Many of the abstract ideas of philosophy do not exert a strong influence in the human world, but some ideas certainly do have a strong influence.

Since these ideas do exert such a strong influence, students at some point should be made aware of the variety of such ideas, and their influence, rather than taking them for granted.

The range of ideas covered and discussed could include:

- the fundamentals ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity;
- ideas that attempt to justify inequality, oppression and discrimination;
- various schools of thought on how life should be lived;
- various schools of thought on how society should be administered and governed;
- various schools of thought on the relationship between people and the Law;
- various schools of thought on how the economy should be structured;
- various schools of thought on the part religion should play in social life;
- the range of ideas on the meaning of life and the place of humans in the cosmos;
- various ideas about the importance of art, music, science, education, etc., etc.;