Philosophical questions aim to gain a better understanding of human nature and existence. These philosophical questions will allow you to discuss or contemplate some amazing philosophies. The best thing about these questions is there are no right or wrong answers.
The response of a person is purely based on their beliefs, experience, and perception. If you want to learn about someone more deeply, such as their routine, beliefs, ideas, inspiration, and thought process, then these questions will prove helpful.
Let’s deep dive into some thought-provoking philosophical questions that will allow you to dig deep into the minds of others, including yourself. However, some questions can leave a lasting impression on you. Now let’s begin!
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Deep philosophical questions
You can use philosophical questions to look deeper inside yourself and explore the unexplored aspects of your life. It will open your mind and encourage you to think about parts of life you’ve never considered or aren’t familiar with. Let’s take a look at them!
- What would you do if you could save one person by killing ten?
- What do you think about the concept of free will?
- Is there any way you can prove God exists? Do you believe in god?
- What is the purpose of life?
- Do you believe in the concept of absolute morality?
- Is the personality of a person formed by nature or by nurturing?
- In your opinion, what is freedom? Could we ever truly be free?
- Is it possible to know what happiness is without sadness?
- Is it possible to understand good without evil?
- Does the truth equate with the truth of reality?
- Is truth absolute or relative?
- Where did it all begin, and when?
- What’s the difference between real and unreal?
- Is there a reason for living, and if so, what is it?
- In the aftermath of a death, what happens to the person?
- Biologically, do humans have souls? Does an animal have a soul as well?
- How do a person’s observations affect the course of events?
- Is there a need for evidence to determine the truth?
- How can you identify the real from the fake?
- How does gravity work and what is its purpose?
- In what way does a person control their own life?
- Is lying always wrong? When is it okay (if ever)?
- If no one sees or knows about what you’re doing, is it okay to do something “wrong”?
- Are you in control of your destiny or is everything determined by fate?
- What are the true origins of numbers, or do they come from man’s invention?
- Despite God’s goodness, why does the world contain so much evil?
- What is your prediction for the end of the world?
- Does human consciousness begin at a certain age or do we all have it from birth?
- How do thoughts arise? Where do they originate?
- How does the soul work? Can it exist before life and continue after it?
- Is it possible that parallel universes exist?
- What is the purpose of respecting the dead?
- What is the value of each person’s life?
- How compatible are science and religion? If not, why not?
- How important is happiness in life? Where would you find it?
- What is more real, mind or matter?
- How will you define love?
Funny philosophical questions
There is no better medicine than laughter. With a hint of thinking and wondering, these funny philosophical questions will stretch your mind and make you laugh your heart out. The questions can be asked to anyone to lighten up the environment and have fun.
- What happens when you bite into a vegetable? Do they have a sense of pain?
- What is the purpose of calling the bottom of the artichoke the heart?
- Which armrests are yours and which are your neighbors’ when you go to a movie theatre?
- Is it okay for a vegetarian to eat animal crackers?
- What is it about cows’ milk that does not go bad inside refrigerators but does outside?
- How does the hair color of a bald man appear on his driver’s license?
- Is there a maximum number of times a disposable razor can be used?
- When you drive through a bank machine, there is Braille on the number pad. Why is this?
- Isn’t a pineapple upside-down cake more accurate to call a pineapple downside-up cake?
- Is it possible to call dark brown coffee “black” without cream or sugar?
- What’s the problem with making cheese and meat slices similar to bread slices?
- Can’t you buy cat food that tastes like mice?
- Women often open their mouths when applying mascara, but why?
- Why do sheep not shrink in the rain but if wools get wet, it shrinks?
- What is the purpose of nailing down the lid of a coffin?
- Why do buses not have seat belts, while airplanes do?
- How come round pizza comes in square boxes?
- What is the age at which an individual becomes elderly?
- Can our pets call us by their names?
- When no one is present in a room of mirrors, how can you tell what it looks like?
- How do curtains and drapes differ?
- Can you explain why males find mustaches attractive, but females don’t?
- If someone gave you an elephant, but you could not tell anyone about it, where and how would you hide it?
- If babies are plump, why is it considered healthy to consider them healthy, but women with a similar physique are considered fat?
