The Good Place and Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE

Is the points system fair, or does it punish and reward people unjustly?

Does Chidi really belong in The Bad Place?

Is it possible for Michael to change his demonic nature?

Is Eleanor capable of true moral improvement?

Is Janet a person?

No other television show has embraced moral philosophy quite like The Good Place, NBC's quirky and inventive sitcom featuring an imperfect cast of characters who, by virtue of a bureaucratic fork-up, find themselves residents of a cheerful, verdant afterlife reserved for the ethically elite. Funny, clever, and reliably good-hearted, The Good Place may poke a bit of fun at philosophy and namedrop Aristotle, Sartre, and Kierkegaard with a wink and a nod, but the series centers itself firmly around its characters' moral evolution and the ways in which they grow together, beginning a meaningful dialogue with modern audiences about what it means to be a good person. Is morality fixed or relative? What does it mean to be good?and is goodness sustainable if we are inherently self-interested? What do we owe each other, and what does trying to become a better person look like?

The Good Place and Philosophy responds to the show's philosophical curiosity by mapping its broader intellectual landscape, adding context to Chidi's lectures and navigating the theoretical schematics of the ethical dilemmas that Eleanor and her friends face. Original essays situate The Good Place in relation to the work of a wide range of classic and contemporary philosophers and schools of thought, and discuss diverse concepts drawn from all four seasons of the show, including Kant's categorical imperative, T.M. Scanlon's contractualism, and Philippa Foot's classic trolley problem. Featuring contributions from the show's creator Michael Schur (Parks and Recreation, The Office) and its philosophical consultants Pamela Hieronymi and Todd May, the collection explores the philosophical underpinnings of the series while offering insight into many of the show's inside jokes, references, and recurring themes.

Whether you're doing the recommended reading for Chidi's class or just want to know who died and left Aristotle in charge of ethics, The Good Place and Philosophy is an accessible and engaging companion to the critically-acclaimed sitcom and its philosophical source material.