course.

Reviewed by Ivan Guajardo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Virginia Western Community College on 4/1/19

There are different ways of introducing philosophy to newcomers, one is to present it as a living discipline defined by problems made more intelligible and relevant by tracing their historical roots. W. Russ Payne’s An Introduction to Philosophy... read more

There are different ways of introducing philosophy to newcomers, one is to present it as a living discipline defined by problems made more intelligible and relevant by tracing their historical roots. W. Russ Payne’s An Introduction to Philosophy takes this approach and does a good job at it. The first two chapters describe the nature of philosophy and the place of logic and concepts like ‘truth’, while subsequent chapters focus on two key periods in the history of philosophy (Ancient Greece and Early Modernity), and core themes in the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, love, happiness, metaethics, and the question of social justice in political philosophy. Although exclusively from an Analytic perspective, the textbook does provide a fairly comprehensive and sound overview of what it does covers. It does not have a glossary or an index. The first chapter lists some undefined key terms, but this convention is abandoned thereafter. The book does provide review and discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which can be used in a variety of different ways.

The textbook is fairly accurate in its presentation and definition of key issues, concepts, and themes, but again, it strictly follows an analytic approach to the discipline, which means that Continental thinkers, feminist perspectives, and non-European traditions are excluded. Unless it is complemented with material from these non-Analytic traditions, this textbook by itself will be of little use to someone planning to teach philosophy in a more global or pluralistic manner.

The textbook presents classic theories, arguments, and examples that should stand the test of time. Its content shouldn't require much updating. The book’s format and organization allows for easy incorporation of revisions and updates.

Explanations are clear and concise. The author uses technical jargon sparingly and defines technical terms well. Adding a glossary would help, however.

The textbook's narrative flows consistently. It moves from historical roots to the present in ways that helps readers see the historical and contemporary relevance of the issues being covered.

The textbook is divided into chapters and sections that stand on their own, and thus lend themselves to easy revision, reorganization, remixing, and so on. It can be used as a whole or only in part. Chapters can be read in different orders and still be understood.

The textbook is well organized. Key concepts are explained and material is appropriately divided into easily digestible units. The examples given in each chapter illustrate well their concepts. Transitions are easy to follow and allow the reader to make important connections within and between chapters.

Students have access to PDF copies. Printed copies of the whole or parts can be made easily. The textbook is published under a CC By license, which permits the greatest freedom to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute its contents. Most chapters contain links to readings, but they must be checked to avoid broken hyperlinks.

No recognizable grammatical errors, but typographical errors were found throughout the text. For example, page 6 says, “the reality” rather than “reality”.

The author does not use offensive or culturally insensitive language. However, the exclusion of continental, feminist, and non-European approaches can arguably be construed as insensitive to these traditions.

Overall this is a good textbook and may be combined with other sources to deal with its limitations.

Reviewed by Bassam Romaya, Philosophy Instructor , Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania on 3/7/19

As with most disciplines, philosophy comes with its own vast array of key terms, concepts, and vocabulary, which introductory students must learn in order to make sense of the discipline’s contributions and key debates (both past and present). The... read more

As with most disciplines, philosophy comes with its own vast array of key terms, concepts, and vocabulary, which introductory students must learn in order to make sense of the discipline’s contributions and key debates (both past and present). The text does not contain an index or glossary. The reader must sort through the chapter/s in order to find the relevant definitions or explanations. In Chapter 1, four vocabulary words are listed at the end of the chapter (which is helpful), but that convention is not repeated in other chapters, which introduce additional vocabulary.

The content that is covered is represented accurately. However, it should be noted that the text does not contain the entire breadth or history of the discipline. For instance, one will not find coverage of global or world traditions in philosophy, feminist philosophy (apart from very brief mention of care ethics in Chapter 10), or contributions of the continental tradition in philosophy. The treatment of the text (and themes) is predominately representative of the analytic tradition in philosophy. Of course, this does not mean that an introductory text must cover everything, but merely that the reader should be aware of its approach.

The text is up-to-date, and may easily be updated as needed.

The text is written in a clear and accessible style geared toward introductory students; the use of any relevant jargon (when present) is commonly followed by a definition and/or explanation of the key term, movement, or theory.

The text is internally consistent, in its terminology/ies and framework/s.

The book’s individual chapters may easily be assigned individually and out of order, without reliance on referential material that might come before or after any specific chapter. It is thus possible to both build on knowledge base acquired within a specific chapter (by covering supplementary chapters from this text or another), as well as covering one or more standalone chapters without assigning the entire text.

To some readers, it might seem confusing that the text features four chapters devoted to ethical issues (Chapters 8-11), while one chapter might more clearly and succinctly address the leading range of problems and questions in moral philosophy. There is also the concern that since they come at the end of the book, a beginning student might get the impression that the content in those chapters is less significant or less central to the study of philosophy, which would certainly not be the case. Additionally, Chapter 11 might be better titled “Political Philosophy” or “Social and Political Philosophy,” as the range of issues covered there are not exclusively social justice topics.

No interface issues recognized; although it might be a good idea to check the hyperlinks that refer the reader to live websites (to avoid sending the reader to a broken/outdated link).

No recognizable grammatical errors; however, typographical errors may be found in the text. For example, in Chapter 9, the spelling of “Divine” shifts to “Devine” throughout the chapter, and on page 104, one finds both spellings in that section. Another example, see page 93 for “mght” and “constrasting.” Also, in the book’s description, there’s an extra “first” (“Students are first invited first”).

The text is not culturally insensitive. The text does make use of examples that are inclusive to gender (this may be observed by reviewing examples and exercises used in Chapter 2).

Terrific text! Its versatility allows for coverage of standalone chapters as well as building on knowledge acquired in previous chapters. The embedded links to online primary source texts provide the reader with a valuable opportunity to explore the original texts that frame the discussion and background material to the topics and themes of the book.

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1: What Philosophy Is
  • Chapter 2: Critical Thinking I, Being Reasonable
  • Chapter 3: Critical Thinking II: Logic
  • Chapter 4: Ancient Philosophy
  • Chapter 5: Rationalism
  • Chapter 6: Empiricism
  • Chapter 7: Philosophy of Science
  • Chapter 8: Philosophy of Mind
  • Chapter 9: Love and Happiness
  • Chapter 10:  Meta Ethics
  • Chapter 11: Right Action
  • Chapter 12: Social Justice

Ancillary Material

About the book.

The goal of this text is to present philosophy to newcomers as a living discipline with historical roots. While a few early chapters are historically organized, the goal in the historical chapters is to trace a developmental progression of thought that introduces basic philosophical methods and frames issues that remain relevant today. Later chapters are topically organized. These include philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, areas where philosophy has shown dramatic recent progress. This text concludes with four chapters on ethics, broadly construed. Traditional theories of right action is covered in a third of these. Students are first invited first to think about what is good for themselves and their relationships in a chapter of love and happiness. Next a few meta-ethical issues are considered; namely, whether they are moral truths and if so what makes them so. The end of the ethics sequence addresses social justice, what it is for one's community to be good. Our sphere of concern expands progressively through these chapters. Our inquiry recapitulates the course of development into moral maturity. Over the course of the text, the author has tried to outline the continuity of thought that leads from the historical roots of philosophy to a few of the diverse areas of inquiry that continue to make significant contributions to our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.

About the Contributors

W. Russ Payne, Bellevue College

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A FINAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT IN PHILOSOPHY 101

PROFESSOR STEVEN NADLER (PHILOSOPHY 101, INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY)

We have covered many philosophical topics this semester, in metaphysics (the nature of reality, the mind-body problem), ethics (What is [the] good? What is happiness? What is the relationship between being good/virtuous and being happy?), political philosophy (Are you obliged to obey the state? Why?), epistemology (What is knowledge? How does it differ from mere belief or opinion?), philosophy of religion (Can the existence of God be rationally demonstrated? What is the difference between knowing something by reason and believing it on faith?), and the meaning of life (What does it mean to say that life/a life is meaningful? Does death render life meaningless? Or, in fact, is it immortality that would make life meaningless?).

We have also read a number of philosophers, both classic and contemporary (Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, St. Anselm, Descartes, Kant, Mill, Sartre, Susan Wolf, Bernard Williams, Thomas Nagel, Elizabeth Anscombe, etc.)

For your final paper, you are to write a philosophical dialogue (much like the dialogues of Plato that you read). Chose ONE of the philosophical topics we discussed, and TWO or THREE of the philosophers we studied, and put them in dialogue with each other. How would each philosopher explain his/her position and criticize the views of the other(s)? How would each philosopher respond to the other’s criticisms? You may insert yourself into the dialogue as one of the interlocutors, explain whom you would agree with.

5-7 pages, double-spaced.

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Are you searching for ideas for a philosophical paper? Then you are in luck to have found our page. Our compilations of standardized research themes are sure to inspire you to write a grade A+ essay. You ought to know that the contents of your research must meet academic standards set for sciences, and our suggestions are meant to steer you in the right trajectory. The first step of the writing process begins by looking for research topics in philosophy. This post helps in providing you with lists of philosophy research topics for your paper. Check title ideas prepared by our papers writing service and get ready to write your own paper. 

What Are Philosophy Research Topics?

Most philosophy paper topics require a good amount of devotion to writing. Philosophy involves the study of axiology, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of the mind, and aesthetics, to name just a few. Each of these branches can seem broad and complex, which is why most students find selecting a handful of philosophical research topics to be hectic.  In fact, some people make the mistake of picking very intricate social science research topics of discussion in an attempt to impress their professors. The best approach, however, requires one to choose a simple but researchable subject matter. Identifying appropriate philosophy topics for a research paper is crucial in writing. Doing so narrows down your search significantly.

How to Choose a Philosophy Research Paper Topic?

Successful formulation of your research topic, to a great extent, determines your final grade. You want to avoid the mistake of picking a philosophy paper topic that exceeds your grasp of knowledge. For example, if you are in your first year of college, you cannot tackle a philosophy research paper topic in the Ph.D. category. When picking your preferred theme, you should:

  • Consider the relevance of philosophy paper ideas to your specific area of study.
  • Refer to your class assignments as a source of inspiration for developing your interests.
  • Pick a topic that interests you, as this will allow you to research quickly in a fun and rewarding process.
  • Ensure that your preferred research issue aligns with your professor's instructions.
  • You need to discuss your selection with your instructor.

Top List of Philosophy Research Topics

In your search for writing ideas, you may consider top-tier philosophy topics to write a paper on. These themes, at times, prove to be a challenge. However, they are relatively popular, allowing you the chance to work with a vast amount of already existing resources. A wide variety of materials that are available and published make it easy to defend one's thesis with peer-reviewed findings. Here is a top-tier philosophy topics list.

  • Free will from a philosophical perspective.
  • An exploration of low moral standards.
  • Irony through a philosophical lens.
  • Are people morally obligated to be honest?
  • Beauty standards from a philosophical stance.
  • Aristotle's life and his influence on society.
  • Philosophical role in the globalization process.
  • The truth's relativity.
  • Philosophical implications of the love-happiness dynamic.
  • Race and justice in America.

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Interesting Philosophy Research Topics

There are numerous options within the interesting philosophy paper topics category. You need to have a good eye when picking from this collection because what you may consider attention-grabbing at times seems mundane to some people. Remember that your choice of essay topic should impress your professor. We have narrowed down the most thought-provoking themes and prepared a list of excellent philosophical paper topics that will captivate your instructor.

