Episode · EconTalk · 2023-09-18
Books mentioned on Michael Munger on How Adam Smith Solved the Trolley Problem
In the original version of a now classic thought experiment, five people are about to be killed by a runaway trolley. Would you divert the trolley knowing that your choice will kill a single innocent bystander?
Russ Roberts discussed The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg. Michael Munger discussed The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Great Good Place
The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg is a sociology book that examines the importance of informal public gathering spaces outside of home and work.
Discussed“in the series, TV series, The Good Place, a show I enjoyed immensely, one of the characters Chidi is a philosopher in the show and he is forced through a snap of the fingers to find he finds himself in a trolley barreling down on some workers.”
Where to get it
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith is a seminal 1759 work of moral philosophy that examines the psychological foundations of human judgment, empathy, and social order.
Discussed“on page 136 of the Liberty Fund edition of theory of moral sentiments, and I should say I first encountered this in your marvelous six-part discussion with Dan Klein a long time ago, now I think it was 2009.”
Where to get it
