Ultimate List of Philosophical Themes

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Themes are the big questions and relationships that drive stories and worlds. This collection is designed to spark ideas for character arcs, plot arcs, and worldbuilding. Use these themes to add depth, resonance, and philosophical weight to your work.

This collection contains 5 major categories with hundreds of philosophical questions organized into theme groups.

Relationship to Self

Intrapersonal

AUTONOMY

• What does it mean to be autonomous?
• Is it better to be autonomous in the mind or in the physical realm?
• What is worth sacrificing to be autonomous?
• Is autonomy ever wise to give away?

COMMON SENSE

• What is common sense?
• Is common sense ever wrong?
• What is the place of common sense in society?
• Can common sense blind us from progress?

DEDICATION

• What is worth our dedication?
• Are there any limits to dedication?
• Can everything be sacrificed for our dedication?
• Can we be too dedicated?

FEAR

• How can we face our fears?
• How can we deal with our fears?
• Are all fears bad?
• What does fear bring us?
• Can fear make us grow?
• Should we defeat all fears?

PERSEVERANCE

• What makes perseverance useful in achieving our goals?
• Is persevering difficult for everybody?
• How can we teach perseverance?
• When does persevering through failure becomes stubbornness?

SELF-PRESERVATION

• Does self-preservation justify evil deeds?
• Is self-preservation always desirable or should it sometimes be sacrificed for something more valuable?
• How can we protect ourselves?
• Is self-preservation an individual task or the responsibility of society?

SELF-RELIANCE

• Is self-reliance something mental or physical?
• Can we be totally self-reliant?
• Who can be self-reliant?
• Should society encourage self-reliance?

STRENGTH

• What is the relationship between inner and physical strength?
• What makes us stronger?
• Do we get stronger or weaker with life?
• Are we stronger alone or in a group?
• What is the greatest strength of humans?

PASSION

• What is a source of passion in life?
• Can one passion replace another?
• Are the same things a source of passion for everybody?
• Do we need only one passion in life, or can we have many?
• Can we be passionate about life itself?
• Does passion need an object to exist?

PERFECTION

• Is perfection subjective?
• What makes something perfect?
• Is the quest for perfection a meaningful goal?
• Is perfection in the object itself or the eye of the beholder?

COURAGE

• What does it mean to be brave?
• What separates bravery from foolish daring?
• Can courage be misplaced?
• How can brave people be exploited?

GROWING UP

• Is growing up difficult?
• Do we lose something by growing up?
• Is growing up automatic or does it require effort?
• What is growing up about?

HONOR

• What is honor?
• Do we each have a certain honor that needs to be guarded?
• Is honor something individual or at the level of society?
• Can defending honor justify cruelty?
• Is honor just a positive way to disguise ego and pride?

IDENTITY

• What makes us who we are?
• Are we the product of our environment?
• Can we create who we are?
• What makes our identity?
• Is our identity tied to our family and culture?
• Can our identity be destroyed?
• What is the value of our identity?

PRIDE

• Does pride lead to our downfall?
• What are the dangers of pride?
• Is pride always negative?
• What are the side effects of pride?

PURPOSE

• What can give us purpose?
• What does it mean to have a purpose?
• Does having a purpose make us better people?
• Can having a purpose be negative?
• What is the relationship between having a purpose and accepting the world as it is?

SELF-DISCIPLINE

• Can everybody be self-disciplined?
• How can we cultivate self-discipline?
• What does self-discipline bring us?
• Do we need somebody to teach us to be self-disciplined or do we learn it on our own?

VANITY

• Is vanity an answer to inner wounds?
• Should vanity be discouraged?
• Does vanity give us self-confidence?
• How do people become vain?

DESPAIR

• How to cope with despair?
• What does despair teach us?
• How can we heal despair?
• Is despair impossible to avoid?

HAPPINESS

• What makes us happy?
• Does happiness look the same for everybody?
• Do we need to chase happiness, or does it come automatically?
• Can our happiness be challenged?

