Subject:
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Re: personal responsibility (was:Re: Why is AIDS such a big deal?)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 26 May 2000 16:39:50 GMT
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Viewed:
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3380 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Frank Filz writes:
> But what is most important is that just because I claim the "victim" has
> this responsibility in no way eliminates the responsibility of the
> perpetrator.
I agree completely! Unfortunately I didn't read your other post on this
subject until after I'd posted my previous message, or I'd've addressed your
points!
> If this debate about responsibility is an attempt to show
> Chris and myself (and bunches of other people) to be cold and uncaring
> because of this stance, I would reject your claim.
That's not my intent at all, and, since this is for all intents and purposes
a thought experiment, I have no way to judge your "coldness" based solely on
these debates. Further, I once again applaud the notion of personal
responsibility. However, I think there's a lot of room for messy equivocation
on the word "victim" and "responsible" in this argument that needs to be
addressed.
> I am not at all
> uncaring (I would even care in the case of someone clearly "asking" for
> it, though I also would acknowledge that they took a big risk and got
> bit, they really should have done better, but that won't have me calling
> for any less punishment of the perpretrator).
Likewise, the gulf between one's own responsibility in ordinary circumstances
(riding a typical subway or walking down a typical street) and responsibility
in extreme circumstances (stomping an infant, standing up on a roller coaster,
or whatever) needs to be addressed.
> I think the fundamental point underlying this is why many people have
> trouble understanding the Libertarian viewpoint.
I'm pretty sure after the several debates here that I understand the
Libertarian viewpoint fairly well, and I have a good sense of what Libertopia
would entail. It seems to me, though, that any society sufficiently infused
with personal discipline and responsibility to effect a viable Libertopia
would be equally able to effect a viable pure dictatorship since, presumably
everyone including the dictator would have an equivalent respect for personal
sovereignty. (Though I grant that such a dictatorship wouldn't be much of a
dictatorship!)
Dave!
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