#463. Solutions to all of Your Moral Dilemmas | Michael Schur
Life is filled with all kinds of moral dilemmas— from the mundane to the momentous. Should I lie and tell my friend that I like her ugly shirt? Can I still enjoy great art if it was created by terrible people? How much money should I give to charity? Ultimately, does anything we do even matter?
In today’s conversation, television writer and producer, Michael Schur helps us to navigate our moral dilemmas and answer some of these difficult questions.
Schur is best known for creating and co-creating such shows as Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place, and Rutherford Falls. Additionally, he has worked on shows like The Office, Master of None, The Comeback, and Hacks. He is also the Author of How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question.
In this episode we talked about:
- What got him started on the road to reading philosophy and studying ethics
- The so-called “trolley problem”
- Trusting your gut
- Natural states of virtue
- The evolutionary advantages of virtue
- And how white lies can be beneficial in a complicated and messy society
This interview was recorded in person at the TED conference in April of 2022, where both Michael Schur and Dan Harris spoke.
Where to find Michael Schur online:
Twitter: @KenTremendous
Book Mentioned:
Other Resources Mentioned:
- Pamela Hieronymi
- Aristotle
- Philippa Foot/ The trolley Problem
- Immanuel Kant
- Bernard Williams
- T.M. Scanlon/ Contractualism
- Armchair Expert— Michael Schur Episode
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
- Susan Wolf/ Moral Saints
- Peter Singer
- “What Should a Billionaire Give – and What Should You?”
- Effective altruism
- Warren Buffet/ The ovarian lottery
- Robert H. Frank
- Brother Pháp Dung
