One of our intermittent tasks here on The Partially Examined Life is to try to engage with current rhetoric in popular intellectualism. Our recent episode on white privilege attempted to separate the facts involved (race disparities) from the concepts used to characterize those facts ("privilege") and from what concrete actions could be used to address the actual problems Continue Reading …
Topic for #123: F.A. Hayek and Amartya Sen on Assumptions of Economics
On 8/17/15, Mark, Seth, and Wes were joined by Boston University economics grad student and long-time PEL fan Seth Benzell to talk about two texts: “The Use of Knowledge in Society” by F.A. Hayek (1945) and On Ethics and Economics by Amartya Sen (1987). Go listen to Seth Benzell's introduction for a straight-up summary of the two essays and how they relate. Seth Paskin Continue Reading …
Libertarianism Sensibilities and the Tools of Social Change
I'm gratified that from what I can tell, we weren't wildly unfair in our Nozick episode, and in particular that Metcalf's participation apparently didn't irredeemably taint our coverage, what with his being an already established opponent of the text. As is typical when we cover and largely pan a work related to a movement that people are invested in, we get more requests to Continue Reading …
Episode 104: Robert Nozick’s Libertarianism (Citizen Edition)
On Anarchy, State & Utopia (1974), ch. 1-3 and 7. What moral limits should we put on government power? Nozick thinks that the only legitimate functions of government are protection and enforcement of contracts. Contra Rawls, Nozick's "entitlement" version of justice doesn't look at income inequality or any other pattern of holdings, but only at whether holdings were Continue Reading …
Episode 104: Robert Nozick’s Libertarianism
On Anarchy, State & Utopia (1974), ch. 1-3 and 7. What moral limits should we put on government power? Nozick thinks that the only legitimate functions of government are protection and enforcement of contracts. Contra Rawls, Nozick's "entitlement" version of justice doesn't look at income inequality or any other pattern of holdings, but only at whether holdings were Continue Reading …
Precognition of Ep. 104: Robert Nozick
Seth Paskin introduces Anarchy, State, and Utopia about libertarianism and the limits of legitimate government power. Watch for the full discussion to be released in a couple of weeks. Read more about the topic and get the book. Continue Reading …
Precognition of Ep. 104: Robert Nozick
Seth Paskin introduces Anarchy, State, and Utopia about libertarianism and the limits of legitimate government power. Listen to the full discussion. Read more about the topic and get the book. Continue Reading …
Ignoring Metcalf’s Central Point
Julian Sanchez has some criticisms here (hat tip to commenter HPG) of Metcalf on Nozick and libertarianism. They seem fair, although I don't have time to evaluate them in detail (it's been a long time since I read Anarchy, State and Utopia): Nozick is here setting up a dilemma: Under these idealized circumstances, from what is stipulated to be a perfectly just starting Continue Reading …
Stephen Metcalf on Nozick and “The Liberty Scam”
The snark-factor is high in this entertaining, well-written indictment of libertarianism by Slate critic Stephen Metcalf: "Libertarianism" places one—so believes the libertarian—not on the political spectrum but slightly above it, and this accounts for its appeal to both the tricorne fringe and owners of premium real estate. Yowza. Continue Reading …