哈佛伦理学课程
Justice:What's the Right Thing to Do?

1. "TheMoral Side of Murder"
If you had to choose between killing oneperson or five, what would you do? What's the right thing to do? ProfessorMichael Sandel launches into his lecture series by presenting students with ahypothetical scenario that has the majority of students voting for killing oneperson in order to save the lives of five others. But then Sandel presentsthree similar moral conundrums -- each one artfully designed to make the decisionincreasingly complex. As students stand up to defend their conflicting choices,Sandel's point is made. The assumptions behind our moral reasoning are oftencontradictory, and the question of what is right and what is wrong is notalways black and white.
1讲:《杀人的道德》
如果必须选择杀死1人或者杀死5人,你会怎么选?正确的做法是什么?教授Michael Sandel在他的讲座里提出这个假设的情景,有多数的学生投票来赞成杀死1人,来保全其余五个人的性命。但是Sandel提出了三宗类似的道德难题-每一个都设计巧妙,以至于抉择的难度增加。当学生站起来为自己的艰难抉择辩护时,Sandel提出了他的观点。我们的道德推理背后的假设往往是矛盾的,而什么是正确什么是错的问题,并不总是黑白分明的。
2."TheCase for Cannibalism"
Sandel introduces the principles ofUtilitarian philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, with a famous 19th century law caseinvolving a shipwrecked crew of four. After 19 days lost at sea, the captaindecides to kill the cabin boy, the weakest amongst them, so they can feed onhis blood and body to survive. The case leads to a debate among students aboutthe moral validity of the Utilitarian theory ofmaximizing overall happiness -- often summed up with the slogan "thegreatest good for the greatest number".
2讲:《同类自残案》
Sandel介绍了功利主义哲学家JeremyBentham(杰瑞米·边沁)与19世纪的一个著名案例,此案涉及到的人是4个失事轮船的船员。他们在海上迷失了19天之后,船长决定杀死机舱男孩,他是4个人中最弱小的,这样他们就可以靠他的血液和躯体维持生命。案件引发了学生们对提倡幸福最大化的功利论的辩论,功利论的口号是“绝大多数人的最大利益”。
哈佛伦理学课程
Justice:What's the Right Thing to Do?

3."Putting a Price Tag on Life"
Jeremy Bentham's late 18th century Utilitarian theory -- summed up as "the greatest good for thegreatest number" -- is often used today under the name of"cost-benefit analysis." Sandel presents some contemporary exampleswhere corporations used this theory -- which required assigning a dollar valueon human lives -- to make important business decisions. This leads to adiscussion about the objections to Utilitarianism: is it fair to give moreweight to the values of a majority, even when the values of the majority may beignoble or inhumane?
3讲:《给生命一个价格标签》
Jeremy Bentham(杰瑞米·边沁)在18世纪后期提出的的功利主义理论-最大幸福理论 -今天常被称为“成本效益分析”。Sandel举出企业运用这一理论的实例:通过评估衡量一美元在生活中的价值来作出重要的商业决定。由此引起了功利主义的反对观点的讨论:即使当多数人的利益可能是卑鄙或不人道的时候也强调绝大多数人的利益,这样是否公平?
4."How to Measure Pleasure"
Sandel introduces J.S. Mill, another Utilitarianphilosopher, who argues that all human experience can be quantifiable, and thatsome kinds of pleasures are more desirable and more valuable than others. Millargues that if society values the higher pleasures, and values justice, thensociety as a whole will be better off in the long run. Sandel tests this theoryby showing the class three video clips -- from The Simpsons, the reality showFear Factor and Shakespeare's Hamlet -- then asks students to debate which ofthe three experiences qualifies as the "highest" pleasure.
4讲:《如何衡量快乐》
Sandel介绍另一位功利主义哲学家J.S.Mill(穆勒,也译作“密尔”)。他认为,所有人类的体验都可以量化,但某些快乐是更值得拥有,更有价值的。穆勒认为,如果社会重视更大程度的欢乐和公正,那么长远来说,社会整体终会有所进步。Sandel的检验这个理论的方法是,在课堂上播放了3个视频剪辑《辛普森》,真人秀《勇敢者的游戏》,以及莎士比亚的《哈姆雷特》-然后要求学生辩论:这三个体验里的哪一个应该被定为“最大程度”的快乐。
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