  • Supernatural claims: real or myth?
  • Can an individual find happiness despite them not having a family?
  • Truth as a virtue and its value in society.
  • Can one be rich without owning monetary wealth?
  • Why do people kill for religious reasons?
  • The psychology surrounding rules and obedience.
  • Can the main characteristics that make a person be changed?
  • Is it ethical to force people to observe science-backed traditions?
  • Notable modern life values.
  • Personal definition of happiness.
  • Three approaches to the substance of thinking: monistic, dualistic, and populistic.
  • French philosophies of the XIX-XX centuries.
  • The essence of man is reflected in ancient philosophy.
  • Comparing Plato's, Socrates', and Aristotle's philosophies.
  • Common notion regarding life after death.

Easy Philosophy Research Topics

If you want to write your paper faster, it makes sense to look for easy research topics in philosophy. Such themes are not hard to come by as they address commonly encountered philosophical questions in people's daily lives. You may decide to note down two or three philosophy topics to talk about from the list below and discuss them with your instructor.

  • What makes love last?
  • Society's role in your personal life.
  • The benefits of human emotions.
  • What constitutes an ideal world?
  • Good versus bad traits.
  • The role education plays in your personal life.
  • What are the principles of democracy?
  • What would you choose between pursuing your passions and landing a well-paying job?
  • Living without feeling alive.
  • Strengths associated with the Determinist theory.
  • In what ways does fear influence your everyday life?
  • Does faith change human nature?
  • Should abortion be made legal?
  • Why do most countries not allow human cloning?
  • What is harmony?

Fun Philosophy Paper Topics

Philosophical research topics can be fun and enjoyable, depending on the subject of discussion. Writing such themes is very engaging. Philosophy research paper topics in this category can be academic, informative, or for entertainment purposes.

  • Morality as a virtue.
  • Philosophical views in relation to space exploration.
  • What your cat thinks of you.
  • Why do people get irritated?
  • The irony in poverty and its philosophical perspectives.
  • Philosophical thoughts on what determines people's moods.
  • Humor and mental health : Is laughter the best medicine?
  • The irony of dying to live versus living to die.
  • Video games and how they affect our perception of the comedy of tragedy.
  • Machiavelli's ideas: Negatives and positives.
  • Analyzing humanity in contrast to divinity.
  • False beliefs about causes of death.
  • Have you ever felt like a minority in any aspect of your life?
  • Controversial aspect of modern life.
  • Is joy the same as happiness?

Good Philosophy Research Topics

To assist you in succeeding in writing philosophical essays, we have availed a list of good philosophy research paper ideas to inspire your writing. Also, if you are a teacher in need of topics for a philosophy paper for each student, you can pick from the following list.

  • Distinctions between humans and animals.
  • Would you prefer to love or be loved?
  • What does feminism mean to the world?
  • The essence of time as it relates to philosophy.
  • The age and wisdom.
  • Have you faced any ethical dilemmas in the last decade of your life?
  • Myths and the truth behind them.
  • Science from a philosophical standpoint.
  • Distinctions between ancient and modern life.
  • Honor as a concept applied in medieval Europe.
  • Top philosophers who lived in the 20th century.
  • Examining the connection between power and reason.
  • Possible rights of sentient robotics in the future.
  • Science's significance in humanity's daily living.
  • Is torture justifiable in any context?

We also have great ideas for psychology research topics and education research topics , to name a few. Browse our Blog for more title suggestions. 

Intriguing Philosophy Research Topics

If you are looking for adequately formulated philosophy paper ideas, you are in luck, as we have a collection of topics that you may find very intriguing. You can share this resource with others who might be having a hard time acquiring topics for philosophy research paper for their writing assignments.

  • Is the subconscious mind physiological or abstract?
  • Similarities associated with ethics and behavior.
  • Maturity age and marriage age as defined by the social realm.
  • Pros and cons of total control over society's behavior by totalitarian regimes.
  • Beauty's effects on an individual's self-esteem.
  • The two sides of suicide: For and against it.
  • How are parents, in general, responsible for the actions of a child?
  • Ethical Issues surrounding the topic of experimentation on animal subjects.
  • Pros and cons associated with artificial intelligence.
  • Do animals have souls?
  • Do animals perceive human emotional states?
  • The ethics associated with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
  • What is a "necessary evil?"
  • Pros and cons associated with marriage.
  • Is morality objective or subjective?

Philosophy Research Paper Topics for Students

Philosophy research topics are distinctively academic in nature. When presented with the task of delivering a philosophical essay, the best option for students is to read guides and examples of essays similar to the task at hand. Then they present proposed research topics in philosophy to their professor. The search can be odious, but we have made it easy for you to quickly settle on a topic and begin writing. Here is a list of philosophy topics for a research paper in high school or college.

Philosophy Research Topics for High School

Many high school students are searching for their next philosophy project ideas. If you are in such a situation, our philosophical paper topics resource below should at least help narrow your search.

  • Voting age dilemma: 16 or 18-year-olds.
  • The abstract nature of the subconscious.
  • Abortion as a question in life and death cycle.
  • Philosophical views on the subject of taxing the super-rich.
  • What lessons can younger people learn from your generation?
  • The philosophical view on forgiveness.
  • Positive thinking techniques.
  • Egg versus hen: Which came first?
  • Ethics and euthanasia.
  • Are social protests a practical approach to demand change?
  • Your greatest possession or treasure in life.
  • Utopia as critically reviewed through a philosopher's lens.
  • Missing ethical values in immortality.
  • What created the concept known as the " American dream ?"
  • Importance associated with philosophical studies.

Philosophy Research Topics for College Students

If you have been stressing thinking about philosophy term paper topics and you are lost on where to start, you are in luck, as you have landed on the right page. Here you will get a free list containing unique philosophical paper topics that you can use for your essay and impress your professor.

  • "Beauty of the Heart": is the concept probable?
  • Balancing law and ethics.
  • A philosophical view on reincarnation.
  • Does the truth always win an argument?
  • Philosophical thoughts on the epic of Gilgamesh and how it changed approaches to human conflict resolution.
  • What it means to "be proud of something."
  • Art's impact on children's creative thinking.
  • Is excessive knowledge dangerous?
  • Will technological advancements reach an end?
  • Inside a lying person's mind.
  • Do humans owe anything to robots?
  • The cycle of life and death.
  • Is "the bottom line" an American cultural phenomenon?
  • Is predatory capitalism in American healthcare ethical?
  • Celebrities as role models for the youth.

Extra Philosophy Research Paper Topics & Ideas

Philosophy is a broad discipline with numerous applications. It explores areas such as law, history, politics, art, ethics, and human life, among others. We have tried as much as possible to cover common philosophy research paper topics in our lists. You can navigate to any section in this post that relates to your current project and borrow philosophy paper ideas for free.

Political Philosophy Research Topics

This section contains a list of political and philosophical research topics and ideas. Philosophy has a keen focus on politics in all aspects, including political science. This relationship allows for a variety of research areas that you can explore. Here are 15 philosophy topics for a research paper that you should consider.

  • Enlightenment: political and philosophical ideas.
  • Do political lies amount to abusing freedom of speech?
  • Political revolution in Africa: Robert Mugabe.
  • What drives people to engage in civil disobedience?
  • Freedom and justice as political capital.
  • How the synthesis of Freudianism and Marxism in Fromm's literature is reflected in the national policies of some countries.
  • Political history as seen from a philosophical and ideological perspective.
  • Human freedom and responsibility as reflected in the policies of certain countries.
  • How politicians perceive the concept of superman in Nietzsche.
  • Changes to the political foundations with respect to the challenge of unity and diversity.
  • When does the truth become an epistemological and political problem?
  • Pessimism and optimism as approaches to the development of society when considered political Strategies.
  • Exploring the cultural and political self-determination of a human.
  • National idea and its role in the formation of civil society.
  • Roles of correctional institutions in punishment and criminal justice administration in America.

>> More ideas: Political Science Research Topics

Philosophy Paper Ideas on Ethics

Ethics and morality in philosophy is a branch that specializes in the idea of right and wrong. See our list of philosophy paper ideas. Checking through the compilation allows you to select a suitable philosophy research paper topic that makes you a candidate for a passing grade in your ethics essay .

  • A philosophical review of standardized tests.
  • Is evil naturally present in people?
  • Ethical egoism: good or bad?
  • Philosophical thoughts on the use of nuclear weapons.
  • Philosophical metaethics in the context of experimental science.
  • Same-sex marriages as seen through a philosopher's mind.
  • Alcoholism in the modern age.
  • Colonization in Africa and its moral implications.
  • American corporate greed as the main drive for neoliberalism.
  • Is venture capitalism evil?
  • Neoliberalism's effects on global labor markets.
  • An ethical and philosophical discussion of death sentence punishment.
  • Political manipulation and its effects on social trust.
  • Racism and gender discrimination's role in interstellar society.
  • What is the most effective way to discipline your children?

Philosophy Research Topics on Human Life

Human life philosophy is concerned with the study of the status of human beings in the universe, and it also investigates the purpose and meaning of life. In an attempt to answer these critical questions, students may be asked to write essays that are based on research topics for philosophy. If you find yourself in need of assistance with ideas for your essay, our suggestions list for philosophical paper topics is an excellent place to start looking.

  • Why happiness is such a complex life goal.
  • Things that cause human life to seem senseless.
  • Law and order as a recipe for peace.
  • What qualifies human life as meaningful?
  • What is a "perfect life" like?
  • Why do Africans, especially children, have a high happiness index despite impoverished states?
  • Would you desire to reincarnate?
  • Role of culture in human life.
  • Is there human-like life on other planets?
  • Mental health and its effect on living standards.
  • How AI will impact life in the next century.
  • What modern life custom is likely to fade over time?
  • What trajectory would life have followed without the Internet?
  • Distrust in long-distance relationships.
  • Do clones have souls?

Philosophy Research Topics About Art

Art is a testament to the creative human spirit, which links art to philosophy. If you are a student of art, you may be given a list of philosophy topics to talk about. Check out the art philosophy paper topics provided below.

  • Philosophical Ideas in Poetry and Architecture.
  • Leonardo da Vinci's painting is the true philosophy of the Renaissance.
  • Is photography an art?
  • Literature and philosophy as applied in political criticism.
  • Ideality in creativity as a manifestation of consciousness.
  • Creativity and art as a window to a person's inner spiritual world.
  • Artistic value vs aesthetic value.
  • Relationship between knowledge and creativity.
  • Philosophical aspects and art.
  • How will NFT (non-fungible tokens) usage change the future of art?
  • Is art simply a human spiritual activity or ritual?
  • Thoughts on art's lack of rational reproducibility and its bias towards symbolism and figurative forms of expression and cognition.
  • Philosophical exploration: The intersection between art, religion, and science.
  • Historical evolution involving the relationships between philosophy and history.
  • Existentialism as noted by A. Camus, G. Marcel, and J.P. Sartre.

Philosophy Research Topics From Experts

If you are interested in conducting research in your area of expertise, the following are current philosophical research topics that you can consider depending on your specialty. Looking through our compilation of expert philosophy topics can help you identify a research gap in your field to gain several philosophy paper ideas for your project.

  • An ideal world consisting of liberalism and fascism in political ideas.
  • Philosophy and mediation, according to Rene.
  • A summary: Charles Pierce's fixation on belief.
  • A summary of Buddhist philosophical ideals.
  • The ethics involving free will.
  • Post-Colonial and feminist philosophy.
  • Aristotle's friendship conditions.
  • Is there evidence for God's existence?
  • John McTaggart's unreality of time.
  • Apology by Crito and Plato.
  • A well-paid task versus a passion.
  • Life after death: What is the popular African viewpoint?
  • Modern life values that foster peace.
  • The most prominent bother that comes with loneliness.
  • How do religions die?

