Life’s Big Questions: Your Concise Guide to Philosophy’s Most Important Wisdom
Unlock instant access to 42 concise, self-paced lessons on the great philosophers’ best answers to life’s big questions. Join 500+ members inside:
★★★★★ (100+ reviews for our courses)
Course materials are hosted on our online learning platform, Philosophy Break Academy, and are accessible forever from any device.
Course materials are hosted on our online learning platform, Philosophy Break Academy, and are accessible forever from any device.
Latest Course Reviews:
★★★★★ Wonderful
Wonderful! So clear and inviting to use. Just the right level of challenge. Felt like I was really learning. My favorite chapter was the one on Consciousness - what is it? I wonder about this all the time. Thank you for doing this, Jack. Your work is such a gift.VERIFIED BUYER
Mary T. on 8 July 2024★★★★★ Clear and concise
Fun and enjoyable. Clear and concise. Easy to navigate. Easy to get involved in discussion. Free will was my favorite chapter. Very relevant subject for which philosophy has a great deal to contribute.VERIFIED BUYER
Roger M. on 7 July 2024★★★★★ Really enjoyed
Just completed Life's Big Questions, which I really enjoyed reading. Thank you so much for putting it together. It really improved my understanding of so many points, particularly the chapters on Is Life real and free will.VERIFIED BUYER
Asad B. on 22 March 2024Does this sound like you?
You’re intrigued by philosophy, but don’t know where to start
You’d love to discover and understand philosophy’s top answers to life’s big questions, but don’t have time to wade through all the books and secondary literature
You want the nuance, but don’t want to invest thousands in academia
We understand completely
That’s why we’ve designed this course to offer clarity and nuance, without demanding huge time, effort, or cost commitments:
➤ Quick, effortless insight
Your time is precious. Unlock rich understanding of philosophy’s greatest wisdom in hours rather than years.
➤ Cut through the noise
No filler; no fluff. See exactly what the great philosophers say about why anything exists, how we should live, and more.
➤ Enrich your life
Appreciate precisely why philosophy routinely changes people’s perspectives, and will perhaps change your own.
100+ reviews for our courses:
★★★★★ Powerful - learned a great deal
VERIFIED BUYER
Mart W. on 25 April 2024★★★★★ Excellent materials
VERIFIED BUYER
Rene G. on 12 April 2024★★★★★ Just what I was looking for
VERIFIED BUYER
Julie S. on 14 April 2024★★★★★ Perfect introduction
VERIFIED BUYER
Sophie D. on 18 February 2024★★★★★ Really well put together
VERIFIED BUYER
Jared L. on 24 May 2023★★★★★ Perfect difficulty level
VERIFIED BUYER
Jonathon B. on 27 August 2023Go from being curious about philosophy to understanding its most important ideas, with instant access to:
➤ 42 concise lessons
42 self-paced lessons organized into 5 succinct chapters (each chapter is a 40-min read).
➤ Distilled wisdom
Crystal clear insight into how the great philosophers have answered life’s big questions.
➤ 5 reading lists
Five curated reading lists for effective further exploration of each topic covered.
➤ 6 guided discussions
Community-driven reflections on each chapter, plus a final summary discussion.
1Why Does Anything Exist? (8 lessons)
If God created the universe, why does God exist? If the Big Bang caused the universe, what set the preconditions for the Big Bang? Chapter 1 features answers from philosophical titans like Leibniz and Spinoza, as well as contemporary quantum physicists and thinkers like Lawrence Krauss and Derek Parfit. Want a sneak peek? Read an extract from this chapter here.
2Is the World Around Us ‘Real’? (9 lessons)
To what extent do our perceptions reflect ‘reality’? Do our senses deceive us about what’s really there? Can we ever prove that we’re not all brains in vats? To face up to these questions, Chapter 2 draws on the approaches of philosophical giants Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Interested in what’s inside? Read an extract from this chapter here.