HOPE

• What can give us hope?
• Is false hope a good thing?
• Can we ever be too hopeful?
• What does hope bring to life?
• What is the effect of hope on our actions?

INNOCENCE

• Are we all innocent when we are children?
• Do we lose our innocence as we age?
• Can a lost innocence ever be recovered?
• What can we do to protect people against the loss of their innocence?
• What is the value of innocence?
• Is innocence what allows us to be vulnerable?

REBIRTH

• How can you rebirth yourself?
• Is rebirth possible?
• Does a rebirth always a complete death of the old?
• Can society rebirth itself?

REDEMPTION

• Do we deserve redemption?
• How can we gain redemption?
• Can redemption be complete?
• Who can give redemption?
• Is redemption something personal or does it come from the outside?

REGRET

• How should we deal with regret?
• Does time heal regret?
• What can we do to overcome regret?
• Can we ever completely overcome regret?

TRAGEDY

• What do we feel when we experience a tragedy?
• How can we avoid tragedies?
• What does a tragedy teach us?
• How does a tragedy change us?

BELIEFS

• What do you believe in?
• Can beliefs go too far?
• When should beliefs be questioned?
• Can reality prove beliefs wrong?
• How can beliefs be compared?
• Are some beliefs more worthy than others?

DISILLUSIONMENT

• Which illusions can be broken?
• Is disillusionment bad or good?
• What does it mean to lose our illusions?
• Is being realistic better than having positive illusions?

DREAMS

• What kind of dreams can we have?
• Do dreams serve us or hinder us?
• Should we follow our dreams?
• Do our dreams tell us something about ourselves?

IDEOLOGY

• What is our ideology?
• Are our ideas set in stone?
• When do ideas become an ideology?
• What is the difference between ideology and a dogma?

IGNORANCE

• How can we protect ourselves against ignorance?
• Do we know when we are ignorant?
• What does it mean to live in ignorance?
• Is ignorance of certain life realities bliss?
• Is ignorance better than knowledge?

KNOWLEDGE

• What is the price of knowledge?
• Do we ever know too much?
• Are there certain parts of knowledge that should be kept secret?
• Is there some knowledge that is dangerous?
• Can it harm somebody who possesses a certain knowledge?
• Can we ever forget what we should not know?
• Is knowledge better than ignorance?

LOGIC

• What is the value of logic in society?
• When logic goes against our intuition which one should we follow?
• Is logic more or less important than feelings?
• Can logic protect us from meaninglessness?
• Is there something truer than logic?

MATURITY

• What does it mean to be mature?
• Is maturity something we develop automatically as we get older, or does it require work?
• Can we be mature too quickly?
• Does maturity automatically involve a loss of innocence?
• Can we teach maturity to people or is it something that requires experience?
• What is the difference between maturity and common sense?
• Is maturity the same as wisdom?

NIGHTMARES

• Why do we have nightmares?
• Are nightmares useful?
• What is the link between nightmares and our subconscious?
• What makes us have nightmares or pleasant dreams?

SANITY

• Is sanity of the average person true?
• What does it mean to be sane?
• Is there a point in intelligence or spiritual achievement where the average person considers you insane?
• Does sanity exist or is everybody partly insane?

SELF-AWARENESS

• Can we cultivate self-awareness or is it inborn?
• How can we develop self-awareness?
• Can others help us become more self-aware?
• Is self-awareness constant or does it fluctuate?
• How can we identify our blind spots?

INNER PEACE

• How can we attain inner peace?
• What does inner peace mean?
• Is inner peace something that everybody can achieve or is it reserved to a small elite?
• What can we do if we do not have inner peace?
• Is inner peace a permanent state or something that is volatile?

