by Alan Baker

Questions for Philosophical Discussion
by Somera Khan and Taryn Hargrove
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The Meaning of Dreams When Benjamin woke up he asked, "Was it all a bad dream?" Benjamin wondered if he was dreaming. Do you think Benjamin was dreaming? Why or why not? What do you consider a dream? Does everyone dream? Is there an age you stop dreaming? Do animals dream? How do you know when you are dreaming? Do you only dream when you are asleep? How do we dream? Do dreams feel like reality? Can some dreams become reality? How can dreams become reality? Do things you dream about exist in reality? Explain. If your dream felt real does that mean it was real? Reality Are unicorns and monsters real? How do we know if something is real or not? Does something have to breathe, eat and sleep to be real? Are objects real? Do you have to see or feel something for it to be real? Are thoughts real? If something is not real, what is it? Do we believe what is real because what people tell us what is real? The Nature of Feelings Benjamin felt many different things in his dreams from emotions to feeling wet from the bucket of water: Can your body feel cold even if your body is feeling hot? Do you have to feel cold with your body or can your mind/heart feel cold like your body is? Can you be happy and sad at the same time? Do your physical feelings control your mental feelings? Does your mental feelings control your physical feelings?  Risks Benjamin took a risk by reaching for an apple and ended up falling in an unknown area. What is taking a risk? Is it good or bad to take risks? When you took a risk was it scary, thrilling or both? How do you feel when you take risks? Do you have to be brave to take risks? The Meaning of Bravery Benjamin decided to hold on to the rocket and let it take him where ever the rocket was going? Was this a brave of Benjamin? What does it mean to be brave? Have you ever done anything that is brave? Why was it brave? Do you have to do something dangerous to be considered brave? Are you brave if you do something that isn't dangerous? Is bravery a good feeling? Why or why not? Do you have to be scared to be brave? Can you be brave if you are not scared?

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