3What Makes Us Conscious? (7 lessons)
Are feelings and experiences something different from our brains, or are they our brains? Do they happen in addition to all the physical processes in our brains, or are they identical to them? Chapter 3 considers the mystery of consciousness, featuring discussions from contemporary philosophers of mind like Thomas Nagel and David Chalmers.
4Do We Have Free Will? (8 lessons)
If we live in a world governed by cause and effect, and these causal chains stretch back to the beginning of the universe, where does human agency fit in? Is the freedom we feel in our actions simply an illusion? Chapter 4 investigates the strange problem of free will, drawing from philosophical greats like Schopenhauer to contemporary neuroscientists and thinkers like Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett.
5How Should We Approach Life? (8 lessons)
In Chapter 5 we turn from theorizing about the nature of existence and begin to unpack the practical consequences for how we should live our lives. We ask if there’s a right way to live, and consider answers from philosophical favorites Nietzsche, Camus, Lucretius — and consider the three main ethical systems for how we should treat other people.
Course materials are hosted on our online learning platform, Philosophy Break Academy, and are accessible from any device
Philosophy Break Academy is your interactive learning and community space for all things philosophy, where you can take self-paced courses, track your progress, and discuss materials with other members. By purchasing this course, you unlock lifetime access to Philosophy Break Academy.
See Exactly How the Great Philosophers Approach Free Will, Ethics, and More
Start now, and by this time next week, you’ll understand philosophy’s top wisdom, have clarity on exactly which topics interest you, and know the best next steps for continuing your philosophical journey.
Course Reviews
★★★★★ Wonderful
Wonderful! So clear and inviting to use. Just the right level of challenge. Felt like I was really learning. My favorite chapter was the one on Consciousness - what is it? I wonder about this all the time and its connection to why do we do the (stupid, destructive, cruel) things we do. Thank you for doing this, Jack. In the fall I’ll start an MA program on social and public policy at SUNY Empire State U, and now I’m wondering, does SUNY ESU have a philosophy program? Your work, Jack, is such a gift. Again, thank you.VERIFIED BUYER
Mary T. on 8 July 2024★★★★★ Clear and concise
Fun and enjoyable. Clear and concise. Easy to navigate. Easy to get involved in discussion. Free will was my favorite chapter. Very relevant subject for which philosophy has a great deal to contribute.VERIFIED BUYER
Roger M. on 7 July 2024★★★★★ Really enjoyed
Just completed Life's Big Questions, which I really enjoyed reading. Thank you so much for putting it together. It really improved my understanding of so many points, particularly the chapters on Is Life real and free will.VERIFIED BUYER
Asad B. on 22 March 2024★★★★★ Fascinating
I really enjoyed the challenge of debate. Hearing different viewpoints and the reasons for forming them and, although quite intense at times, I thought the way the course was presented was excellent. The views and ideas of each philosopher was laid out in a very absorbable format and I feel I have a better understanding of each of their approaches to life's big questions - even if I had different ones! The content was fascinating, not always easy to understand but that has to be more about my own abilities and newness to some of the ideas. The way that the material was presented ensured a good beginning to my eventual understanding. Yes, it did cover everything I was expecting - and more.VERIFIED BUYER
Lilith R. on 18 December 2023★★★★★ Very good
Very good indeed. The course was well covered and varied, and I found all 5 chapters easy to follow, well presented and explaining various ideas and opinions. I’m unfamiliar with modern philosophers so was glad to make their acquaintance. The chapter on free will was my favourite as in the past there were endless heated debates about this at our local Zen group! I’m very glad I discovered your website by chance on the internet.VERIFIED BUYER
Jennifer S. on 28 September 2023★★★★★ Great intro
A great overview and motivating for further study. Course delivery worked great - one-a-day was just right and I was left excited for the next day's delivery. I liked the way the context was set and particularly liked the fact that guidance was given - major topics, easy explanation of each. Overall a great intro to get started and I particularly appreciate the recommended reading lists for each, too.VERIFIED BUYER
