Philosophical debate topics

Engaging students in discussions on philosophical debate topics is a highly effective way to foster deep analytical thinking. By having classroom discussions, students can question, defend, and articulate their ideas to explore abstract and meaningful concepts.

We’ve compiled a list of philosophical debate topics which tackle diverse themes from personal values and ethics to the nature of knowledge and beauty. To have an interactive and engaging discussion on these topics, try using Kialo Edu — best of all, Kialo is completely free and always will be, so why not give it a go to activate your students’ critical thinking skills?

Casual philosophy debate topics

These casual philosophy debate topics are an easy and accessible way to involve students in philosophical inquiry! Students will explore fresh perspectives while engaging in thought-provoking discussions that make compelling questions meaningful.

• Is there a moral obligation to tip at a restaurant?
• Is it ever okay to break the rules?
• Can people truly change their habits?
• Is honesty always the best policy?
• Is it more important to be a good leader or a good follower?
• Would it be good to be famous?
• Is it more important to be kind or to be fair?
• Is lying about your age ever okay?
• Can one person really change the world?
• Are social media influencers a positive force in society?
• Is ignorance bliss?
• Is it possible to lie to yourself?

Philosophy debate topics on happiness

Though happiness might be portrayed more often as a universal objective, its meaning and the way to achieve it remain deeply personal. These debate topics invite students to explore how our values, societal influences, and life experiences can impact our understanding of happiness.

• What is happiness?
• Is it better to be happy or right?
• Is happiness the ultimate goal of life?
• Are people happier today than in the past?
• Is happiness a choice?
• Is lowering your expectations the secret to happiness?
• Are humans primarily driven by self-interest?
• Is happiness an end in itself?
• Do we need to live a good life to be happy?
• Can money make us happy?
• Do people need friends to be happy?

Philosophy debate topics on love and relationships

These philosophy debate topics on love and relationships encourage students to examine the complex emotions that shape lives and drive human behavior. They’ll reflect on the nature of love, friendship, and relationships while critically assessing the human understanding of love in different forms.

• Is love a choice or a feeling?
• Is unconditional love real?
• Do soulmates exist?
• Were Romeo and Juliet really in love?
• Is love a cultural construct?
• Can love really conquer all?
• Does love at first sight really exist?
• Is love essentially the same in every form?
• Can you choose to love someone?
• Is it better to have a few close friends or lots of casual friends?
• Is love truly blind?
• Can love exist without trust?
• Are friends better than family?
• Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
• Does absence make the heart grow fonder?
• Are family obligations a social construct?
• Is it okay to end a friendship over politics?
• Can friends be held to the same expectations as family?

Philosophy debate topics on the universe

From questions about the origin of the universe to the potential for life beyond Earth, these philosophical debate topics engage students with perplexing questions on the universe that have captivated people throughout history.

• Is space infinite?
• Can the universe be understood through scientific knowledge alone?
• Should anyone own outer space?
• Is it important to explore outer space?
• Is time an illusion?
• Could there be universes other than our own?
• Would time travel benefit humanity?
• Is the universe eternal?
• Does the concept of a cosmic horizon mean we’ll never fully understand the universe?
• Should we assume extraterrestrial life would be hostile?
• Is the search for extraterrestrial life a meaningful activity?
• Do aliens exist?

Philosophy debate topics on religion

These philosophy debate topics on religion prompt students to explore a subject that has made a profound impact on human history. Students might explore religion’s role today alongside questions of faith and morality to foster a greater understanding of their own beliefs while showing respect for diverse viewpoints.

• Should religious beliefs play a role in shaping public policy?
• What is the strongest argument in favor of the separation of church and state?
• Is Christianity compatible with feminism?
• Is Judaism compatible with feminism?
• Is Islam compatible with feminism?
• Is Christianity compatible with democracy?
• Is Islam compatible with democracy?
• Is Judaism compatible with democracy?
• Does St. Anselm’s ontological argument prove the existence of God?
• Can morality exist without religion?
• Is anything ever eternal?
• Is religious faith compatible with science?
• Is the declining interest in religion a problem?
• If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, is God responsible for evil?
• Is religion a matter of blind faith?
• Do all religions worship the same higher power?
• Should atheism be considered a religion?