- Do suckers and lollipops differ in any way? What is it, if yes?
Good philosophical questions
Have you ever questioned something deeply and tried to understand it through its roots? If yes then you are going to enjoy the ride of good philosophical questions that will make you think outside the box and allow you to understand things more deeply.
- How did the universe come into existence?
- Did humans discover math or did they create it? How does reality work if we try to represent it mathematically?
- Are humans capable of comprehending the depths of existence and reality?
- If there are no boundaries to the universe, what would exist beyond them?
- How can you find truth more effectively: through science, mathematics, art, philosophy, or something else?
- Can nature be explained by innate order or is it ruled by chance and chaos?
- Which aspect of life is objective, and which is subjective?
- Something has always existed. It was not possible for anything to exist before nothing. Which do you believe is more likely?
- The chemicals in your brain are what make you happy, or is it something more?
- Can people besides yourself be proved to have consciousness?
- What do you think about animals’ consciousness?
- Would another intelligent species emerge if humans went extinct, assuming evolution is accurate? Does intelligence and consciousness occur on a planet if life has existed for long enough?
- Which would be scarier, discovering that humans are the most advanced species in the universe or finding out they aren’t?
- What does genius mean to you?
- The chances of all your deeply held beliefs being true are zero. How likely is it that you are wrong about some of your beliefs, and which are most likely to be true?
- What is the impact of language on our thinking?
- Why are humans so adamant about beliefs that are unprovable?
- How would you act if all your memories were wiped away?
- Why humans often want to escape reality by taking an escape. What’s the reason behind this?
- How does consciousness benefit evolution?
Unanswerable philosophical questions
There are some questions that are tough to answer, not because you don’t want to answer them, but because the depth of the question pushes you to think beyond the ordinary.
Such intriguing questions usually make you pause and think twice before answering, while the person who asks them eagerly waits for the answers.
- Is there such a thing as fate?
- Are there ideal governments?
- Is there a reason for life?
- What are the limitations of free speech?
- How likely is it that we are a minuscule part of the universe’s intelligent life?
- Is there free will, or is everything predetermined?
- How does human consciousness work?
- When we dislike something, why do we do it?
- How do atheists come up with their gods?
- What is the role of artificial intelligence in creativity?
- What is the purpose of passing judgment if God is the judge?
- What effect do religious beliefs have on scientific thinking?
- Is it possible to make progress in a world without modern technology?
- What is the human potential capable of?
- What does death mean to you?
- What does God do when evil begins to spread in people?
- Is belief sufficient to prove that God exists?
- Is the world on the verge of being dominated by robots?
- Can we find salvation within ourselves?
- What is the difference between beliefs and superstitions?
- Is humanity threatened by us?
- In modern society, is honor still a value? What does honor mean to you?
- What role does the family play in today’s society?
- Are you more likely to be liked or respected?
Philosophical questions about life
There is so much to learn and explore that you may feel this one lifetime is not enough to learn and explore everything. However, if you use your imagination, you can explore all that has ever been thought of.
You can explore different aspects of life with philosophical questions about life through imagining. Let’s dive right in!
- What is the difference between real ghosts and mental projections of our deceased loved ones?
- Is there life after death? Can we be sure?
- When death is inevitable, why try to avoid it?
- Are there such things as good deaths?
- What are the chances of there being an afterlife?
- Do animals and humans have the same meaning of life?
- What impact does a person’s name have on who they become?
- What is the proper way to say goodbye to someone who has died?
- Would you love someone you loved the same way if they were killed in front of you, but a perfect replica was built on an atomic level?
- If you had the option to become immortal and could never die or kill yourself, would you opt for immortality?
- How will you impact the world the most as a result of your actions? How long will those effects last?
- What will people remember you for after you die?
- What kind of “human” would a child be if they survived and grew up in the wild without ever interacting with humans?
- What kind of impact would a significant increase in life expectancy have on humanity (let’s assume it’s around 500 years)?
- In what ways does your life have meaning to you?
- Can you imagine how humanity would react if extraterrestrial life was discovered?
- Is religion going to become obsolete at some point?
- Which concept would have the biggest positive impact on humanity if it were taught to everyone in the world?
