Posted on 04/12/2016 10:15:19 AM PDT by OddLane
I just hope everyone there – and all of you out in blogland – keep in mind Bryan Caplan’s Ideological Turing Test: Strive to model your opponent’s thinking as human and well-intentioned, not demonic. I always do, even though everyone is stupid.
I love the above quote for a number of reasons, not least because, although laced with irony, it gingerly hints at a fundamental ignorance among vast swathes of the population. Not simply of economics, which, admittedly, is a seemingly abstruse, esoteric area of knowledge that routinely confuses even credentialed experts in their chosen field, but of simple cause and effect relationships.
It also illustrates the acerbic wit of its author, who’s used his withering sarcasm-along with a broad-based knowledge of American history, as well as economic and political philosophy-to great effect in service of libertarianism for the better part of the past two decades.
The latter is deployed liberally throughout Libertarianism For Beginners, which, as Mr. Seavey’s introduction to the philosophy of Spooner, Mises, and Rothbard for laymen, is available for purchase today!
Although his trademark caustic humor is sublimated throughout this book in order to explain the essential philosophical underpinnings of libertarianism-and persuade you of their pertinence to human civilization-the book itself is replete with amusing anecdotes and descriptive illustrations which puncture the logical fallacies upon which collectivist ideologies are constructed...
(Excerpt) Read more at american-rattlesnake.org ...
To what extend does the LP embrace the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God?
extent
Libertarians are Anarchists who own property.
In terms of natural rights, I think libertarianism-properly understood-comes closest to embodying the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, which was the first document to make it explicit that certain rights were inherent, and not dependent upon the pleasure of man-made governments.
Todd explains what the philosophy borrowed from classical liberal philosophers and the Enlightenment, especially ones like Locke, Adam Smith, and Burke, in this regard.
It's definitely worth reading, even if you're not a libertarian, just because it explains why collectivist, statist solutions to problems don't work and sketches out possible alternatives.
One of the things I like about this book is his implicit rebuttal of those who want to adulterate libertarianism by adding a whole host of faddish, left wing codicils when it really is about the right to private property/self ownership, and the freedom to exercise that right without compulsion by the state or its agents.
It is ironic that Starbuck - lefty busy body do gooders - makes a killing off of super fat and sugary drinks.
Okay. Thank you.
Oops, meant to post under Starbucks thread lol
No problem.
Nothing much about Starbucks-but a lot about capitalism-on this thread.
:)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.