- Is there randomness, or is everything predetermined by chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology?
- Even if randomness exists, do we have free will?
- How would we know?
- Is there meaning in life beyond what we make of it?
- If we have free will, what % influence does genetics have? 50%? 30%?
- Is persuasion wrong? If people have free will, and we override their will with our own will, isn’t that manipulation?
- Do we live in a simulation?
- Is it possible to derive ethics from science (so that it’s objective, and not based on the whims of political leaders)?
- Is science objective or subjective?
- Is beauty objective or subjective?
- Is ethics objective or subjective?
- Are animals conscious? Do they have free will?
- What sets us apart from other animals? Are humans special?
- What is love? How do you know?
- Do other life forms exist outside of earth?
- Does intelligent life exist outside of earth?
- If you could perfectly clone yourself (reborn as a baby, or a photocopy type of clone), and your clone experienced pleasure, is that the same as you experiencing it? What about torture? What if your clone murdered someone?
- What’s the correct answer to Trolley Problems?
- Is not saving someone’s life the same as killing them?
- Should we reduce human suffering, or increase human pleasure? Lots of people talk about ending global hunger, but no one talks about convincing people to have lots of babies. Is it better to hand out rice or condoms?
- Is it better to have a few happy people, or lots and lots of somewhat pleased, somewhat pissed people?
- If randomness exists, what about moral luck? If you drive drunk and accidentally swerve and miss hitting someone, aren’t you still guilty of murder?
- How much does intention matter, and how much does effect matter?
- Can we know our effects? How predictable are our effects? How do we know if our actions (in the long term or short term) are beneficial or costly?
- How can we know someone’s intention? Sometimes people lie. Sometimes people do things that are counterintuitive. Sometimes people do things that are counter productive. Sometimes people don’t know what they’re doing.
- Is there a fundamental particle? We keep thinking we’ve found it, and then we find another more-fundamental particle (molecules -> elements -> atoms -> quarks). How deep does this rabbit hole go?
- Can we ever truly know someone else, or will there always be more layers to peel back?
- Why do we admire Julius Cesar and Napoleon, but disdain Mao and Kim Jung Un? A dictator is a dictator right?