SELF-KNOWLEDGE

• What is our true self?
• Are we our thoughts?
• Does society corrupt us in any way?
• Do we need a teacher to learn to be ourselves?
• Who can teach us to be ourself?
• Is there such a thing as true self at the level of society?
• Can society learn to be more like itself in the same way individuals can?

WISDOM

• What does it mean to be wise?
• Can wisdom be a function of intelligence?
• Does one have to be old to be wise?
• Can wisdom be taught and learned?

Relationship to Environment

Environmental

CHANGE

• Is change always a good thing?
• When should change be encouraged?
• Can change go too far?
• When should change be fought?

ESCAPE

• How does one escape?
• What can help us in our escape?
• Who can we trust?
• Is escape worth the risk?

BRAVERY

• What does it take to face evil?
• Who can face evil?
• Is there a sacrifice required to face evil?
• Can evil be faced without consequences?
• Does it take violence or something else to face evil?

NECESSITY

• Does necessity push us towards greatness?
• Are we ready to do anything out of necessity?
• Can necessity justify crime?
• Do successful people become successful out of necessity?
• Does necessity bring innovation?

SUFFERING

• What is the meaning of pain and suffering?
• Can we avoid pain?
• What is the difference between pain and suffering?
• Can we learn to cope with pain?
• What can suffering teach us?
• Is suffering an unavoidable part of life?

ART

• What is art?
• Is art useful or useless?
• What is the place of art in society?
• What is the value of art versus something else for society?

CELEBRATION

• What should be celebrated?
• How can we celebrate something?
• Do we celebrate alone or with other people?
• Can celebration go too far?
• Is there a bad time to celebrate?

CREATION

• What is the relationship between creation and destruction?
• What is the value of creation?
• Where does creation come from?
• What is worth creating?

FULFILLMENT

• What is fulfilling?
• How can we pursue fulfilment?
• What does it mean to be fulfilled?
• Is fulfilment coming from things or something deeper?

SURVIVAL

• How can we fight for our survival?
• Is survival our highest value?
• How can we ensure the long-term survival of humanity?
• If there is life after death what is the place of survival in our lives?

OPPORTUNITY

• What defines an opportunity?
• Does opportunity always go hand in hand with risk?
• Is it better to maximize opportunity or limit risk?
• When should an opportunity not be followed?

PATIENCE

• Why do we need patience in life?
• Why are many people impatient?
• How can we learn patience?
• Do we need patience for success?

SIMPLICITY

• What is a simple life?
• Is simplicity always a sign of elegance?
• How to achieve a simple life?
• When should things be complex and when should they be simple?

TEMPTATION

• What can tempt us?
• Is temptation dangerous?
• Should we just give in to temptation?
• Is temptation a powerful motivator we should use?

FAILURE

• How to deal with failure?
• What does it mean to fail?
• Does failure say something about ourselves?
• Can we overcome failure?
• Is failure definitive?
• Does failure make us grow?

STRUGGLE WITH NATURE

• Can we ever dominate nature?
• Does nature punish us when we disrespect it?
• Is our comfort more important than harmony with nature?
• Is it humans or nature that is stronger?

ADVERSITY

• What does overcoming adversity teach us?
• Is everybody facing adversity?
• What is the best mental state to overcome adversity?
• As a group what do we get from overcoming adversity?

POWER-SEEKING

• How can we gain power?
• Do we need power over ourselves to have power in the World?
• How should we deal with opponents on the path of power?
• Is power worth seeking?
• Does the end justify the means?
• Is power a birthright or something competitive?

TRAVEL

• Should we travel or is it useless?
• Does travelling make us more mature?
• How can we encourage people to travel more?
• Are all travels a quest that makes us progress?

LOSING

• What can be lost?
• Can what was lost be recovered or recreated?
• What is gained when we lose something?
• Is loss teaching us something?

LUCK

• What makes us lucky?
• Can we make our own luck?
• Does gratitude bring luck?
• Does being a 'good' person make us lucky?

