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Within the field of economics there is a concept known as the equity-efficiency trade-off. Efficiency is regarded as objective. While equity is subjective and filled with value judgments. Since equity is normative the concept of fairness must be determined. Fairness is actually far more objective than...
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[quote user="Juan"][quote user="Brainpolice"]But to address the original question, I'm not exactly a utilitarian (in the sense of making use of a pleasure/pain principle or in the sense of trying to make morality metric).[/quote] By calling you a utilitarian, I meant that you...
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[quote user="Juan"]BP, Can your position be described as some variety of utilitarianism ? [/quote] The Kantian Golden Rule and the universalizability test function like 'utilitarianism' in the sense that they require one to imagine if it has positive and negative outcomes. For instance...
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I would be interested in seeing a post, blog, website, etc that is devoted to defining political terms. I was at a Tea Party where I saw signs calling Obama a communist, a socialist, and a fascist. Which sign was correct? All three? What about Bush, what would we classify him as? I believe there are...
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I agree that the free market is the best avenue for increasing the wealth of the poor. However, what would your position on the free market be if, hypothetically, the free market made the poor poorer, or at least kept the poor from becoming more wealthy while the rich continuously became more wealthy...
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Let there exist two countries or territories bordering each other, Ruritania and Waldavia. Let the Ruritanians be "smart" and let them have developed a high civilization. On the other hand, let the Waldavians be "stupid" and remain primitive hunters-gatherers. Finally, let a Ruritanian...
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I agree with the author insofar that using nonconsequentialist arguments is somewhat pointless. The vast majority of people are not interested in rights but in consequences. They erroneously believe that more government intervention is needed to make the poor, minorities, etc. better off and that monopolies...
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[quote user="Nathyn"]You're putting words into Rothbard's mouth. He never argued from a consequentialist position, but from a natural rights position. The book was called, "The ETHICS of Liberty."[/quote]The words I'm using here are my own, but I'm not misrepresenting...