Philosophy debate topics on death

Philosophy debate topics on death give students an opportunity to explore their thoughts and questions about a profound and difficult subject, fostering a deeper understanding of life, morality, and the diverse beliefs surrounding death.

• Would immortality be a good thing?
• Does fear of death influence how we live?
• Does our awareness of death make life more precious?
• Should euthanasia be legal?
• Should the death penalty be abolished globally?
• Should everyone be required to be an organ donor?
• What is the most important factor in prioritizing organ transplants?
• Should death be feared?
• Is there life after death?
• Is killing others always wrong?
• Is a fear of death rational or irrational?

Philosophy debate topics on science and technology

These philosophy debate topics help students analyze and question the social, ethical, and existential implications of how scientific and technological advances are impacting the world. Students will develop their critical thinking skills while pondering multifaceted questions on ethics in AI, privacy rights, and the nature of intelligence. 

• Can machines be intelligent?
• Is AI just pretending to be smart?
• Is it wrong to use AI-generated art?
• Is technological progress a good thing?
• Should scientists create synthetic life forms?
• Should there be strict rules regulating the data used to train LLMs?
• Should we ban creative AI software?
• Should we develop technology that can read minds?
• Should the genetic engineering of human embryos be banned?
• Does a reliance on technology have a positive or negative impact on human relationships?
• Is the collection of personal data by tech companies an invasion of privacy?
• Should there be a right to privacy in public spaces?
• Should driverless cars prioritize passenger safety over everything else?

Philosophy debate topics on the environment

By engaging with environmental philosophy debate topics, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental challenges the world faces. They’ll consider scientific facts alongside values, ethics, and questions of rights and responsibilities, while breaking down real-world problems and developing reasoned arguments.

• Would the world be a better place without humans?
• Should the Pavlovsk Experimental Station scientists have eaten the seeds during the siege of Leningrad?
• Do we have a responsibility to future generations?
• Should climate ethics exist beyond Earth?
• Is it fair to impose burdens on future generations to solve current problems?
• Should we use geoengineering to offset the impacts of climate change?
• Should developed countries bear more responsibility for the environmental crisis?
• Should environmental conservation take precedence over economic growth?
• Is climate change a matter of national or global responsibility?
• Are water resources a basic human right?
• Is it ethical to take short-haul flights?
• Should natural features be given legal personhood?

Philosophy debate topics on animals

Philosophy debate topics on animals raise questions about the value of life and the moral obligations humans have towards the species they share the planet with. Students will explore the position of animal rights while critically evaluating topics such as animal experimentation and conservation. 

• Is it ethical to use dead animals in artworks?
• Is it immoral for people to own pets?
• Should animal testing be banned?
• Should animals have rights?
• Should humans eat animals?
• Should we ban zoos?
• Should we refrain from eating intelligent animals?
• Is it ethical to eat meat in a world where alternatives exist?
• If animals could talk, what would they say about humans?
• Is it ethical to use animals for entertainment?

Philosophy debate topics on politics and government

These philosophy debate topics on politics and government explore crucial questions about how the world functions. These meaningful topics help students gain a deeper understanding of questions of justice, individual rights, governance, as well as the principles that underpin these ideas.

• Do the benefits of direct democracy outweigh the costs?
• Is taking care of global issues more important than caring about local issues?
• Should monarchies be abolished?
• Is the right to privacy more important than freedom of the press?
• Should judges be elected by the people?
• Should societies prioritize freedom over security?
• Should people break unjust laws?
• Should voting be compulsory?
• Should we discourage nationalism?
• Should we ever use force to create peace?
• What is the best mode of peaceful protest?
• Should speech be regulated in line with John Stuart Mill’s harm principle?
• Was the United States wrong to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
• What is the most important quality a country’s leader should have?
• Which is better: “big” or “small” government?
• Is Rawls’ “veil of ignorance” too far removed from the realities of political life to make meaningful arguments about what justice should be?
• Which purpose of the criminal justice system is most important?
• Should we always respect people in authority?

Philosophy debate topics on society and culture 

These philosophy debate topics on society and culture explore the social norms, cultural practices, and institutions that shape our world and understanding of it. Students can take this opportunity to consider where norms and assumptions should be challenged or reformed.