Philosophy Thesis Topics

Formulating proper thesis topics in philosophical subjects can prove challenging. Get started on any one of the philosophy topics for a research paper or thesis presented to you in this post. Our expert writers keenly formulated every proposition in the listing containing topics in philosophy for your thesis.

  • The robotics industry as seen from a philosophical angle.
  • A situation where humans have considered things as facts without evidence.
  • Views on artificial intelligence in philosophy.
  • The American dream's implications.
  • The classical Socratic method.
  • Hate crimes and how to combat them.
  • The remarkable life and death of Plato .
  • Honor was a social concept in ancient Rome.
  • What thoughts does the term "a life based on reason" invoke in your mind?
  • What is the ideal education in the 21st century?
  • Intuition is a human trait.
  • The power associated with slogans.
  • The flaws of fixation of belief.
  • Family values and how they influence personal character development.
  • Implications of time's relativity.

Bottom Line on Philosophy Research Paper Topics

This post is meant to provide both students and professionals with a resource where they can look up philosophy topics for a research paper. The importance of topic selection as a critical step in the writing process is evident. It influences the process that follows after leading up to your final grade or the quality of your final essay. As long as you pick an interesting and researchable topic, you are not likely to encounter extreme difficulties in your writing process. We hope that you have found the research topics in philosophy in this post helpful.

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Characteristics of Good Philosophy Research Topics

Writers who earn high grades begin their research journey by choosing good research topics for philosophy. Doing so carries benefits, such as being able to write on a theme you like and understand well, which makes the process enjoyable. These merits later reflect in your final score on your philosophy paper. Looking out for these traits given below will allow you to find a unique subject matter for your essay easily. You should:

  • Select a fascinating topic because it activates your imagination.
  • If your theme is original, then you stand a higher chance of earning extra points compared to students who recycled from a list of overused philosophy research topics.
  • Your preferred research issue ought to have plenty of information available in published resources, including books and the Internet.

Ancient Philosophy Research Topics

Ancient philosophy research paper topics cover historical aspects. It is interesting to learn about early theories and developmental stages of philosophical notions. The advantage of selecting a theme from the category of ancient research topics in philosophy is that there are enough materials to base your paper on in numerous publications.

  • An ideal world as dreamt by Plato.
  • An in-depth look at Immanuel Kant.
  • Beliefs in ancient Greece.
  • Reality as conceptualized by Aristotle.
  • The life and death of Socrates.
  • Unique elements associated with Roman philosophy.
  • Philosophy and mythology.
  • Philosophy's role as a theoretical doctrine in ancient times.
  • Philosophical aspects in anthropology that are no longer relevant today.
  • Cosmological nature of early Greek philosophy .
  • "Know Thyself": Socrates.
  • Roman stoicism and the rise of Christianity.
  • Positive social changes as a result of Seneca's stoicism.
  • The concept of honor in medieval culture.
  • The evolution of ancient philosophy.
Read more: What Is a Research Paper & How to Write It?
Read more: History Research Paper Topics  

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Philosophy Research Topics: 200+ Best Ideas To Explore

Philosophy is all about asking big questions and trying to understand things better. It helps us think about important stuff like what exists, what we should do, and what makes something beautiful. This blog will talk about excellent philosophy research topics that get you thinking.

There are so many cool things to explore – from questions about the mind and reality to how society should work. By learning about these ideas, you can get more intelligent and add to what humans know. Explore fascinating philosophical questions with us! 

We’ll examine exciting research that makes you go “hmmm” and “whoa.” It’s an adventure to figure out life’s big mysteries. There is no need for fancy words – just curiosity and an open mind. Philosophy is for everyone who wants to learn. Let’s think deeply together and discuss philosophy research topics. 

Why Philosophy Research Matters?

Table of Contents

Here are a few reasons why philosophy research matters

  • It helps us understand people and big life questions better – Philosophy thinks about essential things like what is real, right and wrong, beauty, and what life means. Philosophical research gives new views on these big topics.
  • It builds critical thinking skills – Studying philosophy improves skills like logical thinking, analyzing ideas, and making good arguments. These skills help us break down complex problems, evaluate ideas, and make sensible arguments. Philosophy trains the mind to think clearly.
  • It provides foundations for other subjects – Many school subjects like physics, psychology, and linguistics build on philosophical foundations. Analytic philosophy has mainly influenced subjects like logic, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of science.
  • It can impact society – Philosophical ideas have shaped laws, policies, social norms, and attitudes over history. Applied ethics examines how philosophical frameworks should guide moral issues like social justice. Philosophy can provide ethical analysis of new technologies like AI and bioengineering.
  • It has value in itself – Some argue philosophy is worthwhile for its own sake, separate from any practical impact. Philosophical inquiry allows us to contemplate life’s biggest questions deeply. Many find this search for wisdom inherently meaningful.

In short, philosophy builds transferable skills, provides foundations for other subjects, tackles big questions, and has value in thinking deeply about life. At the same time, not always concrete, philosophical research enables reflection on what it means to be human and our place in the world.

How to Choose Philosophy Research Topics

Here are some tips on how to choose good philosophy research topics:

  • Start with your interests – Consider philosophical, meaningful, or intriguing philosophical issues. Research flows more smoothly when you have a natural curiosity about the topic.
  • Look for under-explored areas – Scan philosophy journals and databases to find gaps where a new perspective could contribute. New angles on existing debates are often good topics.
  • Consider professors’ specialties – Many professors actively publish and have specific areas of expertise. A topic that aligns with their research can allow closer guidance.
  • Select manageable focus areas – Don’t pick topics that are too broad or already thoroughly debated. Focus on a specific part that can be covered deeply, given time/resource constraints.
  • Check if original research is feasible – For undergraduate papers, topics requiring original data may be unrealistic. Survey recent literature to ensure primary research is viable at your level.
  • Run topics by your advisor – They can evaluate if the topic is reasonable in scope, offers enough academic sources, and aligns with program expectations. Their input is invaluable.
  • Craft a robust research question – The research question drives the paper. Ensure it is arguable, not just factual, and identifies a tension/problem to resolve.
  • Evaluate practical significance – What real-world implications might this topic have? How could the research be meaningful beyond academia? Consider the potential impact.
  • Ensure philosophical depth – Topics should connect to fundamental philosophical debates and allow room for conceptual analysis. Seek substance over just novel observations.

The ideal topic has a compelling question grounded in philosophy, doable scope, available sources, significance beyond the paper, and alignment with your skills/interests. With focus and planning, you can develop these rewarding research experiences.

Philosophy Research Topics

Here’s a list of 200+ philosophy research topics categorized into different areas of philosophy:

Metaphysics

  • The nature of existence: substance or process?
  • Time: A metaphysical investigation.
  • The mind-body problem: dualism vs. materialism.
  • Free will and determinism: reconciling opposing views.
  • Identity and individuation: What makes an object distinct?
  • Causation: Understanding causal relationships.
  • Realism vs. anti-realism in metaphysics.
  • Essence and existence: Exploring essentialism.
  • Universals vs. particulars: Are there abstract entities?
  • Space: Investigating its ontological status.

Epistemology

  • The nature of knowledge: Defining epistemic justification.
  • Empiricism vs. rationalism: Sources of knowledge.
  • Skepticism: Challenges to knowledge claims.
  • Theories of truth: Correspondence, coherence, pragmatism.
  • Reliabilism vs. coherentism in epistemology.
  • Epistemic virtues: What makes a belief justified?
  • Foundationalism: Justification through fundamental beliefs.
  • Testimony and trust: The role of social epistemology.
  • Epistemic norms: Standards for rational belief.
  • Epistemic closure: Limits of justified belief.
  • Moral realism vs. moral anti-realism.
  • Ethical relativism: Is morality culturally determined?
  • Virtue ethics: The role of character in morality.
  • Deontological vs. consequentialist ethics.
  • Utilitarianism: Maximizing utility as the basis of morality.
  • Moral responsibility: Free will and accountability.
  • Meta-ethics: Investigating moral language and concepts.
  • Ethical egoism vs. altruism: The nature of self-interest.
  • Feminist ethics: Gender, power, and moral theory.
  • Animal ethics: Moral consideration for non-human beings.

Political Philosophy

  • Social contract theory: Justifying political authority.
  • Libertarianism vs. communitarianism in political philosophy.
  • Democracy: Theory, practice, and critiques.
  • Distributive justice: Fair allocation of resources.
  • Global justice: Moral obligations beyond borders.
  • Rights theory: The nature and scope of human rights.
  • Political obligation: Duty to obey the law.
  • Anarchism: Challenges to the legitimacy of the state.
  • Environmental political philosophy: Ethics of sustainability.
  • Multiculturalism: Balancing diversity and social cohesion.

Philosophy of Mind

  • Consciousness: Exploring its nature and origins.
  • Mental representation: How do minds represent the world?
  • Intentionality: The aboutness of mental states.
  • Personal identity: What makes a person the same over time?
  • Mental causation: Mind-body interaction.
  • Artificial intelligence: Philosophy of AI and machine minds.
  • Embodied cognition: The role of the body in cognition.
  • Phenomenal consciousness: The “hard problem” of consciousness.
  • Dual-process theory: Analyzing intuitive vs. deliberative thinking.
  • Explanatory gap: Bridging the gap between mind and body.

Philosophy of Language

  • Meaning and reference: How words acquire meaning.
  • Semantics vs. pragmatics in language understanding.
  • Understanding how words acquire meaning in communication.
  • Truth-conditional vs. non-truth-conditional semantics.
  • Speech acts The performative nature of language.
  • Language and thought: Do language structures shape thought?
  • Interpretation and understanding: The hermeneutic circle.
  • Contextualism vs. semantic minimalism in semantics.
  • Indeterminacy of translation: Quine’s challenge to translation.
  • Language acquisition: How do humans learn language?
  • Private language argument: Wittgenstein’s critique of private meanings.
  • The nature of beauty: Subjective vs. objective aesthetics.
  • Art and Interpretation: Understanding artistic meaning.
  • Aesthetic experience: The role of emotions in art appreciation.
  • Artistic creativity: Exploring the creative process.
  • Aesthetic judgment: Criteria for evaluating art.
  • Artistic expression: The relationship between art and the artist.
  • Art and morality: Can art be morally evaluated?
  • Aesthetic realism vs. anti-realism.
  • Philosophy of film: Analyzing the nature of cinema.
  • Environmental aesthetics: The aesthetics of nature and the environment.

Philosophy of Religion

  • The existence of God: Arguments for and against.
  • Problem of evil: Theological responses to suffering.
  • Religious pluralism: Coexistence of conflicting religious beliefs.
  • Faith and reason: Compatibility or conflict?
  • Religious experience: Nature and interpretation.
  • The afterlife: Conceptualizing life beyond death.
  • Divine attributes: Omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence.
  • Religious language: Can religious claims be meaningful?
  • Theodicy: Justifying the ways of God to humanity.
  • Mysticism: Direct experience of the divine.

Philosophy of Science

  • Scientific realism vs. anti-realism.
  • The demarcation problem: Distinguishing science from pseudoscience.
  • Scientific explanation: Understanding the nature of scientific explanations.
  • Confirmation theory: Assessing evidence and hypothesis testing.
  • Theory change: How scientific theories evolve.
  • Reductionism vs. holism in science.
  • The scientific method: Evaluating its strengths and limitations.
  • Laws of nature: Are they descriptive or prescriptive?
  • Scientific progress: Criteria for evaluating scientific advancement.
  • Ethics in scientific research: Balancing discovery with ethical concerns.

