PolPhil

Question 1

What is Mill’s concept of “the tyranny of the majority” and how should it be addressed?

Answer 1

In “On Liberty”, Mill discusses his concern about “the tyranny of the majority” - the potential for democratic majority rule to oppress minorities. He proposes that the power of democracy should be limited to prevent violations of individual liberties, protecting the rights of minorities against the potential tyranny of the majority.

Question 2

What is the Harm Principle as proposed by Mill?

Answer 2

The Harm Principle, introduced by Mill, suggests that the only justification for interfering with someone’s freedom is to prevent harm to others.

Question 3

How did Mill argue for the importance of freedom and what societal benefits does it bring?

Answer 3

Mill advocated for freedom as an essential component of human development, providing opportunities to create various thought models and lifestyles. He argues that freedom promotes progress by allowing for the exchange of ideas and exposing society to a diversity of human experiences.

Question 4

What was Mill’s perspective on censorship?

Answer 4

Mill argued strongly against censorship. He maintained that suppressing opinions, whether right or wrong, hinders the development of knowledge and truth. Even incorrect opinions are beneficial as they challenge and refine our understanding of the truth, contributing to intellectual growth and progress.

Question 5

How did Mill emphasize the significance of individualism and originality for human development?

Answer 5

Mill believed originality and individualism to be vital to human development and social progress. He argued that people must make their own choices based on their thought models. This freedom to choose contributes to the diversity of human life, showcasing the value of different thoughts and behaviors, and enables society to learn from these differences.

Question 6

What were Mill’s views on the scope of state power and its relationship to individual character and behavior?

Answer 6

Mill argued that the state should not have power over an individual’s character as this directly impacts the individual more than it does society. Laws should not punish bad character, only actions that harm others or infringe on their freedoms. He believed that individuals have the right to be morally flawed but not to act in ways that harm others.

Question 7

According to Mill, how should individuals interact with societal norms and customs?

Answer 7

Mill believed societal norms shouldn’t suppress individuality. He warned against the tyranny of customs stifling social progress and advocated for the freedom to challenge norms, make personal choices, and express originality. This diversity of individual expressions is critical for societal growth and development.

Question 8

Nozick’s Entitlement Theory of Justice

Answer 8

Nozick’s theory emphasizes just acquisition, transfer, and rectification. Property becomes justified when:

Acquired justly from nature (Justice in Acquisition)
Transferred voluntarily (Justice in Transfer)
Rectified from past injustices (Justice in Rectification)

Question 9

The Minimal State in Nozick’s Political Philosophy

Answer 9

For Nozick, the minimal state, emerging naturally from mutual protection associations (invisible hand theory), is the most extensive permissible state. It primarily protects individual rights, safeguards property, enforces contracts, and can provide certain public goods without violating rights or overstepping its bounds.

Question 10

Implications and Critiques of Nozick’s Minimal State

Answer 10

A minimal state approach raises questions about:

Role and extent of philanthropy
Addressing global or long-term issues
Reliance on market mechanisms for welfare and safety nets
Provisioning of public goods
Handling negative externalities

Question 11

Nozick’s Rejection of Utilitarianism

Answer 11

Nozick believes in the “separateness of persons.” He asserts that there’s no overarching entity like “society” but rather individual entities. Utilitarian approaches, in his view, mistakenly treat individuals as mere resources for the collective.

Question 12

Attributes of Nozick’s Libertarian Rights

Answer 12

Rights, according to Nozick, are inviolable with three attributes: they are negative (preventing conflicts), act as side-constraints (deontological treatment), and are exhaustive (cannot be overridden by other values).

Question 13

Nozick’s Invisible Hand Theory

Answer 13

Argues that a minimal state can naturally emerge from the state of nature without infringing on rights, progressing from mutual protection associations to protection agencies to a natural monopoly.

Question 14

Nozick on the Pre-emptive Violation of Rights in Practice

Answer 14

Although Nozick defined rights to be unviolable, he allows for rights to be pre-emptively violated if it ensures an overall greater respect for those rights. Conditions include: substantial benefit, likely consent if asked, impracticality of obtaining actual consent, and equitable distribution of benefits.

