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Anarchy, State, and Utopia: Critical Exposition

Below is an extract (the first section of Chapter 2) of Ralf Bader’s most excellent and crisp Robert Nozick (pp. 10-14). Famously, Nozick begins his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia with the claim: ‘Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights)’ (p. ix). This claim…

Michael Oakeshott and the Postulates of Individuality

A newly published paper by Andrew Norris in Political Theory Michael Oakeshott’s political philosophy is the most sophisticated and compelling liberal alternative to the progressive, state-centered liberalism of John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas. Oakeshott’s version of liberalism as the civil association of individuals underwrites more ideological positions (usually characterized as libertarian or conservative) that play a…

The Morality of Freedom/Morals by Agreement

It’s been thirty years since arguably the last great works of liberal political philosophy in the analytical tradition appeared, setting aside Rawls’ Political Liberalism from 1993. The Morality of Freedom is freely available  — click image. David GauthierJohn Rawlsjoseph razLiberalismmoral philosophyperfectionist liberalismPolitical philosophy

Philosophy of markets

The very excellent Lisa Herzog interviewed here. H/T to Eric Schliesser. The cliché is that Smith is a “negative liberty” guy and Hegel a “positive liberty” guy. In fact, both have very nuanced accounts of how different dimensions of freedom are realized in a modern society; the freedom to do what you want with your property…

Nozick interview

It’s rather surprising that one can’t find any video or audio of Nozick. I did however come across this frank interview given towards the end of his life. Anarchy State and UtopiaChristine KorsgaardconsciousnessEdmund BurkeEpistemologyFriedrich HayekJohn RawlsJustice as FairnessNozickPhilosophyPhilosophy of mindPolitical philosophyRobert Nozickthomas nagel

Oakeshott on Civil Association

Here are some extracts from Noel’s essay, the penultimate chapter (also check out two new pieces by Noel found here). The distinctive achievement of Western political thought since the seventeenth century is the ideal of the limited state. Despite extensive theorizing about this ideal, however, there has always been profound disagreement about its precise nature…

Oakeshott on Civil Association

A trailer from Noel O’Sullivan‘s essay. The distinctive achievement of Western political thought since the seventeenth century is the ideal of the limited state. Despite extensive theorizing about this ideal, however, there has always been profound disagreement about its precise nature and implications. The full extent of this disagreement has been especially evident during the…