Past Topics & Winners
2008
In An Introduction to Metaphysics, the German philosopher Martin Heidegger argues that religion, since it presumes to have absolute answers to the "ultimate" questions of existence and the cosmos, is fundamentally at odds with philosophy. Do you agree that a philosopher cannot be religious?
No award given.
2007
Is it an essential feature of a philosophical question that it be unanswerable? If so, why? If not, why are so many philosophical questions unanswered?
Winner: DeAnn Gerlick
2005
Socrates famously said that an unexamined life is not worth living. What constitutes an examined life? Was Socrates right that such a life is better? Why or why not?
No award given.
2004
When did time begin?
Winner: James Swenson
2003
The film Minority Report (Spielberg, 2002) supposes a future world where criminals are caught and incarcerated before they have a chance to commit their crimes. If we had reliable knowledge of what people were going to do, would we be justified in holding them morally and legally responsible now for future bad actions, actions which they have not yet committed—and which, if we incarcerate them now, they never will commit?
Winner: Chris Findeisen
2002
What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
Honorable Mentions: Jafar Fallahi, Kenny Pearce
2001
Could a human-constructed artifact ever be conscious?
Winners: Aaron Hayes, Jason Turner (tied)
2000
Given a choice between a pill which would make you wise and a pill which would make you happy, which would you choose, and why?
Winner: Jason Turner
Heading using the h3tag
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