List of 120 Philosophy Essay Topics and Questions For Students

While the majority of university students may assume that choosing a philosophy essay topic is easy, it does not work well in practice. Depending on what philosophy school you would like to choose, you should think of a list that must be brainstormed. Therefore, our philosophy essay topics below are meant to keep you inspired and help you see practical examples that can serve as a starting point. You will also learn how to write an excellent philosophy essay and how to tell a good topic from a poor one. When you have a good idea to start with, you will already overcome the challenges of finding a good topic.

✍️ Writing Philosophy Essay: Definition & Tips

Before you start with philosophy paper topics, ensure that you know the basics of essay writing. Begin with essay structure to academic features, take time to study your grading rubric and ask questions when something is unclear. Here is what you must consider:

• Ensure that you envision your philosophy essay’s topic by narrowing things down.
• Create an outline by choosing various key arguments.
• Read various literature dealing with the things that interest you.
• Focus on your weaknesses by looking up terms and facts.
• Choose your research methodology: persuasive, argumentative, explanatory, etc.
• Create a bibliography to support chosen ideas with reliable sources.

Your philosophy research paper topics structure should follow these aspects:

• Compose a strong thesis statement.
• Use your key arguments as the body paragraph topic sentences.
• Add a hook sentence to your introduction part.
• Provide evidence for each idea that is not yours.
• Present your ideas with the help of bridging words.
• Add counter-argument ideas if it is necessary to support your point.

Tips on Writing Philosophy Essay

1. Explain a philosophical concept.
2. Provide real-life examples to help your audience understand complex aspects.
3. Compare theories by seeking contrasts.
4. Structure your philosophical ideas from easy to complex.
5. Provide personal analysis to support each argument.

Once again, always provide due evidence if you are using any external ideas!

What are some Philosophy topics?

Some topics may deal with the nature of human existence, the things we know, the definition of concepts, and moral ethics. It is also possible to choose case study examples by turning to the works of Socrates, Plato, or more modern philosophers like John McDowell.

📙 40 Philosophy Essay Topics

We shall start with not so difficult Philosophy ideas that will deal with the general subjects related to this challenging field of science. While Philosophy is about thinking and analysis, your research writing should not be vague or unclear. Read your chosen topics aloud, change the wording, and see whether you can support some paradigm with good sources and explanatory analysis.

1. Absolutism VS Democracy
2. Modernism and Post-modernism in Ideas of Jacques Derrida
3. Concepts of Class, Ethnicity, Religion, and Gender in Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interaction, Critical Theory, and Postmodernism
4. Functionalism Versus Marxism: Comparative Analysis of Labor Relations in Contemporary Societies
5. Sociology Theoretical Perspectives
6. Thomas More: Utopia
7. The Individualistic Political Culture of Texas
8. Adam Smith's View of Wealth and Virtue
9. Impact of Confucianism on the Ancient China
10. The Difference Between Deontology and Consequentialism
11. Reasons Why Cultural Relativism is a Bad Idea
12. American Values
13. Nietzsche Genealogy of Morals Essay
14. Does God Exist Essay
15. Essay about Peace
16. Personal Values Essay
17. Sectionalism vs Nationalism
18. Reflective Essay on Application and Advocacy of Nonviolence
19. Dr. Martin Luther King's Ideas Concerning Justice, Equality, Love, Faith, and Nonviolence
20. The Contemporary Relevance of Gandhism: Non-Violence and Satyagraha
21. Concept of Pacifism In Moral Man and Immoral Society: Analytical Essay
22. Concept of Happiness in Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle: Critical Analysis
23. Historical Essay: Analysis of Great Puritan Migration
24. “Family Systems Theory” and “Ecological Systems Theory”: Case Study of Somalian 70+-year-old Lady
25. Analysis of Personal Traits and Values Based on Attribution Theory and Implicit Leadership Theories
26. History of Political Though: New Understanding of Plato and of the Republic
27. The Simpsons and Illuminati: Critical Overview
28. How Should We Live: Argumentative Essay on Euthyphro Dilemma
29. Role of Moral Principles and Legal Principles: Analytical Essay
30. Critical Analysis of William James's Essay on a Blindness to the Truth
31. Critical Analysis of Dorothy Day’s Position on Pacifism
32. Main Principles in Professional Issues of Accountability: Analytical Essay
33. Philosophical Issues of Meaning, Sense, Reference and the Truth: Opinion Essay
34. Variations of Principles amongst the Philosophers Themselves: Analytical Essay
35. Realism, Poetry, and Naturalism
36. Incompatibility of Free Will and Determinism
37. Advantages and Disadvantages of Deontology
38. Importance of Having Good Standards to Implement Ethics in Everyday Life
39. The Intersubjectivity of Children’s Plays
40. The Portrayal of Socrates' Beliefs in The Apology and Clouds

