Here are some of the questions we will discuss during this course.  Ponder these...

What is the meaning of life?

Why are we here?

Does God exist?

Have you ever experienced the presence of God?

Is God dead?

How would you describe the ideal man or woman?

Is there an ultimate truth?

What, if anything,  have you learned from nature?

Is honesty more profitable than dishonesty?  Why?

What is a completely logical statement, that is, one that you can easily prove?

Should the uneducated and/or poor have full citizenship rights?

What activities will you be doing today?  What do those activities suggest about your quality of life?

If the fate of the U.S. will be determined by how well we educate our youth, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of our nation?  Why?

Are the greatest virtues those which are most useful to other persons?

Are people that reject traditional ideals and mock established society good for that same society?

Is life perpetual suffering because we can never truly satisfy our desires?

Do you have a nemesis, that is, an enemy that also recognizes you as his or her nemesis?

Can we be ethical without the sense of an eternity?

Can one be a liar and be virtuous at the same time?

What are your goals and are they realistic?

Are you ever secretly happy when someone you know has problems?

To what extent is "loving your neighbor" consistent with tolerating your neighbors beliefs and practices when you think that holding those beliefs will cause them eternal suffering?

What is more gratifying to you, the process of accomplishing a goal or the satisfaction in having accomplished it?

What is something that is intrinsically valuable (valuable to you and probably no one else, something that may not have monetary value, but is special) to you?

Do we have real knowledge about the world, or are we stuck with just opinions?

What is a false belief you think many people are walking around with?

Why does evil exist?

Do people have an accurate perception of you?

Does our society make negative or self-destructive things appear to be better than the positive things?

If you were going to look for wisdom, where would you go?

Do laws improve the youth?

Describe an experience you had which resulted in you being dis-illusioned.

Is the death penalty easier than prison?

Define what it means to be an American.

Is it better to be inconvenienced by too much freedom or too little freedom?

If there had never been a priest (or any religious authority) would there have been an infidel (non-believer)?

Do Americans know what is best for the rest of the world based on our generally successful society?

What do you try to control that maybe you should not?

What is your favorite non famous place?

Are you able to talk, really talk, to your parents?

What is an example of non-verbal communication you have experienced?

Are your parents part of "the machine?"  (Living and working in a place does not care about their humanity or creativity.  They are essentially just parts in the overall "machine") Do you think you will end up like that?

What do you want other people to know?

Respond to this statement: "That which you call your 'soul or spirit' is your consciousness and that which you call 'free will' is your mind's freedom to think or not."

Respond to this statement:  "The highest moral purpose is achieving personal happiness."

Are the rich scapegoats in our society?

Do we resent greatness in our society?

Is being charitable a moral duty and a primary value?

What was the "meaning" of the 9/11 attack?

Could you live (and find happiness) as a completely independent person?

Are young people (your peers) too hard on themselves?

Can you think of an example of "justifiable homicide?"  That is, when murder is ok.

Does technology have too much importance in our society?

If extra terrestrial's were discovered, how would that affect your religious beliefs...or society's?

Are religious people suffering from some sort of mass delusion?