Deep Philosophical Questions That Make You Think Twice

Asking questions is part of human life and one of the ways people find some meaning is through asking deep philosophical questions that dig into what they consider mysterious. Human beings are plagued with one common imperfection; the fact that we do not know everything! No matter how much a person tries, they can never know about or understand ALL of the different mysteries of life. As human beings evolve, some of the mysteries of the past have been constantly unlocked but then, there are so many other mysteries yet to be revealed. In the end, we can only learn about what we can and just forget about other things that continue to elude our understanding.

Because there are so many mysteries yet to be unlocked, a lot of questions have been asked about life, the universe, and human existence over the years. There are so many of these questions, and no matter how much a person tries, they can never expressly answer all of life’s questions. This is mainly because some of the mysteries humans have been trying to solve for years include deep philosophical questions whose answers have continued to elude even the brightest minds on the planet.

What Are Philosophical Questions?

A philosophical question is a curious, engaging question about life and existence with an answer that is not usually a straightforward one but rather very open to rational, as well as informed and honest disagreement. Usually, initial answers given to philosophical questions lead to other questions, and thus, philosophical questions do not exist in a void but are connected to a web of questions, including the ultimate and mundane questions.

Deep philosophical questions

Usually, when philosophical questions are asked, it is not with the hope that an ultimate or final answer can be reached but it is asked with the hope that at least some partial understanding can be gained from the series of answers that can be provided.

Characteristics of Philosophical Questions

Sometimes, to begin to answer a philosophical question, you have to start by asking another question. For instance, if someone asks “is it wrong to eat animals?”, you can start answering by asking a question of your own which could be “what is wrong behavior?”.

This is what makes philosophical questions different from the ones that simply require a “yes” or “no” answer. These questions make you think. They are deep and they require careful thought and deep insight to begin attempting their answer. These questions require noetic resources to be answered but they are often limited by a lack of empirical and logico-mathematical resources since their answers may be abstract.

Deep Philosophical Questions About Life

Since time immemorial, human beings have been asking questions about life. Is it futile? Is living really worth the trouble? There are many questions about life that have evaded direct answers over the years because of their philosophical nature but people still ask them anyway. It is just how people are wired. Their curiosity takes over!

Life, they say, is a journey, and asking questions about life is part of that journey. Since their childhood, people have been trying to understand themselves and the essence of life by asking the question ‘why’. Sometimes they do so not because they know they will find the right answer but because they just have to ask. Also, asking may help them to, at least, come to an understanding of themselves better and other people around them.

Deep Philosophical questions

Below are some of the questions people have often asked about life.

  1. Why do we live only to die in the end? Is there a purpose to this?
  2. How did life really begin in the first place?
  3. Is there an ultimate meaning to human life? If there is, what is it then?
  4. What does it mean to live a good life? Is there a universal rule to it?
  5. Will human beings as a species go extinct? How will it happen?
  6. Is it ever possible to live a normal life and not, for once, tell a lie?
  7. Is the meaning of life the same for animals and humans?
  8. Why do we need to work to achieve anything since we will all die anyway?
  9. Are you really alive? How do you know you are not dreaming right now?
  10. If we live in a computer simulation, does it make a difference to the meaning of life?
  11. Should people have the right to live in any country they wish?
  12. Why do we dream? Is there a purpose for dreaming?
  13. Can animals reason just like human beings?
  14. Why should we respect the people who have died?
  15. Are we supposed to fear death?
  16. Will life become meaningless if we can live forever as human beings?
  17. Should governments penalize people for unhealthy lifestyles since their life is theirs and they have the right to live the way they please?
  18. Is happiness the most important purpose in life?
  19. Does free will really exist or is it just a mirage?
  20. Is the mind the same as the brain, or do we have souls?
  21. Would you rather be an unhappy human being or a happy dog?
  22. If you are given the opportunity to become an immortal human being but on the condition that you would never be able to kill yourself at any point in time, would you agree to become immortal?

Thought-Provoking Questions About Religion

Human beings have been obsessed with religion since time began. The deep urge to understand what or who controls the universe and the supernatural powers beyond human understanding have driven people to adopt different religions. Religion is now the haven of people who have been trying to connect with what is spiritual, sacred, holy, and divine. Human nature compels man to try to make sense of his existence and one of the only ways to do that is by turning to religion. People all over the world trying to figure out what happens to them after they die and if they are treading the right path in life take to religion to help them make sense of these issues.

There are different religions in the world and the billions of people around the globe who practice these religions have asked so many questions about their beliefs as they try to understand the paths that they tread. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others have different doctrines, including those that concern life after death and other such matters. These doctrines have generated so many questions, especially among people who have not quite accepted religion yet.

Below are some of the many questions people ask about religion.

