Philosophy Research Paper Topics: 200+ Best Ideas

What Are Philosophy Research Topics?

Most philosophy paper topics require a good amount of devotion to writing. Philosophy involves the study of axiology, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of the mind, and aesthetics, to name just a few. Each of these branches can seem broad and complex, which is why most students find selecting a handful of philosophical research topics to be hectic. 

In fact, some people make the mistake of picking very intricate social science research topics of discussion in an attempt to impress their professors. The best approach, however, requires one to choose a simple but researchable subject matter. Identifying appropriate philosophy topics for a research paper is crucial in writing. Doing so narrows down your search significantly.

Characteristics of Good Philosophy Research Topics

Writers who earn high grades begin their research journey by choosing good research topics for philosophy. Doing so carries benefits, such as being able to write on a theme you like and understand well, which makes the process enjoyable. These merits later reflect in your final score on your philosophy paper. Looking out for these traits given below will allow you to find a unique subject matter for your essay easily. You should:

• Select a fascinating topic because it activates your imagination.
• If your theme is original, then you stand a higher chance of earning extra points compared to students who recycled from a list of overused philosophy research topics.
• Your preferred research issue ought to have plenty of information available in published resources, including books and the Internet.

Read more: What Is a Research Paper & How to Write It?

How to Choose a Philosophy Research Paper Topic?

Successful formulation of your research topic, to a great extent, determines your final grade. You want to avoid the mistake of picking a philosophy paper topic that exceeds your grasp of knowledge. For example, if you are in your first year of college, you cannot tackle a philosophy research paper topic in the Ph.D. category. When picking your preferred theme, you should:

1. Consider the relevance of philosophy paper ideas to your specific area of study.
2. Refer to your class assignments as a source of inspiration for developing your interests.
3. Pick a topic that interests you, as this will allow you to research quickly in a fun and rewarding process.
4. Ensure that your preferred research issue aligns with your professor's instructions.
5. You need to discuss your selection with your instructor.

Top List of Philosophy Research Topics

In your search for writing ideas, you may consider top-tier philosophy topics to write a paper on. These themes, at times, prove to be a challenge. However, they are relatively popular, allowing you the chance to work with a vast amount of already existing resources. A wide variety of materials that are available and published make it easy to defend one's thesis with peer-reviewed findings. Here is a top-tier philosophy topics list.

1. Free will from a philosophical perspective.
2. An exploration of low moral standards.
3. Irony through a philosophical lens.
4. Are people morally obligated to be honest?
5. Beauty standards from a philosophical stance.
6. Aristotle's life and his influence on society.
7. Philosophical role in the globalization process.
8. The truth's relativity.
9. Philosophical implications of the love-happiness dynamic.
10. Race and justice in America.

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Interesting Philosophy Research Topics

There are numerous options within the interesting philosophy paper topics category. You need to have a good eye when picking from this collection because what you may consider attention-grabbing at times seems mundane to some people. Remember that your choice of essay topic should impress your professor. We have narrowed down the most thought-provoking themes and prepared a list of excellent philosophical paper topics that will captivate your instructor.

1. Supernatural claims: real or myth?
2. Can an individual find happiness despite them not having a family?
3. Truth as a virtue and its value in society.
4. Can one be rich without owning monetary wealth?
5. Why do people kill for religious reasons?
6. The psychology surrounding rules and obedience.
7. Can the main characteristics that make a person be changed?
8. Is it ethical to force people to observe science-backed traditions?
9. Notable modern life values.
10. Personal definition of happiness.
11. Three approaches to the substance of thinking: monistic, dualistic, and populistic.
12. French philosophies of the XIX-XX centuries.
13. The essence of man is reflected in ancient philosophy.
14. Comparing Plato's, Socrates', and Aristotle's philosophies.
15. Common notion regarding life after death.

Easy Philosophy Research Topics

If you want to write your paper faster, it makes sense to look for easy research topics in philosophy. Such themes are not hard to come by as they address commonly encountered philosophical questions in people's daily lives. You may decide to note down two or three philosophy topics to talk about from the list below and discuss them with your instructor.

1. What makes love last?
2. Society's role in your personal life.
3. The benefits of human emotions.
4. What constitutes an ideal world?
5. Good versus bad traits.
6. The role education plays in your personal life.
7. What are the principles of democracy?
8. What would you choose between pursuing your passions and landing a well-paying job?
9. Living without feeling alive.
10. Strengths associated with the Determinist theory.
11. In what ways does fear influence your everyday life?
12. Does faith change human nature?
13. Should abortion be made legal?
14. Why do most countries not allow human cloning?
15. What is harmony?

