Justice with Michael Sandel — Season 1, Episode 11: The Claims Of Community/Where Our Loyaty Lies

Episode synopsis

Professor Sandel presents Kants objections to Aristotles theory. Kant believes politics must respect individual freedom. People must always respect other peoples freedom to make their own choices—a universal duty to humanity—but for Kant, there is no other source of moral obligation. The discussion of Kants view leads to an introduction to the communitarian philosophy. Communitarians argue that, in addition to voluntary and universal duties, we also have obligations of membership, solidarity, and loyalty. These obligations are not necessarily based on consent. We inherit our past, and our identities, from our family, city, or country. But what happens if our obligations to our family or community come into conflict with our universal obligations to humanity?

About Justice with Michael Sandel

Justice is the first Harvard course to be made freely available online and on public television. In this 12-part series, college professor Michael Sandel challenges us with hard moral dilemmas and invites us to ponder the right thing to do-in politics and in our everyday lives.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Moral Side of Murder/The Case for Cannibalism
• E2Putting a Price Tag on Life/How to Measure Pleasure
• E3Free to Choose/Who Owns Me?
• E4The Land is My Land/Consenting Adults
• E5Hired Guns?/For Sale: Motherhood
• E6Mind Your Motive/The Supreme Principle of Morality
• E7A Lesson In Lying/A Deal Is A Deal
• E8What's A Fair Start?/What Do We Deserve?
• E9Arguing Affirmative Action/What's The Purpose?
• E10The Good Citizen/ Freedom Vs. Fit
• E12Debating Same-Sex Marriage/The Good Life