Philosophy of Mathematics

  • Platonism vs. nominalism in the philosophy of mathematics.
  • Mathematical realism vs. anti-realism.
  • The nature of mathematical objects: Are they abstract entities?
  • Foundations of mathematics: Exploring different foundational systems.
  • Mathematical explanation: The role of mathematics in explaining natural phenomena.
  • Mathematical knowledge: How do we come to know mathematical truths?
  • Infinity: Philosophical implications of mathematical infinity.
  • Intuitionism: A constructivist approach to mathematics.
  • Mathematics and reality: Is mathematics invented or discovered?
  • Gödel’s incompleteness theorems: Implications for mathematical knowledge.

Continental Philosophy

  • Phenomenology: Husserl’s method of philosophical inquiry.
  • Existentialism: The individual’s struggle for meaning and authenticity.
  • Hermeneutics: Interpretive approaches to understanding texts and cultures.
  • Critical theory: The Frankfurt School’s critique of society and culture.
  • Poststructuralism: Derrida’s deconstruction of binary oppositions.
  • Psychoanalysis: Freudian and post-Freudian perspectives on the psyche.
  • Continental vs. analytic philosophy: Contrasting traditions and methodologies.
  • Marxism: Materialist analysis of society and history.
  • Postmodernism: Challenges to modernist conceptions of truth and knowledge.
  • Feminist continental philosophy: Gender, power, and identity in continental thought.

Philosophy of History

  • Historiography: The study of historical writing and methodology.
  • Historical explanation: Understanding the causes of historical events.
  • Exploring whether historical truths are relative to their context.
  • Teleology in history: Is history driven by a purpose or goal?
  • Historical materialism: Marxian analysis of historical development.
  • Historical relativism: Are historical truths relative to context?
  • Memory and history: The role of collective memory in shaping the past.
  • The philosophy of historical progress: Evaluating historical optimism.
  • Postcolonial philosophy of history: Decolonizing historical narratives.
  • History and identity: How historical narratives shape individual and collective identities.
  • History and ethics: Moral implications of historical interpretation.

Philosophy of Education

  • The aims of education: What is the purpose of schooling?
  • Curriculum design: Balancing breadth and depth in education.
  • Pedagogical methods: Evaluating different approaches to teaching and learning.
  • Investigating how different teaching methods impact student learning.
  • Philosophy in education: The role of philosophy in the curriculum.
  • Critical thinking: Fostering intellectual autonomy in education.
  • Education and democracy: The relationship between education and citizenship.
  • Multicultural education: Promoting diversity and inclusivity in schools.
  • Philosophy of childhood: Understanding the nature of childhood and its implications for education.
  • Educational equity: Addressing disparities in educational opportunities.
  • Philosophy of higher education: The purpose and value of university education.

Philosophy of Technology

  • Technological determinism vs. social construction of technology.
  • Ethics of emerging technologies: AI, biotechnology, nanotechnology, etc.
  • Examining ethical concerns in the development of artificial intelligence.
  • Human enhancement: Ethical implications of technological augmentation.
  • Technological unemployment: The impact of automation on employment.
  • Information ethics: Privacy, surveillance, and digital rights.
  • Technological singularity: Speculations on the future of artificial intelligence.
  • Philosophy of the Internet: The implications of online communication and connectivity.
  • Environmental philosophy of technology: Sustainable technology and ecological concerns.
  • Philosophy of design: Ethical considerations in design processes.
  • Techno-optimism vs. techno-pessimism: Attitudes toward technological progress.

Philosophy of Law

  • Legal positivism vs. natural law theory.
  • Legal realism: The role of judges in interpreting the law.
  • Rights theory in law: The nature and scope of legal rights.
  • Punishment and retribution: Justifying legal sanctions.
  • Analyzing the role of judges in interpreting and applying the law.
  • Jurisprudence of human rights: Philosophical foundations of human rights law.
  • Legal responsibility: Moral and legal dimensions of accountability.
  • Philosophy of criminal law: Justifying punishment and rehabilitation.
  • Legal pluralism: Coexistence of multiple legal systems within a society.
  • Feminist philosophy of law: Gender, power, and legal theory.
  • Legal interpretation: The nature of legal reasoning and interpretation.

Philosophy of Emotion

  • The nature of emotions: Cognitive vs. non-cognitive theories.
  • Emotion and reason: Interactions between emotions and rationality.
  • Emotional expression: How do we communicate emotions?
  • Moral emotions: The role of emotions in moral judgment and behavior.
  • Investigating the influence of culture on emotional expression.
  • Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing emotions.
  • Aesthetic emotions: The emotional experience of art and beauty.
  • Emotion and identity: How do emotions shape our sense of self?
  • Emotional development: Theories of emotional growth and maturation.
  • Emotion and culture: Cultural variations in emotional expression and understanding.
  • Emotion and health: The impact of emotions on physical and mental well-being.

Philosophy of Literature

  • The nature of literary interpretation: Hermeneutics and literary criticism.
  • Fictional truth: How do fictional narratives convey truth?
  • Literary realism vs. metafiction.
  • Ethics in literature: Moral dimensions of literary works.
  • Narrative identity: How do narratives shape personal identity?
  • Literary genres: Exploring the boundaries and conventions of literary forms.
  • Authorship and intention: The role of authorial intent in interpreting texts.
  • The philosophy of the novel: Understanding the novel as a literary form.
  • Literary value: Criteria for evaluating literary excellence.
  • Literature and empathy: The role of literature in fostering empathy and understanding.

Philosophy of Mindfulness

  • The nature of mindfulness: Definitions and conceptualizations.
  • Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness: Origins and principles.
  • Mindfulness and meditation: Practices and techniques.
  • Mindfulness-based interventions: Applications in psychology and therapy.
  • Mindfulness and well-being: The effects of mindfulness on mental health.
  • Mindfulness in education: Incorporating mindfulness practices into schools.
  • Mindfulness and ethics: Ethical dimensions of mindfulness practice.
  • Mindfulness and neuroscience: The neurological basis of mindfulness.
  • Mindfulness and self-awareness: Cultivating awareness of thoughts and emotions.
  • Mindfulness in everyday life: Integrating mindfulness into daily routines.

Philosophy of Happiness

  • The nature of happiness: Defining and conceptualizing happiness.
  • Hedonism vs. eudaimonism: Theories of happiness and well-being.
  • The pursuit of happiness: Strategies for achieving happiness.
  • Happiness and virtue: The role of character in leading a happy life.
  • Subjective vs. objective happiness: Is happiness a subjective experience or an objective state?
  • Happiness and meaning: The connection between happiness and meaningfulness.
  • Cultural variations in conceptions of happiness.
  • The measurement of happiness: Challenges in assessing subjective well-being.
  • Happiness and social justice: Distributive implications of happiness research.
  • The philosophy of positive psychology: Philosophical foundations of the science of happiness.

Philosophy of Love

  • The nature of love: Defining and understanding love.
  • Theories of love: Eros, agape, philia, and other conceptions of love.
  • Romantic love vs. platonic love.
  • Love and attachment: The psychological and emotional dynamics of love relationships.
  • Love and ethics: The moral dimensions of love and romantic relationships.
  • Love and identity: How does love shape our sense of self?
  • Unrequited love: Philosophical reflections on unreciprocated affection.
  • Love and freedom: The tension between love and individual autonomy.
  • Love and vulnerability: The risks and rewards of opening oneself to love.
  • Love and mortality: The existential significance of love in the face of death.

These philosophy research topics cover a wide range of areas, offering excellent opportunities for research and exploration. Whether you’re interested in metaphysics, ethics, political philosophy, or any other branch of philosophy, there are numerous intriguing questions to investigate and discuss.

Tips for Conducting Successful Philosophy Research

Here are some tips for conducting successful philosophical research:

  • Read philosophically – Don’t just read for content, but read actively. Highlight essential claims, arguments, and assumptions. Think critically about what you read.
  • Understand the context – Research the historical and intellectual context around texts/topics. This background is crucial for insightful analysis.
  • Take clear notes – Maintain organized notes of significant ideas, debates, author positions, arguments, and your thoughts. Cite sources.
  • Engage with the literature – Let texts dialogue with each other through your analysis. Compare and contrast perspectives thoughtfully.
  • Develop analytical skills – Think logically, spot fallacies, scrutinize reasoning, and identify implicit premises and weaknesses in arguments.
  • Construct sound arguments – Build layered arguments with coherent logic, reasonable premises, and persuasive writing. Support claims thoroughly.
  • Consider objections – Anticipate critiques or counterarguments to your position and develop your responses.
  • Apply philosophical concepts – Use philosophical frameworks and questions to illuminate your topic and write insightfully. Tie ideas to ethical systems, epistemology, metaphysics, etc.
  • Craft a unique thesis – Stake out your own position within existing debates. Offer a novel argument or approach using evidence.
  • Explain complex ideas clearly – Use concise, precise, and plain language when appropriate without oversimplifying concepts. Define terms.
  • Connect ideas across texts – Synthesize different theories and perspectives into broader commentary. Show philosophical links.

You can produce impactful philosophical research with close reading, context, concise notes, analytical rigor, clear writing, and creative connections.

Final Remarks

Exploring philosophy research topics opens doors to understanding life’s big mysteries. Through these inquiries, we engage with core questions about life, right and wrong, society, and the human experience.

Philosophy research improves intellectual pursuits and sharpens critical thinking skills for complex issues. By exploring diverse areas of philosophy, we widen our perspectives and add to ongoing philosophical discussions.

Remember, philosophy is for everyone, no matter your background or expertise. It’s about curiosity, open-mindedness, and willingness to ponder life’s big questions. So, let’s keep thinking deeply, exploring fascinating topics, and welcome the adventure of philosophical inquiry together.

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Philosophy Toolkit

Welcome to the philosophy toolkit, a searchable index of philosophical lesson plans.

philosophy assignment topics

Our Links page  also offers links to other sites with high quality lesson plans and other resources for philosophy with young people.

We welcome lesson plan submissions for the PLATO Philosophy Toolkit. Submissions should include: grade level, time necessary for the lesson, area, and topics (see other Toolkit lesson plans).  Submissions are accepted for review year round. Please s ubmit lesson plans to Education Director Karen Emmerman at  [email protected]

Looking for resources on philosophy and children’s literature? 

The Philosophy Toolkit includes over 100 lesson plans for children’s books!

Click here to browse Philosophy and Children’s Literature →

We have also developed prompts for reflecting about difficult issues , such as anxiety, death, loneliness and boredom. Click here to browse those .

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Getting started:.

Getting Started The Philosophy Toolkit contains a variety of different lesson plans for leading philosophical discussions with young people. Each lesson plan indicates the grade level for which it is appropriate as well as an estimate of the time necessary to complete the lesson. Please explore the Toolkit and contact us with any suggestions, questions, or feedback.

Search by Areas and Grade Levels: The Toolkit is organized by Area and Grade Levels. In the navigation on the left, you can click “Areas” to get a drop-down menu of academic topics (e.g., History and Social Studies, Science, and Music).

If you would like to search by the age range of the students you work with, click on “Grade Levels” to open a menu listing grades from preschool through high school and beyond.

Search by Philosophical and Other Topics: If you are looking for lesson plans focused on a particular philosophical area (e.g., ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, and aesthetics), simply enter that term into the search bar to receive a list of lesson plans with that philosophical focus.