Fun Philosophy Paper Topics

Philosophical research topics can be fun and enjoyable, depending on the subject of discussion. Writing such themes is very engaging. Philosophy research paper topics in this category can be academic, informative, or for entertainment purposes.

1. Morality as a virtue.
2. Philosophical views in relation to space exploration.
3. What your cat thinks of you.
4. Why do people get irritated?
5. The irony in poverty and its philosophical perspectives.
6. Philosophical thoughts on what determines people's moods.
7. Humor and mental health: Is laughter the best medicine?
8. The irony of dying to live versus living to die.
9. Video games and how they affect our perception of the comedy of tragedy.
10. Machiavelli's ideas: Negatives and positives.
11. Analyzing humanity in contrast to divinity.
12. False beliefs about causes of death.
13. Have you ever felt like a minority in any aspect of your life?
14. Controversial aspect of modern life.
15. Is joy the same as happiness?

Good Philosophy Research Topics

To assist you in succeeding in writing philosophical essays, we have availed a list of good philosophy research paper ideas to inspire your writing. Also, if you are a teacher in need of topics for a philosophy paper for each student, you can pick from the following list.

1. Distinctions between humans and animals.
2. Would you prefer to love or be loved?
3. What does feminism mean to the world?
4. The essence of time as it relates to philosophy.
5. The age and wisdom.
6. Have you faced any ethical dilemmas in the last decade of your life?
7. Myths and the truth behind them.
8. Science from a philosophical standpoint.
9. Distinctions between ancient and modern life.
10. Honor as a concept applied in medieval Europe.
11. Top philosophers who lived in the 20th century.
12. Examining the connection between power and reason.
13. Possible rights of sentient robotics in the future.
14. Science's significance in humanity's daily living.
15. Is torture justifiable in any context?

We also have great ideas for psychology research topics and education research topics, to name a few. Browse our Blog for more title suggestions. 

Intriguing Philosophy Research Topics

If you are looking for adequately formulated philosophy paper ideas, you are in luck, as we have a collection of topics that you may find very intriguing. You can share this resource with others who might be having a hard time acquiring topics for philosophy research paper for their writing assignments.

1. Is the subconscious mind physiological or abstract?
2. Similarities associated with ethics and behavior.
3. Maturity age and marriage age as defined by the social realm.
4. Pros and cons of total control over society's behavior by totalitarian regimes.
5. Beauty's effects on an individual's self-esteem.
6. The two sides of suicide: For and against it.
7. How are parents, in general, responsible for the actions of a child?
8. Ethical Issues surrounding the topic of experimentation on animal subjects.
9. Pros and cons associated with artificial intelligence.
10. Do animals have souls?
11. Do animals perceive human emotional states?
12. The ethics associated with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
13. What is a "necessary evil?"
14. Pros and cons associated with marriage.
15. Is morality objective or subjective?

Philosophy Research Paper Topics for Students

Philosophy research topics are distinctively academic in nature. When presented with the task of delivering a philosophical essay, the best option for students is to read guides and examples of essays similar to the task at hand. Then they present proposed research topics in philosophy to their professor. The search can be odious, but we have made it easy for you to quickly settle on a topic and begin writing. Here is a list of philosophy topics for a research paper in high school or college.

Philosophy Research Topics for High School

Many high school students are searching for their next philosophy project ideas. If you are in such a situation, our philosophical paper topics resource below should at least help narrow your search.

1. Voting age dilemma: 16 or 18-year-olds.
2. The abstract nature of the subconscious.
3. Abortion as a question in life and death cycle.
4. Philosophical views on the subject of taxing the super-rich.
5. What lessons can younger people learn from your generation?
6. The philosophical view on forgiveness.
7. Positive thinking techniques.
8. Egg versus hen: Which came first?
9. Ethics and euthanasia.
10. Are social protests a practical approach to demand change?
11. Your greatest possession or treasure in life.
12. Utopia as critically reviewed through a philosopher's lens.
13. Missing ethical values in immortality.
14. What created the concept known as the "American dream?"
15. Importance associated with philosophical studies.

