more on this theme     |     more from this text


Single Idea 21737

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

Full Idea

One may acquire a permanent bequeathable property right in a previously unowned thing, as long as the position of others no longer at liberty to use the thing is not thereby worsened.

Gist of Idea

Unowned things may be permanently acquired, if it doesn't worsen the position of other people

Source

Robert Nozick (Anarchy,State, and Utopia [1974], p.178), quoted by G.A. Cohen - Are Freedom and Equality Compatible? 2

Book Ref

'Contemporary Political Philosophy (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Goodin,RE/Pettit,P [Blackwell 2006], p.418


A Reaction

Cohen attacks this vigorously. His main point is that Nozick has a very narrow view of what the acquisition should be compared with. There are many alternatives. Does being made unable to improve something 'worsen' a person's condition?


The 22 ideas from Robert Nozick

Freedom to live according to our own conception of the good is the ultimate value [Nozick, by Kymlicka]
Property is legitimate by initial acquisition, voluntary transfer, or rectification of injustice [Nozick, by Swift]
Nozick assumes initial holdings include property rights, but we can challenge that [Kymlicka on Nozick]
How did the private property get started? If violence was involved, we can redistribute it [Kymlicka on Nozick]
If property is only initially acquired by denying the rights of others, Nozick can't get started [Kymlicka on Nozick]
If people hold things legitimately, just distribution is simply the result of free exchanges [Nozick, by Kymlicka]
A minimal state should protect, but a state forcing us to do more is unjustified [Nozick]
Individual rights are so strong that the state and its officials must be very limited in power [Nozick]
States can't enforce mutual aid on citizens, or interfere for their own good [Nozick]
If an experience machine gives you any experience you want, should you hook up for life? [Nozick]
Can I come to own the sea, by mixing my private tomato juice with it? [Nozick]
Unowned things may be permanently acquired, if it doesn't worsen the position of other people [Nozick]
Maybe land was originally collectively owned, rather than unowned? [Cohen,GA on Nozick]
My Anarchy, State and Utopia neglected our formal social ties and concerns [Nozick on Nozick]
In the instrumental view of rationality it only concerns means, and not ends [Nozick]
Rationality is normally said to concern either giving reasons, or reliability [Nozick]
I do not care if my trivial beliefs are false, and I have no interest in many truths [Nozick]
Maybe James was depicting the value of truth, and not its nature [Nozick]
Is it rational to believe a truth which leads to permanent misery? [Nozick]
Rationality needs some self-consciousness, to also evaluate how we acquired our reasons [Nozick]
Maybe knowledge is belief which 'tracks' the truth [Nozick, by Williams,M]
A true belief isn't knowledge if it would be believed even if false. It should 'track the truth' [Nozick, by Dancy,J]