Modeled after Harvard political theorist Michael Sandel's famous Socratic course and companion book, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, this discussion class will tackle a different moral dilemma each session and examine all angles of complex real world scenarios in which the answers are not clear and decisions have dramatic consequences. Case studies to be debated include the case for cannibalism in a lifeboat, "ownership" of Baby M. in the free market economy, crashing the stage in response to odious free speech, can Muslims and Jews talk about Israel, and in pursuit of justice – the case of a wrongly convicted felon.

Stories about the US economy typically cite the growth rate of the Gross National Product (GNP), the value of all goods and services produced annually. But does GNP growth, even when rapid, make people happier or more content? More recently, the idea of measuring people’s sense of well-being has attracted the interest of policymakers and economists. Some governments have been contemplating the use of happiness economics measures such as Gross National Happiness to determine their population’s well-being because studies show that happiness leads to better health and longevity, better work performance, and reduced personal and social trauma. Learn where happiness measures are in use and if they can help countries adopt policies that improve their people's well-being.