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Single Idea 18643
[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
]
Full Idea
A minimal state, limited to the narrow functions of protection against force, theft, fraud, enforcement of contracts, and so on, is justified; any more extensive state will violate persons' rights not to be forced to do certain things, and is unjustified.
Gist of Idea
A minimal state should protect, but a state forcing us to do more is unjustified
Source
Robert Nozick (Anarchy,State, and Utopia [1974], Pref)
Book Ref
Nozick,Robert: 'Anarchy,State, and Utopia' [Blackwell 1980], p.-8
A Reaction
This has some plausibility for a huge modern state, where we don't know one another, but it would be a ridiculous attitude in a traditional village.
Related Idea
Idea 22661
My Anarchy, State and Utopia neglected our formal social ties and concerns [Nozick on Nozick]
The
22 ideas
from Robert Nozick
18641
|
If people hold things legitimately, just distribution is simply the result of free exchanges
[Nozick, by Kymlicka]
|
20539
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Property is legitimate by initial acquisition, voluntary transfer, or rectification of injustice
[Nozick, by Swift]
|
18645
|
Nozick assumes initial holdings include property rights, but we can challenge that
[Kymlicka on Nozick]
|
18646
|
How did the private property get started? If violence was involved, we can redistribute it
[Kymlicka on Nozick]
|
18648
|
Freedom to live according to our own conception of the good is the ultimate value
[Nozick, by Kymlicka]
|
18647
|
If property is only initially acquired by denying the rights of others, Nozick can't get started
[Kymlicka on Nozick]
|
18643
|
A minimal state should protect, but a state forcing us to do more is unjustified
[Nozick]
|
18642
|
Individual rights are so strong that the state and its officials must be very limited in power
[Nozick]
|
18644
|
States can't enforce mutual aid on citizens, or interfere for their own good
[Nozick]
|
20585
|
If an experience machine gives you any experience you want, should you hook up for life?
[Nozick]
|
20521
|
Can I come to own the sea, by mixing my private tomato juice with it?
[Nozick]
|
21737
|
Unowned things may be permanently acquired, if it doesn't worsen the position of other people
[Nozick]
|
21738
|
Maybe land was originally collectively owned, rather than unowned?
[Cohen,GA on Nozick]
|
22661
|
My Anarchy, State and Utopia neglected our formal social ties and concerns
[Nozick on Nozick]
|
22662
|
In the instrumental view of rationality it only concerns means, and not ends
[Nozick]
|
22663
|
Rationality is normally said to concern either giving reasons, or reliability
[Nozick]
|
22664
|
I do not care if my trivial beliefs are false, and I have no interest in many truths
[Nozick]
|
22665
|
Maybe James was depicting the value of truth, and not its nature
[Nozick]
|
22666
|
Is it rational to believe a truth which leads to permanent misery?
[Nozick]
|
22667
|
Rationality needs some self-consciousness, to also evaluate how we acquired our reasons
[Nozick]
|
3570
|
Maybe knowledge is belief which 'tracks' the truth
[Nozick, by Williams,M]
|
2748
|
A true belief isn't knowledge if it would be believed even if false. It should 'track the truth'
[Nozick, by Dancy,J]
|