Difference between revisions of "What Is Liberty?"
From Critiques Of Libertarianism
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A good model of a liberty should be consistent with observations from law, economics, and anthropology. If it is based on observation, we can call it a positive model, like other models in the sciences. (But not necessarily philosophy.) | A good model of a liberty should be consistent with observations from law, economics, and anthropology. If it is based on observation, we can call it a positive model, like other models in the sciences. (But not necessarily philosophy.) | ||
| − | A person (P) is free to do or be a thing (T), to achieve a goal (G), using an ability (A), with a resource (R), when all others (O) do not interfere, despite opportunity costs (C), | + | A person (P) is free to do or be a thing (T), to achieve a goal (G), using an ability (A), with a resource (R), creating externalities (E), when all others (O) do not interfere, despite opportunity costs (C), Because of reason (B). |
This is not as complex a model as it could be, but suffices to capture most of of the ideas of liberty. For example: | This is not as complex a model as it could be, but suffices to capture most of of the ideas of liberty. For example: | ||
| − | Pete is free to Trampoline, to achieve a Goal of exercise, using his Ability to jump, with a trampoline as his Resource, when the Owners do not interfere, despite the opportunity Cost that they could use it themselves, Because Pete can bribe them with a rental fee. | + | Pete is free to Trampoline, to achieve a Goal of exercise, using his Ability to jump, with a trampoline as his Resource, creating the externality of the trampoline being unavailable to others, when the Owners do not interfere, despite the opportunity Cost that they could use it themselves, Because Pete can bribe them with a rental fee. |
Let's look at parts of this answer more closely. | Let's look at parts of this answer more closely. | ||
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== Why Is A Positive Model Important? == | == Why Is A Positive Model Important? == | ||
| − | It is called facing reality. Stating only prescriptive (philosophically normative) descriptions of what you want as liberties ignores the conditions needed to create them and the side effects of those liberties. A model helps reveal what is implicit in a liberty. That can have enormous practical consequences. This model, for example, shows why liberties cannot be unlimited: because of competition for limited external resources (R) and because of the need for reasons (B) for others not to interfere (which restricts the liberty of those others.) | + | It is called facing reality. Stating only prescriptive (philosophically normative) descriptions of what you want as liberties ignores the conditions needed to create them and the side effects of those liberties. A model helps reveal what is implicit in a liberty. That can have enormous practical consequences. This model, for example, shows why liberties cannot be unlimited: because of competition for limited external resources (R, E) and because of the need for reasons (B) for others not to interfere (which restricts the liberty of those others.) |
== Confusion of Liberties with Rights == | == Confusion of Liberties with Rights == | ||