Question 15

Nozick’s Procedural Rights

Answer 15

Individuals have the right to a fair trial. This concept may clash with the natural right to punish, potentially challenging Nozick’s claim of only having non-conflicting negative rights.

Question 16

Nozick’s Categories of Distributive Justice

Answer 16

Nozick classifies theories into current time (or end-state) theories that focus on final outcomes and historical theories that depend on the historical reasons for possessions. Many of these are patterned, aiming for specific distribution goals.

Question 17

Nozick’s “Wilt Chamberlain” Argument

Answer 17

Voluntary actions like paying to watch Chamberlain disrupt any patterned distribution. To maintain a specific pattern, the state would need constant intervention, infringing on individual liberty.

Question 18

Locke’s Influence on Nozick’s Justice in Acquisition

Answer 18

Both theorists believe in acquiring property through labor, but Locke’s view is rooted in theology and a duty to preserve humanity. Nozick acknowledges but doesn’t fully embrace these Lockean foundations, leaving parts of his theory unexplained.

Question 19

Impact of Nozick’s Philosophy on Political Thought

Answer 19

Nozick’s work offers an alternative to welfare-state liberalism and utilitarianism, emphasizing individual rights, limited state intervention, and the primacy of voluntary transactions in shaping societal structures.

He takes property rights and runs as far away with them as possible.

Question 20

According to Rousseau, what is the main role or purpose of the state?

Answer 20

Rousseau believed that the main purpose of the state is to promote the “common good” of its people. In his view, this “common good” is determined by the collective will of the people, known as the “sovereign”. For Rousseau, this sovereignty is a unified force and cannot be split up or handed off to someone else.

Question 21

The concept of the “General Will” in Rousseau’s “The Social Contract”

Answer 21

The “General Will” is the collective will of the people and represents the common interest. It is not simply the majority’s will, but the shared interest of all. It should guide the state’s actions and decisions.

Question 22

Rousseau’s idea of “moral freedom” in “The Social Contract”

Answer 22

Moral freedom is achieved when we act in accordance with the general will and the laws we’ve had a part in creating. By willingly participating in the collective, we rise above our instincts and act rationally, achieving true freedom.

Question 23

In Rousseau’s ideal democracy, how should state positions be determined?

Answer 23

Most state roles should be chosen by lot, ensuring random selection, while positions needing expertise might be chosen through voting.

Question 24

What does Rousseau suggest about the “general will” in voting?

Answer 24

Voting should align with the “general will,” but defining and supervising this is a complex challenge without a clear solution.

Question 25

Which forms of governance does Rousseau believe are best for different-sized states?

Answer 25

Direct democracy for small states, aristocracy for medium-sized states, and monarchy for large states.

Question 26

How Social Contract can theoretically emerge without individuals losing their rights?

Answer 26

Purpose: The primary objective of the social contract is to solve the dilemma of how individuals can join together in society without losing their freedom.

Surrender of Rights: Individuals surrender themselves entirely to the community. Given that this contract applies equally to all members, it's designed to be as universally acceptable as possible.

No Claims: By relinquishing their rights, individuals cannot make claims against the community. This is because making claims presupposes rights that individuals have already given up.

Equality: Since no one stands above another in this social arrangement, the freedom of the individual remains intact.

Nature of the Community: The community formed by the social contract is greater than the mere sum of its individuals. It can be seen as an entity on its own, transcending the individual wills that compose it.

Community's Commitment: A contract made with oneself isn't binding. Thus, the community itself isn't bound by the very contract it's formed by. This emphasizes the idea that the contract is primarily a mutual agreement among the individuals.

Individuals' Commitment: Individuals are doubly bound by the contract: first, as individual members to the community, and second, as members of the community to their fellow citizens.

Community Action: The community acts for the benefit of all its members because doing so benefits the collective entity itself. This is rooted in Rousseau's concept of the "General Will," which aims at the common good.