If you prefer to search for a more general topic (e.g., friendship), enter any search term you like and receive a list of lesson plans related to that topic.

Popular Topics Looking for inspiration? Take a look at some popular lesson plans from recent user searches by clicking the “Popular Topics” tab in the navigation bar on the left.

It’s important that the teacher/facilitator always keeps in mind that the whole point of doing philosophy with young people is to help the students develop their own thinking!  The role of the teacher/facilitator is guide the discussion without attempting to control its content. In other words, do not plan to dictate the substance of the discussion, but rather provide the tools and structure for the discussion to take place among the participants/students.

Remember it’s a balancing act between helping students achieve philosophical clarity and depth and refraining from imposing on the conversation your own preferences for subject matter. This requires sensitivity, skill and practice; push too hard and you’ll monopolize the conversation, but if you do not provide enough structure the students can end up following tangents at length or simply engaging in an opinion-sharing exercise, and making no progress!

To assist you in getting started, we have compiled a list of things to do and not to do that we have found helpful for new and experienced philosophy educators alike.

Things To Do

Hint: Let the discussion flow from the students’ questions and ideas. After reading a story or doing an activity, ask, “What questions did this make you think of?”

  • Encourage the students to build on each other’s ideas.
  • Show the students that what they say makes you think.
  • Encourage the students to speak to one another.

Things Not To Do

  • Tell the students their answers are right or wrong.
  • Plan to teach the students some philosophical argument or point.
  • Insist on your own views.
  • Be uncomfortable with or try to fill-in intervals of silence.
  • Give a definitive answer to a philosophical question.
  • Permit lengthy discussions of relatively unimportant issues.
  • Monopolize the discussion.
  • Resolve issues for them.
  • Try to show the students how philosophically sophisticated you are.

The Difference between Philosophical & Non-Philosophical Questions:

Ten Examples of Philosophical Questions 

  • Are numbers real?
  • Do animals think?
  • What is a thought?
  • Why I am alive?
  • What makes someone a good friend?
  • How do we know anything? 
  • What makes a life a good life? 
  • How should human beings treat the environment?
  • What does it mean to be brave?
  • What is time?

Ten Examples of Non-Philosophical Questions

  • What is 10 x 10?
  • How many bats are there in the state of Pennsylvania? 
  • How do computers work?
  • How does the brain work?
  • Do sea cucumbers have brains?
  • What is the capital of Bulgaria? 
  • How much pollution do humans contribute to the Earth?
  • Is the death penalty legal in Sweden?
  • How many people live in Nigeria?
  • When was the Declaration of Independence signed?  

Good Leading Questions to Ask in a Philosophy Session:

  • “What did you mean when you said . . .?”
  • “That’s an interesting idea. Can you explain what you were thinking when you said that?”
  • “When you said . . . , did you mean . . . ?”
  • “How does what you just said relate to what ____ said a moment ago?”
  • “So if what you just said is true, is ____ also true?”
  • “When you said ____, were you assuming ____?”

For more thoughts on how to facilitate philosophy sessions with young people, read this article on “The Cultivation of Philosophical Sensitivity”

Most classroom philosophy sessions are arenas for discussions about the ideas and questions of philosophy, as opposed to being primarily focused on what historical and contemporary philosophers have to say about these ideas and questions. That is, we engage young people in the practice of philosophy. A powerful model for this educational approach is the community of philosophical inquiry.

Lipman and the Community of Inquiry

Matthew Lipman’s detailed conception of the community of inquiry—in which students and teacher(s) learn from one another— was among his most significant contributions to the field.

The community of inquiry, as Lipman conceived it, includes the following characteristics:

  • The enterprise is based on mutual respect;
  • The students build on one another’s ideas and follow the argument where it leads;
  • Students challenge each other to supply reasons for their opinions;
  • Students assist one another in drawing out inferences from what has been said; and
  • Students endeavor to identify one another’s assumptions.

The members of the community of inquiry come together in a spirit of intellectual freedom to explore the more problematic and puzzling aspects of situations and curriculum concepts, rather than emphasizing the “facts.”

The Community of Philosophical Inquiry

The community of inquiry model can be used to explore any subject matter in the classroom. The special features of a community of philosophical inquiry (CPI) involve the content (i.e., philosophical topics). Philosophical topics examine meanings, attempt to clarify concepts, and generally engage abstract questions whose answers are contestable, rather than final or settled.

In a CPI, the students’ philosophical questions shape the scope of the inquiry. Teachers guide the students in inquiry, but do not control the content of the discussion and often don’t know ahead of time what the topic or topics under consideration will be.

The teacher’s role here is robust, but subtle. Teachers pay close attention to the initiation and progress of the dialogue, look for connections among what students say, ask for clarification and reasons, and are attuned to the philosophical content of questions and ideas that might otherwise be lost. This entails a delicate balance between supporting students’ attainment of philosophical clarity and depth and refraining from imposing the teacher’s own preferences for subject matter and the direction of the discussion.

Central features of a Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CPI)

  • The content is philosophical: Members of a CPI are engaged in a structured, collaborative inquiry aimed at building meaning and acquiring understanding through the examination of philosophical questions or concepts of interest to the participants.
  • Epistemic Modesty: A CPI entails a consensus of ‘epistemological modesty’—an acknowledgement that all members of the group, including the facilitator, are fallible, and therefore hold views that could end up being mistaken. Teachers in a CPI facilitate students’ ability to think for themselves about the fundamental aspects of human existence. We demonstrate a reticence about advocating for our own philosophical views and model a comfort with uncertainty and with the fact that we don’t have final settled answers philosophical questions.
  • Avoiding the use of jargon: Participants in a CPI generally refrain from using much technical philosophical language or referring often to the work of professional philosophers. This helps to ensure that the group focuses on exploring the questions themselves and not the past or current history of the subject among professional philosophers.
  • Intellectual Safety : The CPI is an environment of intellectual safety, one in which any question or comment is acceptable, so long as it does not belittle or devalue others in the group, and which allows trust and a corresponding willingness to present one’s thoughts to participants. The teacher models openness and respect for others’ ideas and constructs a structured space that invites the students to engage thoughtfully and with an appreciation for multiple perspectives

While an intellectually safe learning community involves trust, respect, and an atmosphere conducive to taking intellectual risks, it does not promise comfort. Communities of inquiry are dedicated to the open and rigorous exploration of difficult and contestable issues and the intellectual growth that results, the process of which can often provoke feelings of perplexity and uncertainty. This can be an uncomfortable experience. Feeling intellectually safe, therefore, is not to feel complacent or unchallenged—it is to feel supported in one’s struggles to make sense of the world for ourselves.

One practical tool to begin to fashion an intellectually safe atmosphere is to help the students set the rules for the community of inquiry at the beginning of the year. The rules can be posted so that they are always visible during philosophy sessions, and you can remind the students of them from time to time.

Warm-up #1: Think of someone you know who you think is a really good person. What makes that person a good person?

Warm-up #2: • Think of something that’s pretty good. • Now think of something that’s better than pretty good, that’s good. • Now think of something that’s better than that, that’s really good. • Think of something that’s pretty bad. • Now think of something that’s worse than pretty bad, that’s bad. • Now think of something that’s worse than that, that’s really bad. • Now think of something that’s both good and bad. • Now think of something that’s neither good nor bad.

Warm-up #3: • Do you have memories that make you feel a certain way? • Can you have a memory that makes you happy? • What is happiness? • Can you be happy but feel sad? • Can you feel sad but be happy? • Can you be happy and sad at the same time? • What makes you happy?

Warm-up #4: Think of something: • You’re glad has happened • You wish had happened • You wish hadn’t happened • You’re glad didn’t happen

Epistemology

Warm-up #1: • Think a big thought (about something small) • Think a small thought (about something big) • Think a really hard thought (about something soft) • Think softly. Can you? • Think a funny thought • Think a serious thought • Think of a part of your body: think of your foot • Think of your hand • Think of your head • Think of your mind: What is your mind? • Think of something that’s true: What is true? • Think of something that’s false: what is false? • How do you know the difference between true and false?

Warm-up #2 • Think the biggest thought you can. • Think the tiniest thought you can. • Think the oldest thought you can. • Think the newest thought you can. Can you think of an even newer one? • Think of something really good. • Think of something really bad. • What makes something good or bad?

Warm-up #3: Let’s start by all thinking together. What’s a thought we can share? • Can we all think about the same thing? • Let’s all think about the sky. Are we all thinking the same thing? • Let’s all think about a dog. Are we all thinking the same thing? • Can we all have different thoughts? Is it possible that every one could think of something different? • What are you thinking about right now? What about now? • How long is now?

Warm-up #4: • Let’s all think really really hard…about something really soft. • Let’s all have really big thoughts…about something small. • Let’s all think of the same thing • Let’s all think of something different • What’s your favorite thought? • What’s your least favorite thought? • Let’s all think about something we know. • What is something we wonder about? • Do you ever wonder what it means to be a friend? • What can you be friends with?

Warm-up #5: • Think of something in the past • Think of something in the future • Think to yourself • Think to someone else • Think something you know • Think something you don’t know • What makes something what it is? • What makes a duck a duck? • What makes a chair a chair? • What makes your teacher your teacher?

Warm-up #6: • Think the biggest thought you can. • Think the tiniest thought you can. • Think the oldest thought you can. • Think the newest thought you can. Can you think of an even newer one? • Think of something about yourself. • Think of something about someone else. • What’s the difference between you and someone else? • What makes you you?

Warm-up #7: Let’s start by wondering. What are you wondering about? • Can you wonder about what you’re wondering about? • What are you thinking about? Can you think about what you’re thinking about? • How many of you are thinking about tomorrow? What’s it like to think a thought about the future? • Can you think a thought about the past? • What are thoughts like? What are they made of? Can you build thoughts? • Think of an elephant. Now put a hat on it. Now, on top of the hat, put a bird. Now change the color of it. • What color are thoughts? Can you think a green thought? A red thought? What about a super-bright thought? • Can thoughts make you feel things? Can a thought make you happy? Can it make you laugh? What about scared? Can a thought make you scared? • Here’s a story… • When it’s dark out, I….

Warm-up #8: • Let’s all think. What are you thinking about? • Can you think about what you’re thinking about? • Let’s try wondering. What are you wondering about? • Can you wonder about what you’re wondering about? • Do you ever wonder about what is real? • What’s something that’s real? • What’s something that isn’t real? • Can you think of something that isn’t real, but seems real? • Can you think of something that is real but doesn’t seem real? • How can you tell if something is real? • Are dreams real? • Are thoughts real? • Are you real? • Something I wish that was real is…

Warm-up #9: • Is anyone NOT thinking? • What are you NOT thinking about? • Do you ever think about yourself? • When you think about yourself, what do you think about? • Can you think about your foot? Your hand? Your head? • Can you think about your mind? • When you think about your mind, what is doing the thinking? • Can you imagine you were something else? What? • Can you imagine your were nothing? If you were nothing, what would you be? • Do you ever wonder who you are? • How do you know who you are? • Could someone convince you that you weren’t you? How? • When I think of myself, I know…

Warm-up #10: Write down something you believe and something you know. How do you know the difference?

Warm-up #11: • Write down something you know about yourself. • Write down something you don’t know about yourself. • Write down something pretty much everyone who knows you knows about you. • Write down something hardly anyone who knows you knows about you.

Warm-up #12: Think of someone you think of as a really good friend. What makes this person a good friend?

