The Passion for LibertyTibor Machan defends a libertarian conception of a free society, one in which individuals are sovereign, self-governing beings, not subject to others' will without their consent. In the tradition of John Locke, Adam Smith, Ayn Rand, and Robert Nozick, Machan argues that such a society--far from being hedonistic, licentious, or disorderly--is the best possible ideal for humans. In doing so, he addresses specific issues such as affirmative action, abortion, military intervention, and torture in light of the relationship between liberty and democracy. |
Contents
OPPOSING SENSES OF FREEDOM | 25 |
ETHICAL EGOISM OR INDIVIDUALISM PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY | 31 |
WHY CAPITALISM SQUARES WITH MORALITY | 39 |
IMMIGRATION INTO A FREE SOCIETY | 57 |
MILITARY DEFENSE OF THE FREE SOCIETY | 65 |
LIBERTY ECONOMIC VERSUS MORAL BENEFITS | 73 |
AGAINST UTILITARIANISM | 91 |
REFLECTIONS ON THE RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY | 99 |
THE NORMS OF GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION | 159 |
DEMOCRACY FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MILITARY EXPANSION | 169 |
WHY ABORTION IS NOT MURDER | 177 |
THE DESTRUCTIVE IRONIES OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION | 185 |
THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY | 193 |
THE MEDIA VERSUS FREEDOM SOME CASES IN POINT | 201 |
EPILOGUE | 209 |
NOTES | 217 |
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achieve affirmative action American argue Ayn Rand capitalism choice choose citizens classical egoism classical liberal collectivist conception conduct consent consider context course defend democracy democratic discussion economic erty ethical egoism ethics example extreme violence fact force free market free society freedom Freedom Communications goals happiness human community human nature human rights idea immigration important individual rights institutions issue John Locke justice justified Karl Marx kind Kristol least legal system Leo Strauss libertarian liberty live Machan Marx matter means ment military natural rights natural rights theory negative rights one's person personal jurisdiction philosophers political positive rights possible principles private property rights protection public policy pursue pursuit question rational realm reason requires respect right to private Robert Nozick sense social someone sphere thing Tibor tion torture U.S. Constitution values violation virtue wealth welfare wrong
Popular passages
Page 9 - The state of Nature has a law of Nature to govern it, which obliges every one, and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions...
References to this book
You and the State: A Fairly Brief Introduction to Political Philosophy Jan Narveson Limited preview - 2008 |