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From: radford@calgary.UUCP (Radford Neal)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: A Challenge to Carnes (and others) on Freedom
Message-ID: <606@calgary.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Dec-85 20:53:58 EST
Article-I.D.: calgary.606
Posted: Wed Dec  4 20:53:58 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Dec-85 20:23:51 EST
References: <1528@hound.UUCP>
Organization: University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Lines: 32

> I give this same challenge to anyone 
> else on the net who would like to clarify
> their own thoughts on liberty.  (Special
> note to those who think they
> are sympathetic to Libertarianism:  to 
> attempt to answer the challenge
> is to abandon Libertarianism, whose basic 
> tenet is that liberty is an axiom.)
> 
> Bob Stubblefield ihnp4!hund!rwsh 201-949-2846

I don't know about other libertarians on the net, but to me nothing
in libertarianism is an axiom. In fact, nothing in libertarianism is
unconditionally true. It all derives from more basic values, and in
exceptionaly circumstances these basic values will supercede the
political philosophy of libertarianism.

To take a trite example: Suppose that to prevent World War III, I need
to get someplace, and the only way to do so is to steal a car. I will
do this without a second thought for the property rights of the owner.
Just about everyone will. Therefore property rights are not axiomatically
valid. Note that this holds even if the owner is right there, but 
is unconvinced by my arguments, or is convinced but thinks World War III
would be fun.

This seems to be a common mistake on the net. In the heat of argument,
people make universal assertions which can't be defended, but don't back
down later. Other people take admissions that in exceptional circumstances
something breaks down as showing that it's no good in ordinary circumstances
either...

    Radford Neal