Warm-up #1: Write down something that you think is beautiful and two reasons why you think it’s beautiful, and write down something that you think is ugly and two reasons why you think it’s ugly.

Warm-up #2: What is your favorite art form (music, literature, visual arts, dance, poetry, film, theater, etc.)? What about it do you like most?

Warm-up #3: Think of something (and write down if appropriate): • Visually beautiful • Visually ugly • Tastes delicious • Tastes disgusting • Smells fragrant • Smells stinky • Feels really good • Feels really awful • Sounds great • Sounds terrible

Warm-up #4: • Think a red thought • Think a blue thought • Think a green thought • Think a yellow thought • Think a purple thought • Think an orange thought • Think a clear transparent thought

Metaphysics

Warm-up #1: If you had to describe yourself using only 5 words, what would they be? Write them down.

Warm-up #2: • Think of something that’s real. • Is there a way it might not be real? • Think of something that’s not real. • Is there a way it could be real?

Warm-up #3: Think of (and write down) something that happened (or is happening) • In the present • 1 minute ago • 1 hour ago • 1 day ago • 1 year ago • 5 years ago • 10 years ago • Your earliest memory • Now, return to the present and think of something: • 1 minute from now • 1 hour from now • 1 day from now • 1 year from now • 5 years from now • 10 years from now • As far in the future as you can imagine

Warm-up #4: Think of: • Something that is • Something that was • Something that will be • Something that won’t be • Something that could be • Something that can’t be • Something that should be • Something that shouldn’t be • Something you wish was

Warm-up #5: Think of: • Something that exists • Something that doesn’t exist • Something that might exist • Something that might not exist • Something that could exist be doesn’t • Something that doesn’t exist but could • Something that used to exist • Something the will exist • Something you wish existed

Social and Political Philosophy

Warm-up #1: • Think of something that’s fair. • Think of something that’s unfair. • Think of something that’s both fair and unfair. • Think of something that’s neither fair nor unfair.

Warm-up #2: If you had the power to decide on one rule that should govern society, what would it be?

Critical Thinking

Warm-up #1: • Think about something • Remember something • Wonder about something • Think about thinking • Remember about remembering • Wonder about wondering • Think about remembering • Remember about wondering • Wonder about thinking • Think about remembering about wondering • Remember about wondering about thinking • Wonder about thinking about remembering

Warm-up #2: • Wonder why • Wonder how • Wonder what • Wonder when • Wonder who • Wonder if

Philosophy can be a powerful way for groups to think about issues related to historical and contemporary injustice, exclusion, oppression, and domination. The community of philosophical inquiry can be a helpful format for considering these kinds of complex issues, particularly in the wake of local and national events that warrant reflection and discussion. There are numerous materials practitioners can use to prompt conversations about social justice topics. Before doing so, it is important for facilitators to ask themselves several questions.

Who decides to have this conversation?

The direction of the discussion is determined by the students and not the facilitator. Facilitators can choose a prompt that might stimulate discussion of social justice topics but should not impose their desire to address those topics or their own views of the topics. Students may raise questions unrelated to questions of social justice and wish to discuss those. They have authority over what conversation to have.

Who needs to have this conversation?

We often think about philosophical discussions about social justice issues as “important,” but we must ask ourselves: important for whom? Think carefully about who actually needs to have the conversation you are planning to facilitate. Is it the students from marginalized groups in the room? The students from privileged groups? For example, facilitators often think it is important to discuss race. That is correct as far as it goes, but it is critical to ask oneself who needs to talk and think about race, and with whom. This relates to the third question facilitators should ask themselves.

Who is in the room?

Rather than thinking “this is an important topic to think about with students!” ask yourself “is this an important/valuable/appropriate topic to discuss with these students?”. For example, leading a discussion about race in the United States in a classroom where most students are white and only a few are Black or Brown can be problematic for several reasons. First, students of color already must think about race as they navigate the world day to day. Thinking about race is not novel for them and they may in fact prefer philosophy to be an escape from those burdens. Second, in a classroom that is majority white, Black and Brown students can often be problematically tasked with speaking for the perspectives of marginalized groups. It is not their job to do so, nor should philosophical discussions put them in that position. Finally, it is problematic to subject students from marginalized communities to privileged students’ learning process regarding the injustice in question. For students living with a disability, for example, it is not a learning or growth opportunity to hear other students work through the realization that people with disabilities live rich and varied lives. Facilitators should think about who needs to have the conversation they propose having and how those in the room who may be impacted negatively by such conversations.

How are you, the facilitator, situated relative to the students in the room?

It is critical that facilitators consider their own positionality when planning to discuss topics about social justice issues. Are you a member of the community most impacted by the injustice to be discussed? If not, are you a member of a community that has some responsibility (past or present) for the injustice you would like to discuss? What are the social, racial, religious, and cultural ways in which you are different from your students that are relevant to how they will experience the discussion? For example, for a non-Jewish person, discussing a recent synagogue shooting is very different than it is for Jewish students who may feel fearful for their and their loved ones’ safety when they go to synagogue.

You may need to think about whether you are the best or even an appropriate person to facilitate the discussion. If you are not the classroom teacher, it can be helpful to check in with them to find out if the topic is already under discussion, how it is going, and how the students are doing. It can help to overtly raise the issue of your own positionality and express your understanding that you do not experience the topic to be discussed in the same way as your students. Always be ready to pivot to a different stimulus or topic if students are showing signs of problematic discomfort (some discomfort is normal for philosophy). Commit to listening, taking ownership and apologizing when you are wrong, and saying that you are willing to learn. Finally, engaging in pedagogy research that discusses teacher positionality and how that can impact students’ experiences is a helpful way to gain information and insight into how best to handle these discussions.

What is the power dynamic between you and your students?

By virtue of being adults and being in a facilitation role, P4C facilitators are already in a position of power relative to the students. This is true even when we work assiduously to decentralize the classroom. There may also be other relationships of power in the room, depending on what privileges the facilitator has that the students do not (e.g., race, class, gender, etc.). Differences in power can influence whether and how students share their thinking. Responding to age/power differences is often also mediated by culture. This is all important to consider before embarking on a discussion related to social justice.

How can you help the students end the session feeling healthy and safe?

Should you decide to proceed with the discussion, it is important to make a plan that leaves time for self-care practices at the end. Pick an activity that encourages movement, mindfulness, journaling, energy building, or connection to help students close out the session in a healthy way.

philosophy assignment topics

Philosophy has always been preoccupied with good thinking, with logic being one of its oldest branches. While formal logic is beyond the skill of most young children, they are very capable of the informal logical operations that constitute basic reasoning, including:

  • Giving reasons
  • Considering evidence
  • Agreeing and disagreeing
  • Giving examples and counter-examples
  • Making comparisons and distinctions

Additionally, young people who participate in disciplined philosophical dialogue can learn to overcome shyness, aggression and attention-grabbing behaviors for the sake of cooperating in a kind of group work they find meaningful.

When engaging in a philosophical discussion, students practice such skills as:

philosophy assignment topics

For more about the importance of philosophy for young people, see the page “Why Philosophy?”

philosophy assignment topics

  • Children’s literature
  • Activities and games
  • Stories the children bring to the classroom
  • Current events
  • Personal experiences

philosophy assignment topics

The following are some helpful resources for deepening your philosophical awareness.

For more resources on doing philosophy with young people, check out our Media and Reference Library !  

philosophy assignment topics

The Problems of Philosophy

by Bertrand Russell This slim, classic volume offers an overview of philosophical issues including the nature of reality and the value of philosophy. It does not touch on ethics or social or political philosophy. This work is best for adult readers.   Buy Now »

philosophy assignment topics

What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy

by Thomas Nagel Even slimmer than Russell’s classic, this modern overview of philosophical issues is an easy read for most adults and high school students, and probably by many upper-level middle school students. As the author puts it, “This book is a brief introduction to philosophy for people who don’t know the first thing about the subject.” Nagel’s chapters consider nine problems of philosophy, in a very engaging style.   Buy Now »

philosophy assignment topics

Socrates Café

by Christopher Phillips Phillips began the Socrates Café movement, which sets up adult philosophy discussion groups at bookstores and other free-access public venues. Phillips’ book is based on the idea that philosophy is something you do –through debate and discussion – rather than simply study, a very appropriate approach for young people. Questions spotlighted in this book include: “What is insanity?” “How do you know when you know yourself?” “What is a world?” “Does anyone have the right to be ignorant?” and “Why question?” Because the tone is colloquial rather than scholarly, it helps those without a philosophy background grasp the nature of philosophical discussion.   Buy Now »

The following activities and thought experiments can be used to facilitate philosophical discussions during advisory periods. They are designed to get students thinking about a range of philosophical questions and most can be completed in one advisory period. Lessons that are longer or with multiple parts can be spread over several sessions. For ease of planning, several lessons have been split into multiple sessions to accommodate the shorter advisory periods.

Objective: To engage students.

Descriptions: 

Think of something that’s pretty good. Now think of something that’s better than pretty good, that’s good. Now think of something that’s better than that, that’s really good. Think of something that’s pretty bad. Now think of something that’s worse than pretty bad, that’s bad. Now think of something that’s worse than that, that’s really bad. Now think of something that’s both good and bad. Now think of something that’s neither good nor bad.

Think a big thought (about something small) Think a small thought (about something big) Think a really hard thought (about something soft) Think softly. Can you? Think a funny thought Think a serious thought What is a thought?

Write down something that you think is beautiful and two reasons why you think it’s beautiful and write down something that you think is ugly and two reasons why you think it’s ugly. Can something that’s beautiful also be ugly? Something that’s ugly also be beautiful?

If you had to describe yourself using only 5 words, what would they be? Write them down. Have class share them.

Objective: To think about the right rules or norms to guide classroom discussions. This exercise attempts to give students the opportunity to formulate rules that they themselves would choose to be governed by.

Description: 

Begin by talking about rules and what their purpose is. One way tol motivate the discussion is by reading Chapter 12 (“The Schoolroom”) from E.B. White’s classic, Stuart Little . In this selection, Stuart, who, in spite of being the son of human parents, looks exactly like (and is the same size as) a field mouse, has taken a one-day job as a substitute teacher. He proposes to his class that he would like to be Chairman of the World and asks them what rules they think ought to be instituted. Stuart’s students suggest rules like “No stealing,” “No being mean,” and “Don’t kill anything except rats.”

In the classroom, discuss the pros and cons of such rules, much as Stuart does in his class.

Pass out index cards to the students and ask them to envision a classroom in which they were bound by only one rule. What rule would that be? Students should then write down their one rule on the notecard they’ve been given.

Session 3: Once students have formulated their rules, collect the notecards and then, after mixing them up, pass them back. Each student should now have a rule that he or she didn’t write. In groups of two, students then work to come to an agreement about which of their two rules they would choose to be bound by.

Before the advisory period, write on the board the rules decided on by the groups of two in the last session.The class then has to pick five rules that they will choose to be bound by for the remainder of the class. (Let them know, though, that they will always have the option of reconsidering the rules they choose; if good reasons can be given for changing them and the class can agree that changes are warranted, rules can be changed.)

Ultimately, students end up voting for the five rules they prefer; often there is some overlap among the five. For instance, “Respect others” and “Respect others’ ideas” can lead to a discussion about whether there’s a difference between respecting a person and respecting a person’s ideas; some students might think that it amounts to the same thing. Still, they may want to keep both rules.

Objective: To look at the world in ways we usually don’t. You can use it as a way to illustrate to students the way in which philosophy encourages us to examine the world from a variety of perspectives.

