Are there things that money shouldn’t be able to buy? What are they?
Majority Rules
March 31, 2011 333 Comments
John Locke believes that government, once it is set up, should be guided by the principle of majority rule. However, he also believes that the purpose of government is to protect people’s rights, including their “unalienable” right to property. What if these two goals conflict? What if a poor majority wants to tax a rich [...]
Unalienable Rights
March 31, 2011 320 Comments
Philosopher John Locke believes that your “unalienable right” to liberty does not include the right to kill yourself. Is he right? What does your liberty entitle you to do with yourself? Where do the limits come from?
Government and Morality
March 31, 2011 598 Comments
How involved should government be in legislating morality?
Take from the Rich, Give to the Poor
March 31, 2011 4,175 Comments
According to philosopher Robert Nozick, when the government takes even a dollar from Bill Gates, a billionaire, and gives it to a poor person, it is like forcing Gates to work for the poor person. Is Nozick right to think that redistributive taxation is like forced labor? Should there be no redistributive taxation whatsoever?
Thrown To The Lions
March 31, 2011 869 Comments
Consider the example, of the Romans throwing Christians to lions in the Coliseum. If enough cheering spectators derive great pleasure from this violent practice, are there any grounds on which a utilitarian could condemn it?
The Greater Good
March 4, 2011 668 Comments
In general, is it permissible to harm a smaller number of innocent people to prevent greater harm to a larger number of people?