Remember that you can always narrow things down to what fits your essay!

📝Easy Philosophy Paper Topics

These easy Philosophy essay topics should provide you with a basic idea before we proceed with more complex ideas:

1. Concept of Meaning in My Life: Reflective Essay
2. Analysis of the Significance of Our Existence: Concept of Meaning of Life
3. Concept of Meaning of Life: Critical Analysis
4. Concept of Meaning and Its Role in Our Life: Analytical Essay
5. Ideas of Pierre Trudeau on Just Society
6. Necessity to Change Ethics in Everyday Life
7. Professional Platform for Ethics and Leadership in Everyday Life
8. The Connection Between Optimism and Reality
9. Ethics in Life and Business
10. Artificial Intelligence and Freedom of Conscience

☝️ Argumentative Philosophy Essay Topics

They are meant for clear arguments where you make a stand with an aim to defend what you believe in or bring up arguments to discuss things with your fellow students. Here are some ideas:

1. The Merici Mentoring Program in Creation of Just Society: Analytical Essay
2. John Locke Versus Socrates in Ideas Concerning Just Society: Analytical Essay
3. Violence and Nonviolence Movements: Critical Analysis
4. Critical Review of Interview with Adams: Issues of War and Pacifism
5. Analytical Essay on Ethical Relativism
6. Critical Analysis of the Essence of Illuminati
7. Analyzing Aspects of Mysticism in Rumi's Works: Rumi’s Thoughts on Pacifism
8. Moral Principles in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Analytical Overview
9. Reflective Essay on Ideas of Bourdieu, Foucault, and Derrida Concerning Power
10. Naturalism and Nihilism: Comparative and Contrastive Essay

📚 Practical Philosophical Topics For Essays

If you can apply a school of philosophy or some subject in practice, take a look at these Philosophy essay ideas:

1. William Irwin’s God Is a Question, Not an Answer, and Bertrand Russell’s Is There a God?: Comparative Analysis
2. Philosophy of Utilitarianism in Ideas of Jeremy Bentham
3. Philosophy of Anaxagoras, Socrates’s Search for Own Theory and Plato’s Phaedo: Analytical Essay
4. Reconceptualizing the Concept of Cultural Relativism: Critical Analysis
5. Definition, Origin, Benefits and Disadvantages of Systems Theory: Analytical Essay
6. Analysis of North Western Mental Health Based on Systems Theory and Participatory Management
7. Evolution of Pragmatism
8. Just War Theory Versus Pacifism, Amoral Realism, Holy War
9. Education and Religion in Thomas More’s Utopia
10. Analytical Essay on Identification of Groups of Academia: Hanna Arendt and Giorgio Agamben

🌎 Worldview Essay Topics

This section is dedicated to those subjects that reflect how a person sees the world. It brings up philosophy essay questions that sum up what a person beliefs in. For example:

1. Importance of Pacifism and Peacemaking: Analytical Essay
2. Critical Analysis of Puritans' Culture and Beliefs
3. Human Person’s Responsibility for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Development: Reflective Essay
4. Rights of Aboriginal People and Vision of Just Society in Canada
5. The Human Rights Situation of the Uyghurs according to Hannah Arendt’s “Right to Have Rights”
6. Exploring The World Revolves Around Me Fallacy
7. The Stand for Truth and Its Impact on Society
8. Pacifism in the Early Church
9. In Search of The Meaning of Life
10. Supernatural Origin of Evil

