I've had some time to mull over Hoppe's derivation of the private property ethic (available here), and though I find it extremely interesting, I think I have found major, though perhaps not insurmountable a flaw.
Hoppe's argument proceeds essentially by excluding all other ethics besides the private property ethic. As I understand it, it is essentially this:
1) Any argument that is inconsistent with the ability to argue is self contradictory
2) To argue, one must be able to use one's body and to appropriate other property by the use of it
3) Combining 1 and 2, all ethics besides the private property ethic are invalidated, so the private property ethic must be true.
The problem I see lies in 3. I don't think all other ethics are eliminated. For example, what might be called the 'anything goes' ethic is still valid. The ethical principle that anyone is justified in doing what they can do by force or otherwise still satisfies this rule, so the private property ethic is not the only valid ethic.
I am still quite happy with this meta-ethical rule however, because it demonstrates two special and important ideas. First, as Hoppe explicitly shows in his paper, the argumentation-consistency rule bars any sort of collectivism. This is important because it bars the most popular ethical opponents to the private property ethic. Second, Hoppe's argument suggests that one can indeed derive ethical principles from objective truths, even if it doesn't quite do so itself. I am optimistic that such a derivation can and will be made.
UPDATE:
I think that what Hoppe has proven is that of all what might be called 'property ethics' the private property ethic is the only self-consistent one. Property ethics are those that claim that the rightness or wrongness of an action depend on whether the actor has ownership over the subject of the action, and that ownership is non-overlapping; that is, no two actors can claim the same ownership over some subject (though they could share ownership through some agreement).
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Wow: A Derivation of the Private Property Ethic
I have long assumed that an ethical system must be axiomatic. You can't derive a system of ethics from a priori knowledge. But I have been proved wrong; Hans Hoppe wrote a paper doing just that. In his paper, which you can read here, Hoppe derives the private property ethic and the homesteading principle.
Hoppe's argument is roughly this:
1) Any proposition which is inconsistent with the ability to make propositions is self contradictory.
2) For a human to make any proposition requires the presupposition of exclusive use over that human's body (private property).
3) Combining 1 and 2 means the only self consistent ethic is private property.
There are a lot of subtilities in his argument that I don't think I have grasped yet. I am not sure I am convinced by his proof of the homesteading right, and I am troubled by the fact that his proof does not seem to offer a justification for the meta-right, the right to enforce your rights by force.
Although I have some concerns about the argument, I am none the less very excited and happy to heave read this paper. I need time to mull this paper and Hoppe's arguments over.
Hoppe's argument is roughly this:
1) Any proposition which is inconsistent with the ability to make propositions is self contradictory.
2) For a human to make any proposition requires the presupposition of exclusive use over that human's body (private property).
3) Combining 1 and 2 means the only self consistent ethic is private property.
There are a lot of subtilities in his argument that I don't think I have grasped yet. I am not sure I am convinced by his proof of the homesteading right, and I am troubled by the fact that his proof does not seem to offer a justification for the meta-right, the right to enforce your rights by force.
Although I have some concerns about the argument, I am none the less very excited and happy to heave read this paper. I need time to mull this paper and Hoppe's arguments over.
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