The 2026 John Locke Essay Competition introduces Public Policy as a new standalone category, reflecting the growing need for interdisciplinary thinking in addressing complex societal issues.
The article breaks down the three Public Policy prompts, highlighting how each question requires students to engage deeply with both theory and practical implications.
A New Category for 2026
This year brings several important updates to the John Locke Essay Competition, making it an especially exciting time for prospective students. One of the significant changes we’ve seen is the introduction of Science and Technology as a standalone category. Previously embedded within broader themes, this new category now gives students dedicated space to explore questions at the intersection of scientific advancement, innovation, and society.
For more details about this update, you can refer to 2026 John Locke Essay Competition: New Themes, Updated Junior Category, and Key Changes from 2025.
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John Locke Essay Competition Science and Technology Questions (2026)
With the introduction of Science and Technology as a standalone category this year, the competition also brings a fresh set of thought-provoking prompts. For 2026, participants are invited to engage with the following questions:
Q1: Is free speech the enemy of science?
Q2: Is space exploration a necessity or an indulgence?
Q3: Should we be polite to ChatGPT?
Q1: Is free speech the enemy of science?
What the question is asking: This question asks students to examine the relationship between the freedom to say anything and the authority of scientific expertise. It asks students to consider whether free speech supports scientific progress or undermines it.
How to approach the question:
First, you need to understand the tension embedded in the question. Science is a discipline built on expertise, years of training, peer review, and accumulated evidence. It produces knowledge claims that most people are not equipped to evaluate independently. Free speech, by contrast, treats all voices as equally entitled to be heard. The question is whether this openness helps science grow through discussion and new ideas, or if it does more harm than good.
Strong essays will look at what makes a scientific idea or criticism valid. Not all disagreements are bad, as some actually help science improve. Students should consider whether free speech itself is the problem, or whether the real issue is how some people misuse it, such as spreading misleading information or arguing in ways that cause disproportionate damage to scientific culture.
Q2: Is space exploration a necessity or an indulgence?
What the question is asking: This question asks students to assess if the enormous resources devoted to space exploration are justified, given the scale of unmet human needs on Earth. The word choice matters: a “necessity” implies that space exploration serves a purpose so fundamental that we cannot live without it, while an “indulgence” suggests that it is a luxury that comes at others’ expense.
How to approach the question:
Start by thinking about the purpose of space exploration. Why do we explore space in the first place? Is it for scientific knowledge, future survival, technological progress, or something else?
From there, the central analytical move is to consider the trade-offs. Students should ask what that investment could achieve if directed toward other world issues, such as ending extreme poverty, accelerating access to clean water, or funding global health interventions.
The best essays will take a clear position on the necessity-versus-indulgence question. They also consider the other side’s arguments and respond to them to show a balanced and thoughtful perspective.
Q3: Should we be polite to ChatGPT?
What the question is asking: This prompt explores something unprecedented in the human experience: interacting with a system that sounds human, but isn’t actually a person. Beneath this question lies a set of much more complex points for reflection: what politeness is for, how it benefits humans, and where the boundary between people and machines actually sits.
How to approach the question:
First, students need to think carefully about why humans are polite. Being consistently courteous toward others, even when it is not strictly required, is part of how humans cultivate certain habits of character. The interesting philosophical question that revolves around this question is whether the same logic extends to interactions with machines. Consider the serious concern about humanization. Treating AI systems as though they deserve courtesy risks blurring the distinction between humans and machines in ways that could be genuinely dangerous.
Strong essays will look at real-world observations and forward brave, empirical propositions. For example, the way users phrase requests to AI systems can affect the quality of responses they receive, and they communicate politely not because the system has feelings, but because certain kinds of language tend to elicit more useful answers.
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General Tips for the Science and Technology Category
Do not just describe the science, argue about what it means
The most common mistake students make in this category is spending too much of their essay explaining background context rather than building an argument. Examiners already know what ChatGPT is and what space exploration involves. What they want to see is a student who can take that knowledge and use it to defend a precise, well-reasoned position.
Be comfortable with questions that do not have settled answers
All three questions this year are genuinely open. Reasonable, intelligent people disagree about each of them, and no amount of research will produce a definitive correct answer. Remember that the competition is testing your ability to reason carefully under genuine uncertainty, not your ability to retrieve the right answer. Commit to a position, defend it with courage and confidence, and acknowledge where uncertainty lies rather than pretending it does not exist.
Define your key terms early and stick to them
All three questions are hinged on contested concepts: “free speech,” “necessity,” and “polite.” Examiners will notice if you use these terms loosely or shift their meaning mid-essay. What you’ll need to do here is to calibrate early on. At the start of your essay, take a sentence or two to establish how you are using your central terms, and then apply those definitions consistently all throughout your paper. This small discipline makes a significant difference to the coherence of your argument.
2026 John Locke Competition Preparation Courses
If you’re aiming to stand out in the John Locke Essay Competition, strong ideas aren’t enough, as you need to know how to develop and defend them clearly.
In Aralia’s preparation course, students will learn the ins and outs of essay writing to prepare for the competition. We offer prep classes in all categories. Under the guidance of our experts, aspiring participants will get to choose one topic, compose an original thesis and argument, and write an essay for submission. Along the way, they will sharpen your critical thinking and learn how to engage deeply with complex questions.
John Locke Essay Competition Prep
In the John Locke Essay Competition Prep course, students will learn the ins and outs of essay writing, in preparation for entering the competition. We offer prep classes in all categories. Students will choose one topic, compose an original thesis and argument, and write an essay for submission. Students will engage in a guided analysis of primary and secondary sources, develop critical thinking skills, and discover interesting insights. In addition to the group classes, students will receive guidance on their individual projects from the instructor through one-on-one sessions.