📖 Plato Essay Topics

It is hard to find another personality that would be as important for the field of Philosophy as Plato. Here are several philosophy topics for essays that deal with Plato’s beliefs and the timeless heritage. For example:

1. Plato’s and Aristotle’s Views on Golden Mean: Analytical Essay
2. Philosophy of Love and Sex in Plato's Symposium: Analytical Essay
3. Reflective Essay on Wisdom and Ideal Society in The Republic by Plato
4. Plato’s Understanding of the Human Body in Phaedo: Critical Analysis
5. Impact of Plato's Book Euthyphro on Society: Argumentative Essay
6. The Meaning And Importance Of Plato's Allegory Of The Cave
7. Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato And Aristotle
8. The Value And Importance Of The Education In Allegory Of The Cave
9. Philosophical Ideas And Concepts Of Plato
10. Plato’s Attack On Democratic Politics

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💡 Enlightenment Essay Topics

This section explores interesting topics that relate to the period of Enlightenment. Here is the list to consider:

1. Major Contributors Of Enlightenment Movement
2. Positive And Negative Aspects Of Enlightenment
3. The Enlightenment Movement: Origin, Expansion And Religion
4. The Concepts Of Falsifiability And Enlightenment And Greta Thunberg
5. How Is The Enlightenment The Final Stage Of Other Revolutions?
6. Extent of Changes in English Society Because of the Enlightenment
7. Zen Buddhism And Enlightenment
8. Radicality of Enlightenment: Arguments For and Against
9. Essence of Political Thought in The Enlightenment
10. Enlightenment and Romanticism Movements: Analytical Essay

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📜 Transcendentalism Essay Topics

In simple terms, Transcendentalism is a philosophy that came to be in the 19th century, aiming for self-sufficiency. The main belief states that people are originally good but are corrupted by society and the wrong teaching or negative examples. It is one of the most varied branches of philosophy as can be seen from the topics below:

1. My Educational Philosophy: Implementation of Pragmatism in Education
2. Transcendentalism As One Of The Main Philosophical Movements Of 18th Century
3. The Ideas Of Transcendentalism In The Works Of Emily Dickinson And Henry David Thoreau
4. The Impact Of Transcendentalism And Romanticism On The Development Of Literature In 19th Century
5. Individualism And Transcendentalism In The Novel The Giver By Lois Lowry
6. Transcendentalism and Love Yourself: Analytical Essay
7. Analytical Aspect of Relation between BTS and Transcendentalism
8. American Political Thought: Spread of Transcendentalism in Early American Society
9. Transcendentalism and The Value of Nature
10. Essay on Transcendentalism: Critical Analysis of Henry David Thoreau's Essay Called Walden

❓ Philosophy Essay Questions

When you choose a good Philosophy essay topic, always ask yourself a question. Take a look at how it has been done below:

1. The Republic': Ideas for Building an Ideal Society
2. The Importance of Respect for Others
3. The Future of Pacifism
4. Connection of Morality with Function of a Human Being
5. Building a Just Society Through God’s Love
6. Ethics and Morals in English Literature
7. Reasons Why the Syrian Conflict is Not a Just War
8. Numan Nature as the Reason Why we Need Morality
9. The Importance of Humility in Life
10. The Nature of Human Good

What is a good topic for a philosophy paper?

One of the most popular topics in Philosophy today is whether people are born as good beings or we already come to this world with all the negative traits. While it is popular, you can narrow things down by focusing on criminals, youth gangs, or volunteers (as an example of the good ones).

How to Find Excellent Philosophy Essay Topics?

When you have a plethora of philosophy ideas, it is easy to get lost, which is why you should follow these simple Philosophy topic choice tips:

• Find something that truly inspires you. If your topic does not motivate you, it will always show.
• Choose a certain school of philosophy as your methodology.
• Read on various philosophers and examine their famous works.
• Narrow things down and change the wording.
• Research similar works on the topic.

When you have already chosen something, read it aloud and try to think about keywords by writing them down in a list. Once done, connect your essay topic with the thesis statement.