- What is the purpose of suffering in the human condition? What would it be like to never suffer?
- Are people made stronger by hardships? If so, how much hardship is too much and under what conditions? If not, how does one become stronger?
- How would things change if humans concentrated on what’s going right instead of what’s wrong?
- How does art benefit society? Is art harmful to society by any means?
- What are your chances that we will survive another 1000 years without annihilating ourselves?
- What has been the biggest success in your life? What are your biggest failures?
- Do animals have more freedom than humans by virtue of simply being able to do what they please?
- Would you rather know in advance that you are going to die or be surprised by an unexpected death?
- In what direction is humanity heading?
- Is the study of philosophy ever used to answer questions or just to raise new ones?
- How can a person attain happiness?
- What is the most likely way you will die if you had to guess?
- Is having a broad knowledge base better than having a deep one?
- How can people be trained to see gradients in the world instead of just seeing things from the perspective of good or wrong?
- Which is more valuable, intelligence or wisdom?
- What beliefs do you hold to be legitimate and which ones do not?
- How will you spend the one life you have?
- If you could prioritize helping your friends, family, society, or the world, what would it be?
- What are the three most life-altering experiences that every human should try at least once?
- Which goal should every person have as their first priority?
- Would it be more advantageous to be a small fish in a big pond than a large fish in a small pond?
- How much can you accomplish?
- What standards do you use to evaluate yourself?
- Is it possible to change human nature? What should be changed?
- What is your degree of replaceability?
- We are endowed with almost infinite knowledge. Why don’t we take advantage of it?
- How would you improve humans genetically to make them a better species?
- What is the importance of play in a healthy and fulfilling life?
- Which place would you consider to be the most fulfilling in life? Family, work, hobby, religion, philosophy, helping others, or something altogether different?
- How much human potential do we waste?
- What kind of life does it make sense to live if the focus is on avoiding pain and seeking pleasure? Is there a reason for this?
- Are humans motivated to improve themselves by jealousy, or is it entirely negative?
- How much of your life are you truly living? Do you ever feel that way? How can you experience that feeling more often?
- What do you hope your future self will remember about you today?
- ‘Know thyself’ is a philosophy rooted in ancient times far older than Socrates’ time. How should one learn about oneself, or are all self-knowledge equal?
Great philosophical questions
What makes a question great? A question that engages two or more people in a long thoughtful conversation. Trying to answer these questions will give your mind a boost and create an active environment.
- Which philosophical thought is your favorite?
- How do you feel about something you cannot prove?
- How many untruths do you know about yourself?
- If memory from long ago can be recalled with exact clarity, is it less valuable than one recalled with pinpoint accuracy from only yesterday?
- Who decides what is moral?
- Do you prefer being born smart or becoming smart?
- Is it possible for people to change, or will they remain the same as they always are?
- If you were to die tomorrow, what would you regret?
- What defines your character?
- Why is it hard for you to forgive yourself?
- Do you value your neighbor more than yourself?
- When it comes to experiencing something for the first time, what would you do?
- Are people simply here to live, or do they exist to live?.
- Does your mind dictate what you achieve?
- What harsh truths are you more likely to ignore?
- How do we know what is an art and what isn’t?
- How should humanity strive to achieve its goal?
- The meaning of a good life, what does it entail?
- What is the purpose of dreaming?
- How do you determine your self-worth?
- What are the chances of humans going extinct?
- What are the most important two questions to ask a person to find out who they really are?
- If life doesn’t have a purpose, some people believe that it is pointless to live. There are those who think that because life has no purpose, a person can choose their own path and pursue it. Are both points of view equally valid, or is one more valid than the other?
- How come we judge ourselves by the actions we take but not by our intentions?
- Which activities help you feel you are living life to its fullest?
- What makes knowledge valuable? Is its value based on its inherent value or on its application in real life?
- What are the conditions under which breaking the law is okay? When and why?
- We dream about many things, but why do we dream?
- Is it possible to become educated without receiving a formal education?
Philosophical questions for kids
Children are curious about everything they see and often ask questions to find out answers to their questions. Asking more questions will encourage them to think about new things and open up to new possibilities. Let these philosophical questions spark fun and thoughtful conversation with your child.
