Single Idea 21782

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 4. Property rights]

Full Idea

A person has as his substantive end the right of putting his will into any and every thing and thereby making it his ...This is the absolute right of appropriation which man has over all things.

Gist of Idea

Man has an absolute right to appropriate things

Source

Georg W.F.Hegel (Elements of the Philosophy of Right [1821], 044), quoted by Stephen Houlgate - An Introduction to Hegel 08 'Rights'

Book Reference

Houlgate,Stephen: 'An Introduction to Hegel' [Blackwell 2005], p.186


A Reaction

Houlgate shows this is not a defence of theft. Hegel thinks the right to property stems from our freedom, not from our natural needs. Did Hegel know Locke? It is not obvious that if I pocket a stone I thereby 'own' it. Do birds own their nests?