The fact that privilege exists is hard to dispute. Most of us recognize that, due to the circumstances we were born into, we are given certain advantages or disadvantages in life that others do not have. However, the further question of whether those with privilege have special obligations to the disadvantaged remains controversial.

David Edmonds, host of British podcast Philosophy 24/7, asks philosopher Holly Lawford Smith whether people lucky enough to have been raised in middle class families, have obligations to the less fortunate in an episode called "Why Worry About Class?"

For a discussion of privilege more focused on race than class, check out our episode, "White Privilege and Racial Injustice" with philosopher Naomi Zack.

We've also made an episode called "Race, Class, and Inequality" with political scientist and philosopher Elizabeth Kiss that discusses these issues more broadly.