Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

1. Objective and Subjective Value

Philosophy and MethodologyValue and Exchange

06/26/2006Mises Media
Praxeology is a set of conceptual tools about the theory of action. It is the basis of economic theory. Whereas much has been fleshed out about the economics of human action, there is little about the ethics and natural rights of human action.
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

2. The Praxeological Case for an Ultimate End

Philosophy and MethodologyPraxeology

06/27/2006Mises Media
Claims of ultimate ends, like happiness or well-being, are impossible, says Hobbes. In this life, the fact that you are still acting shows that you have not achieved any ultimate end. Does action really express dissatisfaction? You can act to keep something happening, rather than to try to change...
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

3. Free Will: Two Paradoxes of Choice

Philosophy and Methodology

06/27/2006Mises Media
Economics deals with the preferences you are actually acting on. The judgment you are not acting on could still be around. So, action does not imply total judgment.
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

4. The Moral Standpoint

Philosophy and Methodology

06/28/2006Mises Media
Why should I care about anyone else but myself? We each have our own values to pursue. Is all valuation relative or neutral? The values we actually use seem to be agent neutral. We endorse these values both for ourselves and for others. Hobbes says that in a state of nature it is legitimate for...
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

5. An Aristotelian Ethics of Virtue

Philosophy and Methodology

06/28/2006Mises Media
Everyone has an ultimate end. What should the content of this end be? No concept of happiness exists without integrating the interest of others. Being an agent is being a living organism. Living organisms have needs. Aristotle feels humans are neither beasts nor God. Morality requires a minimum of...
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

6. Justice, Rights, and Consequences

Legal SystemPhilosophy and Methodology

06/29/2006Mises Media
Now we go from ethics to liberty. Justice, narrowly, is a legitimately enforceable claim. What is the consideration between justice, rights and utility? Justice seems more rule-oriented than rights. Libertarian rights theory can consider consequences.
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

7. Property, Land, Contract

Legal SystemPhilosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryPrivate Property

06/29/2006Mises Media
We have a right not to be aggressed against. Any other right has to be an application of my right not to have force initiated against me. Now, we need to do this with property rights. We need to treat the violation of property as aggression against self.
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

8. Punishment and War

Legal SystemWar and Foreign PolicyPhilosophy and Methodology

06/30/2006Mises Media
When can you respond to force? The four response positions range from “never” to “impose by force some further penalty on them”. A person’s capacity must be considered. Compensation instead of punishment is generally a libertarian society’s choice.
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

9. Culture and Liberty

Media and CulturePhilosophy and Methodology

06/30/2006Mises Media
Does libertarianism require widespread acceptance of certain cultural values? One end of the spectrum says yes [thick libertarianism]. The other end says libertarianism does not require any other set of values except the non-aggression principle – the right not to have force initiated against them...
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Foundations of Libertarian Ethics

10. An Anarchist Legal Order

Legal SystemPhilosophy and MethodologyPolitical Theory

07/01/2006Mises Media
A legal system is an institution to provide dispute resolution through judicial, legislative and executive functions. The state is that which maintains in large part a monopoly over force, geography and the legal system.
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