Antony H. on 4 June 2023★★★★★ Great
The course is a very well-written, interesting overview of the main ideas in philosophy. It’s a concise, yet not superficial, exploration of the big questions, written in a way that challenges you to reframe your understanding on life. It looked great on desktop and phone. I enjoyed all the chapters, but the Descartes and Matrix one was my favorite (#2?). I love the exploration of how we come to know ourselves and whether or not we can trust our own inputs. Thanks for this - it was great!VERIFIED BUYER
Terence B. on 10 March 2023★★★★★ Endlessly fascinating
Awesome, endlessly fascinating course experience. Each day I was looking forward to getting the new chapter in my email. The content was very interesting and easy to understand, and made me want to dive deeper into the topics. My favorite chapter was chapter 5: 'How should we approach life?'. It was so fascinating that after reading it I was reflecting for like 2 hours!VERIFIED BUYER
Alex K. on 18 December 2022★★★★★ Very good starting point
I really enjoyed reading the material. It is easy to understand, entertaining and thought-provoking and has given me some new approaches that I’ll continue to think about. I really appreciate that you deliver an overview of those fundamental topics that to me seems academically founded (different approaches/ideas are introduced and compared) and at the same time the reading is quite brief. That is very efficient but gives the reader some trust that a field has been viewed from the most important angles. I think this leaves me in a very good starting point when it comes to categorizing future information. I also find the conclusion motivating and positive, that there’s a good life ahead. The first and last chapters were my favorites. I find the question 'why is there anything at all?' is a mind blower. And the last chapter (especially about absurdity) relates to that. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Mario H. on 26 November 2022★★★★★ Wonderful introduction
Wonderful, clear, concise, and very informative. This is a great introductory course, exactly what I was looking for in general and enough depth to inspire further investigations. Receiving one chapter a day was good, I took my time and read them at my optimum leisure. My favorite chapter started as my least favorite: Free Will. It's really easy to take this subject personally, but it made me think of what 'Free Will' really means in language and conversations as well as what 'Destiny' and 'Fate' have come to 'mean'. I also really enjoy the reading lists at the end of the chapters and have taken up a few suggestions. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Matt J. on 16 September 2022★★★★★ Brilliant primers
Brilliant primers on all the major topics of philosophy. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but the content provides a ton of value, it's all brilliantly written and delivered and covers so much. Highly recommend if you're at all interested in philosophy.VERIFIED BUYER
Rebecca L. on 7 August 2022★★★★★ Thoroughly enjoyed
Great! All content was very well written and easily digestible. Thoroughly enjoyed throughout. Free will was my favorite chapter, due to my personal interest in the subject, but all chapters were both interesting and easy to comprehend.VERIFIED BUYER
Niall C on 24 July 2022★★★★★ Very good
Very good. After completing the course I am now planning to start a serious study of philosophy. The materials displayed well on all my devices and the content is very interesting - I was able to follow even though English is not my first language. My favorite chapter was Chapter 2 - considering we perceive a 'photo' of reality, rather than reality itself, was a real breakthrough.VERIFIED BUYER
Luca G. on 19 June 2022★★★★★ Stimulating
Excellent course, very well thought out and written. Receiving one chapter per day was stimulating and course content displayed well on my device. My favorite chapter was ethics and morality because the practical focus appealed to me, but the whole course was most interesting.VERIFIED BUYER
Robert J. on 21 April 2022★★★★★ Fantastic
Fantastic! Loved the delivery of one chapter per day and the content was fascinating. I didn’t know much about philosophy going into this, and some things like consciousness I didn’t realize had such a philosophical component. Really interesting, and I’d highly recommend the course. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Bernie L. on 11 March 2022★★★★★ Really good
