I’ve written a post about “Talent,” an issue that has dogged me for two months. Over the last two months, I’ve written two posts and recorded two podcasts about this real-life issue, and none of it got published because I’m still challenging my own beliefs. I’m usually very good about arguing points and winning debates, but this last issue kind of killed some of my faith in humanity, and I’d like for you guys and gals to help me think it through. My “talent” post will be up tomorrow. (I think it will be protected, so let me know if you need the password.)
Related to this upcoming post is a invitation/suggestion/question that I have for all of you.
The video above is a trailer for an online Harvard course called “Justice,” that explores moral issues. You can go to the “Justice” website here. I read about this in the NY Times. Here’s a snippet from the article:
Would you switch a runaway trolley from one track to another if it meant killing one person instead of five? Would it be just as moral to push a person in front of the speeding trolley to stop it and save the five? What about a surgeon killing one healthy person and using his organs so that five people who needed organ transplants could live? Is that moral? Why not?
“In a way, the book and the course try to model what public discourse would be like if it were more morally ambitious than it is,” Mr. Sandel said. “The title is ‘Justice,’ but in a way its subject is citizenship.”
Mr. Sandel emphasizes that “the aim is not to try to persuade students, but to equip them to become politically minded citizens.”
It’s fascinating–I’ve already watched the first episode–and it’s totally free. You can get part of a $30,000 Harvard education just by having access to the internet. So here’s my question–do any of you want to take this course with me? It’s 12 episodes. I can post one every week (I’d just set the WordPress timer to put it up, say, every Saturday), and then we could discuss the issues either online or through podcast. It would be cool if at least some of us could commit to watching all 12 one hour episodes and then commit to posting at least one comment on each one.
If you guys want to do it, we can do something fun at the end, like print up some faux Harvard-bigWOWO diplomas and e-mailing them to every person who made it through the course.
What do you say? If you can commit to this, let us know below. Also, feel free to post any suggestions as to how we might do this.
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I agree with everything you said. About #1…I think...
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*raises hand* can I do the course? definitely want to!
A free Harvard education?
(Chinese super powers of thrift kick in)
SURE.
One of the classes in this course is called “The Moral Side of Murder/The Case for Cannibalism.” LOL.
There is one class on Affirmative Action that seems interesting.
Though personally, I think the idea of Harvard University teaching classes on justice is like Enron giving courses on honest accounting methods.
Maybe Prof. Sandel can invite Herbert “Pug” Winokur and Jeffrey Skilling (both Enron execs connected with Harvard) as guest lecturers?
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Awesome! Okay, I’ll schedule the post for Saturday. Tomorrow when people go back to work, maybe we’ll get more signups. So far, we have five “students” altogether.
I am game so long as posting the other 11 episodes doesn’t violate any copyright laws.
My bad, I see in your email it will be posted freely on the internet. I am all for it!
AG,
Awesome! That’s six! Plus one other guy is considering it.
Yes, they are literally giving this course away for free. Speaking of interesting copyright-style laws and stuff, I noticed that certain artists and record companies post stuff on youtube, but they disable embedding. Like this one, for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEzbkGj7EaQ
Fortunately, Harvard will let us embed too. I’m excited! Class starts on Saturday!
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