Repository of problems worth solving
World Solve is a public institutional repository for identifying real unresolved problems across science, society, health, governance, economics, and local systems. Each entry is intended to be citable, inspectable, and actionable.
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4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Remaining silent while witnessing injustice can feel like a passive failure, but it's unclear how much active obligation silence actually violates, especially when speaking up carries real personal risk. This unresolved tension underlies debates about bystander responsibility.
society-governance
global-unspecified
silence
haven
figured
out
whether
possible
justify
treating
form
moral
philosophy-ethics
know
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People change considerably over time, and it's unclear whether commitments made at an earlier, less informed stage of life should remain fully binding later on. This unresolved tension appears in debates over long-term vows, career paths, and personal commitments.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
whether
people
made
less
don
have
resolved
way
determine
fair
haven
know
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Loyalty to friends, family, or groups is widely valued, but it can sometimes require favoring those close to us over what impartial fairness would otherwise demand. This unresolved tension shapes debates over nepotism, favoritism, and personal ethics.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
loyalty
fairness
haven
figured
out
whether
possible
justify
treating
moral
resolved
know
determine
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Personal happiness and obligation to others can conflict directly, and no ethical framework has fully resolved which should take precedence when a genuine tradeoff exists. This unresolved tension shapes deeply personal decisions throughout life.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
personal
ethical
happiness
take
others
don
know
whether
allow
priority
resolved
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People often behave more ethically in some contexts than others, and it's unclear whether this inconsistency reflects a genuine character flaw or simply the natural complexity of human behavior. This unresolved tension complicates how we judge moral character overall.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
whether
moral
behavior
don
have
resolved
way
determine
fair
expect
know
haven
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Individual conscience is often respected even against majority opinion, but it's unclear how much personal conviction alone can justify defying broader social agreement on serious ethical matters. This unresolved tension underlies debates over civil disobedience and moral dissent.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
ethical
personal
majority
moral
don
know
whether
allow
deeply
held
resolved
determine
haven
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Curiosity is generally seen as a virtue, but pursuing knowledge in certain sensitive or dangerous areas raises unresolved questions about whether some questions are better left unexplored. This tension appears in debates over scientific inquiry and forbidden knowledge.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
whether
certain
curiosity
haven
figured
out
possible
justify
treating
forms
resolved
know
mathematics-logic
determine
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Life circumstances can change dramatically after a promise is made, and it's unclear how much this changed context should affect the moral weight of the original commitment. This unresolved tension appears in debates over long-term personal and professional commitments.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
made
life
circumstances
don
have
resolved
way
determine
whether
fair
know
haven
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Being emotionally available to others is often seen as a virtue, but constant availability can come at a real cost to a person's own wellbeing and boundaries. This unresolved tension shapes debates over compassion fatigue and the limits of caregiving.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
emotionally
available
don
have
agreed
way
determine
whether
fair
expect
resolved
know
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If every event is caused by prior physical states, it's unclear how genuine choice could exist in the way we intuitively believe it does. This tension underlies debates about moral responsibility, punishment, and praise.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
physical
haven
resolved
whether
free
will
compatible
universe
governed
laws
know
determine
mathematics-logic
possible
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Various criteria like intelligence, capacity to suffer, or self-awareness have been proposed to justify different treatment, but none commands universal agreement. This unresolved question shapes debates over animal rights and factory farming.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
have
don
settled
way
determine
anything
gives
humans
greater
moral
whether
resolved
agreed
know
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If moral truths exist independently of human opinion, our task is to discover them; if not, morality may be more like a shared convention. This unresolved question underlies most ethical disagreements about right and wrong.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
morality
human
don
know
whether
objective
simply
construct
moral
truths
resolved
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Retributive theories argue wrongdoers deserve punishment regardless of outcomes, while consequentialist views justify it only if it produces better results. This unresolved disagreement shapes debates over criminal justice reform.
society-governance
global-unspecified
punishment
only
don
know
ever
truly
justified
useful
deterrent
retributive
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
From childhood to old age, nearly everything about a person changes, yet we treat them as a single continuous identity, and no philosophical account of why has settled the matter. This affects questions about responsibility for past actions.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
person
don
know
makes
someone
same
over
time
despite
constant
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
haven
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some argue that failing to prevent harm when you're capable is morally equivalent to causing it, while others maintain a meaningful distinction between action and inaction. This unresolved question shapes debates over charitable obligation.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
prevent
haven
resolved
whether
humans
have
duty
suffering
didn
directly
know
determine
mathematics-logic
don
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
We tend to believe humanity has become more moral over time, abolishing slavery and expanding rights, but philosophers debate whether this represents real progress or just changing preferences. Settling this affects how confident we can be about future ethical judgments.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
whether
moral
progress
ethical
don
know
genuinely
possible
views
simply
resolved
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Common intuition strongly favors family and community, while some ethical theories argue all suffering deserves equal moral weight regardless of relationship. Reconciling these competing pulls remains a central unresolved tension in ethics.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
don
know
whether
morally
required
prioritize
helping
those
closest
over
resolved
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some argue that harmless private actions, like certain personal choices, shouldn't be subject to moral judgment at all, while others believe morality extends beyond direct harm to virtue and character. This unresolved question shapes debates over the proper scope of ethics.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
haven
resolved
whether
action
morally
wrong
even
harms
some
argue
know
determine
mathematics-logic
ethical
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Nationalist ethics often justify prioritizing citizens, while cosmopolitan views argue all human welfare deserves equal moral weight regardless of nationality. This unresolved tension underlies major debates in international policy and immigration.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
welfare
don
have
agreed
way
determine
whether
ethical
prioritize
wellbeing
resolved
know
haven
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Governments regularly allocate more resources and protection to their own citizens, but the philosophical justification for this unequal treatment of moral worth remains contested. This unresolved question underlies debates on immigration and international aid policy.
society-governance
global-unspecified
citizens
policy
don
have
clear
answer
whether
ethical
value
lives
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
know
haven
mathematics-logic
