Re: Utilitarian Contradiction ?

Technotranscendence (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Sat, 23 May 1998 17:44:27 -0400 (EDT)


At 04:32 PM 5/23/98 -0400, Daniel Fabulich <daniel.fabulich@yale.edu> wrote:
>> IAN: I agree that libertarianism results in
>> the greatest good, but I detect a contradiction
>> in saying that utilitarianism is antithetical
>> to "me first" AND implies libertarianism.
>
>They are not contrary at all, if you agree with me that libertarianism is
>more conducive to net utility than any other political scheme (except
>possibly anarcho-capitalism, but I believe anarcho-capitalism will arrive
>at a libertarian system of laws).

Nitpick: Anarcho-capitalism is a form of libertarianism. What you are
talking about is probably what is called minarchy -- another form of
libertarianism in which the government is still a monopoly but only
one restricted to enforcing individual rights a la Locke, Nozick, and
Rand.

How are you guys defining net utility? If the fascist values war in
itself, if the communitarian values community in itself, the pacificist
values peace, the antisocial person values being alone, and the
Islamic fundamentalist values enforcing Allah's will in itself, how
does one put all their utilities together to come up with an overall
utility which can be maxed out?

Cheers!

Daniel Ust