Philosophyspeaking topic
Responsibility and determinism: if every choice is fixed by prior causes, can we be morally blamed? If free will is an illusion, what happens to punishment and praise?
— free will and determinism
practice with this topic
Set the timer (5-30 min), take 20 seconds of prep if you like, start talking. Jot your thoughts onto the sticky-note board.
similar topics
- I am wiser than this man; it is likely that neither of us knows anything worthwhile, but he thinks he knows something when he does not, whereas when I do not know, neither do I think I know.
- Descartes's evil demon: could all your perceptions be a deception, and how do we know we really exist? If everything can be doubted, what remains certain?
- Civilization depends on people accepting valid arguments even when they hate the conclusion.
- The utility monster: if a being existed that got a hundred times more pleasure from everything than you do, would it be right to hand it all our resources in the name of maximizing happiness? Does the greatest happiness principle drive itself into absurdity?
- The liar paradox: someone says 'this sentence is false'. Are they telling the truth or lying? If it is true it is false, and if it is false it is true. Why does logic short-circuit the moment language turns back on itself?