Picture this: you're lounging on your couch, lost in thought, when suddenly a lightbulb goes off in your head. What if you could explore the depths of human nature, tackle life's biggest head-scratchers, or navigate the murky waters of moral dilemmas? Well, buckle up, because we've scoured r/WritingPrompts to find the best writing prompts for the philosophical category. These brain-tickling prompts are perfect for aspiring wordsmiths looking for their next story idea and curious readers craving a mental adventure. From mind-bending alternate realities to deep dives into the human psyche, these prompts will have you questioning everything you thought you knew. So, grab a pen, a cozy chair, and let's embark on a philosophical journey like no other!
Human Nature
Ah, the age-old question: what makes us tick? This collection of prompts is like a treasure map leading to the heart of the human experience. You'll find yourself navigating the twists and turns of relationships, the labyrinth of our choices, and the secret passages of our innermost thoughts. These prompts challenge writers to put on their explorer hats and delve into the uncharted territory of the human mind, from our darkest fears to our most cherished dreams. Get ready to uncover the hidden gems of human nature and see the world through a whole new lens.
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You look at the genie and wish your final wish: "I wish to only age on days that I am happy." That was over 100 years ago and you've barely aged a day.
People do not get weaker and more frail as they age - they get stronger and stronger. "Dying of old age" is when groups of young people band together to kill off their elders before they become too strong to defeat.
"A child not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth."
A caterpillar has no idea it will become a butterfly, it simply has instincts that commands to start building a coccoon. In a similar fashion, you have no idea why you are compelled to start digging this really, really deep hole, but it feels verry important.
“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”
You’re a human stranded on an alien planet. The locals are sapient, but have a lifespan of only about six months. After dozens of generations (about a decade), you’ve managed to make quite a name for yourself.L
"Death is a gentle thing if you welcome it, like a soft breeze or a bashful kiss." - "Then what's the scythe for?" - "The people who resist."
Music is a dangerous weapon, if not careful entire species can fall to madness upon discovering it. It has been theorised that any race with more than a thousand songs could wipe out all intelligent life, which is why Humanity is so feared in the galaxy despite no human really ever knowing why
Upon turning 18, all humans must spend one year as their spirit animal, to gain a better appreciation for the world and what they have. They awake on the morning of their 18th birthday as said animal, in its natural habitat. You wake up on your 18th birthday completely human.
While walking, you notice everyone recoiling from a young woman. you speak to her to find out why. through her surprise, she explains she is death and everyone else sees a person based on how they feel about the concept of death. You've never seen a more beautiful or inviting person.
Existential Questions
Brace yourself for a wild ride through the cosmos of existential contemplation! This subcategory is like a philosophical roller coaster, taking you on a thrilling journey through the big, brain-melting questions that keep deep thinkers tossing and turning at night. From mind-boggling afterlives to the puzzle of consciousness, these prompts will have you questioning the very fabric of reality. Writers and readers alike will find themselves tumbling down the rabbit hole of existential musings, grappling with the meaning of life and the mysteries that lie just beyond our grasp.
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After you die you are presented with a decision tree which showcases every possible trajectory your life could have taken depending on which decisions you made at each fork. You spend eternity analysing this tree until one day you find a path that does not end in death.
1 hour before someone dies their loved ones are teleported to them so that they can enjoy their last moments. You don't have any more loved ones, but suddenly you are teleported into a crowded room.
A seemingly bottomless pit was found, for which the depth can't be determined. Over time, scores of people began using it to illegally dump trash. Many have jumped in to die, while others jumped believing that they'll find life's answers within it. Today, we learn the truth about the hole.
After your death, you found yourself in a non-human body, holding what looks like a bong, surrounded by other members of the same species asking you "how was the trip?" in a language you somehow understand despite never hearing before.
As an atheist, you are shocked to realize that there is an after life after death. Standing in front of countless heavenly gates, you are swarmed by representatives of each faith, all trying to convince you to choose their happily ever after package.
The human lifespan is actually only one day long. To adapt, when we go to sleep each night, our mind sends us one dream deeper, where we wake up alive. When we finally die, the experience of our life flashing before our eyes is really just us waking up in each dreams, one at a time.
They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time. What they don’t say is that in between those deaths, you get stuck in purgatory with all the great philosophers and authors - all just waiting to die.
Whenever you are about to die, your main consciousness switches to alternate universe in which you survived. This makes you conscious only of the longest possible life. Uppon death, you are shown all the ways you would have died.