I had a really good course experience, thanks. Good portion size of information each day, really easy to read, and really informative and interesting - cuts through a lot of waffle. Would recommend for anyone interested in philosophy.VERIFIED BUYER
Phoebe T. on 9 February 2022★★★★★ Truly enjoyed
Excellent course experience! Good pace and length of reads, combined with very well written content. Complexities are shared in a digestible manner. The reading lists are a great addition. I truly enjoyed every chapter. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Tomas R. on 27 January 2022★★★★★ Very good
Very good course experience. Well paced, and covered a very large area. Content was interesting and easy to read. It very nicely covered the promised topics. My favorite chapter was chapter five on ways of approaching life. It gave a great framework for further exploring what is important in life.VERIFIED BUYER
Chris J. on 15 January 2022★★★★★ Excellent
Excellent course experience. All the content was interesting, but my favorite chapter was chapter four on free will.VERIFIED BUYER
Amaro H. on 11 January 2022★★★★★ Brilliant
Brilliant topics, well written and well delivered. Loved all the chapters. Overall a really good experience, thanks.VERIFIED BUYER
Philippa M. on 10 January 2022★★★★★ Enjoyable & contemplative
Excellent course. An enjoyable, contemplative read. The bite-sized portions allowed me to digest the information, and the content was very interesting and easy to understand — a good survey of philosophical ideas with references to books for digging deeper. I especially enjoyed the chapter on free will. As a financial planner, I’m trying to balance cognitive biases with behavioral change. This chapter provides good food for thought in how I approach my practice. Overall, great work.VERIFIED BUYER
David H. on 17 November 2021★★★★★ Loved it
Thank you very much for giving me something to look forward to each day with the daily chapters — I loved it! Very refreshing to read something this clear and direct about how the great philosophers have approached some of the most difficult and enduring questions we can ask. Some truly interesting ideas I hadn’t encountered before. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Marie L. on 4 October 2021★★★★★ Awesome
Great content. Receiving one chapter each day is awesome. As someone who is not a native English speaker, I found the content easy to grasp which is something I really appreciate. The first and second chapters were my favorite because they discuss the most fundamental questions humans can ask, but all of the chapters were extremely interesting.VERIFIED BUYER
Ahmed K. on 2 September 2021★★★★★ Perfect difficulty level
Very good. Very well-written. Difficulty of the content is perfect for someone who might not be too familiar with philosophy so that is great too. Thank you!VERIFIED BUYER
Jonathon B. on 27 August 2021★★★★★ Great job to everybody involved
It was great! Course material is written in a very accessible way that will appeal to any reader. The questions selected are the right ones, and they are presented in a nicely woven sequence. I can appreciate how hard it is to synthesize philosophy texts into such an easy to understand and nicely written text, so great job. One chapter per day represented a manageable time commitment that always left me excited for the next day, and my favorite chapter was the last one on how we should approach life. Reading what other thinkers had to say about it was very enriching and brought home the point that there is no universal answer. Great job to everybody involved in creating this course!VERIFIED BUYER
Julien S. on 23 July 2021★★★★★ Very good introduction
Very interesting content and delivered really thoughtfully. I enjoyed receiving one chapter per day and think it’s a really good format for making what could be quite difficult content accessible and digestible. All the topics were stimulating but I especially enjoyed the discussion on free will. Determinism is quite terrifying! Overall a very good introduction to philosophy. Will certainly be recommending this course. Thank you!VERIFIED BUYER
Sara B. on 15 June 2021★★★★★ Really well put together
Really well put together. A good resource to fill in gaps on a subject matter that I am interested in. Written in accessible language, the way more philosophy should be. Content was great & well laid out on my iPad. My favorite chapter was the 2nd chapter on if the world around us is ‘real’. It wove together Descartes, Berkeley, Locke, Hume, and Kant so well that it seemed the evolution was predestined.VERIFIED BUYER
Jared L. on 24 May 2021★★★★★ Excellent series
