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Society & Culture

The Public Philosopher

BBC

Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel examines the thinking behind a current controversy

Episodes

17 episodes

The Ethics of AI

Is extracting the voices of dead musicians, digitally de-aging living actors, or relying on AI algorithms to pick a future husband or wife c...

42:24Jun 11, 2024

Will AI make thinking obsolete?

Would you choose an algorithm rather than a human to mark your exam papers? Would you welcome a translation app that replaced foreign langua...

41:31Aug 26, 2019

Public Philosopher - Citizens of Nowhere?

Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel comes to St Paul's Cathedral to take on some of the hardest questions raised by the public discontent tha...

41:34Oct 29, 2018

Global Philosopher: Should there be any limits to free speech?

Sixty people from around the world join Professor Michael Sandel in a digital studio at Harvard to discuss free speech. Free speech is a cor...

41:41Feb 6, 2018

Would life be better if robots did all the work?

Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel asks if life would be better if robots did all the work. Professor Sandel skilfully and entertainingly us...

41:39Mar 8, 2017

The Global Philosopher: Should the Rich World Pay for Climate Change?

Sixty people from thirty countries join Michael Sandel in a digital studio at Harvard to discuss the philosophical issues underlying the wor...

41:46Jul 28, 2016

The Global Philosopher: Should Borders Matter?

Michael Sandel explores the philosophical justifications made for national borders. Using a pioneering state-of-the-art studio at the Harvar...

41:31Mar 29, 2016

Why Democracy?

Harvard professor Michael Sandel is Radio 4's 'Public Philosopher', guiding audiences through complex moral philosophical dilemmas. For the...

52:23Jan 20, 2015

National Guilt

Imagine a country guilty of past crimes. What obligations do its current citizens have to make amends? In this edition of The Public Philoso...

41:44May 27, 2014

Why Vote?

Should it be compulsory to vote? Should we fine people who don't vote? Should we pay people to vote? This is the week that the UK goes to th...

41:48May 20, 2014

Morality and the State

Should governments try to influence private morality? Michael Sandel, The Public Philosopher, is back with a new series. In this first progr...

41:37May 13, 2014

Is rape worse than other violent crime?

Is rape a worse crime than other forms of violent assault? Should verbal sexual harassment be banned? These are two questions put by Harvard...

38:30Mar 26, 2013

Welfare

The eminent American political philosopher Michael Sandel is Radio 4's "Public Philosopher." Now, as America prepares for its Presidential e...

42:02Oct 30, 2012

Immigration

The eminent Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel is Radio 4's "Public Philosopher." Now, as America prepares for its Presidential el...

41:43Oct 23, 2012

Should we bribe people to be healthy?

The eminent Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel brings his trademark style to a discussion on a current issue, questioning the thin...

41:01Apr 17, 2012

Should a banker be paid more than a nurse?

The eminent Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel brings his trademark style to a discussion on a topical issue, questioning the thin...

41:28Apr 10, 2012

Should universities give preference to applicants from poor backgrounds?

"We're going to engage in an experiment ....an experiment in public philosophy. We sometimes think that philosophy is remote, abstract and d...

41:58Apr 3, 2012