STRUGGLE WITH TECHNOLOGY

• How does it feel like to fight our own creation?
• Can human progress go too far and create conflict with our own creations?
• What would be the opinion of an artificial intelligence about humanity?
• What would be the objectives of an autonomous artificial intelligence?

OPTIMISM

• Is it better to be pessimistic or optimistic?
• Is optimism just lying to ourselves?
• Can we be too optimistic?
• How to balance optimism with realism?
• Can people take advantage of our optimism?

INTEGRITY

• How can we show integrity?
• Is showing integrity always respected or rewarded?
• Is showing integrity done to achieve something else?
• How to encourage people to show integrity?

SOLITUDE

• Do we always feel lonely in solitude?
• Is solitude required for greatness?
• Is solitude negative, positive, or neutral?
• Should we sometimes seek solitude?

AWARENESS

• What does it mean to face reality?
• Who can face reality?
• What prevents us to face reality?
• Do we have any idea separating us from reality?

FUTURE

• What does the future have in store for us?
• How can we ensure a good future for us?
• Should we sacrifice things in the present for a good future?
• Is the future going to be better than now?
• Should we be afraid of the future?

Relationship to Others

Interpersonal

BETRAYAL

• What are the reasons for betrayal?
• Is betrayal ever justified?
• Should betrayal be justified?
• Can betrayal be forgiven?
• Can betrayal be justified by noble intent?

LOYALTY

• Can loyalty be misplaced?
• Who deserves our loyalty?
• If our loyalty is misplaced does that justify breaking it?
• Does disloyalty need to be punished?
• How does it feel when somebody betrays our loyalty?
• Is self-respect more important than loyalty?

NEGLECT

• How does it feel to be neglected?
• Is neglect transmitted to our offspring?
• Can neglect be a positive thing?
• What are the effects of emotional neglect?

REVENGE

• Is revenge ever justified?
• How should we get revenge?
• Does getting revenge ever make us feel better?
• Can revenge be positive?
• Is revenge necessary to prevent future injustice?

TRUST

• What makes us trustworthy?
• What makes us trust others?
• How can we encourage trust?
• What destroys our trust?
• Is trust really good or dangerous?

VIOLENCE

• Can violence be justified?
• Who has the right to exercise violence?
• What are the consequences of violence?
• Does violence breed violence?

VULNERABILITY

• What makes us open up?
• Do people exploit our vulnerability?
• Can we be happy without being vulnerable?
• Is vulnerability linked to strength or weakness?

FATHERHOOD

• What does it mean to be a father?
• Does it change anything to our lives to become a father?
• How does it change the man to become a father?
• Does fatherhood bring any character traits?

CHILDBEARING

• What does having children entail?
• Does having children change us?
• Is everybody ready to have children?
• Is it always a good idea?
• Are we all meant to have children?
• Does having children change us?

LONELINESS

• How does it feel to be lonely?
• Can loneliness be cured by being around other people?
• Does loneliness make us stronger?
• Why are we sometimes feeling lonely in the company of others?
• How can we cure loneliness?
• Can we help other people out of their loneliness or is it something they need to address on their own?

MOTHERHOOD

• Is it something special to be a mother?
• What is the role of a mother in society?
• Does having children change a woman?
• Is having children a creative act?
• Is it the same experience to be a mother or a father after birth?
• Does being a mother bring specific character traits?

ARROGANCE

• Can you be arrogant if you are really the best at what you do?
• Is there anything that justifies arrogance?
• Should you be falsely modest to avoid arrogance?
• Can we be proud without being arrogant?
• What is the difference between pride and arrogance?

EMPOWERMENT

• What does empowerment mean?
• What can we gain power over?
• Do we have inner power or power over our lives?
• How can we empower people?

HIERARCHY

• How are hierarchies organized?
• What makes a good hierarchy?
• Why some hierarchies fail?
• Who is put at the top of a hierarchy?
• Are there several types of hierarchies?