Very positive course experience. Love the format - really nice to have something to look forward to each day with the daily chapters. The themes are discussed in a way that stimulates your interest without overwhelming you with information. Overall an excellent series, and I am sure I will keep returning to the chapters and hopefully doing some of the suggested further reading now my interest has been roused.VERIFIED BUYER
Alan M. on 21 May 2021★★★★★ Great primer
Very glad I found this resource, as philosophy has always interested me but I never get round to finishing the introductory books. I actually finished this as it was a concise and engaging primer on the main topics covered and I feel more motivated to do more reading now, so thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Lynda F. on 12 May 2021★★★★★ Fantastic starting point
Great daily chapters. All fantastic starting points for learning more about each theme and all the different philosophers. Materials displayed well and the summary questions at the end were really effective for making me think more about the materials.VERIFIED BUYER
Carrie W. on 9 May 2021★★★★★ Powerful - learned a great deal
Really concise and effective. Powerful, actually - I learned a great deal. Loved the daily chapters, materials displayed really well. I really enjoyed this introduction to philosophy and would definitely want to take another of your courses.VERIFIED BUYER
Mart W. on 25 April 2021★★★★★ Comprehensive and engaging
I found this a very comprehensive introduction to philosophy, and it really left no question unanswered or deliberated, but was very engaging to consume - thanks! I’ll definitely be recommending it.VERIFIED BUYER
Josh B. on 19 April 2021★★★★★ Just what I was looking for
This was the perfect scope and pacing for what I was looking for as an introduction to philosophy. I was thrown straight in to confront big issues and loved the daily chapters coming through to my inbox each day, which were fun and challenging reads. The questions and further reading at the end of each chapter were great too for making it all stick in my mind and giving me ideas for what to read next. Overall great intro to philosophy. Thanks very much!VERIFIED BUYER
Julie S. on 14 April 2021★★★★★ Excellent materials
Excellent materials, reading and recommendations sent to my inbox over the last week. Each chapter was stimulating and I feel I’ve learned a lot about philosophy and its history. I’d definitely recommend this course for anyone who like me was interested in philosophy but wasn’t sure where to really start.VERIFIED BUYER
Rene G. on 12 April 2021★★★★★ Definitely recommend!
I really enjoyed this course. Just the right amount of material each day on philosophical questions I’ve always wondered about. Great further reading recommendations too. Thanks very much!VERIFIED BUYER
Sam S. on 2 April 2021★★★★★ Loved it
This was great, thanks. Each day I’d look forward so much to getting stuff through to my inbox and reading it all. Couldn’t recommend this more highly as an efficient yet thorough introduction to philosophy!VERIFIED BUYER
Darcy T. on 22 March 2021★★★★★ Brilliant introduction
A brilliant introduction to philosophy, covering thoughts from the greatest thinkers over the last few millennia on questions that continue to rattle minds today. This course is excellent for anyone who has an interest in philosophy, but didn’t get to study it at university. I personally have read some books on philosophy, and this course helped solidify some ideas and introduced me to others. Equally, if you haven’t read any philosophy, this is the place I wish I had started.VERIFIED BUYER
Mark H. on 20 February 2021★★★★★ Highly recommend
Would highly recommend this if you’re interested in some of life’s ‘big questions’ or want an introduction to philosophy without having to wade through heavy reference books… the chapters are a well-written, easy-to-read but comprehensive and insightful synopsis of the thoughts of some of history’s greatest philosophers. The course poses lots of questions at appropriate points that engaged me to think more about things that, though interesting and meaningful, are often pushed to the back of our minds due to the short-termist and relatively trivial focus of most of our daily lives. Dip your toe into these philosophical waters, you won’t regret it!VERIFIED BUYER
John M. on 20 February 2021★★★★★ Very informative
I found this course so refreshing as it is written in an easy to understand style, and raises stimulating questions at the end of each chapter. The philosophy book recommendations are also very well researched and informative. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the ‘big questions’ to sign up to this course.VERIFIED BUYER