Philosophy Research Topics for College Students

If you have been stressing thinking about philosophy term paper topics and you are lost on where to start, you are in luck, as you have landed on the right page. Here you will get a free list containing unique philosophical paper topics that you can use for your essay and impress your professor.

1. "Beauty of the Heart": is the concept probable?
2. Balancing law and ethics.
3. A philosophical view on reincarnation.
4. Does the truth always win an argument?
5. Philosophical thoughts on the epic of Gilgamesh and how it changed approaches to human conflict resolution.
6. What it means to "be proud of something."
7. Art's impact on children's creative thinking.
8. Is excessive knowledge dangerous?
9. Will technological advancements reach an end?
10. Inside a lying person's mind.
11. Do humans owe anything to robots?
12. The cycle of life and death.
13. Is "the bottom line" an American cultural phenomenon?
14. Is predatory capitalism in American healthcare ethical?
15. Celebrities as role models for the youth.

Extra Philosophy Research Paper Topics & Ideas

Philosophy is a broad discipline with numerous applications. It explores areas such as law, history, politics, art, ethics, and human life, among others. We have tried as much as possible to cover common philosophy research paper topics in our lists. You can navigate to any section in this post that relates to your current project and borrow philosophy paper ideas for free.

Ancient Philosophy Research Topics

Ancient philosophy research paper topics cover historical aspects. It is interesting to learn about early theories and developmental stages of philosophical notions. The advantage of selecting a theme from the category of ancient research topics in philosophy is that there are enough materials to base your paper on in numerous publications.

1. An ideal world as dreamt by Plato.
2. An in-depth look at Immanuel Kant.
3. Beliefs in ancient Greece.
4. Reality as conceptualized by Aristotle.
5. The life and death of Socrates.
6. Unique elements associated with Roman philosophy.
7. Philosophy and mythology.
8. Philosophy's role as a theoretical doctrine in ancient times.
9. Philosophical aspects in anthropology that are no longer relevant today.
10. Cosmological nature of early Greek philosophy.
11. "Know Thyself": Socrates.
12. Roman stoicism and the rise of Christianity.
13. Positive social changes as a result of Seneca's stoicism.
14. The concept of honor in medieval culture.
15. The evolution of ancient philosophy.

Read more: History Research Paper Topics 

Political Philosophy Research Topics

This section contains a list of political and philosophical research topics and ideas. Philosophy has a keen focus on politics in all aspects, including political science. This relationship allows for a variety of research areas that you can explore. Here are 15 philosophy topics for a research paper that you should consider.

1. Enlightenment: political and philosophical ideas.
2. Do political lies amount to abusing freedom of speech?
3. Political revolution in Africa: Robert Mugabe.
4. What drives people to engage in civil disobedience?
5. Freedom and justice as political capital.
6. How the synthesis of Freudianism and Marxism in Fromm's literature is reflected in the national policies of some countries.
7. Political history as seen from a philosophical and ideological perspective.
8. Human freedom and responsibility as reflected in the policies of certain countries.
9. How politicians perceive the concept of superman in Nietzsche.
10. Changes to the political foundations with respect to the challenge of unity and diversity.
11. When does the truth become an epistemological and political problem?
12. Pessimism and optimism as approaches to the development of society when considered political Strategies.
13. Exploring the cultural and political self-determination of a human.
14. National idea and its role in the formation of civil society.
15. Roles of correctional institutions in punishment and criminal justice administration in America.

>> More ideas: Political Science Research Topics

Philosophy Paper Ideas on Ethics

Ethics and morality in philosophy is a branch that specializes in the idea of right and wrong. See our list of philosophy paper ideas. Checking through the compilation allows you to select a suitable philosophy research paper topic that makes you a candidate for a passing grade in your ethics essay.

1. A philosophical review of standardized tests.
2. Is evil naturally present in people?
3. Ethical egoism: good or bad?
4. Philosophical thoughts on the use of nuclear weapons.
5. Philosophical metaethics in the context of experimental science.
6. Same-sex marriages as seen through a philosopher's mind.
7. Alcoholism in the modern age.
8. Colonization in Africa and its moral implications.
9. American corporate greed as the main drive for neoliberalism.
10. Is venture capitalism evil?
11. Neoliberalism's effects on global labor markets.
12. An ethical and philosophical discussion of death sentence punishment.
13. Political manipulation and its effects on social trust.
14. Racism and gender discrimination's role in interstellar society.
15. What is the most effective way to discipline your children?

