100+ Philosophy Research Paper Topics

One of the most difficult tasks philosophy students faces each year is in having to come up with a philosophy topic to write a paper on. Students can get notifications of big projects months ahead of time and then spend weeks trying to figure out whether their philosophy essay topics are good enough to earn a good grade.

We get it. It’s hard to pull this task together with schedules and responsibilities. This is why we work to find philosophical topics that are current and relatable. We stick to important issues that are at the forefront of the discipline and bring them to you in one convenient philosophical topic for the essay list.

Finding the right philosophy topics can turn regular assignments into A+-winning assignments and we’ve done the work to help you and hundreds of other students get started with these philosophy paper topics. Here are our top 100 philosophy topics for the current school year:

Argumentative Philosophy Research Paper Topics

1. Do people naturally have good and bad qualities?
2. Do we need family support to find happiness?
3. How humans can be happy without reproduction?
4. What is the definitive explanation of happiness?
5. Do most people feel they aren’t living their full lives?
6. Would you marry for money if it meant you could never be happy?
7. Would you like to live your life more than once?
8. Would you rather work vocationalation job or a high-paying job?
9. Are personalities unique or are they just template?
10. Do you think that it is moral to follow all the rules?

Good Philosophy Paper Topics for All Levels

1. Does one need to lead a moral life to achieve happiness?
2. Why do people find life harder than expected?
3. Which is the better teacher? Experience or learning?
4. Do people always do what they want at that moment?
5. Is truth universal or does it change because of perspective?
6. Do animals have a better sense of morals than humans?
7. Can people gain an education without proper schooling?
8. Does one need to be literate to understand philosophy?
9. Which ie preferable? Determinism or Free Will?
10. Is capital punishment ethical in today’s world?

Controversial Topics in Philosophy

1. How does society shape a person’s life and beliefs?
2. Do you need a lot of money to live a rich life?
3. Why are some people living without actually experiencing things?
4. Is spiritual power more important than free will?
5. Do genetics play a bigger role in the way people behave?
6. What impact does the word “love” have on positivity?
7. What is the real reason we live our lives?
8. Is it possible to form a perfect world?
9. Do religion and philosophy contradict one another?
10. Can a world exist without laws or regulations?

Fun Philosophy Paper Topics for High School

1. What would be your form ideal government?
2. What are the different ways in which humans understand each other?
3. How is the concept of happiness defined by different philosophers?
4. Is existence simply a dream experienced by a larger being?
5. If you can spend a week in any period, which would it be?
6. Are we alone in our galaxy or are there other intelligent life forms?
7. What does it mean to have free will versus determinism?
8. If you can change one thing from your past, what would it be?
9. Does religion limit our abilities to explore the meaning of life?
10. What does it mean to be loved or to love others?

Topics for Philosophy Paper on the Classics

1. What does it mean to understand our universe?
2. Does happiness come from our actions toward others?
3. Are our thoughts evidence that we exist?
4. What is the definition of evil as it relates to the modern world?
5. Could societies exist without laws and regulations?
6. Are people born good or evil or are they raised to be one or the other?
7. Is torture a justifiable form of punishment?
8. How can past leaders influence today’s youth positively?
9. Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder?
10. Can we refocus our minds to think more positively?

Easy Philosophy Paper Topics for High School

1. What does it mean to be moral in today’s world?
2. Can wars be justified if it supports the greater population?
3. What does it mean to be a postmodern philosopher?
4. What are today’s most important life values?
5. What is the current perspective on the definition of loneliness?
6. How does one prepare for life after death?
7. Would you like to repeat your life with full knowledge of the prior?
8. Does something better than nothing always lead to benefits?
9. Do people choose to suffer or is it a feeling beyond our control?
10. Should people have to right to die by suicide?

Philosophy Topics to Write About Quickly

1. Do we exist in some form after death?
2. Do supernatural entities exist in the world?
3. Are video games negatively impacting people’s moral values?
4. How does one boost his or her ability to be creative?
5. Is it important to spend your entire life learning?
6. What does it mean to be mentally conscious?
7. What is the definition of loneliness and have you experienced it?
8. What are the most important character traits for leaders to have?
9. Does one need a lot of money to be considered rich?
10. Are we alone in the universe or is there another life?

Philosophical Topics for Essays on Current Issues

1. Are parents responsible for how their children behave?
2. Are the U.S. and U.K. meritocratic societies?
3. Has social media had an impact on people’s morals?
4. Do you agree with the notion that love only exists for 3 years?
5. Are humans more likely to cause trouble because of boredom?
6. Is capital punishment morally justified in modern society?
7. Do humans have the same ideas about what is right and what is wrong?
8. How does death affect how humans view life?
9. Is it complicated to live a life of happiness?
10. Should teenagers be given the responsibility to make their own choices?

Philosophy Thesis Topics for a Big Project

1. Do religion and the belief in God change a person’s behavior?
2. Are Machiavellian ideals still relevant in today’s government?
3. Is animal experimentation ever justified to protect humans?
4. What are the pros and cons of a utilitarian society?
5. What are the pros and cons of a communist government?
6. Why are humans the only species to be violent?
7. Is economic justice more important than legal justice?
8. Should women have univerabortion rightstion?
9. What impact did the 20th-century wave of philosophy have on the U.S.?
10. How do you know that you are different from other people?

Philosophy Research Paper Topics

1. What are the tendencies we see most in humans?
2. Are our morals connected to or influenced by culture?
3. Would you live your life a second time?
4. Should religion have a voice in a nation’s government?
5. What do you think makes for an ideal society?
6. Are truths relative to specific situations or circumstances?
7. What is the most important aspect to gain human knowledge?
8. What is something that veritably upsets you?
9. What is something in your life that you would like to change?
10. What is the most effective way to increase one’s IQ?

Getting a good grade on a philosophy research paper requires you to consider several different options and narrow down those options to a topic you feel you can conduct complete philosophy research on. The topic should also be something that interests you and verges into new areas in the discipline and area of study. This can be a difficult task for many students, so we create custom philosophy research topics to suit every situation. If you can’t find a topic you like from this list, just give us a call, email us, or send us a message via chat. We can direct you to a qualified philosophy expert writer to create a custom list of philosophical ideas to fit your assignment needs.