Michael Sandel and the case for a philosophy curriculum
In Michael Sandel’s book “Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?”, Sandel argues that a just society is a society that strives towards bettering the lives of all its inhabitants. Its a simple definition. One that is markedly Aristotelian and can perhaps be described as a mix between utilitarianism and collectivism. Yet, what’s striking about Sandel’s definition is that he is a reformist. He is a critic of liberalism, highlighting its overemphasis on the individual, but he does not argue for socialism. He thinks that we can reform our capitalist society by using the government to instill the morals of the people. He says that the morals of our modern-day society have become subject to the will of the market, and we need strong government and institutions to make sure that people’s values are prioritized over market values. Throughout this project, I have spent a long time discussing anti-capitalist theory, which is always subject to the critique of “that’s unrealistic”. Though I do not accept that the economic status quo is unchangeable, I understand that I am criticizing Newton’s current atmosphere, and thus must offer some solutions that can be implemented today.
When I was reading Sandel’s work, I kept thinking about schools. Public high schools are not subject to capitalist motives and serve as a very useful tool to instill morals into our city’s youth. My suggestion, thus, is simple: philosophy should be taught in schools. When you go to college, you are paying for a skillset and a degree. If you have been taught that money is all that matters, you likely will never consider taking a philosophy class. This is understandable—college is a transaction, and tuition fees weigh heavily on the backs of first-generation students, low-income students, and students who take out loans. Of course, after dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars, a student will consider the return on investment when deciding on a major. For high school, though, no such consideration exists. Sure, in low-income areas, learning practical job skills should take precedent over philosophy classes. But Newton is not low-income, and the stakes are significantly lower in high school than in college.
I do not expect Hegel to be required reading at Newton South or North. There is no need for high-brow philosophers from ancient Greece or the Enlightenment. What we need is a basic introduction to morals and ethics. Students should grapple with theories like Sandel’s because they might change how students see the world. The philosophy class I took inspired this project, but it actually brought about much larger changes in the student body. Many students questioned their previously held affection for finance, and many people I know, who previously did not read, began reading philosophy that challenged their worldview. I think this is because that kind of ideological evolution is addictive. When students who are deeply entrenched in the capitalist-religious complex become conscious of just how reductive their worldview is, they are freed, in a sense. They begin to permit themselves to find fufillment in relationships or learning or their own ideological transformation. They develop morals outside of the market, and they begin to resemble the ideal citizen according to Sandel’s vision of a just society. Thus, for the state, establishing a philosophy curriculum leads to a symbiotic relationship with its citizens. The citizens are free from their ideological shackles, and in my limited experience, they are grateful for it. And for the state, a percentage of citizens will become more civic-minded and more community-oriented.
We still control what is taught in the classroom, not the invisible hand of the market. In a time when this is true for very few things, we must exercise our control in hopes of creating a more just society. Sandel’s woldview lends itsefl exceptionally well to this argument as it promises a more just society through liberal reforms. Things like social media literacy and genocide education are mandated in many public schools across the country. Perhaps, philosophy is next on this list and perhaps its implementation will bring with it much larger changes.
