What Justifies the Power of the State? (Part One)
Philosopher Michael Sandel discusses two approaches to liberalism, what he terms libertarian liberalism and egalitarian liberalism. He also talks about his own reluctance to be labeled as a communitarian, because he feels the term is often used syno...
What Justifies the Power of the State? (Part Two)
Philosopher Michael Sandel talks about the views of government held by John Locke and Aristotle. According to Professor Sandel, Locke believed "government was founded on consent." As for Aristotle, Professor Sandel explains that he thought politics ...
Virtue Ethics
Philosopher Martha Nussbaum explains what appeals to her about virtue ethics, as opposed to other ways of looking at moral choice. She mentions that it looks at human life as a whole, rather in terms of narrow moral parts. Professor Nussbaum also ap...
What Justifies the State?: Communitarian Ideal: Aristotle, The
The liberal view that government must be neutral and allow individuals the right to choose their own values and ends is criticized by communitarians. Communitarians believe in the organic nature of the state and the importance of belonging to a comm...
Turning Away From Functionalism
Philosopher Hilary Putnam talks about turning away from his earlier view of functionalism, to another perspective which recognizes the impact and significance of experience and one's social environment on the way one thinks.
Classical Greek philosophy
What is "the good," and why is it that one can never step into the same river twice? This program featuring Princeton University's Alexander Nehamas and Richard Sorabji, honorary fellow at Wolfson College, the University of Oxford, addresses core to...
Political philosophy
Who should lead the world's only superpower? When is it acceptable to topple another country's leader? Are personal freedom and national security mutually incompatible? The answers to urgent political questions such as these are informed by 23 centu...
Fatalism (Part One)
Philosopher Stephen Toulmin traces the evolution of the concept of fatalism. In the modern world, Professor Toulmin explains, the term is often used to express the feeling that people don't have control over what they do or what happens to them. In ...
Functionalism
Philosopher Hilary Putnam talks about his early idea about the mind, which he says actually consists of two ideas. One goes back to Aristotle and essentially argues that the mind is not an object but, rather, a system of abilities. The second, relat...
Moral Pluralism
Philosopher Michael Sandel argues that the fact that we live in a morally pluralistic society shouldn't deter us from seeking to create a political system based on the common good--even if there is widespread disagreement about what constitutes the ...