The so called BIG QUESTIONS are ideal for delving into inquiry. Since there are no agreed upon truths the process of study and exploration can be enjoyed and experienced without the necessity of an answer. When I chose INQUIRY as one of my Habits of Bliss, I had been considering DISCOVERY until I realized the process of looking thrilled me even more then actually finding. This is also why I LOVE the big questions. If there were absolute answers then it just wouldn’t be any fun!
So let’s delve into them, shall we…
“There is no conclusive evidence of life after death, but there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know, so why fret about it?” ~ Robert A. Heinlein in Time Enough For Love
Dr Geoffrey Klempner, Director of Studies, International Society for Philosophers has a web site devoted to, what he calls, The 10 Big Questions. I have to admit I’ve mused on all of them at one point or another and delightfully there still remains no absolute truth to any of them! I can continue to enjoy the inquiry! You can too, click on the links in Dr. Klemner’s list to get started!
Big Bang Theory — how and why did the universe begin?
Time Travel — is time travel physically or logically possible?
Meaning of Life — what’s the point of living? why are we here?
Creation vs. Evolution — are we descended from apes?
Artificial Intelligence — could a computer have a mind?
Life After Death — what is death and why should we fear it?
Extraterrestrial Life — are we alone in the universe?
Cultural Relativism — are moral values relative or absolute?
Ethical Dilemmas — how do we decide between right and wrong?
Social Justice — should the rich help the poor?
“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.” ~C.S. Lewis in God in the Dock
For a comic spin check out this Wired Magazine‘s compilation of What We Don’t Know, including a fun piece From the Desk of John Hodgeman who begins, “Now, I know exactly what you are thinking: Ha ha. Big Questions? Right. Like I need Wired to tell me what Earth’s core is made of. Or what noncoding DNA is for. Oh, and that “Riemann hypothesis”… is that one as unsolvable as the Poincaré Conjecture – the BS Mensa math problem that was just solved by a crazy recluse… in RUSSIA? Give me a break, pinheads. (But: nice new fonts.) Look, I understand where you’re coming from. You are a person of your time: an incurious age when action and certainty (what we in scientific circles call “jockism”) seem to outvalue nerdish doubt and curiosity…”
All about Philosophy offers an interesting group of discussions on many of the BIG topics. “Do you want a rational investigation of the truth? Philosophy poses many questions. Where did I come from and why am I here? Why is there suffering? Is there a God? What is my purpose in life? Get started on your trek to find answers to life’s most important questions.” Click on the link to check it out.
So how about you? Do you enjoy an inquiry into the Big Questions? Have I left any off the list? Any fun resources I should add?
That’s a lot of food for thought! I think you covered many of the biggest questions there are. Wish I knew of some additional sites to recommend. Thanks for sharing such a great list!
Ah, there goes my weekend. Links it is!
Some of these questions obsess me. But given the lack of definitive answers I’m destined to be frustrated 🙂
LOL Ava! I hope your weekend is going well and that you are enjoying the links! I