[665] in libertarians
questions
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (teri piatt)
Mon Feb 13 12:38:47 1995
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 12:30:28 -0500
From: teri piatt <tpiatt@vangogh.helios.nd.edu>
To: libertarians@MIT.EDU
Hi. I'm a senior at Notre Dame and currently taking a philosophy
class in which we have been discussing libertarianism, social
welfarism, and socialism. To me, the libertarian arguments are
the most reasonable and logical, but there has repeatedly been
an argument from the socialists that I can't answer. Can you help?
Their claim is that my right to property interferes with their right
to life and property, since I have a surpluss and I refuse to distribute
it, I am keeping them from being able to obtain what they need to live.
The standard scenario is one of a life boat. If I own a life boat, and
some people come floating up wanting on my boat, I have the right to refuse
them. I can let them die. If they climb aboard against my wishes, I can
then throw them overboard, thus killing them. But this killing is justified
since they violated my right to property. But the big question is --
was the killing justified, or have I violated their right to life, since
the right to life clearly supercedes the right to property.
This is the dilemna. I'm not sure if this is the sort of thing you
discuss -- I got this address from your WWW homepage. I appreciate
any help you could give me.
Thanks.
Teri Piatt