INDIVIDUALITY

• What makes us an individual?
• Is society threatening our individuality?
• Do we need to protect individuality?
• What is the relationship between my individuality and yours?
• Should we sacrifice our individuality for the group?
• Can society destroy our individuality?
• Is it worth pursuing individuality if it antagonizes us from our family?

ISOLATION

• How does it feel to be isolated?
• Does isolation mean protection from harm?
• Is isolation something that is sometimes desirable?
• What do we achieve when we are isolated from the outside world?
• Can we be not isolated enough?
• What are the psychological effects of isolation?

LEADERSHIP

• What does it take to lead others?
• What are the qualities of a good leader?
• Who has the right to lead society?
• How should leaders be treated?
• Is leadership something that brings us advantages or is it a sacrifice for the common good?
• Are the qualities the same between a woman and a man who are good leaders?
• Does leadership justify perpetrating crimes for the common good?
• Who in society decides who is able to lead?

OPPRESSION

• Why do people want to oppress others?
• What are the means used by oppression?
• Is it possible to fight oppression?
• Is oppression impossible to avoid?

PREJUDICE

• What makes people develop prejudice?
• Is the tendency to have prejudice biological or not?
• Are positive prejudices a good thing?
• Is all prejudice necessarily bad?

VALOR

• What is the value of self-sacrifice?
• How can we reward valor?
• Is valor a virtue or a vice?
• Who is responsible for encouraging valor?

ATTACHMENT

• Can attachment be positive?
• Does positive attachment justify the pain of losing a loved one?
• Can attachment be let go off?
• Does love mean attachment?
• How does it feel to be attached to a loved one?
• Is attachment the cause of suffering?

COMPANIONSHIP

• What is the value of companionship?
• What does companionship bring?
• How to find companionship?
• What makes a good companion?

LOVE

• Can love last for a lifetime?
• Can love be extinguished?
• How can we find everlasting love?
• What are the conditions for love to last forever?

FAMILY

• What is the value of family?
• What does family expect from us?
• What does family provide us with?
• Does family require sacrifice from us?

FRIENDSHIP

• What do friends bring us?
• What is the value of friendship?
• Does friendship come naturally?
• What makes good friendship?

HATE

• Where does hate come from?
• Is hate ever justified?
• Does hate show us something wrong inside of us?
• Is hate the opposite of love?
• What can heal hate?

HEARTBREAK

• What breaks our heart?
• How do we heal heartbreak?
• What does heartbreak teach us?
• What is the link between heartbreak and attachment?

JEALOUSY

• What does jealousy feel like?
• What are the effects of jealousy?
• Is jealousy something that pushes towards achievement?
• Can jealousy push us towards evil?
• Does attachment lead to jealousy?

KINDNESS

• Can we be kind towards our enemies?
• Can we be too kind?
• Are there situations where kindness is not advised?
• Does kindness lead us to being exploited?
• Is kindness something to be encouraged or is it something that makes us vulnerable to evil?

MERCY

• What is the true meaning of mercy?
• Can we be too merciful?
• Is mercy something respected or exploited by society?
• Should we expect mercy from others?

REUNION

• How can we reunite after we parted for a long time?
• What happens after a reunion if we changed too much?
• Can we reunite permanently?
• Is reunion of the Heart sufficient?

TOLERANCE

• What should be tolerated?
• Is tolerance acceptance?
• How can we teach tolerance?
• Is tolerance always desirable?

COMMUNICATION

• Can everything be communicated?
• How to communicate in an efficient way?
• Can too much be communicated?
• What does communication require?
• What can block communication?

MANIPULATION

• Is manipulation ever justified?
• How does it feel like to be manipulated?
• What can be gained through manipulation?
• Does protecting the innocent justify manipulation?
• Is it right to manipulate evil people?
• Can the result of manipulation be peace and happiness?

DISCRIMINATION

• Why do we judge others?
• What do we gain by judging others?
• Are we judging for fear of being judged?
• Are we projecting our insecurities on others and then judge them?

