| I enjoy watching many of the talks given by | | | | them. |
| people at TED (Technology, Entertaining, Design), | | | | Even though it wasn't delved into further the last |
| a small non-profit organisation devoted to | | | | answer had a reasonable principle too. The worst |
| spreading ideas that are worth listening to. This | | | | players need more practise to make them good |
| one by Michael Sandel, a pioneer of open | | | | flute players, so isn't that restricting the possible |
| education, who teaches political philosophy at | | | | number of people that can play the flute? Which |
| Harvard is called 'The lost art of democratic | | | | decision actually allows the most people to |
| debate', which highlights how important debates | | | | benefit? Obviously the best flute players will give |
| are often avoided by politics. | | | | society nice flute music, but these are the ones |
| He has a book out currently that looks at a | | | | who have actually benefitted already by their |
| number of the most important moral and political | | | | personal experience. If the flutes were given to |
| arguments that have recently been contested. | | | | the worst flute players then globally more |
| The book is called 'Justice: What's the Right Thing | | | | individuals would have benefitted from the |
| To Do'. | | | | experience of flute playing. OK, that was just one |
| Michael points out that many sensitive political, | | | | interesting point that shows the difficulty of |
| moral and religious are generally avoided by | | | | thinking about even simple points. |
| politicians. That it is easier for them to ignore | | | | Michael then goes on to compare the jus tice |
| these issues because of the possibility of backlash. | | | | debate surrounding the golfer Casey Martin |
| However, this hiding away of issues does nothing | | | | recently who had a disability that made it difficult |
| to come to terms or understand the issues. We | | | | to walk the golf course. Casey asked the PGA, |
| basically need to rediscover the lost art of | | | | the Professional Golfers Association to be allowed |
| democratic debate. | | | | to use a golf cart in the tournaments. He was |
| In the subject of who deserves what he asks | | | | refused and an interesting legal debate ensued. |
| the question of the audience, "Who should get the | | | | Finally, he made the connections to today's political |
| best flutes?" Interestingly the Aristotle preferred | | | | debates that display how hard it is to decide the |
| answer was given, 'the ones that were the best | | | | answers, without really getting deep into the |
| flute player', but was quickly answered by | | | | subject and thinking about the 'essential' natures |
| another, 'the worst flute players'. The answer | | | | of the debates. From there to draw out the |
| rested on the decision that gave the best benefit | | | | qualities or highest ideals connected to the subject |
| to everyone, so the best flute players would give | | | | that would be recognised to be worthy of using |
| society the greatest benefit by being able to play | | | | within the debate. |