Science & Technology

To Edit a Planet
Introductory Questions

 What would a perfect Earth look like?

 What is the ideal climate for the Earth?

 Do we have a responsibility to restore the Earth to what it was like before humans began to change it?

 Many philosophers have distinguished between the natural and the good. When it comes to the Earth, should we make such a

distinction?

 When, if ever, is it okay for humans to change the weather?

 When, if ever, is it okay for humans to change the physical landscape?

 If technology is used to preserve something natural, is it still natural?

 Do we owe future generations an Earth similar to the one we live in today? Or does every generation need to make the best of the

planet it inherits?

 Is changing the climate equally bad if it is done by accident or on purpose? Is it necessarily bad in the first place?

 If we discover a planet just like the Earth but with no people on it, would it be all right to colonize it?

 If we discover a planet that is not Earth-like but we can use technology to terraform it so that we can live there, would it be all

right to do so?

 Do your answers to the above questions depend on whether these planets have life on them? If so, does it matter whether that life

is intelligent?

 Suppose we were to discover a vast new empty island on the Earth. Would your answers be the same for the island as they were

for another planet?

 Would the world be better with more technology or with less?

Special Area
Mistakes & Recoveries
Introductory Questions

 When is the last time you made a mistake?

 When is the last time you told someone you made a mistake?

 How often do you reassure someone who made a mistake that it’s okay? How often do you mean it?

 What is the difference between a mistake and a failure? How about between a mistake and an error?

 Is it possible for no one to be to blame for a mistake? Can two or more people all be to blame?

 Is there such a thing as a “harmless” mistake—or is a harmless mistake not a mistake at all?

 Is there a difference between an “innocent” mistake and a harmless one? Can you ever fault someone for an innocent mistake?

 Do people make more mistakes as they grow older, or fewer?

 When do you need to apologize for a mistake? When don’t you?

 Just as mistakes come in many shapes and forms, so do apologies. How do apologies between friends differ from apologies made

by public figures?

 How long does it take to become clear whether a decision was a mistake?

 Have you ever realized you were making a mistake but had no choice but to follow through with it?

 Has anyone ever told you that you were making a mistake, only for you to disagree with them?

 Who do you know who makes the fewest mistakes?

 Do you have a responsibility to admit your mistakes to other people?

 When do you have a responsibility to expose other people’s mistakes?

 Should people be punished for their mistakes—and by whom?

 Can it be a mistake to tell someone they are making a mistake?

 Would it be a better world if we always forgave people for their mistakes?

 If a person has only bad choices, is it considered a mistake no matter which of them they choose

 What is the opposite of a mistake?

History
The History of Succession
Introductory Questions

 Have you ever succeeded someone else in a role or position? Has anyone ever succeeded you?

 What is the difference, if any, between succeeding someone and replacing them?

 Would you prefer to succeed a popular leader or an unpopular leader?

 What is the relationship between “succession” and “success”? Should there be a different word for a succession that doesn’t

succeed?

 Is it possible for someone to succeed himself or herself—or does succession require a change?
 What are the distinctions, if any, between succession and the transfer (or taking) of power? Does the term “succession” require

power to be transferred with the consent of the person surrendering it?

 Succession usually refers to a change of leaders. Can it also refer to a change among followers?

 Has your head of school or principal ever changed—and, if so, who chose their successor?

 Should succession processes be transparent to the public, or should the public only be alerted when they are complete?

 Is it better when everyone knows who is going to take over an organization well in advance, with a schedule in place for the

transition—or are successions more likely to succeed when they happen more organically?
Social Studies
Out with the Old
Introductory Questions

 What makes something new?

 Who decides when something new becomes old?

 Do products age in the same way that people do? Do ideas?

 When you were younger, did you have any hobbies or interests that you no longer have now? Why did you grow out of them?

 Did you ever become interested in something only to hear your parents say, “it’s just a phase”? Was it just a phase?

 How many times do you have to listen to a song you like before you get tired of it? What about for rereading a good book, or

watching a favourite movie?

 Can you think of something you used to say a lot that you don’t say anymore?

 Can you think of a word or phrase that used to mean something other than what it means now?

 Have you ever stopped (or started) doing something because everyone else stopped (or started) doing it too?

 Do your parents like to listen to the same music as you do?

 How often do you buy new clothes? How about a new phone?
Art & Music
Second Chances, Second Glances
Introductory Questions

 Quick! Draw a sketch of your teammate. Would you call it an original work of art?

 Now draw a sketch of the Mona Lisa—from memory! Is it an original work?

 What if you Googled the Mona Lisa and copied an image of it exactly?

 Think about the oldest piece of art you have ever seen in real life. Was it exactly how the artist had made it?

 Have you ever visited reconstructed ruins, such as Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, or LAX? Would you rather they had been left in

their original state?

 Should we restore important works of art and architecture as they begin to decay, or should we let them age naturally?

 Old buildings are sometimes adapted for new uses (rather than replaced) because government regulations prevent them from

being torn down. If you could adaptively reuse your school, what would it become?
 Why do reworkings of a song sometimes find greater success than the original?

 What old song would you suggest a current artist rerecord?

 Would you consider a new album from a favorite singer—or a new painting from a favorite artist—to be a continuation of their

previous work? What kinds of expectations do an artist’s past works set up for their future ones?

 Consider your favorite song. Which artists would you want to have cover it—and which ones would you not want anywhere near

it?

 Would you want the original artist to write a sequel song?

 For important occasions, would you rather play music that is new or old?

 Would you rather decorate your home with old art or new art—or with new recreations of old art? How about your school or

workplace?

 Are high school versions of popular musicals examples of censorship?

Literature & Media
Reboots, Sequels, and Reconsiderations
Introductory Questions

 What was your favorite book growing up? Was it part of a series?

 What is the best sequel you can remember? The worst?

 Should different authors be allowed to write book sequels?

 Should different directors be allowed to direct movie sequels?

 What movie or television show would you reboot, if you could?

 Are there any new stories, or only new ways of telling old ones?

 If you could write a sequel to any story that doesn’t have one yet, what story would you pick?
 What role should fans have in the shaping of new stories by existing authors and franchises?

 What seemingly “dead” character from a work of fiction would you like to see brought back to life?

 For what series would you like to see one more novel published, season made, or film produced?

 If you could spend a day in the world of any novel, television series, or film, what world would you select?