The Thinkers' Club

As Earth faces escalating challenges—climate change, resource depletion, overpopulation, political instability—some argue that humanity should set its sights on colonizing other planets as a long-term survival strategy. Others contend that we have a moral and practical obligation to focus on fixing the problems here on Earth before investing in expensive and uncertain ventures in space. Is space colonization a necessary next step in human evolution, or a distraction from the urgent need to care for our home planet?

• Should humanity prioritize colonizing other planets or solving Earth’s problems first?
• Does space exploration distract from or inspire solutions for issues like climate change and inequality?
• If space colonization becomes possible, who decides who gets to go?
• Assuming some of Earth’s problems remain unsolvable, would it be ethical to leave some people behind while others escape to space?
• Who should control space resources and governance — nations, corporations, individuals, a global entity?
• Is the desire to colonize other planets a sign of human progress, or a form of escapism?

"Mary's Room" is a thought experiment proposed by philosopher Frank Jackson to explore the nature of consciousness and the limits of physical knowledge. It asks us to imagine Mary, a brilliant scientist who has lived her entire life in a black-and-white room. She knows everything there is to know—physically and scientifically—about color: the wavelengths, optics, neurological processes, and more. But she has never seen color herself.

The central question is: When Mary leaves the room and sees the color red for the first time, does she learn something new? If so, this suggests that there are non-physical aspects of consciousness—what philosophers call qualia, or subjective experiences—that can’t be fully captured by physical explanations alone. This challenges the idea that all knowledge is physical and supports the argument for dualism or some form of non-physical consciousness.

• Does Mary gain new knowledge when she sees color for the first time, or is it simply a new way of accessing information she already had? In this case, what counts as “knowledge”?
• If Mary does learn something new, does that mean physicalism is incomplete?
• How persuasive is the idea of qualia—subjective experiences that can’t be fully described through science? Do they really exist?
• Does Mary's Room support a dualist view of the mind (mental and physical being distinct), or is there a physicalist rebuttal that you find compelling?
• How does the “hard problem of consciousness” relate to Mary’s Room?

Political violence in America has escalated in recent years, with high-profile incidents underscoring deepening polarization. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the killing of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman (and her husband), and multiple attempts on President Donald Trump highlight how political motivations increasingly drive violent acts. Each event has been followed by more partisan narratives, which further inflame divisions and obscure facts. As violence increasingly becomes a feature of politics, society faces pressing questions about how to reduce hostility, rebuild trust, and safeguard democratic life.

• What factors do you think have contributed most to the recent rise in political violence?
• In what ways does political rhetoric — both online and offline — fuel or restrain acts of violence?
• What responsibilities do political leaders, media outlets, and everyday citizens share in reducing the risk of politically motivated violence?
• How safe would you feel attending a political event? Has that feeling changed in recent years?
• Looking forward, what steps can we take to rebuild trust and reduce the likelihood of political disagreements escalating into violence?