  1. Does God truly exist as the Almighty?
  2. Is it possible that religion will ever become obsolete in the world?
  3. Can there be morality in this world without God?
  4. If really God does exist, why then is there so much evil in the world today?
  5. Is there really a God who has the supreme power to control everything?
  6. It is said that God knows what you will do tomorrow. If that is so, do you still have free will?
  7. Is there a possibility that there can be two almighty Gods in existence?
  8. Did God truly make the earth and if so, are scientists lying about the different theories on the origin of life?
  9. Is it possible for science to become compatible with religion?
  10. When you have faith, does it make belief stronger?
  11. Is it the belief that makes God exist for people?
  12. Is there life after death or is it just nothingness afterward?
  13. Why do people believe in God when they can’t see Him?
  14. How is love different from passion or sexual desire?

Good Philosophical Questions About The Universe

The universe is such a unique thing. Sometimes we stand and look up to the heavens at night and observe how the stars litter the sky and we wonder what is beyond the heavens. What is in outer space? What fills the galaxies and solar system? It is exciting but it is filled with mystery too as we may never fully understand what controls or what entirely makes up the universe.

Questions bothering on how the universe was created or began, and what exists beyond our planet have been asked time and time again and scientists have tried to provide answers to some of these questions. However, some of the questions asked about the universe have not been answered but curious theories have been propagated.

Below are some of the many questions people have asked about the universe.

  1. Are we alone in the universe or are there other forms of life we do not know about?
  2. What exactly is the universe made of? Can we understand all of it?
  3. What really makes up Dark Matter in our universe?
  4. Are there other universes that we do not know about?
  5. We know about the Big Bang Theory, but what came before the big bang?
  6. Why is it that there is something rather than nothing?
  7. What really goes on inside a black hole?
  8. Is it possible for there to be two different theories of the world, both true and complete?
  9. Is it possible that there are, indeed, parallel universes?
  10. Is it possible that there is a species more advanced than human beings in the universe?

Deep Thought Questions About Morality

Morality is a concept human beings have been grappling to understand over the years. This is because morality is not a universal thing. What is moral in one part of the world may not be the same in another part. For the record, morality simply refers to the belief that some type of behavior is right and acceptable while some other type of behavior is wrong.

What is wrong and right are relative, depending on where people are and what their customs are. This is why differentiating what is right from wrong or what is considered to be good or bad behavior has generated questions over the years.

Below are some of the questions that have been asked about morality.

  1. Why is morality relative to people around the world? Why do people not accept the same set of principles of moral laws since we’re all human?
  2. Do guns really protect us or are they really just killing us?
  3. Should abortion be permissible since unborn babies cannot make decisions for themselves?
  4. We don’t know whether children want to be born or not. Does this make it wrong to have children since we do not know their wants?
  5. Is it the main purpose of the law to promote morality or some other thing?
  6. Is patriotism a logical thing?
  7. Can waging wars ever be just?
  8. Should prostitution be made legal since people know what they want to do with their bodies?
  9. What should be classified as a sexual perversion?
  10. If there is no free will, is it right to punish people at all?
  11. How much freedom should people have?
  12. Is it right to let people commit suicide when they are terminally ill?
  13. Is it right to kill off coma patients who are on life support since they cannot make their own decision to live or not?
  14. Should organ donation be made compulsory?
  15. Is it right to grow brain dead babies to just harvest their organs?
  16. Is it right to spend money on expensive food when people are dying of hunger around the world?
  17. If you saw someone drowning and you failed to help them, are you responsible for their death?
  18. Is it right or wrong to torture terrorists to extract information from them?
  19. Should animals have the same rights as humans?

Abstract Philosophical Questions About Time

Time! That infinite, indefinite progression of existence has also fascinated human beings, eliciting questions about how it affects us and the entire human existence. People are obsessed with time because of its uncontrollable nature. We cannot stop it. We cannot slow it down, we just watch as it keeps progressing, changing us in the process.

The irreversible succession of time starting from the past, breezing through the present, and leading into the unknown future has been a topic for debate and discussion over the years. These are some questions that have been asked about time.

  1. What really is time and why do we get affected so much by it?
  2. Is it possible for something to be in two places at the same time?
  3. Does time flow? How fast does it flow?
  4. Why do we have to look so different when we age? Is it time that weathers us out or is it the human body that falters?
  5. Is time travel possible and how can it be done?
  6. If you have the opportunity to travel back in time, can you kill your earlier self?
  7. If you go back in time and teach young Einstein relativity theory, where does the idea come from?
  8. What is consciousness?
  9. What are numbers and do they really exist?
  10. Is it possible that time is being altered right now?
Joanne Lawrence
Joanne Lawrencehttps://www.skinnyscoop.com/
Joanne Lawrence is an experienced journalist and lifestyle blogger based in London, United Kingdom

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