Justice with Michael Sandel — Season 1, Episode 7: A Lesson In Lying/A Deal Is A Deal

Episode synopsis

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.

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
• E8What's A Fair Start?/What Do We Deserve?
• E9Arguing Affirmative Action/What's The Purpose?
• E10The Good Citizen/ Freedom Vs. Fit
• E11The Claims Of Community/Where Our Loyaty Lies
• E12Debating Same-Sex Marriage/The Good Life