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Ethical questions concern a wide range of topics and focus on whether we should or shouldn’t do something. Think about whether we should test on animals or whether the death penalty is ever justified.
These ethical dilemma questions offer a series of moral choices that conflict and result in conflicting outcomes.
You can use these ethical questions to ask your friends or family about important topics in society. Or you could even use them in certain social situations too.
Whatever you end up using them for, there’s no doubt these ethics questions will result in some fascinating discussions.
Table of Contents
1. Could the use of nuclear weapons ever be justified?
2. Is it ethical that animals suffer so humans can have safe medical and beauty products?
3. Would you risk your life to save another person?
4. What would be the most ethical way to give away $5 million?
5. Should murderers face the death penalty or should we try to rehabilitate them through the justice system?
6. Should we edit our children’s genomes if the technology becomes available?
7. If you could cheat on your wife and she’d never find out, would you do it?
8. Should we mandate vaccines to protect the vulnerable in society or should vaccination be a personal choice?
9. Are there any times or circumstances where lying, stealing, adultery, or murder is justified?
10. Is a victimless crime a crime?
11. If you found a brand new iPhone in the street, would you hand it to the police or keep it?
12. Should children be circumcised at birth when they can’t provide consent one way or the other?
13. If someone robbed a bank but donated the money to charity, should they be arrested?
14. Should we geoengineer the planet to mitigate climate change?
15. Should we actively limit the population of the planet?
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16. Does humanity have the right to colonize other planets?
17. If you hit a pedestrian while driving and there were no witnesses, would you drive off or stop and help them?
18. Do you think countries with higher emissions should pay reparations to low-carbon-emitting countries?
19. If your next-door neighbor’s wifi has no password, is it right or wrong to use it without their permission?
20. If lab-grown meat became available for cheap, would we be justified in killing animals and eating them?
Next: Unanswerable Questions
21. Are we doing enough to protect our planet’s oceans?
22. Do you believe in the death penalty?
23. Do you think the death penalty gives justice to the victim of the crime?
24. Do you agree with the statement ‘the death penalty is vengeance, not justice?’
25. Why is death row so unethical?
26. Are jails ethical?
27. Is the justice system fit for purpose?
28. Is it ethical to experiment on prisoners?
29. Should we aim to rehabilitate prisoners or punish them for their crimes?
30. Should prisoners be used for labor?
You might also like this: Critical Thinking Questions
31. Do you think private prisons are unethical?
32. Do you think the justice system is inherently racist?
33. Should healthcare be privatized?
34. Is access to healthcare an ethical issue?
35. Would public healthcare be better than private?
36. Do you think people with low incomes have the same access to healthcare as people with higher incomes?
37. Is it ever ok to break patient confidentiality?
38. How serious is patient confidentiality?
39. Should medical euthanasia be made legal?
40. Do you think patients should receive medication in trial periods?
Next: Self-reflection Questions
41. Should vaccinations be made mandatory?
42. Do you believe the mainstream media give all sides of the story about healthcare and vaccines?
43. Do social media platforms control us?
44. Does social media polarise society?
45. Is social media good for mental health?
46. Is Facebook a safe place?
47. Do you agree with the banning of social media in certain countries?
48. Should more be done to protect children on social media?
49. Should social media be able to track your location?
50. Should filters that change your appearance be banned from social media?
You might also like this: Questions That Make You Think
51. Should celebrities be given privacy?
52. Should celebrities be involved in politics?
53. Are celebrities good role models?
54. Should there be a wage cap for celebrities?
55. Do you think celebrities should be able to promote products?
56. Is celebrity culture positive?
57. Are all races, genders, and identities treated equally in the celebrity culture?
58. Should selfies be banned?
59. Should politicians pay tax?
60. Is there corruption within politics?
61. Should politicians be able to sit on boards or be involved with large wealthy corporations?
62. Should politicians be allowed any links to Facebook?
63. Should politicians be given more protection?
64. Should politicians be paid more?
65. Should politics be more transparent to the public?
66. How does the government promote transparency?
67. Are you in favor of a sugar tax?
68. Should alcohol be made illegal?
69. Should meat consumption be discouraged in the western world?
70. Should fast-food chains be able to advertise on TV?
You might also like: What if Questions
71. Do we need to encourage more children to cook at school?
72. Should soft drink companies take more responsibility for ocean pollution?
73. What would be wrong with advertising a plant-based diet at the government level?
74. How can we make healthy food more accessible?
75. Is the food system free from discrimination?
76. How can consumers be more involved in reducing food waste?
77. Should plastic packaging be made illegal?
78. Should chemicals and additives be allowed in food?
79. Is food marketing ethical?
80. Are big supermarket chains responsible for putting smaller businesses in jeopardy?
Existential Questions – You’ll be thinking long and hard about many different topics after you’ve discussed some of these questions.
Thought-Provoking Questions – Questions that will have you stroking your chin for hours on end!
Mind-Blowing Questions – Check out this list of questions that will leave you astounded when you find out the answers!
