From the monthly archives: July 2011

Principles and Pragmatism

By On July 21, 2011 · 32 Comments · In Libertarianism

Over at Knowledge Problem, Lynne Kiesling reproduces a nice quote from Friedrich Hayek’s essay, “Principles or Expediency” (1971):

From the insight that the benefits of civilization rest on the use of more knowledge than can be used in any deliberately concerted effort, it follows that it is not in [...]

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Our First Celebrity Endorsement

By On July 18, 2011 · 4 Comments · In Current Events

Neil Peart: “I’m a bleeding-heart libertarian.”

Ok, so he started using the phrase at least four months before the launch of the site and so it probably has nothing to do with us whatsoever.

Still, it’s Neil Peart.  So even a pseudo-endorsement is pretty sweet.

H/T: Steve Horwitz (of course)

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Should Bleeding Hearts Be Anarchists?

By On July 13, 2011 · 261 Comments · In Left-libertarianism, Libertarianism

There are lots of reasons to reject the legitimacy of the state’s claim to authority. But, as I try to show in The Conscience of an Anarchist, a number of those reasons are ones with which bleeding hearts should find it especially easy to resonate.

1. Poverty and workplace inequity can occur [...]

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The Beverage of Liberty

By On July 13, 2011 · 20 Comments · In Current Events, Libertarianism

OK, I admit it.  Many of you suspected it all along.  My espousal of libertarian principles is really just a cover for my selfish, material interests.  An ideological superstructure, if you will.  Except, it’s not money that motivates me.  It’s beer.

I am a lover of craft beer, and a homebrewer.  And [...]

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A Bleeding Heart Libertarian Manifesto, Of Sorts

By On July 8, 2011 · 199 Comments · In Libertarianism, Social Justice

The Daily Caller published a rather longish opinion piece of mine today on “Seven Reasons Progressives Should Be More Libertarian.”  It’s a followup to a piece I did for them about a month ago on “How Libertarianism Helps the Poor,” and prelude to a piece I’m currently writing on [...]

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Three Links

By On July 7, 2011 · 1 Comment · In Current Events, Libertarianism

Over at the League of Ordinary Gentlemen, Murali works on developing Will Wilkinson’s idea of “Rawlsekianism,” an idea with close affinities to Bleeding Heart Libertarianism (but a much uglier name). Economic Freedom and Quality of Life Reason TV on the problems with DC’s [...]

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Re-Reading Nozick: Two Definitions

By On July 6, 2011 · 10 Comments · In Academic Philosophy

I’m moving out of my house this week, so I won’t have as much time to post. But I wanted to post some clarifying definitions in light of some reader comments.

Here are two (though not the only two) fundamental questions in political philosophy:

1. Is it possible for governments to have legitimacy, and if [...]

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A Note on Our Comment System

By On July 1, 2011 · 2 Comments · In Blog Administration

A few people have mentioned to me that they have had difficulties signing in to our comment system, or getting that system to display their name correctly.  We’re using the Disqus comment system, a piece of add-on software that works with WordPress.  It’s got a lot of nice features over the default [...]

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Why State of Nature Theory?

By On July 1, 2011 · 36 Comments · In Academic Philosophy, Book/Article Reviews, Libertarianism

We’re done with the preface of Anarchy, State, and Utopia. On to chapter 1.

Nozick asks, “If the state did not exist would it be necessary to invent it? Would one be needed and would it have to be invented?” (1)

Nozick says the fundamental question for political philosophy is not [...]

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