Philosophy

• Libertarianism


  The concept of justice is identified with the individual right of liberty: the right of liberty is identified with non-interference by others in the choices we make
• Libertarian Theory


  • Respects the autonomy of an individual to lead the life of their choosing, provided they respect the rights of others to do the same
  • Committed to procedural justice only
  • Champions minimally regulated free market
  • Only small government is justified
• Tax laws for purpose of welfare benefits

  Are unjust according to libertarianism
• Libertarianism is just an archetgpe for rich people according to critics
• Libertarians want to stop government waste and abolish the Democratic party
• Libertarians want to keep their health, guns, and liberty
• Nozick's Entitlement Theory


  A distribution of property in society is just if there is justice in holdings
• Justice in Holdings


  1. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding

  2. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer from someone else entitled to the holding, is entitled to the holding

  3. No one is entitled to a holding except by (repeated) applications of 1 and 2
• Justice in Acquisition


  Concerns appropriation of unowned goods in nature, e.g. retrieving minerals, picking apples, working land to grow crops
• Principle of Self-Ownership


  • Moral right to possess, use and dispose of ourselves, our labour and the fruits of our labour
  • Negative right that others have an obligation to refrain from interfering with
  • Natural right possessed prior to and independent from social or political institutions
• The Tragedy of the Commons


  Shared unregulated resources are overused and depleted as individuals seek to maximise their own benefit
• Libertarian Solution to Tragedy of the Commons

  Privatization of the commons, e.g. privatizing water resources
• Nozick's Entitlement Theory of Justice

  1. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding

  2. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer from someone else entitled to the holding, is entitled to the holding

  3. No one is entitled to a holding except by (repeated) applications of 1 and 2
• Nozick's Concept of Justice

  • A distribution of goods in society is just if and only if all are entitled to the holdings they possess
  • The concept of justice at play is procedural - the result, whatever it is, is neither just nor unjust. What matters is justice in the historical acquisition and transfer of property rights
• Nozick's theory has appeal because it claims only a minimally regulated free market is necessary to secure our moral rights
• Nozick rejects other economic systems that may benefit the majority, as they interfere with people's freedom to act
• Nozick's Principle of Rectification

  Allows for rectification of injustices in the historical acquisition of holdings
• Nozick claims any attempt to impose a pattern of distribution interferes with people's freedom to act
• Nozick uses the Wilt Chamberlain example to argue that redistributing his extra earnings from charging more for tickets interferes with his free choices
• Nozick argues that taxation of earnings from labour is equivalent to forced labour and makes the government a part-owner of the individual
• Nozick's 'night-watchman state' view implies laws against exporting food during famines, minimum wage, employment discrimination, and occupational licensing are unjust
• Nozick rejects paternalistic laws like seatbelt and helmet requirements, and morals legislation as unjust
• Consumers Should rely instead on market information
• No Paternalism - Assuming privatization of health care (as libertarianism demands); laws to protect from harming themselves are unjust
• No Morals Legislation - Laws that promote Virtuous Character or express the moral Convictions of Society are Unjust
• Luck


  • Wilt Chamberlain is lucky in that he possess the natural characteristics (height) and talents (physical coordination) that (with hard work) enable him to excel at basketball
  • He lives in a Society that prizes basketball as a national Sport
  • He lives in a Society where professional athletes make a lot of money
• Criticism of Libertarianism


  • Appears as an excuse for rational egoism (the ethical theory that what is the right thing to do is just what serves your own interests), which undermines the moral fabric of Society
  • If we own our own bodies and our labour, then we have a right to sell ourselves into Slavery
  • If we own our bodies, then we have a right to sell our body parts in an open and Free Market (the purpose doesn't matter, e.g. Someone may purchase body parts Simply because they want more realistic props for their Halloween party, the result doesn't matter, e.g. it Kills you)
  • If we own our own bodies we have a right to Kill ourselves at any time, and have others help us to do this
• These implications Suggest that Nozick's notion of property is not a moral concept of natural rights prior to government, Rather, Nozick is co-opting a legal Concept of government guaranteed rights
• Public Apology for Historic Wrongs


  • Children born in Various First Nations were put in residential Schools From mid 1870s-Mid 1970s
  • Canada agreed to pay 1.9 billion in reparations to Former Students ($10,000 for First School, year and $3000 for each subsequent gear)
• John Howard, then Australian prime minister: '"I do not believe that the current generation of Australians should formally apologize and accept responsibility for the deeds of an earlier generation."'
• It is commonly said that the benefits bestowed upon native Canadians are a form of reperations For past injustices. But this continuing stream of reparations isn't doing either Side any good. On the government Side, it is ballooning funding obligation. On the aboriginal side, it is a welfare trap.
• Natural (Reasoned-based) duties to other human beings as such

  Universal; don't require actual consent
• Voluntary obligations


  Particular; require actual consent
• Obligations of Solidarity or membership

  Particular; don't require actual consent
• Whether there are obligations of Solidarity or membership For historic Wrongs turns on the following question: Am I responsible for the historic wrongs of the Community?
• It depends on the conception of the self as moral agent ("person")
• I am responsible if living by such responsibility is inseparable from Understanding myself as the person that I am.
• Utilitarianism


  I am the Sum of my desires and preferences and Subject to the Sum of desires and preferences of Society
• Libertarianism


  I am choosing Self In Virtue of being property that I own
• Egalitarianism


  I am a choosing Self in Virtue of being purely rational, independent of the desires and ends I may have at any moment