PROGRESS

• Can Humanity progress?
• What is progress?
• Is progress always desirable?
• Should progress be limited?
• Is progress a matter of thinking and the physical world or the spiritual one?
• What do we need to progress?

SECRECY

• What requires secrecy?
• What are the consequences of broken secrecy?
• Who should be responsible for secrets?
• Can keeping harmful secrets harm others?

Relationship to Society

Societal

CRIME

• Why do people commit crimes?
• What is a crime?
• Are criminals different than normal people?
• Is crime sometimes justified?

FREEDOM

• What is the meaning of freedom?
• Is freedom internal or external?
• Do we need to fight for freedom?
• What should we be free from?

GREED

• Is greed ever good?
• What are the effects of greed?
• What does greed bring into the world?
• What does balance greed?

INJUSTICE

• How to treat injustice?
• Can we make our own injustice?
• Does injustice warrant revenge?
• Should we accept some part of injustice?
• How can we deal with the fundamental injustices between people in life?

JUSTICE

• Who has the right to bring justice?
• Is vilified revenge the same as justice?
• Can justice go too far?
• Who can decide what is just and what is not?
• Is it humanity or a spiritual power who can decide what justice is?

LIBERTY

• Is liberty something we need to fight for?
• Who gives us liberty?
• Is democracy the only system that gives liberty to its citizens?
• Can we have too much liberty?
• Is liberty causing anxiety in people?
• Can an oppressive system be better than liberty?

MATERIALISM

• What is the behavior of materialistic people?
• Why are so many people focused on their materialistic needs?
• What is more important than materialism?
• Are there situations where being materialistic is good?
• When do we have too much stuff?
• Is materialism the same as greed?

MONEY

• What is the importance of money?
• Can money make us happy?
• What are the uses for money?
• What are things more important than money?
• How much sacrifice should be made to earn money?

NATIONALISM

• What is the role of nationalism?
• Does nationalism still have a reason of being in a modern interconnected world?
• Does nationalism always lead to xenophobia and isolationism?
• Is nationalism correlated with ignorance?

ORDER

• Is violence justified to uphold order?
• Is chaos always a bad thing?
• Are chaos and order a necessary cycle?
• What are the positive sides of chaos?

PATRIOTISM

• What does it mean to be a patriot?
• Is patriotism something to be encouraged or fought against?
• How can we be a good patriot?
• Does patriotism lead to hate for other countries?

RACE

• What is xenophobia?
• What makes people racist?
• How can we fight racism?
• Is everybody partly xenophobic?

REBELLION

• What makes rebelling against worth it?
• What justifies a rebellion?
• Should rebellions be non-violent to be fair?
• Can rebellions ever be peaceful?
• How should you treat your oppressors?
• How should you deal with rebellion?
• What is an appropriate response to civil unrest?

REVOLUTION

• When should the People revolt?
• Can revolution be avoided by trying a different way?
• How to stabilize a revolution after victory has been achieved?
• Can dialogue prevent a revolution?

SEGREGATION

• What make people want to segregate each other?
• Should people always be together, or should boundaries be set?
• How can we fight segregation?
• Does segregation teach us something?

TOTALITARIANISM

• What breeds totalitarianism?
• How can we fight totalitarianism?
• Can totalitarianism be positive?
• Is totalitarianism inevitable to come back in cycles over time?

TRADITION

• When should traditions be upheld?
• What is the value of change against proven traditions?
• Can traditions always remain the same or they need to be adapted?
• When does change become tradition?

WAR

• What is the purpose of war?
• Who can wage war?
• Can war bring progress?
• Is war negative and evil or a necessity of life?

LEGACY

• What remains of our life after we die?
• What do people want to leave as legacy?
• What is the value of our legacy to our children?
• Is legacy something we leave to our family or something we leave for society?

