CONTENT

“Big Questions? Short Answers!” seeks your answers to the big questions in life – in 140 characters. The app is ideal for interrupting daily life for a few minutes. Thinking about key questions provides an opportunity to find ourselves and understand the world a little better. Everywhere, at any time. Alone or interacting with others. Because everyone is a philosopher!

“Big Questions? Short Answers!” encourages us to think. It deals with who we are, what we want, what our hopes are and what we are afraid of, encounters with ourselves and discussion with others. In 20 different categories of 20 questions each the app covers a broad range of subjects: me and the others, life and death, happiness and suffering, actions and possessions, good and evil, love and sex, truth and lies, religion and knowledge, power and status, truth and beauty, space and time.

The answers are limited to 140 characters. Herein lies the challenge: the big questions should receive short but concise replies. These may be saved in a journal (offline).

Questions and answers can be accessed and, where necessary, edited at a later time. Over the course of time, this results in the creation of a personal philosophical journal.

Users have the opportunity to publish their own answers online and share them with the general public. Similarly, they can also read the answers of other users, comment on these and get in contact. Interacting with others results in exciting philosophical discussions and the opportunity to find out more about yourself and other people.

The 40-question basic version of “Big Questions? Short Answers!” is available free of charge from the App Store. The full version with 400 questions can be bought via In-App Purchase. The app is available for iPhone and iPad.


BACKGROUND

Nearly everything can be found in the App Store: countless games, virtual beer glasses, even finger treadmills. But why is there no app for the truly important questions in life? An app that does not serve as a distraction, but instead encourages contemplation and discussion? Sebastian Freisleder asked himself these very same questions. The result was an idea for a rather different app: with depth and sophistication, for those in search of meaning and philosophers in day-to-day life.

The idea was born – although Freisleder had little idea about its technical realisation. As a teacher of German and Religion “big questions” (as well as “short answers”) certainly fall within his remit, not, however, the programming of software. How exactly do you develop an app? What are the difficulties facing a would-be developer?

The start was a rocky one. There was no lack of challenges: a company had to be founded and the app financed. Things that appeared simple at first turned out to be complicated. Above all, suitable partners were required. Freisleder subsequently joined up with Johannes Hollmann of the graphic design agency WE ARE INDEED, who, together with Janina Rathelbeck, created the design for the app. Programming was undertaken by Niels Grafen, Peter Pult and Sven Meyer-Brunswick of “Stapp in”.

Over an 18-month period the concept was honed, with different designs tested and technical capabilities examined. Here, too, there were no “short answers” – but instead a path, which the project team eagerly embarked upon.

The fact that – having overcome numerous obstacles and put in countless hours of work – “Big Questions? Short Answers!” is now available from the App Store is a source of great pride for the whole team.

We hope that you have fun philosophising.
