If you want to dive into the "why" behind the "what," this is your next SDG. The Big Questions is essentially a series of high-level provocations designed to dismantle "common sense" and spark spirited debate. It provides the intellectual scaffolding needed to discuss life’s most profound uncertainties—God, freedom, and morality—without getting bogged down in impenetrable jargon. It’s less of a textbook and more of a map for self-discovery, perfect for Plato members who value deep, transformative conversation over casual reading. Expect to walk away not just knowing more about Philosophy but knowing more about yourselves.
Our core text, Solomon and Higgins’ The Big Questions : A Short Introduction to Philosophy (9th Edition), eschews the traditional, dry "history of ideas" approach in favor of a thematic, inquiry-based immersion into the discipline. Instead of merely cataloging the tenets of historical figures, the authors challenge readers to engage directly with the foundational puzzles of human existence: the nature of reality (metaphysics), the limits of knowledge (epistemology), and the criteria for a meaningful life (ethics).
The text is celebrated for its conversational yet rigorous tone, treating philosophy as an active "doing" rather than a passive "knowing." By framing complex theories within the context of personal "worldviews," it bridges the gap between academic abstraction and the lived experience. See the weekly topics listing for all the essential questions with which we will challenge ourselves.
Week 1:
Introduction: Doing Philosophy
Introduction: A Little Logic
Appendix C: Common Informal Fallacies
Week 2: Chapter 1: "Philosophical Questions"
Week 3: Chapter 2: "The Meaning of Life"
Week 4: Chapter 3: "God"
Week 5: Chapter 4: "The Nature of Reality"
Week 6: Chapter 5: "The Search for Truth"
Week 7: Chapter 6: "Self"
Week 8: Chapter 7: "Freedom"
Week 9: Chapter 8: "Morality and the Good Life"
Week 10: Chapter 9: "Justice and the Good Society"
Week 11: Chapter 10: "Non-Western Philosophy"
Week 12: Chapter 11: "Beauty"
Week 13: Appendix A: "Writing Philosophy"