- How do kids and children differ from each other?
- Is everything interconnected?
- How much do you love your parents?
- How does kindness affect the world?
- How would you define love?
- Do you have a best friend? What is the significance of his friendship to you?
- What do you like about your world?
- What is the best thing about the current state of the world? Is the world better off this way?
- When it comes to people, what is it that makes them attractive to you?
- When you have the choice to choose anything in life for free, what do you choose most often?
Best philosophical questions
Do you sometimes feel stuck or bored? Then these philosophical questions will be your saviors. They will kick out that boredom and start a fun conversation that will make you lose track of time.
- What are the rights of every human being? How does age affect those rights?
- Does the concept of animals’ rights apply to all animals or does it depend on the complexity of the species?
- Do humans construct justice or is it an independent concept?
- How can people expect a universe filled with random events to be fair?
- What is the difference between revenge and justice without laws or rules?
- Is it ethical to edit out negative character traits that hurt others, such as extreme aggression, compulsive lying, or cruelty, if some psychological traits can be partially genetically determined and removed with gene therapy?
- Do you think you would press a button if you could receive a million dollars, but you would kill one stranger? If so, how often?
- Can you offer a five-million-dollar gift in the most ethical way?
- Do people have an ethical obligation to improve themselves?
- Can privacy be a right?
- Is overthrowing a government ever ethical, given the overwhelming violence often associated with revolutions?
- Is morality always subjective or can it ever be objective? In what instances can it be objective? How do we determine who has the right concept of morality if it is always subjective?
- When deciding whether an action is moral, does it matter whether it was intended or not?
- Do we need to limit free speech?
- What ramifications would follow if it was discovered that animals are aware of their existence and ultimately death?
- What are your thoughts on legalizing euthanasia? If not, why not?
- What would society do with accurate predictions about who would commit crimes?
- Is it possible for business owners to refuse to serve customers?
- What is the threshold of innocence when it comes to people?
- What does beauty have to do with morals?
- Would you be ethically justified if you could save a life and opt not to because you’d be breaking a law?
- In the case of a life-threatening situation, are all people morally obligated to save the lives of others? How would you handle it if you lived overseas?
- Which conversation did you have recently that was of most value?
- Is there anything you thought you should never say?
- Money cannot buy happiness, but how can you ever be truly happy without it?
- Which one thing would you change about the world if you could?
- How can you tell if someone is a good friend?
Interesting philosophical questions
Philosophical questions are not all serious. The right mix of fun and lighthearted questions can help you get the conversation started.
What could be better than an interactive discussion with those you love. These conversation starters will make your evenings even more enjoyable.
- What is the “Law of Attraction” and does it exist?
- Is it possible to find true love?
- Do you think it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved?
- Is it possible that computers will ever rule the world?
- Can you love or be loved more easily?
- What is “falling in love” called?
- Would you consider using a dating site to find a husband? If not, why not?
- What do you think about keeping “wild” animals as pets? If so, when?
- Is it necessary for people to have friends?
- What’s wrong with banning alcohol and harmful food additives if we ban drugs?
- If we cannot see electrons or black holes, how can we prove their existence?
- When is it okay to tell a secret?
- What would you do if you knew that helping someone you loved would mean breaking the law?
- What is your greatest fear?
- Do you plan to quit your job if you win the lottery? If not, why not?
- Is it better to have a job you enjoy that pays very little, or a job you dread that is very lucrative?
- What is the difference between one day and the next in terms of time, and why do some days appear to go on forever?
- What would you do today if you knew that you would die tomorrow?
- Where else in the universe could life exist?
- How is free will possible in a world where particles and atoms behave in a probabilistic manner?
- Who do you consider to be the most influential historical figure, good or bad?
- Is there a thing called luck?
- Do cats or dogs make better pets? Why?
- Are you convinced that all shopping will eventually be done online?
- Do you prefer summer, winter, spring, or fall? Why?
- What do you think about clowns? Are they scary or fun?
- Can a person get married at any age?
- Do you think it is better to be a leader or follower?
- Is it possible for animals to “think” and/or “reason”?
- Is there anything about the personality of a person influenced by their name?
