Metaphysics

Why do philosophers question whether the world we experience is the 'real' one? What makes something the same object over time even as it changes? Are abstract objects like numbers or moral truths real or merely useful concepts? Why do identity debates matter for issues like personal responsibility or rights? Which metaphysical idea do you find most puzzling, and why?

Is the passage of time an objective feature of the universe or a human perception? What does it mean for something to cause something else, and how do we know it did? Are there real limits on what is possible, or only limits on what we can imagine? How would life feel different if you believed the future was fixed versus open? Have you ever wondered whether small changes in your past could have led to radically different outcomes?

Why does subjective experience feel so different from physical processes in the brain? Could an advanced AI ever have consciousness similar to a human’s? Do you believe humans have free will, or are our actions determined by prior causes? How do beliefs about free will influence moral responsibility? Has an experience ever changed your sense of what it means to have a 'self'?