Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 07: "A LESSON IN LYING"

PART ONE: A LESSON IN LYING
Immanuel Kants stringent theory of morality allows for no exceptions. Kant believed that telling a lie, even a white lie, is a violation of ones own dignity. Professor Sandel asks students to test Kants theory with this hypothetical case: 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? If so, would it be moral to try to mislead the murderer without actually lying? This leads to a discussion of the morality of misleading truths. Sandel wraps up the lecture with a video clip of one of the most famous, recent examples of dodging the truth: President Clinton talking about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

PART TWO: A DEAL IS A DEAL

Sandel introduces the modern philosopher John Rawls and his theory of a hypothetical social contract. Rawls argues that principles of justice are the outcome of a special kind of agreement. They are the principles we would all agree to if we had to choose rules for our society and no one had any unfair bargaining power. According to Rawls, the only way to ensure that no one has more power than anyone else is to imagine a scenario where no one knows his or her age, sex, race, intelligence, strength, social position, family wealth, religion, or even his or her goals in life. Rawls calls this hypothetical situation a veil of ignorance. What principles would we agree to behind this veil of ignorance? And would these principles be fair? Professor Sandel explains the idea of a fair agreement with some humorous examples of actual contracts that produce unfair results.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Michael Sandel
• Harvard University
• Justice
• WGBH

[shinenot]

Where are the subtitles?

[danmcdaid]

@qtutoringhelps Or, to quote Optimus Prime, Freedom is the right of all intelligent beings. Prime and Kant would have had a lot to talk about, probably.

[ahorrell]

heh heh heh... he said duty

[crollmarketing]

Kant's Critique of Pure Reason was a seminal work. Love it!

[asad24041992]

The girl at 00:50 lolz

[ppssorange]

only Episode 1-6 have subtitle ?

[mnagmobile]

@shinenot press the CC button and hit transcribe you retard.

[Illustrisima]

even if i do one 'immoral' thing that does not mean i am incapable of being a moral being

[FlorinGG]

Why do girls make a question out of every sentence?

[socksnundies]

Did he fart at 40:17????