Justice

By: Michael J. Sandel

Narrated by: Michael J. Sandel

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

What are our obligations to others as people in a free society? Should government tax the rich to help the poor? Is the free market fair? Is it sometimes wrong to tell the truth? Is killing sometimes morally required? Is it possible, or desirable, to legislate morality? Do individual rights and the common good conflict?

These questions are at the core of our public life today - and at the heart of Justice, in which Michael J. Sandel shows how a surer grasp of philosophy can help us to make sense of politics, morality, and our own convictions as well.

Sandel's legendary Justice course is one of the most popular and influential at Harvard. Up to a thousand students pack the campus theater to hear Sandel relate the big questions of political philosophy to the most vexing issues of the day. In the fall of 2009, PBS will air a series based on the course.

Justice offers listeners the same exhilarating journey that captivates Harvard students - the challenge of thinking our way through the hard moral challenges we confront as citizens. It is a searching, lyrical exploration of the meaning of justice, an audiobook that invites listeners of all political persuasions to consider familiar controversies in fresh and illuminating ways.

Affirmative action, same-sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, national service, the moral limits of markets, patriotism, and dissent - Sandel shows how even the most hotly contested issues can be illuminated by reasoned moral argument.

Justice is lively, thought-provoking, and wise - an essential new addition to the small collection of works that speak convincingly to the big questions of our civic life.

©2009 Michael J. Sandel (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"This outstanding collection successfully blends historical and contemporary thought, on issues of theoretical and practical importance, to illuminate the main problems of justice. It is accessible to undergraduates in philosophy, with breadth and depth enough to engage the experienced philosophical reader hoping to rethink some central debates." (Michele Moody-Adams, Director and Hutchinson Professor of Ethics and Public Life, Cornell University)

Dated, yet still relevant in 2023.

An additional chapter should be added by the author in order to address the Trump era.

Excellent!

Professor Sandel sure knows how to provoke thought. Ponder the great moral issues of our time with one of the most captivating and humane tour guides around. Interested in issues such as affirmative action, capitalism, utilitarianism, gay marriage, virtue ethics, price gouging, aristotle, citizenship, or rawls? Then read on, you will not be disappointed.

Everyone should read this book.

An excellent introduction to Western philosophy. Excellent, if somewhat abrupt, conclusion. Good narration by author.

Justice by Micheal Sandel

He has a firm grasp on moral philosophy. Thumbs up on this one. Great book.

The Groundwork is just the beginning.

Well done. I think Kant has a lot more to say about practical reason and virtue than just in the Groundwork, so I'm not entirely convinced.

A book that makes us think

Any additional comments?

This is the book that pushes me to think out of my comfort zone. The justice problem is far more outreaching than we could be aware of.

Well-Argued and Thought-Provoking!

I loved that this book helped me rethink assumptions I had regarding Justice and civic responsibility! It definitely gave me food for thought and action!

Thought provoking

The reading was a bit dry, but the concepts interesting. Regardless of which theory to which you ascribe, this book will challenge your thinking. You will likely come away with a more solid belief system. It IS a bit left leaning, but not so much so that it was hard to listen to.

I’d recommend!

A great book that got me thinking about justice, what it means, and how we have to confront our different notions of the good life in pubic discourse.

How I started to love philosophy

Would you listen to Justice again? Why?

definitely, It is so full of context, and so well narrated that made me enjoy every minute of it. Besides, it does not "fool around" (without offense to other philosophers, this is mainly because of my problem concentrating for longer periods) and gets to the main points, analyzes several opinions and most of the times leaves it up to you to make up your mind and start thinking.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The way it is organized... it is not chronollogically... i think sandell was a genius when using different situations and dilemmas to introduce the listeners to the different stands on political and moral philosophy. He does not go very deep into each one of them, but gives you just the right amount to let you on your own if you feel like it.

What about Michael J. Sandel’s performance did you like?

Excellent... clear, passionate, and very good overall...

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not exactly extreme like those emotional responses... (i am not good at expressiong my emotions) BUT it was not few times when I was left in awe because of these new ideas that i had never thought of... or that, even though I had, I could not put them into words... to know that there are (and were) people thinking about these big and important ideas made me very very happy... I felt like a little child when I learned something new and ran to my girlfriend to tell her about so we could speak a little better now (she is far better educated than me and sometimes i felt bad about not understanding what she was saying)

Any additional comments?

to mr sandell...

Please write more books like this... only getting to understand the intuition and a general idea about what philosophy does for humanity, and specially with the talent you have to transmit that knowledge, i guess only then will the lay people like me start to appreciate it.