Wolff Flashcards
How does Wolff define authority?
Authority is the right to command and the right to be obeyed, distinct from mere power.
What is the difference between authority and power?
Power is the ability to compel compliance through force, while authority is the recognized right to rule.
What are the two senses of authority Wolff describes?
Descriptive (de facto) authority, which is acknowledged by people, and normative (de jure) authority, which is the right to rule.
What is the difference between a persuasive argument and an authoritative command?
A persuasive argument convinces based on reason, while an authoritative command demands obedience regardless of reasoning.
According to Wolff, what is the fundamental task of political philosophy?
To determine whether any state has legitimate authority, meaning the moral right to rule.
How does Wolff define autonomy?
Autonomy is self-legislation, meaning individuals must make their own moral decisions rather than blindly obeying authority.
What does it mean to take responsibility for one’s actions?
It means making independent moral decisions rather than deferring to external authority.
How does autonomy relate to moral obligation?
Being autonomous means acting according to one’s own moral reasoning rather than following commands.
What does Wolff mean by “forfeiting autonomy”?
It means surrendering one’s moral judgment and obeying commands without critical evaluation.
Can a person completely give up responsibility for their actions?
No, even if they surrender autonomy, they remain morally responsible for their actions.
What is the fundamental conflict between authority and autonomy?
The state claims the right to rule (authority), but individuals have a moral obligation to self-govern (autonomy), making them incompatible.
What conclusion does Wolff draw about political authority?
Since autonomy is a moral obligation, no state can have legitimate authority, making philosophical anarchism the only consistent position.
How does an anarchist view the law?
As something to be followed only for practical or moral reasons, not because the state has legitimate authority.
Why does Wolff argue that no state has de jure legitimacy?
Because all individuals have an obligation to be autonomous, meaning no one has a moral duty to obey the state simply because it commands.
