Questions

What is a true friend?

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:14:00 EST

On March 28, I (Sharon Ryan, creator of THE QUESTION) had a great time philosophizing with Ms. Ami Measer?s 9th grade English classes at Lancaster High School, in Lancaster, NY. (Lancaster is near Buffalo.) We discussed the following list of questions, and the class is going to blog in and share their ideas. Please share your own ideas in the blog!

Who Should Have the Right to Vote?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:08:00 EST

Some people in the United States have the right to vote and some do not. Over time, some excluded groups, such as women and African-Americans, fought for the right to vote and won it.

WHAT IS LOVE?

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:32:00 EST

What is love? Some people believe that loving and being loved are more important than anything else. But, what is love? Why are we willing to sacrifice so much for love? Is it love really all it is cracked up to be? What is the difference between love and friendship? Is love really more important than anything else? And, if none of these questions grab you, try this one: do you like Valentines Day?

What is the value of energy?

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:39:00 EST

Guest Editor – Trina Wafle – Associate Director of WVU National Research Center for Coal and Energy

Without giving it a passing thought, we expect energy?electricity, gasoline, natural gas, home heating fuel?to be available at our fingertips for mere dollars a day. If we were to take the time to really think about it, what would we say the true value of energy is? How does energy influence our own lives, our nation, our world? Are we locked into existing forms of energy or is there something better? How much would you pay to find out?

What is Home?

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:59:00 EST

What is home? What do you think makes a place “home” for a person? What is the difference between a place you happen to live and a place you think of as home? Is it a history? Does it depend on other people? What is the relationship of home and family? Is home defined by an internal feeling or by external conditions?

Are Steroids Bad?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:02:00 EST

Many people think it is wrong for athletes to take steroids to enhance their performance. This month, our question will lead to an analysis of what, if anything, makes steroid use bad. Is steroid use bad simply because steroids are banned from sports, and those who use steroids are cheating? Or, is there more to the story? Should steroids be banned from sports because there is something inherently wrong with using them? Are they too dangerous? Do the harms outweigh the benefits? Should individual athletes decide whether to take the risks of using steroids? (Boxing, playing football, and motorcycle racing are dangerous, yet we allow individual athletes to decide for them selves whether they wish to take the risk of participating in these sports.) Or, should steroids be flat-out banned from sports?

How Should WVU define 'student-centered'?

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:09:00 EST

“How should WVU define ‘student-centered’? WVU prides itself on being student-centered, but what does that really mean? Are there ways that WVU could be even better at being student-centered? If so, how? If being student-centered is a good thing, why is being student-centered a good thing? What responsibilities do students have in a student-centered university?

Four WVU undergraduate students will get this discussion started. Please share your own ideas in the blog section.

Is death bad?

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:15:00 EST

Is death bad? Is your own death bad for you? How could being dead be bad for you if you won’t be there to experience it? Does a person have to exist in order to be harmed? Can a dead person be harmed? If death is not bad for you, is it rational to fear death?

Read some provocative thoughts from our guests, think hard, and share your own ideas in the blog!

Why Go to College?

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:56:00 EST

Why go to college?

Is a high-quality education good merely as a means to an end, or is a high-quality education intrinsically valuable? What constitutes a high-quality education? What are the main goals of education? What is the purpose of a University? Does a public University have any obligations to society?

We asked a few experts to get the discussion started. Please share your own thoughts in the blog!

Is it OK to Alter Nature?

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 14:36:00 EST

Human beings are equipped with rationality and the ability to make morally good and morally bad choices. Is it OK to alter nature, or should we leave well enough alone? Sometimes we hear the criticism, “human beings should not play God.” What does that mean? Is it true? Is it ok to use technology to get pregnant? How should we die? Do we have to simply allow nature to take its course? Is plastic surgery ok? Is it ok to use technology to enhance our bodies and our abilities? How should we treat the environment? Should scientists ever restrict their research, or the applications of their research, on ethical grounds? We’ve asked a few experts to weigh in on these questions and more. Read on and send in your own thoughtful comments on this question.