Description:

Break the class up into groups of three or four. At each group, one student is designated to write down the answer that the group as a whole comes up with.Then hold up some common everyday household item. (A favorite item to use is a rotary cheese grater, but you can also use things like an eyeglasses case, a blackboard eraser, a pencil sharpener, and even a shoe.)

The groups are then given 3 minutes to think up and write down everything they can imagine using the item for—besides its originally intended function. Encourage them to imagine themselves in different settings: for instance, what could they use the item for if they were out in the wood? If they were 3 feet tall? If they were an ant? If they lived in prehistoric times? If they were with their siblings?

Go around the room and have the students discuss a selection of their favorite answers. If appropriate, ask them to demonstrate how they would use the item in the way they have indicated. 

What is the object? Is it still a cheese grater (or whatever the object was)? What makes it so?

Objective: To think about the nature of reality and what we mean when we say something is “real.”

Session 1: 

Break the students up into groups of three. Put the following list on the board and ask each group to come up with at least one thing that fits in each category. Make sure groups don’t discuss or share their answers as they will use these responses in a game in the next session.

  • Something that isn’t real but seems to be real
  • Something that is real but seems not to be real
  • Something you can’t tell if it’s real or not
  • Something that has to be real
  • Something that is both real and not real
  • Something that it doesn’t matter if it’s real or not real

Session 2: 

On day 2, make sure students are in the same groups. Each group takes turns reading aloud one of their items, with the students in the other groups having to guess in which category the item belongs. Points are given for the correct guesses, and the group with the most points at the end wins the game. If a group guesses wrong and wants to challenge the other group’s category choice, they can explain why they think the item should be in another category and see if they can convince the group they are right. If they successfully do so, they are given the point.

Objective: To think about the differences between what it means to “know” something and what it means to “believe” it.

Ask the students to write down three things they know and three things they believe. Once everyone has their statements, have them talk in pairs about their claims and why they put them in the category they did. This should get them started on the difference between knowledge and belief. Then have the whole group come together and have the pairs offer examples of what they agreed were beliefs and what they agreed counted as knowledge. List them on the board under Knowledge and Belief.

Ask the group:

  • Do they agree with all the statements as listed? Why or why not?
  • What does it take for something we believe to count as knowledge?
  • Can we know something we don’t believe? Why would we say we don’t believe it?
  • Can we ever know things? Can we be wrong about the things we thought we knew?

Objective: Thinking about and practicing careful communication.

Materials : A blackboard or whiteboard to draw on, blank pieces of paper for students to draw on, crayons or colored pencils if possible.

Description : 

Pair students up, and then have them arrange their chairs back-to-back so that one of the members of the pair faces the board and the other faces away. The student who faces away from the board needs to have a surface to draw on (usually a notebook), a blank piece of paper, and something to draw with. A crayon or marker is ideal since students will eventually display what they draw to their classmates, so something bright and easy to see from across a classroom works best.

The explanation of the exercise goes something like this: “The way this exercise works is that the person facing away from the board is a painter, but you cannot see anything except what you are painting. The good news is you have a set of eyes to help you, the person who is facing the board. I am going to draw a picture on the board and you, the painter, will try to recreate it. However, you can’t look at what I’m drawing; only your “eyes” can do that. Your “eyes” will have to describe to you what I’m drawing. You need to keep in mind two rules: first, the “eyes” cannot look at your paper, and second, the painter cannot look at what I am drawing. Students should feel comfortable engaging in a discussion with each other, but do so in a kind of “stage whisper” since, with many students talking simultaneously, the room can get loud.”

Commence drawing a picture on the board. Do so slowly, one or two lines at a time, so that the pairs of students can keep up. Any picture is fine, but something simple works best, for example, a simple little scene with a house and a mountain and a tree — the sort of drawing a small child would make.

When the drawing is completed, make a box around the whole picture to indicate that it’s finished. Invite the painters to look at what has been drawn and to see how close their drawing is to the original. Ask all the painters to come to the front of the room and display their drawings. Then facilitate a question-and-answer session about what worked and what didn’t and how, perhaps, painters and “eyes” could do a better job of communicating and listening.

Typically, painters commend their “eyes” for giving precise instructions, especially for describing what to draw in terms of recognizable shapes, like triangles, squares, and easily identifiable objects like clouds and letters. The most common complaint is that their “eyes” gave confusing information about the placement — right, left, up, or down — of items in the drawing. Brainstorm together about how to build upon what worked and improve upon what didn’t for the next go-round.

Students get back into their pairs, with the former “eyes” now playing the role of painter and vice-versa. This time around, it’s interesting to draw a much less easy-to-follow drawing. (Usually, we draw a cartoon head. Unlike the first drawing, this one doesn’t have easily identifiable objects like trees and houses. Typically, therefore, students have a far more difficult time recreating the drawing.)

At the conclusion of this drawing, again invite the painters to compare their works to the one on the board. Ask them to come to the front of the room and again display what they’ve done. (Without fail, the drawings are more interesting this time around, even though they tend not to look very much like what was drawn on the board.)

At this point, lead a discussion about why this time around was so much trickier and what could have been done to make it easier for the painters to match the drawing on the board. (Sometimes, a discussion about the nature of art emerges here. Students often want to talk about whether the pieces in the second round — which admittedly look little like what was drawn on the board — aren’t, in fact, more interesting works of art than those in the first round.) Often students want to talk about whether a painter has “failed” if his or her artwork doesn’t match the original picture. Occasionally, some students get very exercised about their drawing (or their partner’s) not looking like what the teacher has drawn. From time to time, this can lead to a rich discussion of whether it was fair that the second time was so much harder. A teacher might put this up for grabs as a topic to inquire about: is it fair that some people face harder challenges than others? If so, why? If not, why not? What if facing those challenges leads to superior outcomes (like more artistic drawings?) Would you rather be an expert at something simple or a novice at something complex?

Objective: Learn to support claims with reasons.

Hand out two or three index cards to each student. Then ask them to write their names on each of the cards and then to write on each card one claim they believe in. Ask that at least one of these claims be a normative claim. Talk with the students beforehand about what normative claims are; the idea is to write down something they believe people ought or ought not to do, or something that is right or wrong. Once they’ve written down the claims, ask them to write down, on the other side of the paper, three reasons they have for believing the claims to be true.They have about 10 minutes to do this and can appeal to whatever outside sources of information they want during this time. Tell them to make sure they give three different reasons for their belief. Encourage students to not share their claims or reasons with others as they will be used to play a game in the next session. Collect the cards.

Before class, divide the cards in half and then divide students into two teams based on the two piles of cards. You keep the cards, making sure to keep the cards from the two teams separate from each other. Then tell them the rules of the rest of the game. The goal is for students to be able to guess what the claim is from the reason(s) cited for believing it.

Starting with Team One, read the team one of the three reasons from the one of the cards from Team Two. They have a minute or two to decide together on a guess for what the claim might be. If the students can guess the claim from the first reason, Team One gets 3 points. If they guess it after hearing the second reason, they earn 2 points, and if they need all three reasons to guess the claim, they earn 1 point. If the students can’t guess correctly, the team earns no points. If the guess is close but not exactly right, sometimes they can earn a half point.

The game is fun and lively. Students enjoy trying to guess claims from the reasons offered for them. And they generally do a pretty good job of it. Sometimes disagreements arise about whether a reason offered for a claim is a good one. This is great — encourage discussion about it.

Objective: To think about the relationship between appearance and reality, and the value of authenticity.

Description:  In his book Anarchy, State and Utopia , American philosopher Robert Nozick developed the thought experiment, The Experience Machine : Suppose there was an experience machine that could give you any experience you desired. Your brain would be stimulated when hooked up to the machine so that you would think and feel that you were doing anything you wanted to do: playing on a major league sports team, being a famous actress, skiing on a fabulous mountain, being the lead in a famous rock band, writing a great novel, etc. When you’re hooked up to the machine, you won’t know you are – you’ll think that it’s all actually happening. Your experience will feel just as real and vivid as your experiences feel to you now. 

Would you map out how you would like your life to go and then hook up to the machine for the rest of your life?

Objective: To think about the ethics of taking something that doesn’t belong to you. 

Description: This is a thought experiment from The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten (2005, p.40) by Julian Baggini.

When Richard went to the ATM, he got a very pleasant surprise. He requested $100 with a receipt. What he got was $10,000 with a receipt – for $100.

When he got home, he checked his account online and found that, sure enough, his account had been debited by only $100. He put the money in a safe place, fully expecting the bank swiftly to spot the mistake and ask for it back. But the weeks passed and nobody called.

After two months, Richard concluded that no one was going to ask for the money. So he headed off to the BMW dealership with the hefty down-payment in his pocket.

On the way, however, he did feel a twinge of guilt. Wasn’t this stealing? He quickly managed to convince himself it was no such thing. He had not deliberately taken the money, it had just been given to him. And he hadn’t taken it from anyone else, so no one had been robbed. As for the bank, this was a drop in the ocean for them, and anyway, they would be insured against such eventualities. And it was their fault they had lost the money – they should have had safer systems. No, this wasn’t theft. It was just the biggest stroke of luck he had ever had.

  • What should Robert do? Return the money or buy a new car?
  • If Robert keeps the money, does it matter how he spends it?
  • Is Robert stealing? What does it mean to steal?
  • Does it matter that the money is from a bank? What if it was from an individual?

Objective: To think about the differences between what we need and what we want.

Session 1: Describing Wants and Needs  

Give the students a worksheet with the following questions:

  • What are some things you want?
  • What are some things you need?
  • What is the difference between what you want and what you need?
  • Do all people have the same wants?
  • Do all people have the same needs?
  • What should we do if what one person wants conflicts with what another person needs?

Give the students sufficient time to think about their responses and write them on their worksheets.

Session 2: Distinguishing Wants and Needs 

Make two lists on the board: wants and needs. Ask the students to suggest items for these categories from their worksheets. This generally spurs a discussion about the difference between wants and needs and whether something that is a want for one person could count as a need for another. What is the difference between wanting something and needing something?

Objective: To think about what makes music beautiful or not

Ask students each to choose one or two songs they think are beautiful, and one or two songs they think are ugly, and to think about why. Then ask them to share their songs and their reasons for choosing them in small groups of 4. Invite students to ask thoughtful questions to other group members about their song choices.

Facilitate a large group song share. Invite student volunteers to first say a little about one of their songs and why they think it’s beautiful or ugly, and then play a minute or so of it, and perhaps sometimes the entire song. 

This leads to a discussion of what makes something beautiful and/or ugly, what it means for something to be beautiful or ugly, why music is so meaningful to us, and other issues of aesthetics, but it also allows students to see one another in new ways and to share something of themselves that often ends up being very personal.

Objective: To think about what makes someone a good person.

Think of someone you know who you think of as a good person. What makes this person a good person? List at least three qualities of the person. In small groups, share your lists and generate a list of 3 qualities that the group more or less agrees upon. They don’t have to reach consensus as there will be an opportunity to discuss with the full class.

In a large group share, list each group’s qualities on the board and facilitate a discussion on whether any, some, or all of these qualities make someone a good person. Check with the class if they can think of any qualities that are missing from the list and why they might be important. This can lead to a rich discussion on what it even means to be a good person.

Objective: To think about hopes and dreams.

What is your hope? Show this short video and ask students to answer the prompt, “What is your hope?”

Objective: To think about personal identity.