Philosophy Research Topics on Human Life

Human life philosophy is concerned with the study of the status of human beings in the universe, and it also investigates the purpose and meaning of life. In an attempt to answer these critical questions, students may be asked to write essays that are based on research topics for philosophy. If you find yourself in need of assistance with ideas for your essay, our suggestions list for philosophical paper topics is an excellent place to start looking.

1. Why happiness is such a complex life goal.
2. Things that cause human life to seem senseless.
3. Law and order as a recipe for peace.
4. What qualifies human life as meaningful?
5. What is a "perfect life" like?
6. Why do Africans, especially children, have a high happiness index despite impoverished states?
7. Would you desire to reincarnate?
8. Role of culture in human life.
9. Is there human-like life on other planets?
10. Mental health and its effect on living standards.
11. How AI will impact life in the next century.
12. What modern life custom is likely to fade over time?
13. What trajectory would life have followed without the Internet?
14. Distrust in long-distance relationships.
15. Do clones have souls?

Philosophy Research Topics About Art

Art is a testament to the creative human spirit, which links art to philosophy. If you are a student of art, you may be given a list of philosophy topics to talk about. Check out the art philosophy paper topics provided below.

1. Philosophical Ideas in Poetry and Architecture.
2. Leonardo da Vinci's painting is the true philosophy of the Renaissance.
3. Is photography an art?
4. Literature and philosophy as applied in political criticism.
5. Ideality in creativity as a manifestation of consciousness.
6. Creativity and art as a window to a person's inner spiritual world.
7. Artistic value vs aesthetic value.
8. Relationship between knowledge and creativity.
9. Philosophical aspects and art.
10. How will NFT (non-fungible tokens) usage change the future of art?
11. Is art simply a human spiritual activity or ritual?
12. Thoughts on art's lack of rational reproducibility and its bias towards symbolism and figurative forms of expression and cognition.
13. Philosophical exploration: The intersection between art, religion, and science.
14. Historical evolution involving the relationships between philosophy and history.
15. Existentialism as noted by A. Camus, G. Marcel, and J.P. Sartre.

Philosophy Research Topics From Experts

If you are interested in conducting research in your area of expertise, the following are current philosophical research topics that you can consider depending on your specialty. Looking through our compilation of expert philosophy topics can help you identify a research gap in your field to gain several philosophy paper ideas for your project.

1. An ideal world consisting of liberalism and fascism in political ideas.
2. Philosophy and mediation, according to Rene.
3. A summary: Charles Pierce's fixation on belief.
4. A summary of Buddhist philosophical ideals.
5. The ethics involving free will.
6. Post-Colonial and feminist philosophy.
7. Aristotle's friendship conditions.
8. Is there evidence for God's existence?
9. John McTaggart's unreality of time.
10. Apology by Crito and Plato.
11. A well-paid task versus a passion.
12. Life after death: What is the popular African viewpoint?
13. Modern life values that foster peace.
14. The most prominent bother that comes with loneliness.
15. How do religions die?

Philosophy Thesis Topics

Formulating proper thesis topics in philosophical subjects can prove challenging. Get started on any one of the philosophy topics for a research paper or thesis presented to you in this post. Our expert writers keenly formulated every proposition in the listing containing topics in philosophy for your thesis.

1. The robotics industry as seen from a philosophical angle.
2. A situation where humans have considered things as facts without evidence.
3. Views on artificial intelligence in philosophy.
4. The American dream's implications.
5. The classical Socratic method.
6. Hate crimes and how to combat them.
7. The remarkable life and death of Plato.
8. Honor was a social concept in ancient Rome.
9. What thoughts does the term "a life based on reason" invoke in your mind?
10. What is the ideal education in the 21st century?
11. Intuition is a human trait.
12. The power associated with slogans.
13. The flaws of fixation of belief.
14. Family values and how they influence personal character development.
15. Implications of time's relativity.

Bottom Line on Philosophy Research Paper Topics

This post is meant to provide both students and professionals with a resource where they can look up philosophy topics for a research paper. The importance of topic selection as a critical step in the writing process is evident. It influences the process that follows after leading up to your final grade or the quality of your final essay. As long as you pick an interesting and researchable topic, you are not likely to encounter extreme difficulties in your writing process. We hope that you have found the research topics in philosophy in this post helpful.