NORMALITY

• What is normal behavior?
• What should we do with anormal behavior?
• Is there a greater value in being normal or exceptional in a positive way?
• Is the respect of normality a positive thing for society?

FEMINISM

• Is equality or feminism the goal?
• What do women need?
• What should the relationships between men and women be?
• What are the values we should all adopt?
• How can we bring equality?
• Should we do positive discrimination to advance the feminist cause?

GENDER ROLES

• What is the role of men in society?
• Should men do the same tasks as women, or should tasks be specialized?
• Are men better at some things than women are?
• Should men work with women or fight for their rights?
• What is the role of women in society?
• Should women do the same tasks as men or should tasks be specialized?
• Are women better at some things than men are?
• Should women work with men or fight for their rights?

GENDER HARMONY

• What is the relationship of masculine versus feminine?
• Is one principle more important than the other?
• Can they work together or are they destined to be forever in conflict?
• Who has the responsibility for balance?
• Does an imbalance justify revenge or getting even?

INFLUENCE

• What does it take to be part of the best?
• How does one collaborate with experts?
• How do we overcome ego to get to the top of competency?
• What needs to be sacrificed to be part of the elite?
• What is the role of the elite towards society?
• What is expected from the elite?
• What kind of resources do the elite have access to that the rest do not?

STRUCTURAL CHANGE

• When is a change of power required?
• What is the correct way to change power?
• Does a need to change power justify violence?
• Who is able to change power?
• Should the people decide on a change of power?
• What is the role of the military in a change of power?

COMING OF AGE

• What is involved in coming of age?
• Does coming of age requires a ritual or a challenge?
• What is gained through coming of age?
• Is anything lost by becoming an adult?

GLORY

• What is glory?
• How can we pursue glory and make a name for ourselves?
• Is glory the same for everybody or do people have different definitions of it?
• Does the pursuit of glory justify sacrifices?
• Is glory worth pursuing?
• Is glory just a good term for ego gratification?

GOVERNMENT

• What is the role of the government?
• Who should be in charge of the government?
• What can the government do for the people?
• Which type of government is the best?
• Is the government good or evil?
• Does the government benefit or enslave the people?
• Is government corrupt?

SOCIAL MOBILITY

• How can poor people become successful?
• What can we do to encourage social mobility?
• Should social mobility always be encouraged?
• Does social mobility generate civil unrest?

SOCIETY

• What is society?
• Who is leading society?
• What is the responsibility of society?
• How can we change society?

HEROISM

• What can be considered as heroic?
• Should heroism be exalted?
• What makes a hero?
• Can anybody be a hero?
• Does heroism come from destiny or from personal effort?

PEACE

• How can we create peace in the world?
• Is peace always desirable?
• Why do people sometimes prefer war to peace?
• Who can enforce peace?
• Is it justified to use violence to maintain peace?

CONSPIRACY

• What is a conspiracy?
• What kind of conspiracies are there?
• Can a conspiracy be done for the good of society?
• How to fight conspiracies?
• How to discover conspiracies?
• How to protect ourselves from conspiracies?

DEMOCRACY

• What makes democracy a good system?
• Does democracy work?
• Is democracy exploited by smart people to enslave others?
• Is there something better than democracy?

LAW

• Is it the law of men or the law of gods?
• Who can replace the law?
• Is law a corrupted system?
• How can we guard law against its own weaknesses?
• Does everybody have the right to practice law?
• What is the place of law in society?
• What is the relationship between law and justice?
• What should we do when the law is unjust?

RELIGION

• Who is allowed to create a religion?
• Should religion be enforced?
• What is the social value of religion?
• Should religion be enforced?
• Should religion deal with morale?

TECHNOLOGY

• What is the role of technology in our lives?
• How can we improve our technology?
• Can technology really improve our lives?
• Is technology just a tool to destroy ourselves and others?

Relationship to Existence

Existential

NATURAL ORDER

• What is the circle of life?
• Can the circle of life and death be broken?
• Is nature cruel?
• Does a life need to end for another to survive?