  • Write down something you know about yourself.
  • Write down something you don’t know about yourself.
  • Write down something pretty much everyone who knows you knows about you.
  • Write down something hardly anyone who knows you knows about you.
  • Write down something that you think is important that people know about you.

Encourage students to share their answers (to the extent they are comfortable) in small groups asking them to notice any patterns in people’s responses.

Facilitate a whole group discussion about the questions discussed in small groups in the previous session.

Objective: To reflect on gratitude and what it means to be grateful.

This is an exercise that works well in the weeks just before the winter holiday break.

You’re given a sweater for your birthday that you don’t like. 

  • Should you be grateful?
  • Do you always have to be grateful for a gift even if you don’t like it?
  • Are there limits to gratitude?
  • Does  it count as being grateful to express gratitude you don’t genuinely feel?

Objective: To reflect on aspects are salient to your personal identity

Go through the thought experiment Staying Alive with your students. At each stage, ask them what choice they would make to stay alive, which is the aim of the game. After students share their choices (a quick poll can be helpful here), ask them their reasons. Each round of the thought experiment can be done in one session, making this a three-session lesson.

Objective: To encourage students to consider what makes something art, and to examine the issue of intentionality in art.

Have each student draw two pictures. One drawing must be a drawing they would call art, and the other one they would not call art.

Once the students have finished drawing, ask them to share their pieces and explain what makes one art and the other not. Ask the students listening to the sharing student: Do you think this (intended not to be art) piece could be art? Why or why not?

Step One:  Choose a prompt that will be read aloud to the group. Write several questions related to the prompt on the board before breaking the group up into small groups of three. Give each group a poster board and each participant a marker or pen (different colored markers is ideal). 

Start by explaining that this is a silent discussion and there will be time to speak in both the small groups and the large group later. Let the participants know that once you have finished reading the prompt, the rest of the activity will take place in silence, with each participant using a pen to communicate their thoughts and ideas to one another on the poster board. The questions on the board are starting prompts, and they should feel free to respond to some or all of these and/or to add their own questions. 

After the prompt is read aloud, the group responds to the questions and/or comes up with new questions, using the poster boards. The silent, written conversation can stray to wherever the participants take it. If someone in the group writes a question, another member of the group can address the question by writing on the poster board. Participants can draw lines connecting a comment to a particular question. More than one person can write on the poster board at the same time. Participants can write words or draw pictures, if drawing is an easier way to express a particular thought. This part of the activity takes about 15-20 minutes.

Step Two:  Still working in silence, participants leave their groups and walk around reading the other poster boards. They can write comments or further questions on other poster boards. This part of the activity takes about 10 minutes.

Step Three:  Silence is broken. The groups rejoin at their own poster boards. For about 10 minutes, each group has a verbal conversation about the comments written by others on their board, their own comments, what they read on other poster boards, and the activity itself. 

Step Four: Debrief with the large group and discuss some of the philosophical issues raised. 

  • What did you think of this activity?
  • How comfortable were you staying silent?
  • Did silence add to or detract from having a rich exchange?
  • What philosophical questions that arose seem particularly interesting? 

Created by Emma Macdonald-Scott with contributions from Jana Mohr Lone

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Philosophy Dissertation Topics

Published by Grace Graffin at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On January 9, 2023

Introduction

The choice of dissertation topic is crucial for research as it will facilitate the process and makes it an exciting and manageable process. Several dissertation ideas exist in philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, aesthetics, deontology, absurdum, and existentialism. Philosophy dissertations can be based on either primary research or secondary research.

Primary data dissertations incorporate the collection and analysis of data obtained through questionnaires and surveys. On the other hand, secondary data dissertations make use of existing literature to test the research hypothesis . To help you get started with philosophy topic selection for your dissertation, a list is developed by our experts.

These philosophy dissertation topics have been developed by PhD qualified writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the topic,  research question ,  aim and objectives ,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation examples  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of  dissertation topics for 2022 here.

Philosophy Dissertation Topics of Research

Topic 1: an examination of women's perspective on feminist philosophy..

Research Aim: This study aims to look into the importance of feminism in a philosophical context. It will also identify the factors that lead to postmodernism and liberal feminism from women’s perspectives and will also focus on the impact of feminist philosophy on the development of modern society.

Topic 2: Sociological Functionalism- Investigating the Development and Beliefs

Research Aim: This research study will focus on new types of functionalism and get a deeper understanding of inner and outer circumstances in which different approaches take place. This study will also investigate how the researchers use social theory to acquire a better understanding of the environment in which these concepts are used. It will also promote sociology through informing and inspiring practices and research.

Topic 3: Assessing the History and Development of Philosophical Work from the 15th to 21st Century.

Research Aim: This study aims to find the history and development of philosophical work from the 15th and 21st Centuries. It will examine the theoretical foundations of the practice, applications, and social consequences. This study will also focus on different factors of how philosophy has evolved in these centuries and what changes have occurred.

Topic 4: A Comprehensive View of Social Development of Loneliness.

Research Aim: This study will comprehend how various theoretical points of view are connected or linked r to loneliness. This study will also present an argument for an interpretative social point of view by dissembling the sense of loneliness into key components. It will also focus on the problems and different behaviours of people.

Topic 5: What does it mean to live in an Ideal Society- Discuss using Plato's Philosophies.

Research Aim: Plato is well known for his monologue known as the Republic; he was also the classical political philosopher whose views influenced future political thoughts. Plato’s ideal society was created during a time when Plato was exceedingly optimistic about human nature and its ability to absorb knowledge. This study will conduct a deep analysis of Plato’s ideologies and his views and their impact on the western political world.

More Philosophy Dissertation Research Topics

Topic 1: why we should stop capital punishment and adopt permanent solutions to help solve crimes..

Research Aim: This research aims to analyse the importance of rehabilitation and counseling of criminals to bring them back to their usual walks of life. The whole idea is to eliminate crime, and capital punishment does not provide solutions where a clean society can be developed.

Topic 2: Should people always obey the rules? A closer look at the line between breaking rules and rebellion.

Research Aim: Rules are developed to maintain a balance in society and ensure discipline, which helps an individual in every sphere of their lives. But specific rules are created only for serving a group and not for the whole society’s best interest. This research aims at finding pieces of evidence where rule-breaking is a rebellion and for the upliftment of humanity and not in personal interest.

Topic 3: Loneliness: Reconstructing its meaning

Research Aim: This research aims at finding the meaning of loneliness, what it is to feel lonely, why some people are reclusive, isolate themselves. Loneliness is not always related to sadness, and some people feel better in isolation due to their bitter experiences of life.

Topic 4: Understanding why religion is paramount above anything else for many people around the globe.

Research Aim: Religion forms the basis of life and way of living for many people around the globe. People often get confused with religion and spiritualism, and the grandeur associated with religion becomes more important. The lack of knowledge and education forces blind faith. This research aims to find the reason for dependency on religion and how it negatively affects human lives.

Topic 5: What is the best way to boost a person’s creativity?

Research Aim: This research aims at finding the best possible way to boost a person’s creativity. The most important way is to motivate, inspire, and support them in their process of exploring innovative ideas. Recognition of talent can be the most effective method, which the research will investigate.

Topic 6: Morality and religion: Why are they different, yet they talk about the same thing?

Research Aim: The fundamental essence of religion is compassion and empathy for humans and ensures morality and ethics as a way of life. This research emphasises the primary aim of a religion and how people are getting disoriented and making rituals of religion the prime concern.

Topic 7: Wealth: Is it possible to be rich without having a lot of money?

Research Aim: Wealth and money are co-related as lots of money gives the power to buy anything. But a wealth of human life lies in their moral values, love, affection, proper health and wellbeing, and money cannot accept them. This research topic will speak about becoming wealthy, even with limited monetary wealth.

Topic 8: How can the custom of dowry be eliminated from people’s minds?

Research Aim: Dowry is a social parasite, and it is now a punishable offence by the law. But rules alone cannot change society. The research aims at eradicating the practice of dowry from people’s minds in the light of education.

Topic 9: To love or to be loved: Which is more important?

Research Aim: Love is the feeling of intense desire or deep affection. The most beautiful feeling gives a sense of satisfaction and grows through exchange between two individuals. To love and be loved are two co-related aspects as human expects love in return. The research focuses on the more critical dilemma, being on the giving or receiving side of love.

Topic 10: Why social behaviour and ethics cannot be separated?

Research Aim: The research aims to evaluate the importance of ethics in social behaviour and why they cannot be separated. An ethical society is a proper place to thrive for every individual.

Topic 11: A more in-depth look at things that make human life meaningful.

Research Aim: Money, power does not always buy happiness. The research lays the foundation for the importance of care, compassion, empathy. Love and affection as the more essential aspects that make human life meaningful.

Topic 12: Is it possible to create an ideal society?

Research Aim: An ideal society is free from any crime and economic disparities where everyone is treated equally. This research will discuss whether a perfect community is attainable; it is practically possible or not.

Topic 13: A closer look at modern life values.

Research Aim: The research aims to focus on the change in values in modern times. The research’s primary purpose is to provide a comparative study of how modern people’s mindset has changed over time.

Topic 14: Euthanasia: Is it ethical?

Research Aim: A long time debate exists regarding the ethical side of euthanasia. Ending someone’s life can be considered unlawful as we do not have the right to end something we did not create. This research aims at providing evidence in favour of euthanasia and also the negative aspects.

Topic 15: What is the value of truth? Are there instances when lying is good?

Research Aim: The research aims to provide evidence where lying is not unethical. The study will give an example from Bhagwat Gita, where Lord Krishna lied to safeguard humanity.

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  18. Philosophy Research Topics: 200+ Best Ideas To Explore

    Continental vs. analytic philosophy: Contrasting traditions and methodologies. Marxism: Materialist analysis of society and history. Postmodernism: Challenges to modernist conceptions of truth and knowledge. Feminist continental philosophy: Gender, power, and identity in continental thought.

  19. Philosophy Toolkit

    A searchable index of philosophical lesson plans. The Philosophy Toolkit contains over 250 lesson plans to inspire philosophical discussions with students of all ages. Please explore this free searchable resource, starting with our Getting Started pages below. Contact us with any suggestions or reactions. Our Links page also offers links to ...

  20. Philosophy: A brief guide for undergraduates

    Introduction. Philosophy is quite unlike any other field. It is unique both in its methods and in the nature and breadth of its subject matter. Philosophy pursues questions in every dimension of human life, and its techniques apply to problems in any field of study or endeavor. No brief definition expresses the richness and variety of philosophy.

  21. 283 Philosophical Questions to Spark Deep Critical Thinking

    Philosophy Questions About Love. "Love is a biological necessity. We cannot live without it". —Stephanie Cacioppo, neuroscientist specializing in love and loneliness. As people, we need to love and be loved. You can express love in many different ways. Use these questions to spark some critical thought on the topic of love, or check out ...

  22. Introduction to Philosophy Course by The University of Edinburgh

    Topics you'll learn about will include: Epistemology, where we'll consider what our knowledge of the world and ourselves consists in, and how we come to have it; Philosophy of science, where we'll investigate foundational conceptual issues in scientific research and practice; Philosophy of Mind, where we'll ask questions about what it ...

  23. 100s of Philosophy Topics For your Dissertation

    Topic 2: Sociological Functionalism- Investigating the Development and Beliefs. Topic 3: Assessing the History and Development of Philosophical Work from the 15th to 21st Century. Topic 4: A Comprehensive View of Social Development of Loneliness. Topic 5: What does it mean to live in an Ideal Society- Discuss using Plato's Philosophies.