Re: property is theft; discuss

From: hal@finney.org
Date: Tue Dec 12 2000 - 09:45:45 MST


Michael S. Lorrey, <mlorrey@datamann.com>, wrote:
> Damien Broderick wrote:
> >
> > At 06:38 PM 11/12/00 -0800, samantha wrote:
> >
> > >Property is theft from whom? You can['t] steal if no one has any ownership
> > >rights. :-)
> >
> > This standard retort to a snappy slogan (or counter-slogan) entirely avoids
> > the case being implied.
>
> Not at all Damien. It illustrates the syntactical paradox inherent in
> the statement.

Actually, I think the resolution is that the slogan is short for
"*private* property is theft", and it envisions the existence of public
property. Hence theft is perfectly possible, and private property is
theft from the public.

Hal



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