Profiles

This paper traces Spencer's theory of causation through various disciplines, with special emphasis on Spencer's "scientific" system of ethics — something he regarded as the crowning achievement of his life's work. I shall attempt to explain Spencer rather than criticize him. His theories are...

Modern libertarian thought is essentially deductive in character. Building from a foundation in natural law, libertarians derive the principle of non- aggression; and from this they deduce the standards of a just society. Consistency is the key word: what is permissible in the political sphere must...

George H. Smith responds to Randy Barnett, Robert Formaini, and Steven Strasnick's comments on his paper "Justice Entrepreneurship in a Free Market." Volume 3, Number 4 (1979)

In the pages of an obscure book first published in 1722, there lurks one of the finest essays on property rights ever penned. The book is The Religion of Nature Delineated , by William Wollaston. Since Wollaston's property theory is an extension of his ethical theory, it is necessary to...