Joana asked:

I do not have any specific philosophical question, but I'd ask for your help — you see, I am very
interested in philosophy, but I have never ever studied it before since I'm 9th grade. Our teacher told
us about a philosophy competition and I want to participate. In order to do that, I need to write an
interesting and original essay...Would you mind giving me some good topics for this? It may be
connected to music in some way or to basic problems like: What's real and unreal? Is there absolute
truth?, etc.

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Well, first, I hope that this competition is for 9th graders, or children around your age. Because if it
isn't then you simply don't have the background, any more than you would in advanced physics or
math, to write something "interesting and original". But assuming that it's for people your age, try this.
Read Sophie's World,by Jostein Gaarder, and see what ideas you come up with. Or read through
Alice in Wonderland, and think about issues from that. Or if you want music, read about Hildegard
von Bingen and listen to some of her stuff.

Steven Ravett Brown