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Subject: 
Re: Matthew jumps in (was Re: Goodness of Man?, etc.)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Thu, 6 Jan 2000 17:44:57 GMT
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lpieniazek@novera.&AntiSpam&com
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<3874A8CA.59FCB9A3@voyager.net> <slrn879jb5.6vn.mattdm@jadzia.bu.edu>
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Matthew Miller wrote:

Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> wrote:
Again, from my perspective, no one refuted that position using a
property rights based argument. My adversaries in the debate merely

I don't understand the basis for the assertion that property rights are the
basis for all other rights. Where do property rights come from? What makes
that a privledged right above any other I can imagine?

Fair enough. I'll try to root out the cogent thread but if you want to
dig, use "life affirming" as your search words, that should get you to
it.


Arguments for this I've seen that I don't buy:

1. It's self evident.

   Not to me it's not. Let's see some justification.

2. It's the way it was in the State of Nature.

   Really? When was that exactly? I'd like to see some historical records
   from the time. Seriously, and more importantly, why property rights in
   specific? Without some basis, this just comes back to argument #1.

3. I can build a rational system which derives all other rights I want to
   support from this one.

   Several problems here.

   First, just because you can build such a structure doesn't say anything
   about the strength of its foundations. For example, one can build various
   non-euclidean geometries from directly contradictory axioms, and they're
   all self-consistent and rational.

   Second, it's used in a disturbingly circular way: only those (potential)
   rights which support the premise are taken to be "real". So of course
   those support the premise. If someone says "Well, what about right to
   health care?  Can't derive that from property rights!", you say "I
   know!".

   Third, it's not satisfying because it's nice for rights-based arguments
   to be seperate from utilitarian arguments. You implied in a post just a
   few hours ago that there's a distinction. Not if you're supporting
   property rights with this argument there isn't.

4. No one can show me anything better.

   Not necessarily true (I'll happily get into that later), but even then,
   so what? Doesn't absolve you of the burden of proof.

I think that the argument I advanced doesn't fall into any of these.
More later, my lunch is getting cold... Well, maybe it's a variant on 1
but not merely asserted, it's based on what the nature of man is.

--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com  http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to lugnet.

NOTE: Soon to be lpieniazek@tsisoft.com :-)



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Matthew jumps in (was Re: Goodness of Man?, etc.)
 
(...) [snip] (...) Found this: (URL) I don't think you say a single word about property, let alone property rights as a foundation, though. For what it's worth: in fact, I agree strongly with your conclusion in that case. The weak link you point out (...) (25 years ago, 6-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Goodness of Man? (was: Re: Merry Christmas from the Libertarian Party
 
(...) Will you stop? Where do you get that idea? What "higher power"? That's not it at all. My goodness what a stew of misconceptions. Do you listen to anything I say or are you just so sure you know what it is that it all blows past you? One more (...) (25 years ago, 2-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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