The Social Contract Today

In this thirteenth episode of the Wisdom for Life radio show, hosts Dan Hayes and Greg Sadler discuss the Social Contract, a classic philosophical concept that plays a key role in American politics and everyday ethics, and which also bears on recent nationwide protests over police misconduct and aggression.

 

They discuss first what the social contract is and whether or not it has been broken for many Americans, referencing the recent short talk given by Kimberly Jones.  They also look at what ideas from classical social contract theory – found in Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Rawls can be useful for understanding our present situation

 

They also discuss who has been systematically excluded from the social contract, examine a few of the key points that Charles Mills discusses in The Racial Contract, and look at the features Nicholas A Christakis outlines for a better social contract.

They end the show by discussing a practice that listeners could engage in – trying to imagine a new social contract that would be equitable and just for all.

 

Kimberly Jones “How We Can Win” video – https://youtu.be/llci8MVh8J4

Charles Mills, The Racial Contract – https://amzn.to/3ea6rM1

Nicholas A Christakis, Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society – https://amzn.to/2BZj9id

 

 

Show Music is by Scott Tarulli – https://www.scotttarulli.com/