Season 1 Episode
- Season 1 The Moral Side of Murder/The Case for Cannibalism
- Season 1 Putting a Price Tag on Life/How to Measure Pleasure
- Season 1 Free to Choose/Who Owns Me?
- Season 1 The Land is My Land/Consenting Adults
- Season 1 Hired Guns?/For Sale: Motherhood
- Season 1 Mind Your Motive/The Supreme Principle of Morality
- Season 1 A Lesson In Lying/A Deal Is A Deal
- Season 1 What's A Fair Start?/What Do We Deserve?
- Season 1 Arguing Affirmative Action/What's The Purpose?
- Season 1 The Good Citizen/ Freedom Vs. Fit
- Season 1 The Claims Of Community/Where Our Loyaty Lies
- Season 1 Debating Same-Sex Marriage/The Good Life
Justice with Michael Sandel - Season 1 Episode 6 Mind Your Motive/The Supreme Principle of Morality
9.00 48 minutes Professor Sandel introduces Immanuel Kant, a challenging but influential philosopher. Kant rejects utilitarianism. He argues that each of us has certain fundamental duties and rights that take precedence over maximizing utility. Kant rejects the notion that morality is about calculating consequences. When we act out of duty—doing something simply because it is right—only then do our actions have moral worth. Kant gives the example of a shopkeeper who passes up the chance to shortchange a customer only because his business might suffer if other customers found out. According to Kant, the shopkeepers action has no moral worth, because he did the right thing for the wrong reason.
