Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

A coproduction of WGBH and Harvard University, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? invites viewers to think critically about the fundamental questions of justice, equality, democracy, and citizenship. Each week, more than 1,000 students attend the lectures of Harvard professor and author Michael Sandel (shown), eager to expand their understanding of political and moral philosophy, as well as test long-held beliefs. Students learn about the great philosophers of the past — Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Locke — then apply the lessons to complex and sometimes volatile modern-day issues, including affirmative action, same-sex marriage, patriotism, loyalty, and human rights.

Sandel presents students with ethical dilemmas — some hypothetical, others actual cases — then asks them to decide "what’s the right thing to do?" He encourages students to stand up and defend their decisions, which leads to a lively and often humorous classroom debate. Sandel then twists the ethical question around, to further test the assumptions behind their different moral choices. The process reveals the often contradictory nature of moral reasoning.

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? website

Comments (9)

Rosanne 09.20
Wow! This class sounds like its right up my alley ) Recently I lost my job. There was a choice between me and a coworker on who would be laid off. One of the reasons (but believe me, it wasnt the only reason) I stepped aside was that my coworker has two children and has greater financial difficulties than I do. Again, believe me, I am not being a martyr even though it is very difficult being without work in todays world. What has hit me quite hard is the amount of people that have challenged me about taking into consideration my coworkers situation. I repeat it wasnt the sole reason, still I can not imagine NOT factoring it in. It felt like the right thing to do. Well, in todays economy, Im sure Im not the only one caught in these dilemmas!

Connie 09.26
Thank you WGBH! I am looking forward to seeing all of the shows in this series.

Jim 09.26
FascinatingIm hooked!! Not only by the presentation of the often very difficult arguments but by the reactions of the students. We are watching the "creme de la creme" and probably some future leaders of our country begin to open their young minds to life, and its very difficult choices.

Marc 10.01
There is a logical flaw in the idea of quantifying an arbitrary experience that doing so does not affect the utility. It does. Giving a value to human life fixes it when it was not, and therefore degrades it. Such a measurement would thus not be stable, universal, objective.

10.18
This Libertarian argument is ethnocentric and egocentric with only few redeeming values. Of course there is a collective stake in the wealth of Bill Gates... who do they make their prophets out of. There is the idea of the Common, or Commonwealth, such as the current debasement of the environment. Despite Michael Jordans success there is a greater probability that a black person will be born and die poor. This is a historical fact and a systematic inequity in what is being incorrectly viewed as a Western political phenomenon in what has been a Globalized economy for hundreds of years.

10.18
How many citizens consent to the massive taxation imposed upon them? If everything I own, use, or do is taxed by the government, how much of myself do I "own"?

Marc 10.26
Taxation concerns a proportion of the income (and indirectly of the work) no income, no tax. Slavery concerns an arbitrary amount of work (whether 24 hours a day or less). The assimilation of the two is not serious. More serious in fact, is the marxist theory of the work value, and its alienation in addedvalue. But this only shows that libertarian and utilitarian theories do not define a range they are just two spots in a wide space.

milly 11.16
Excellent program! I will certainly tune in for the remainder.

dwight 12.20
The "Whats a fair start? What do we deserve?" episode is a stimulating, concise exposition of Rawlss theories that are a justification of our current social system. Nevertheless, it does bring to mind the following story Its annual budget time at the College. The Math Department Chairman is alarmed to receive notice that his departments budget has been halved. He hurries off to speak with the Dean. He says, “Dean, we didn’t ask for anything new only the usual. Why did you halve our budget?” The Dean says, “Well, times are tough. Besides, you always get exactly the same items and exactly the same budget as the Philosophy Department. I halved their budget and the Philosophy Chairman didn’t complain.” The Math Chairman says, “It’s true that Math and Philosophy always get the same items and budget, but really….All we ask for is chalk, pencils, paper, and trash cans.” “Yes,” says the Dean. “And the Philosophy Chairman said they never use the trash cans.”