meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Best of: The moral philosophy of The Good Place

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Vox Media Podcast Network

Politics, News, Society & Culture, News Commentary, Philosophy

4.5 • 11.1K Ratings

🗓️ 31 December 2020

⏱️ 101 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After creating and running Parks and Recreation and writing for The Office, Michael Schur decided he wanted to create a sitcom about one of the most fundamental questions of human existence: What does it mean to be a good person? That’s how NBC's The Good Place was born. Soon into the show’s writing, Schur realized he was in way over his head. The question of human morality is one of the most complicated and hotly contested subjects of all time. He needed someone to help him out. So, he recruited Pamela Hieronymi, a professor at UCLA specializing in the subjects of moral responsibility, psychology, and free will, to join the show as a “consulting philosopher” — surely a first in sitcom history. I wanted to bring Shur and Hieronymi onto the show because The Good Place should not exist. Moral philosophy is traditionally the stuff of obscure academic journals and undergraduate seminars, not popular television. Yet, three-and-a-half seasons on, The Good Place is not only one of the funniest sitcoms on TV, it has popularized academic philosophy in an unprecedented fashion and put forward its own highly sophisticated moral vision. This is a conversation about how and why The Good Place exists and what it reflects about The Odd Place in which we actually live. Unlike a lot of conversations about moral philosophy, this one is a lot of fun.   References: Dylan Matthews' brilliant profile on The Good Place Dylan Matthews on why he donated his kidney Book recommendations: Michael Schur: Ordinary Vices by Judith N. Shklar The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré  Beloved by Toni Morrison Pamela Hieronymi: What We Owe to Each Other by T.M. Scanlon Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre Mortal Questions by Thomas Nagel Credits: Producer/Audio engineer - Jeff Geld Researcher - Roge Karma Please consider making a contribution to Vox to support this show: bit.ly/givepodcasts Your support will help us keep having ambitious conversations about big ideas. New to the show? Want to check out Ezra’s favorite episodes? Check out the Ezra Klein Show beginner’s guide (http://bit.ly/EKSbeginhere) Want to contact the show? Reach out at ezrakleinshow@vox.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

From the dawn of the moving image, MGM Studios has turned dreams into an escape.

0:05.0

Now, the legacy of an entertainment icon continues on MGM Plus.

0:11.0

Binge full seasons of critically claimed series like Billy the Kid,

0:14.0

From and Godfather of Harlem.

0:16.0

The New World is here, but brothers, watch on TV or stream your favorite Hollywood blockbuster movies like Top Gun Man, Rock and No Time to Die.

0:24.0

007 reporting for duty. Watch now on MGM Plus. This is entertainment.

0:31.0

This episode is brought to you by SAP Concurs.

0:34.0

In this economic climate, every business spending moment matters.

0:38.0

There's no room for risks, overspending and inefficiency.

0:42.0

SAP Concurs solutions take you beyond basic automation to help you increase your cash flow, not your concerns.

0:49.0

How in you to settle employee expenses and invoices efficiently and effectively, reduce financial risk and save time.

0:56.0

Visit concurs.co.uk to learn more.

1:02.0

This is really about a group of people who were not great,

1:05.0

did not lead great lives, but are trying to become better.

1:08.0

And she said, well, that's impossible.

1:10.0

And I said, why? And she said, because most philosophers would say,

1:14.0

that you can't try to be good.

1:19.0

Hello, and welcome to the Ezra Klan Show. I'm the Vox Media, podcast network.

1:32.0

So through December, we're going to be doing a mix of new shows and a couple of best of's.

1:37.0

And the best of's are going to be either shows that I really, really love and want to be able to put back out into the world and into the feed.

1:43.0

Or they're going to be shows that I think have a particular resonance to what is happening right now.

1:48.0

So this is the best of show. Please enjoy.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vox Media Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vox Media Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.