green numbers give full details.     |    back to list of philosophers     |     expand these ideas

Ideas of Jonathan Wolff, by Text

[British, fl. 2006, Professor at University College, London, then at Oxford University.]

2006 An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Rev)
1 'Anarchism' p.31 A realistic and less utopian anarchism looks increasingly like liberal democracy
1 'Anarchism' p.31 It is hard for anarchists to deny that we need experts
1 'Conc' p.33 Human beings can never really flourish in a long-term state of nature
1 'Hobbes' p.15 Collective rationality is individuals doing their best, assuming others all do the same
2 'Goal' p.38 Following some laws is not a moral matter; trivial traffic rules, for example
2 'Intro' p.35 For utilitarians, consent to the state is irrelevant, if it produces more happiness
2 'Voluntaristic' p.40 Social contract theory has the attracton of including everyone, and being voluntary
2 'Voluntaristic' p.41 Maybe voting in elections is a grant of legitimacy to the winners
3 'Conc' p.101 A system of democracy which includes both freedom and equality is almost impossible
3 'Conc' p.102 Democracy expresses equal respect (which explains why criminals forfeit the vote)
3 'Freedom' p.86 Democracy has been seen as consistent with many types of inequality
3 'Intro' p.63 A true democracy could not tolerate slavery, exploitation or colonialism
3 'Knowledge' p.71 How can dictators advance the interests of the people, if they don't consult them about interests?
3 'Participatory' p.91 Political equality is not much use without social equality
3 'Protecting' p.100 Occasional defeat is acceptable, but a minority that is continually defeated is a problem
3 'Representative' p.96 'Separation of powers' allows legislative, executive and judicial functions to monitor one another
3 'Rousseau' p.79 We can see the 'general will' as what is in the general interest
3 'Voting' p.74 We should decide whether voting is for self-interests, or for the common good
3 'Voting' p.75 Condorcet proved that sensible voting leads to an emphatically right answer
4 'Liberty' p.115 Standard rights: life, free speech, assembly, movement, vote, stand (plus shelter, food, health?)
4 'Liberty' p.115 If natural rights are axiomatic, there is then no way we can defend them
4 'Liberty' p.116 If rights are natural, rather than inferred, how do we know which rights we have?
4 'Poison' p.127 Liberty principles can't justify laws against duelling, incest between siblings and euthanasia
5 'Arguments' p.151 Utilitarians argue for equal distribution because of diminishing utility of repetition
5 'Choosing' p.158 Difference Principle: all inequalities should be in favour of the disadvantaged
5 'Choosing' p.158 Utilitarianism probably implies a free market plus welfare
5 'Choosing' p.162 Political choice can be by utility, or maximin, or maximax
5 'Free' p.145 Market prices indicate shortages and gluts, and where the profits are to be made
5 'Locke' p.143 Utilitarians might say property ownership encourages the best use of the land
5 'Nozick' p.171 Either Difference allows unequal liberty, or Liberty makes implementing Difference impossible
6 'Transcending' p.196 Should love be the first virtue of a society, as it is of the family?
6 'Transcending' p.198 Rights and justice are only the last resorts of a society, something to fall back on