LIFE

• What is the meaning of life?
• Is there something such as a good life?
• What can make our life meaningful?
• Does death bring value to life?
• Can we have eternal life?
• What does it feel like to give life?

DEATH

• Is there life after death?
• What is involved in dying?
• Is it possible to know what is after death?
• Does death bring anything to life?

BEAUTY

• Is beauty internal or external?
• Is beauty a concept or something intrinsic?
• Does beauty ever fade?
• Can beauty be sold or just enjoyed?

MORALITY

• What defines what is right and wrong?
• What is immoral?
• Is morality fixed?
• Is it the same in every culture and across time?
• Who can define what is moral and what is not?
• Can something be immoral if it does not hurt anybody?
• Is morality the same as ethics?

GOODNESS

• What is good and evil?
• Can one exist without the other?
• Where does evil come from?
• Do we have both good and evil inside of us?
• What makes us choose good or evil?
• Can good triumph over evil definitively?
• Are they just a different perspective of the world?

TIME

• Is time fleeing inevitable?
• Can we travel through time?
• Is time just an illusion?
• How can we make the best use of our time?

FATE

• Does fate exist?
• Do we each have a fate?
• Can we avoid our fate?
• Can we make our own fate?
• What is our fate in life?

FREE WILL

• Do we have free will?
• Can we influence our fate?
• Where does free will come from?
• What does free will give us?

NATURE

• What are the principles of nature?
• What can nature teach us?
• Is nature our friend or our enemy?
• Does nature care about mankind?
• Do humans intrinsically follow nature's principles?

HUMAN NATURE

• What does it mean to be human?
• Can we go against our nature?
• Is there such a thing as human nature?
• Can human nature be fought?
• Should human nature be encouraged or fought against?

REALITY

• What is reality?
• Are we all living in a simulation?
• Are we all living in the same reality or in different ones?
• What is the definition of reality when virtual is just as realistic?

MANKIND

• What is the reason of existing for mankind?
• Do we have a purpose as a species?
• Were we created or are we the product of random events?
• Do we have a fate to accomplish?
• What is our status in the universe?
• What is the purpose of a single individual with regard to mankind?

TRUTH

• Is there a single truth or are things a matter of perspective?
• What makes something true?
• Does truth need to be protected or can it stand on its own?
• Can we distort and corrupt truth?

FAITH

• What can we have faith in?
• Does faith require sacrifice from us?
• Can true faith waver?
• What does faith demand from us?
• Does faith require us to fight others for it?

GOD

• Does God exist?
• Is God good or evil?
• Does God demand things from us?
• What is the purpose of God?

IMMORTALITY

• What would happen if we were immortal?
• How would we live our lives if we were immortal?
• Can we achieve immortality?
• What would be necessary sacrifices to attain immortality?
• Would the price of immortality be too high?

SOUL

• What is the soul?
• Who are we?
• Is there life after death?
• Can we be in connection with our soul?
• Is the soul immortal or something finite?

ENLIGHTENMENT

• What is enlightenment?
• Is enlightenment something that everybody can attain?
• Why are we not born enlightened?
• Do we need a teacher, or should we do it on our own?
• Is there one or several paths towards enlightenment?
• How does it feel to be enlightened?

Checklist: Using Philosophical Themes in Your Story

Is your theme woven into character arcs, plot, and worldbuilding?
Do you explore multiple sides or questions within a theme?
How do characters' beliefs and choices reflect or challenge the theme?
Are there moments of revelation, reversal, or growth tied to the theme?
Does the theme resonate with your audience's real-world questions?

Worldbuilding: Themes at Scale

How do themes shape your world's myths, laws, or institutions?
Are there cultures or factions built around specific themes?
How do magic, technology, or history reflect philosophical questions?
Can you use themes to create moral dilemmas, conflicts, or alliances?

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