ABC Radio National‘s The Philosopher’s Zone is one of the oldest public radio podcast, and I’ve been following it very closely since very near its inception back in 2005. Week after week it explores the history, issues and ideas of philosophy in an accessible and informative manner. I can’t get enough of it. The Philosopher’s Zone is kind of like a very focused version of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time. One recent program, that I just finished listening to, features a fascinating examination of the morality and ethics of Ebeneezer Scrooge. As depicted in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Scrooge appears to be a very disobliging sort, but is he actually morally bankrupt? Examining his character and actions (through the lenses of utilitarianism, Kantian’ style categorical imperative and virtue ethics) host Alan Saunders, and guest Scott C. Lowe, discuss the curious problem of Scrooge’s lack of immorality.
Here’s the synopsis:
Ebenezer Scrooge is one of the few people you are allowed to hate at Christmas, or at least you’re allowed to ‘dislike’ what he stands for. Miserly and lacking in empathy, Scrooge is essentially a joyless, friendless, humourless, lonely old man. But was he morally bad as common wisdom would have it? Our guest this week says NO. Ebenezer Scrooge was as a man of ethical principle.
|MP3| Bah humbug – Why Ebenezer Scrooge is actually a man of principle
Subscribe to the podcast feed:
http://abc.net.au/rn/podcast/feeds/pze.xml
Posted by Jesse Willis