• Should we change our vocabulary for referring to oppressed groups?
• Should society prioritize individual freedoms over collective welfare?
• Is language necessary for thought?
• Should the media always be objective?
• Is it okay for feminists to wear makeup?
• Is what’s popular always right?
• Is it possible to achieve true equality in society?
• Should social justice focus more on equality of outcome or equality of opportunity?
• Does the media shape public opinion in a way that benefits democracy?
• Does The Canterbury Tales primarily uphold or challenge the social order?
• Does The Crucible portray it as justifiable to sacrifice personal principles for the sake of societal norms?
• Should wealth be redistributed?

Philosophy debate topics on metaphysics

Philosophy debate topics on metaphysics encourage students to grapple with complex questions that go to the heart of our existence, reality, and nature of being. Students analyze abstract concepts while questioning their own assumptions about the world.

• Can our senses be trusted?
• Is there such a thing as society?
• Is time real, or an illusion?
• Does time exist objectively?
• Does free will exist?
• How do I know I exist?
• Where do good and evil come from?
• What is reality made of?
• Do we have control over our actions?
• Does memory alone count as evidence?
• Is reality objective or subjective?
• Is there a purpose to the universe?
• Is personal identity rooted in the body or the mind?
• Can a person change their identity completely?
• Do abstract objects like numbers exist independently of the physical world?
• Does moral responsibility depend on free will?

Philosophy debate topics on epistemology

Encourage students to explore the nature and limits of knowledge with these philosophy debate topics on epistemology. Students will develop critical thinking skills by scrutinizing the foundations of their knowledge and beliefs while engaging with diverse perspectives to consider how experience shapes perception. 

• Can we truly know anything with certainty?
• Is knowledge possible without language?
• Can we ever truly know history?
• Can a language shape how its speakers perceive the world?
• Can our senses be trusted?
• Is anything absolute?
• Is experience the most reliable source of knowledge?
• Can science guarantee we have the truth?
• Is there a difference between belief and knowledge?
• What is the relationship between knowledge and wisdom?

Philosophy debate topics on ethics and morality

This set of ethical and moral philosophy debate topics centers on the values that guide human behavior. Though there are no straightforward answers here, students will practice making informed judgments, weighing different perspectives, considering their impact on others, and navigating ethical issues that may arise in their lives.

• Is morality universal?
• Is it ever ok to lie?
• Is pacifism moral?
• Is war ever justifiable?
• Is it okay to be selfish?
• Is torture justifiable in the name of security?
• Should the British Museum return artifacts to their countries of origin?
• Should governments impose population controls?
• Should morals be relative depending on culture?
• Should people be able to own personal vehicles?
• Is utilitarianism the most ethical framework to guide our actions?
• Is it ok to do wrong for the greater good?
• Should we always forgive others?
• In The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, is it morally justifiable to stay in Omelas?
• In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was Willy Wonka good at heart?
• Should we create artificial wombs for humans?
• What is the most important factor in prioritizing vaccine distribution?
• Can we be held responsible for our thoughts?

Philosophy debate topics on aesthetics

Use these philosophy debate topics on aesthetics to encourage students to develop their appreciation for artistic expression and aesthetic judgments across cultures. Whether they’re exploring the nature of beauty or examining what makes art meaningful, students will learn to express their ideas, reflect on their experiences with art, and gain a richer understanding of the world around them.

• Who decides the meaning of art?
• Can art be objectively bad?
• Should there be a strict definition of art?
• Can literature be separated from its historical or cultural context?
• Is there any justice in King Lear?
• Does Lord of the Flies present an accurate picture of human nature?
• Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
• Is digital art as valuable as traditional art?
• Does good literature have to question societal norms?
• Are aesthetic judgments objective or subjective?
• Can the value of art be measured by its popularity?

Whether philosophy forms part of your curriculum or you just want to give your students an opportunity to engage in philosophical inquiry, these topics will help them scrutinize their beliefs, question assumptions, and think independently. 

We’d love to hear about how you use these topics with your students. Please get in touch at feedback@kialo-edu.com or on any of our social media channels.