- What if houses were equipped with automatic lights that turned off when no one was nearby?
- If everyone had the same looks, would the world be an even better or worse place?
- What is the appropriate level of government involvement in preventing citizens from harming themselves?
- In what way do people in richer countries owe others who live in poverty their help?
- What sort of government should there be, what barriers and limitations should it impose?
- Is poverty an inescapable part of society?
- What are the best methods for measuring productivity in a society?
- How would a utopian society function and perpetuate itself?
- Is it possible to imagine a global government in the future? Would it be a good or bad thing if a world government came to power, assuming it wasn’t particularly cruel or evil?
- How is the social contract under threat in our country?
- How difficult is it to be a successful person in the modern world than it used to be (10 or 100 years ago)?
- How can societies function without the ability to transfer value (i.e. without money or barter systems)?
- Is there any benefit to implementing a maximum income?
- Can we predict the future of the economy of wealthy countries in fifty to a hundred years?
- Would being glued to a screen for so long affect people’s long-term wellbeing?
- Is it possible to differentiate a technologically enhanced human from a human?
- Is it more or less likely that global conspiracies will occur in the modern age?
- What is the net effect of technological advancement?
Hard philosophical questions
Philosophical questions will make you pause, ask counterquestions, and think for a moment. However, with the help of the list of questions prepared for you, you and your conversation partner will have much deeper and insightful conversations.
- Do emotions have a rational or irrational basis?
- What are the universal rights of human beings?
- In what ways are animals able to assert rights? If they have.
- Is it possible for computers to be creative?
- Is war ever a solution to the problems of countries or governments?
- Do love and sexual desires differ from one another? How?
- Which degree of freedom is appropriate for people?
- Is it right for governments to impose penalties on people who live an unhealthy lifestyle?
- Does the government have a responsibility to enforce organ donation?
- What are your opinions on the question of selling organs and financial compensation for organ donors?
- Is it right for people to live and travel wherever they wish without bearing in mind state or country borders?
- Is democracy effective in every country?
- Do people need to have at least one child since the birth rate in the U.S. is declining?
- If someone kills themselves in your presence, and you don’t intervene, will you be held liable for it?
- Do we need to limit how much money one can earn and save in order to combat inequality?
- What do you think happened to the other shoe, when you see a shoe lying by the roadside while driving?
- Can torture ever be justified?
- What are the benefits of having choices?
- How important is justice compared to mercy?
- Does preserving a country’s culture justify limiting immigration?
- What is the difference between fair trade and free trade? Which is more important and what is it?
- People define themselves according to race or should it be a biological classification?
- Can we travel through time in the future? How is it?
- What are your thoughts on terminally ill people committing suicide?
- How good is playing a good game versus playing a poor game and winning?
- What is the best approach to ensuring people are paid appropriately for what they do?
- Would there be some way we can make sure people are compensated fairly?
- Where does self-esteem come from and what is it?
- What are the measures of success?
- What happens if a child becomes a parent?
- Does a person without hope have any chance of living a happy and fulfilled life?
- When we don’t want to forget something, why do we forget it?
- How do you deal with harsh truths?
Philosophical questions about love
No matter how well you know a partner, there is always room for building a much deeper connection over and above their likes and dislikes.
Philosophical questions about love can help you gain a more profound understanding of your partner and their thoughts, which leads to a much closer connection and the discovery of something new.
- Is money more valuable in the future or relationships?
- Would people be truly happy if they never fell in love?
- If you love someone, when is the best time to tell them?
- Could anyone choose to forget their entire life if they have the ability to erase bad memories?
- Is the love we receive from those who claim to love us genuine, or are they loving us based on their perceptions of us?
- What are the signs that our significant other loves us?
- Is there such a thing as true love?
- Are you committed or decisive when it comes to love?
- Is it possible to love everyone truly?
- Who or what is responsible for love and hatred?
- When does one fully understand love, does it often take a lifetime?
- What is the difference between philosophical love and usual love?
- Does an intellectual person love their partner in any particular way?
- What makes love different from life?
- Which love is greater, a woman’s or a man’s?
- In the course of our lives, how many times do we fall in love?
- When it comes to love, does trust take precedence over love?
- What is the best way to measure love?