Jill P. on 20 February 2021★★★★★ Great intro
I loved philosophy break on Instagram and had read some of the articles but wanted to take the next step. This was perfect because I could read it in my own time and felt I was on a journey toward something great. I feel enlightened and it’s led me to explore some of the topics in more detail. A great intro to philosophy. Would recommend.VERIFIED BUYER
Florence R. on 19 February 2021★★★★★ Beautiful content
Great content packaged in beautiful, compelling chapters that are very interesting and easy to consume. Thanks!VERIFIED BUYER
Sian Y. on 19 February 2021★★★★★ My brain hurts
Some of the stuff in this course seriously blew my mind! These are such interesting questions and the answers are challenging but presented in really easy-to-understand and engaging ways. Great course thank you.VERIFIED BUYER
Carter T. on 19 February 2021★★★★★ Challenging but fascinating
I was looking for something to extend my understanding beyond casual google searches and occasional journal articles. I found the course challenging, but feel much more confident to approach more complex philosophical texts now. Thank you.VERIFIED BUYER
Tim D. on 19 February 2021★★★★★ Great stuff
This was such a great way to consider the ‘big questions’. Quicker and easier to read than a book because it’s broken down into daily chapters, but just as eye-opening. Great stuff Philosophy Break!VERIFIED BUYER
George N. on 18 February 2021Go from Being Curious to Understanding Philosophy’s Most Important Ideas
Start now, and by this time next week, you’ll understand philosophy’s top wisdom, have clarity on exactly which topics interest you, and know the best next steps for continuing your philosophical journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
This is for anyone curious about why we are here, the nature of existence, and how we should spend our lives. You may have read some philosophy, or you may have never engaged with the subject before: either way, we’ve distilled philosophy’s best answers so you can quickly approach life’s nagging questions and anxieties in an accessible, organized fashion, and efficiently learn some of the best wisdom from history.
How long does it take to do the course?
The course is broken into five distinct chapters, each of which takes about 40 minutes to read through. We recommend reading a maximum of one or two chapters per day to let each idea sink in. At the end of each chapter, we also present questions to reflect on and a space for community discussion. So, with daily reading, the course may take a week or so to complete. You have access to course materials forever, so don’t worry if you miss a day — you can take the course at your own pace.
How is the course delivered?
Course materials are hosted on our online learning and community platform, Philosophy Break Academy. They are optimized for easy reading on any device — be it desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile — and are even printable, so you can consume them however you like.
Can I take the course on mobile?
Yes, course materials are optimized for easy reading on any device, and you can also download an app-version of our online learning platform, Philosophy Break Academy, so that you can keep on learning even when you’re on the move.
Who created the course?
This course is brought to you by Philosophy Break, a self-funded social enterprise dedicated to getting more people engaged with philosophy. Course content is put together by the founder of Philosophy Break, Jack Maden, who received an MA in Philosophy from the University of Southampton in 2014, and has been producing educational resources and writing about philosophy ever since. Having obtained great value researching philosophy at postgraduate level, Jack wanted to share the subject’s riches with a wider audience, and created Philosophy Break in 2018. This course is the result of years of research and refinement to make philosophy’s profound and important wisdom as relevant, interesting, and engaging to today’s digital world as possible.
Where do profits from the course go?
Philosophy Break is a self-funded social enterprise, so we put all proceeds straight back into funding our mission of engaging more people with philosophy. By purchasing a course, you help support us on that mission.
Have a question not answered here? Simply drop us an email, and we’ll be happy to answer!
It’s Time to Begin Your Philosophical Journey
Start now, and by this time next week, you’ll understand philosophy’s top wisdom, have clarity on exactly which topics interest you, and know the best next steps for continuing your philosophical journey.