You just died, but now you’re awake and everyone claims you survived. Turns out when someone dies in one timeline, their consciousness transfers to an alternate where they lived. You are the first person to remember dying, and the first to discover that this makes us effectively immortal.
You died. Death is boring, a blank black nothing. After a while, boredom sets in. As a joke you shout, "Let there be light!" And suddenly, there was Light.
Ethical Dilemmas
Welcome to the gray zone, where right and wrong are as clear as mud. This collection of prompts is like a moral obstacle course, throwing characters (and you) into situations that will make your ethical compass spin like a top. From superhero predicaments to life-altering decisions, these scenarios will have you scratching your head and wondering what you'd do if you were in their shoes. Get ready to navigate the treacherous terrain of ethics and morality, where every choice is a double-edged sword and the consequences are as unpredictable as a game of Russian roulette.
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Suddenly, everyone’s life is worth 100,000 USD. Kill someone, and $100,000 is instantly deposited into your bank account, no questions asked. But, your life is now worth $200,000.
Humans have discovered how to live forever, allowing them to die when they feel ready to do so. But it is considered bad form to live for too long. You have lingered much longer than is polite and those around you are trying to convince you to die.
"How many people have died to achieve this world domination of yours?" "769." "...What?" "769 people died to achieve my plans. I counted them, and had each of their names etched on my throne so I never forget what my victory cost the world. Now tell me, how many have you killed to see me dead?"
You've been summoned as a hero of legend to save a medieval fantasy world from evil. Same old, same old. However, it very quickly dawns on you that a medieval world's idea of "evil" is quite incompatible with what you, a modern person, would consider evil.
You're a weird gamer. When you play a videogame, you let the enemy bots win. Sometimes, after reaching a boss, you let the boss win. You've never beaten any game completely. 20 years later, when a super-intelligent conscious A.I. is taking over the world, it becomes aware of your odd compassion
While driving you hit and kill a boy. You feel terrible, and at the funeral you tell the family you wish you had died instead of him. 3 weeks later, a new surgery comes out that can bring someone back from the dead at the cost of another's life. You hear a knock at your door. It's the family.
You have the ability to know a lie when you hear it, and to know the truth when lied to. Society appoints you to a high judiciary position, but there's nobody to check if YOU'RE lying when you decide justice. Which case do you remember most?
A devil has been making a deal with people: $1 million dollars for 1 year off of your life. They become worried when the same person makes the deal over 100 times.
Every person has a button they can press at night that deposits a large sum of money to their bank account. However, the first person to press it each night is horrifically killed.
God comes up with a new rule to deter innocent human sacrifices in his name. From now on, there should be TWO human sacrifices; the first will be chosen by the town as usual, the second will be chosen by the first tribute, without any objections.
Other
Sometimes, the most mind-blowing philosophical concepts are like square pegs in round holes - they just don't fit into neat little boxes. This hodgepodge of prompts is like a grab bag of existential goodies, covering everything from the cosmic carousel of reincarnation to the funhouse mirror of parallel universes. These thought experiments will stretch your imagination like a metaphysical rubber band, offering fresh perspectives on the nature of being and the riddle of consciousness. Whether you're a writer fishing for inspiration or a reader hungry for brain-bending tales, these prompts will take you on a wild goose chase through the most bizarre corners of philosophical thought.
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You meet God before reincarnation and you discover that there is a prestige system going on. In your previous incarnations you chose to improve weirdly specific stats.
It is discovered that our universe is a simulation. After great effort, a small team of experts manages to reach the higher dimension - only to find that this too, is a simulation. This gives rise to Dimensions Climbers: those who dare to ascend higher and higher toward the true world.
When you die, you appear in a cinema with a number of other people who look like you. You find out that they are your previous reincarnations, and soon you all begin watching your next life on the big screen.
Death is just a predator much higher on the food chain than we are, and our perception of it is as limited as an ant's perception of a child with a magnifying glass.
Every 10 years, you are expected to go to a meeting you have already been to; one attended by several future and younger versions of yourself, each version separated by 10 year intervals. The youngest you is 10, the oldest 90. You relive the same meeting, just each time from a different angle.
Instead of heaven and hell, when you die, you find yourself in a room with a six year old girl who invites you to join her tea party. It dawns on you, you're her imaginary friend.
We live in a simulation, and we sleep because they can't render everyone at once. You stay up for days, and begin to see things and people. They call themselves the maintenance crew.