Michael Sandel's "Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?" invites readers of all ages and political persuasions on a journey of moral reflection, and shows how reasoned debate can illuminate our lives. Is it always wrong to lie? Should there be limits to personal freedom? Can killing sometimes be justified? Is the free market fair? What is the right thing to do? Questions like these are at the heart of our lives. In this acclaimed book Michael Sandel - BBC Reith Lecturer and the Harvard professor whose 'Justice' course has become world famous - gives us a lively and accessible introduction to the intersection of politics and philosophy. He helps us think our way through such hotly contested issues as equal rights, democracy, euthanasia, abortion and same-sex marriage, as well as the ethical dilemmas we face every day. "One of the most popular teachers in the world". ("Observer"). "Enormously refreshing...Michael Sandel transforms moral philosophy by putting it at the heart of civic debate". ("New Statesman"). "One of the world's most interesting political philosophers". ("Guardian"). "Spellbinding". ("The Nation"). Michael Sandel is the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at the University of Harvard. Sandel's legendary 'Justice' course is one of the most popular and influential at Harvard. Sandel is the author of many books and has previously written for the "Atlantic Monthly", the "New Republic" and the "New York Times". He was the 2009 BBC Reith Lecturer.
1 Doing the Right Thing 3
2 The Greatest Happiness Principle / Utilitarianism 31
3 Do We Own Ourselves? / Libertarianism 58
4 Hired Help / Markets and Morals 75
5 What Matters is the Motive by Immanuel Kant 103
6 The Case for Equality by John Rawls 140
7 Arguing Affirmative Action 167
8 Who Deserves What? by Aristotle 184
9 What do We Owe One Another? / Dilemas of Loyalty 208
10 Justice and the Common Good 244
Notes 271
Acknowledgments 293
Index 295.