28th September 2011

Michael Sandel’s lectures on justice

Came across this excellent set of 12 lectures by Harvard academic Sandel. I've listened quickly to two of these (#2, on cost-benefit analysis, and #8 on Rawls). On cost-benefit analysis, Sandel's views are consistent with mine (as expressed in DOF). On the latter, I think he lets off Rawls too easily. In DOF I've got a detailed critique of Rawls.

Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with these lectures I'd encourage you to watch as many as possible.

Justice with Michael Sandel

Episode 01 If you had to choose between killing one person to save the lives of five others and doing nothing, what would you do?

Episode 02 Sandel presents some contemporary cases in which cost-benefit analysis is used to put a dollar value on human life.

Episode 03With humorous references to Bill Gates and Michael Jordan, Sandel introduces the libertarian notion that redistributive taxation (taxing the rich to give to the poor) is akin to forced labor.

Episode 04 If we all have unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property, how can a government enforce tax laws passed by the representatives of a mere majority?

Episode 05 During the Civil War, men drafted into war had the option paying less privileged citizens to fight in their place. This leads to a debate about war and conscription. Is today’s voluntary army open to the same objection?

Episode 06 Professor Sandel introduces Immanuel Kant, a challenging but influential philosopher. Kant argues that only when we act out of duty, do our actions have moral worth.

Episode 07 If your friend were hiding inside your home, and a person intent on killing your friend came to your door and asked you where he was, would it be wrong to tell a lie?

Episode 08 Rawls argues that even meritocracy, a distributive system that rewards effort, doesn’t go far enough in leveling the playing field because those who are naturally gifted will always get ahead.

Episode 09 Should we compensate for historical injustices such as slavery and segregation? When a university’s stated mission is to increase diversity, is it a violation of rights to deny a white person admission?

Episode 10 How does Aristotle address the issue of individual rights and the freedom to choose? If our place in society is determined by where we best fit, doesn’t that eliminate personal choice?

Episode 11 We inherit our past, and our identities, from our family, city, or country. What happens if our obligations to our family or community come into conflict with our obligations to humanity?

Episode 12 In the final lecture, Sandel makes the case for a new politics of the common good. Engaging, rather than avoiding, the moral convictions of our fellow citizens may be the best way of seeking a just society.

This entry was posted in Philosophy and tagged in Cost-benefit analysis, Michael Sandel, Rawls, Utilitarianism.

2 thoughts on “Michael Sandel’s lectures on justice”

Sanjeev Sabhlok
28th September 2011 at 10:25 am
Michael Sandel’s lectures on justice: Came across this excellent set of 12 lectures by… http://t.co/h0x02Kap
Harsh Vora
30th September 2011 at 3:29 am
Thanks for sharing these lectures, Sanjeev. They are very insightful. I have begun listening them. Do continue sharing such interesting stuff!