Michael Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard, exploring the most hotly contested moral and political issues of our time.

Why you should listen

Michael Sandel is one of the best known American public intellectuals. London Observer calls him a "master of life's big questions" while Newsweek describes him as "the most relevant living philosopher" and a "rock-star moralist."

Sandel's latest book, The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?, shows how the divide between winners and losers has poisoned our politics and driven us apart, and points the way to a new politics of the common good. His books Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? and What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets were international best sellers and have been translated into 27 languages. His legendary course, "Justice," is the first Harvard course to be made freely available online and has been viewed by tens of millions.

Sandel's BBC series The Global Philosopher explores the ethical questions lying behind the headlines with audiences around the world, on issues such as immigration, climate change, new technologies and the COVID-19 pandemic. His lecture tours have taken him across five continents and packed such venues as St. Paul's Cathedral (London), the Sydney Opera House (Australia) and an outdoor stadium in Seoul (South Korea), where 14,000 people came to hear him speak.

Michael Sandel’s TED talks

More news and ideas from Michael Sandel

Live from TEDGlobal

The real price of market values: Michael Sandel at TEDGlobal 2013

June 14, 2013

Political philosopher Michael Sandel — the second “Michael from Harvard” this session — returns to TED in the last session of TEDGlobal, “All Together Now,” to address the marketization of our culture. These days there’s very little money can’t buy. If you ever wind up in jail in San Diego, CA, and you find your […]

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