LIBERTARIAN DESCRIPTION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION

Humans are metaphysically free Our choices define us and as a result our

intuitions about the human condition are satisfied.

Theories/ ideas used: Dualism Kant – good will duty and self interest Existentialism What does all of this mean and how does it

relate to the human condition?

LIBERTARIAN DESCRIPTION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION

Libertarianism close up

J.SMill

lesson 3

To be human we must be able to make ALTERNATIVE FUTURES... Robert Kane describes moral responsibility requires the possibility of alternative futures. A “garden of forking paths” In order to judge someone they need the ability to have done otherwise.

CHOICE

OPTION 2OPTION 1

lesson 2

Libertarianism is different to other ethical systems because instead of saying ‘ what should we allow human to do’ it looks at ‘what if any limits should we place on peoples freedom’

The only time a humans free will should be taken away or compromised is if they are going to cause harm to someone. This is called the HARM PRINCIPLE

Linked to task 1

lesson 3

The individual person has a value which is measures in terms of their distinctiveness and creativity rather than the extent to which they fit in with others.

Task: Make a mark next to all the people on your sheet you think Mill would regard as having more value.

‘Individuality is part of what being human is. It is part of the human condition and allows the person to develop fully and in order to do this they must have free speech and freedom of action.’ (within reason)

Humans are individuals

lesson 3

For Mill individuality is part of what the good life is all about.

Individuality is about human development (Existentialism)

If human beings are to grow they must have freedom of speech and to act.

Individuality

lesson 3

Libertarianism makes a distinction between a persons formed personal character and their moral self.

Personality is an empirical concept. Governed by causal laws. Who I am is defined by the choices I have made in the past.

Freedom is important because it is an important part of what it means to be a moral self.

The personality one has formed limits actions, influences choices and may make us accustomed to certain actions, e.g. Bulger case

But it is not definitive.

Personality

lesson 3

Our freedom to act, freedom to be creative, marks out both our moral capacity but also our personality.

So much of me is the result of the particular choices I have made.

My identity is as a feature of my own choices as it was given to me at birth.

Human personality is an expression of free will and human beings cannot develop if they cant exercise their will.

Personality

lesson 3

In 1859 wrote a book called ‘ On liberty’ which was an extremely important book for modern western civilisation.

It contains an outspoken defence of free speech Mill was worried about the relationship between the individual

and the community.

He believed that the individual would be crushed by will of many or the state.

He did not want the state to take away the will of the individual and just control them. This would dehumanise us (human condition)

Mill- On Liberty

lesson 3

In this age the mere example of non-conformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service.

If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person that he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.

The worth of the state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.

The individual is not accountable to society for his actions in so far as these concerns the interests of no person but himself.

The only purpose of which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to other members.

The liberty of the individual must be thus far limited, he must not make himself a nuisance to other people.

MILL QUOTES

JS Mill On Liberty

lesson 3

Write by each quote what he is actually saying or number them and write it on paper.

It is operative when we make choices. Most commonly this is in operation when we

talk about making a decision between self-interest and duty. (Kant)

In the example of stealing / not stealing - the moral self is able to make a causally undetermined choice.(a choice that is only determined by us because we freely chose to make it)

THE MORAL SELF

lesson 3

It is possible that the youths moral self will counteract the tendencies of his personality. (So even if his personality influences him to act like he doesn’t care, his moral self might choose to help someone when he is walking down the street.)

The moral self is therefore, an ethical concept rather than an empirical concept.

Through an effort of will, the moral self overcomes the pressures of personality and becomes morally responsible for what they do.

It is this capacity which distinguishes men from animals, the former are capable of moral choice, whist the latter are not.

(Human condition)

THE MORAL SELF

lesson 3

Individuality is essential for what it means to be a human.

Freedom is necessary to be able to express that individuality.

The state should protect the rights of the individual.

Criticism- What does this idea not cover?

THE PERSONALITY AND THE MORAL SELF- round up

JS Mill On Liberty

lesson 3

Mill only says that Freedom is required for moral responsibility and to be truly Human.

He does not say whether or not it is possible.

He does not provide an argument against determinism.

Criticism of Mill

JS Mill On Liberty

lesson 3

1) To what extent do you agree with Mill, that the value of a society is the sum of the value of the individuals?

2) why do you think that Mill argues that individuality is the same as development? Think of real life examples of people who have caused development by speaking against the crowd.

3) sometimes we think of schools as places where children are socialised, made ready for living in society, would Mill agree this is right? Explain your answer.

Tasks

lesson 3

Some may say the moral self is similar to our …..?

lesson 3

Conscience To understand the relationship between conscience and free will from a libertarian point of view

lesson 5

CONSCIENCE Many libertarians uphold the view that we choose

based upon what we believe to be the correct path to take. We are helped in this process by our conscience.

The ability to choose according to our conscience is a central part of what it means to be human.

It is essential to human dignity. If the state erodes the ability to choose people

become less human. They do not achieve their full potential as human beings.

The ability to choose is central to the human condition and conscience is an important part of that.

lesson 5

CONSCIENCE It might be argued that an individual conscience

should head the greater will of the people – the decision of the state.

However this view gives no value to the integrity of the individual.

There is a sense that that when a human is forced to at against his/her will, a crime is done against all humans, not simply the individual.

This is not an argument for absolute liberty rather that the community should not diminish the individual.

It may have been in the interests of Nazi Germany to eliminate Jews but such acts were wrong because they violated the freedoms of the individual.

This is known as rights based philosophical reasoning.

lesson 5

CONSCIENCE and RESPONSIBILTY These propositions about conscience have key

implications for responsibility. conscience is defined as: “knowledge within oneself” oxford dictionary. “The voice of our true selves which summons us”

St Thomas Aquinas. “The inbuilt monitor of moral action of choice

values.” Macquarrie. It is the thing by which we make our moral

decisions and tell us what is the correct action to take.

Having a conscience is what makes us responsible for moral responsibility. It is what makes us human.

lesson 5