A Moral Pandemic
with Michael Sandel
Synopsis
Leading into one of the most crucial elections in American history, society needs civil discourse and yearns for debate now more than ever.
A Moral Pandemic is a unique and refreshing debate-style program hosted and moderated by world-renowned Harvard professor and philosopher, Michael Sandel.
Episode topics range from the Covid-19 crisis to racial injustice and everything in between.
Sandel skillfully moderates lively, emotional, and thought-provoking discussion and debate among 12 articulate individuals from all walks of life.
A Moral Pandemic provides a place to be heard and space to listen.
Michael Sandel
Michael Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard University. He has been described as “the most relevant living philosopher,” a “rock-star moralist,”(Newsweek) and “currently the most popular professor in the world.”(Die Zeit)
His most recent TED talk (August 2020) was viewed over 550,000 times in just three days and his BBC Radio program The Global Philosopher has been listened to by millions.
His writings—on justice, ethics, democracy, and markets–have been translated into 27 languages. His legendary course “Justice” is the first Harvard course to be made freely available online and on television. It has been viewed by tens of millions of people around the world, including in China, where Sandel was named the “most influential foreign figure of the year.” (China Newsweek)
Potential Episode Topics
The Limits of Individual Liberties
Does the state have the right to require people to wear a mask, or to stay at home during a pandemic, or is this a violation of individual liberty?
The First Vaccines
Once a Covid-19 vaccination is approved, who should be first in line to receive it? Health care workers, first responders, schoolteachers, public officials? Those at greatest risk of contracting the virus and suffering serious effects? Should the young take precedence over the elderly? What about the ability to pay? Would a random lottery be the fairest way?
Economic Health vs. Individual Health
Should we be willing to accept a certain number of deaths to resume normal economic activity? How many per day, per year?
Reparations
Should the U.S. enact reparations to acknowledge and redress the injustice of slavery and segregation? How persuasive is the objection that moral responsibility is individual not collective—we are obligated to right wrongs we ourselves have committed, but are not responsible to atone for the sins of previous generations?
Affirmative Action in College Admissions
Is it just or unjust to consider race and ethnicity as factors in college admissions? Is it wrong for colleges to give preference in admissions to the children of alumni or major donors?
Predictive Policing
Many police departments use algorithms to predict where crime is likely to occur and send more police to those neighborhoods. Does this improve policing or create a self-fulfilling prophesy of who will be arrested?
Parole by Algorithm
If algorithms could predict more accurately than parole boards who would commit a future crime then should they determine who is released and who stays in prison?
Facebook and Fake News
Should Facebook permit false campaign ads to appear on its platform? What responsibility does social media have regarding the information that is distributed to its users?
Additional Episode Topics (if preferred)
Surveillance Tracking
Should the government use surveillance tracking of citizens to enforce social distancing and enable contact tracing?
Herd Immunity
Is the strategy of “herd immunity” ethically objectionable? Would it be wrong to open the economy and schools, allowing people to contract the virus until enough people acquire immunity to stop the virus from spreading?
Required to Vote
Should all citizens be required to vote?
Immunity Passports
Is it objectionable to use “immunity passports” to determine access to schools, workplaces, and college campuses? What about retail stores, restaurants, and public facilities?
Human Challenge Trials
One way to speed up vaccine testing is by using “human challenge trials,” infecting volunteers with Covid-19 to see if the candidate vaccine protects them. Are such trials ethical or unethical?
Willingness to Sell
Is it wrong to pay people to submit to life-threatening risks, such as testing Covid-19 vaccines?
***Other topics can be used if requested
Specs
- Hosted and moderated by Michael Sandel
- 12 x participnats represeting a variety of races, age, gender, and beliefs
- 4-8 x 30-minute episodes
Reference Material
What’s The Right Thing To Do? / Immigration
An episode from Sandel’s Dutch television program.
Watch Here
Change Your Mind / Democracy, Populism, and the Common Good
An episode from the second season of Sandel’s Dutch television program.
Watch Here
The Public Philosopher BBC / Would It Be Better If Robots Did All The Work?
An episode from Sandel’s BBC Radio 4 series.
Listen Here
Justice / Ethics in an Age of Pandemic and Racial Reckoning
Sandel’s Harvard University course trailer for the unique school year of 2020.
Watch Here