logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2019
1h 42m

The moral philosophy of The Good Place (...

Vox
About this episode
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 The Good Place was born. Soon into the show’s writing, Schur realized he was in way over his head. The question of huma ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
The global baby bust
Birth rates are dropping and global population growth is slowing. Why? We’re heard all the different speculation: It’s the economy. It’s housing costs. It’s the feminists. But what if the biggest driver is that thing we all carry in our pockets? In today’s episode, guest host Chr ... Show More
49m 52s
Jul 17
Why public opinion turned on AI
AI was supposed to make our lives better. Instead, it’s made many of us scared and angry. Communities are protesting data centers across the country, and polling shows most Americans think AI is moving too fast.In today's episode, guest host Miles Bryan talks with independent jou ... Show More
44m 48s
Jul 13
A skeptic considers the case for God
Sean talks with writer Liz Bruenig about faith, doubt, and the experience of believing in God in a modern, skeptical age. They discuss religious experience, the limits of science, the appeal of cynicism, Dostoevsky, beauty, mystery, and whether belief is ultimately a choice. They ... Show More
51m 57s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
Michael Schur on every moral question ever
Michael Scott, Leslie Knope, Detective Jake Peralta–television producer and writer Michael Schur has created some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place. Still, his shows and his philosophy are not just about laug ... Show More
49m 24s
Aug 2022
Michael Schur on every moral question ever
Michael Scott, Leslie Knope, Detective Jake Peralta–television producer and writer Michael Schur has created some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place. Still, his shows and his philosophy are not just about laug ... Show More
49m 24s
Sep 2022
How to be perfect (with Michael Schur)
Humans face ethical dilemmas big and small every day: Which product is the most sustainable? Can you separate the art from the artist? Should you really share your streaming platform passwords? Today’s guest, Michael Schur, has spent a lot of time thinking about morality, most re ... Show More
35m 52s
Aug 2025
How ethics can help you make better decisions | Michael Schur (re-release)
What would Immanuel Kant say about a fender bender? In a surprisingly funny trip through the teachings of some of history's great philosophers, TV writer and producer Michael Schur (from hit shows like "The Office" and "The Good Place") talks through how to confront life's moral ... Show More
12m 55s
Apr 2022
The Good Place with Michael Schur
We're back – and this season, we're covering TV shows as well as movies! Joining us today to kick off Script Apart season three in style is none other than Michael Schur – co-creator of shows like Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Rutherford Falls, and a key creative f ... Show More
1h 12m
Jun 2022
Solutions to all of Your Moral Dilemmas | Michael Schur
tail spinning
55m 37s
Aug 2025
How ethics can help you make better decisions | Michael Schur (re-release)
What would Immanuel Kant say about a fender bender? In a surprisingly funny trip through the teachings of some of history's great philosophers, TV writer and producer Michael Schur (from hit shows like "The Office" and "The Good Place") talks through how to confront life's moral ... Show More
12m 55s
Sep 2018
The Good Place Week: Mike Schur
Episode 3 of The Good Place week shines a light on the man behind the curtain, Mike Schur. Mike (The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn 99) sits down with the Armchair Expert to discuss his philosophy on always "punching up", he breaks down white privilege, details the many f ... Show More
1h 57m
Dec 2018
What do The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Rec have in common? Michael Schur.
Michael Schur is one of the most adept minds in TV comedy. From his early days producing the Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon-era Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live, to his work as one of the key writers on The Office, he charted a career that touched some of the best TV comedy of th ... Show More
1h 9m