cover of episode How zombies, dragons, and superheroes could make you a better person (with Christopher Robichaud)

How zombies, dragons, and superheroes could make you a better person (with Christopher Robichaud)

2021/5/17
logo of podcast How to Be a Better Human

How to Be a Better Human

Chapters

Christopher Robichaud discusses how playing Dungeons & Dragons from a young age taught him important life skills and influenced his career in teaching ethics.

Shownotes Transcript

Roleplaying games and the Marvel universe may be fictional, but they can also teach us a lot about morality in the real world. Christopher Robichaud is a Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. In this episode, he shares ways we can explore important, everyday issues in fun, safe, and unexpected ways. Christopher has made a career out of teaching ethics and philosophy using pop culture, dissecting moral questions using anything from zombie apocalypse simulations to superhero narratives. He received his doctorate in philosophy from MIT. In 2015 he won the Innovation in Teaching Award at the Harvard Kennedy School for creating a day-long simulation--using design elements from old school tabletop roleplaying games like D&D--where policy students wielded their leadership skills and confronted ethical dilemmas to deal with a zombie pandemic. To learn more about "How to Be a Better Human," host Chris Duffy, or find footnotes and additional resources, please visit: go.ted.com/betterhuman)