The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Episode 104: Robert Nozick's Libertarianism
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Oct 27, 2014 Stephen Metcalf, guest on the moral limits on government power, joins the hosts to analyze Robert Nozick's libertarianism. They discuss Nozick's arguments against utilitarianism, the historical context of libertarian arguments, the principle of rectification, and the concept of protection in relation to a minimalist state. They also explore distributing surplus value in a cooperative environment and delve into Nozick's criticisms of utilitarianism. Plus, they express gratitude, engage in banter, and provide information on upcoming topics.
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Locke, Austrians, And Kant Combined
- Nozick blends Locke's natural-rights and Austrian invisible-hand ideas to justify a minimal state arising spontaneously.
- He pairs that with a Kantian-style inviolability around individuals to block redistributive aims.
Rights As Side Constraints
- Nozick frames rights as side constraints: negative boundaries that forbid infringing others' self-determination.
- Those constraints deny positive obligations, so the state cannot require redistribution even if individuals might give voluntarily.
From Private Protectors To Taxed Citizens
- Nozick imagines a dominant protective agency forcing independents to join by charging them what they'd spend protecting themselves.
- That coerced buy-in becomes the minimal state's tax justification, he says, because it compensates for interference.