- What makes us more in love with someone who has left?
- What makes us fall in love?
- What is the appropriate age for falling in love?
- If love did not exist, what would happen?
- What is the purpose of having sex without loving one another?
- If love doesn’t have sex, can it last forever?
- Are there really such things as love at first sight?
- Is it possible for one person to experience deep love while another does not?
- Why does love hurt?
- Do I have the ability to prove the amount of love I have for myself?
- What does it take to become the most perfect lover?
- Is there anything more powerful than love?
- How do you define love?
- When it comes to letting go of love, what makes it difficult?
- Is it true that partners own one another in a relationship?
- How does true love feel?
- Is it possible for two people to become one in a relationship?
- What causes relationships to face existential crises?
- What would love to look like if it had a creative dimension?
- Does love create a different perspective on this existence?
- In the quest for the purest love, where is the ultimate destination?
Dumb philosophical questions
The great thing about these types of questions is that you don’t need to think too hard before asking them and you can always throw in a twist to make it more entertaining and interesting.
These questions are intended to make you laugh, think, and possibly imagine the strangest scenarios. Get your thinking cap on!
- How does morality differ from electricity if it comes from morons?
- Why do they still ask for money in the church if money is the root of all evil?
- Is it possible to cry underwater?
- What causes raindrops and snow to fall?
- When you say “TOUCH,” your lips do not touch, but when you say “SEPARATE,” they do. What’s up?
- Is it possible to die without knowing that we are dead?
- What exactly is the purpose of the others’ existence, if both of us are here to help the others?
- Will it be ruled as suicide or murder if you hire someone to kill you?
- If monkeys and apes evolved into human beings, then why are there still monkeys and apes?
- Do moonquakes count as moonquakes if they happen on the moon?
- Do you know what the tops of your feet are called?
- Who would be the audience if there weren’t aliens?
- It is said that if you are half scared to death, you will only live a quarter of your life? How will you respond then?
- In the world, who do you think is the smartest person no one knows?
- What is the largest philosophical idea in the world?
- How do you answer a question that doesn’t have an answer?
- When their mothers eat delicious food, do babies poop in the womb?
- Why is life so short yet waiting for death so long?
- Do we die in pursuit of suffering if the only real goal of life is bliss?
- What keeps the Earth from falling on Mars?
- Why are we lost in love if everything is connected?
- Is knowledge making a man feel stupid?
- Are there any dumb philosophers in history?
- When people are speechless, why do they tell you?
- What is the legality of killing an ant?
- What can you tell about a baby’s gender when he or she has no private parts?
Weird philosophical questions
We often ponder over the weird questions, people, and things that make us think that they are not normal or ordinary. Similarly, these weird questions will allow you to think and talk about the weird case scenarios and answer the questions in a fun way.
- What is the reason we think we will never be involved in an accident?
- Do you feel stomach pain in your abdomen or in your brain when you have a stomach ache?
- How would it feel to be an ant if we could actually feel what it was like?
- Is it our emotion or our thoughts that we are experiencing?
- Were we killed already?
- Is it possible to prove our existence?
- What makes us human if we don’t act like one?
- Is everyone present?
- What do animals dream about?
- How do animals dream of becoming what they want?
- Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all became deep philosophers?
- Are crazy innovations really driven by insanity?
- Are philosophers more likely to lead solitary lives than to live with family members?
- As we die, what are the things we will remember and cherish
- What’s the point of looking in the mirror if it’s unflattering?
- When someone farts, why do we laugh?
- What’s the point of overthinking if you don’t know how to think?
- Is there anything that irks you when you see a person you hate in public?
- What happens if one saves time? When do they get it back?
- Do we have to be happy all the time?
- Are men what they say they are?
- What else can we use apart from our senses?
Over to you…
Your mind must be reeling with some of the above questions that you want to ask your friends, parents, children, partner, or a stranger. Moreover, you must be thinking about some matter already and curious to read or research it.
It is now easier for you to decide which questions to ask and when to ask them. I hope this complete guide to philosophical questions will assist you in engaging in some thought-provoking discussions that will be memorable for you.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers; it just depends on your beliefs, opinions, and thoughts.
Stay curious and enjoy yourself!
