Jan
4
Justice: What is the right thing to do?
January 4, 2026 | Leave a Comment
After watching Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? I came away with five key
insights.
First, I learned that moral reasoning branches into two categories:
consequentialist thinking, which focuses on the outcomes of actions, and categorical
thinking, which relies on rules and principles regardless of the consequences.
Second, political philosophy isn’t just theory; it’s personal. It challenges how and
why we believe what we do.
Third, political philosophy sharpens our ability to
debate and engage ethically.
Fourth, this video taught me that ethics is not just about knowing what is right or wrong; it is about thinking critically and engaging with tough questions. And finally, I realized that much of classical philosophy lacks the inclusivity needed for today’s world.
When Kant, Bentham, and Mill were writing, society excluded women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other voices. It is time to expand ethical theory to reflect the complexity of the modern world.
The video is deeply relevant to the study of ethics. Every scenario posed by the Professor
Sandel was an exercise in ethical reasoning, thought experiments that pushed
students (and viewers like me) to consider morality beyond instinct. It highlighted
the courage it takes to speak up, and reminded me that not all voices are heard the
same way.
I agreed with the value of studying past philosophers, the importance of social and
political engagement, and the power of education to promote moral growth.
However, I disagreed with the overly abstract scenarios, the lack of meaningful class
discussion, and the emotional weight of the final story, which needed a content
warning. I learned a lot, and despite these flaws, the video succeeded in its mission:
It made me think.