phil245 final exam

Negative Liberty

Freedom from deliberate interference of other human beings within an area in which one could otherwise act.

Positive Liberty

Freedom to live one's life as one sees fit, associated with self-mastery

Harm Principle

created by j.s. mill, says that the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over someone is to prevent harm to others

Self-regarding Actions

Actions that should not be interfered with, such as liberty of thought and freedom of opinion.

Other-regarding Actions

Actions that may be subject to deliberate interference.

Mill’s Exceptions for Interference

Emergencies and competence threshold.

Freedom of Speech Argument according to Mill

1. The more freedom of speech, the more a society is likely to discover truths and progress.

2. Development of human capacities - deliberating our views develops our deliberative capacities and makes us better humans

3. concerns about the abuse of state power

Mistaken Self-Conceptions

People can be mistaken about their real purpose, leading to conflicts in self-understanding.

Disability

Restriction in the ability to perform tasks; biologically caused and cannot be changed

Social Model of Disability

Imposed barriers prevent full participation in society for those with disabilities.

Berlin on Disabilities

Mere incapacity to attain a goal does not equate to a lack of political freedom.

Philip Cole’s Definition of Unfreedom

An individual is unfree to do X if they lack power or are prevented from doing X by external obstacles.

AND

there is some other possible social arrangement under which neither of these conditions would hold

The Alterability Thesis

For unfreedom, there must be a possible social arrangement where one has the relevant power and is not obstructed.

Strong Version of the Social Model of Disability

Disability is entirely a social phenomenon.

Weak Version of the Social Model of Disability

Disability arises from both natural impairment and alterable social conditions

supported by Cole

when is freedom constrained according to Pettit

A constrains B’s freedom when A can interfere in A's choices with arbitrary interference.

problem with domination according to Pettit

The victim of power is compelled to alter behavior to please their rulers, leading to unfreedom

the threat of freedom can have a severe psychological impact

Pettit’s Suggestions for preventing Arbitrary Dominance

Institutional norms including rule of law, democracy (creating systems of accountability), and constitutional protections for minorities.

Sarah Krause’s Intentionality Critique of pettit

Pettit’s account is too restrictive; domination can be subtle and involve well-meaning agents.

My Bondage and My Freedom

Frederick Douglass's autobiography detailing his journey from slavery to freedom.

Why Are Slaveholders Unfree

Slaveholders lose their humanity, becoming reliant on the submission of others for their identity.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private property, competitive markets, and minimal state intervention.

Socialism

An economic system where the means of production are collectively owned and resources are provided centrally.

Regulated Capitalism

Capitalism that includes constraints like nondiscrimination to ensure fair competition.

Commodification of Sex

Capitalism leads to the perception that bodies and appearances can be bought and sold based on market demands.

Marx’s Historical Materialism

Society develops based on its material conditions and production capabilities.

Features of a Communist Society

Collective control over production, abundance for all, and cooperation among members.

Objections to Marx's Communist Society

Concerns about state control and the tendency for power to corrupt

Women's Burden in Capitalism

Women face child-rearing responsibilities that hinder their economic competitiveness.

Anna Wheeler's Arguments Against Capitalism for Women

Capitalism exposes structural inequalities, leaving women without control over their own properties.

Gary Cohen's Definition of Freedom

Freedom involves not just the absence of interference but the capacity to pursue actions without liability.

freedom according to Gerald MacCallum

X is free from Y to do Z

why does Charles Taylor defend positive liberty

1. positive liberty is an exercise concept and is more valuable than opportunity concepts of liberty

2. the moralized conception of freedom: some actions, or freedoms, are objectively more worthy than others

3. to be positively free is to exercise freedom in ways that are compatible with a person’s basic purposes, their true or authentic self

4. people can be prevented from exercising their basic purposes by internal constraints, including misconceptions and mistaken ideas

Conclusion: people can be unfree even if they are free from external interference

exercise concept

one is free only to the extent that “one has effectively determined oneself and the shape of one’s life

to be able to effectively exercise opportunities, one may need information, education, resources, and so on

first order desires

direct motivations for actions

second order desires

desires about first order desires

how does taylor say we can overcome berlin’s concerns about positive liberty

our social and political arrangements should assist people in exercising their conceptions of their lives

cole on the social model of disability

supports the social model. given that society is able to change social practices, not doing so counts as a constraint on liberty

pettit on intentionality

interference must involve an intentional attempt to worsen an agent’s situation of choice

pettit’s moralized conception of freedom

if the constraint was brought about in the right way (not arbitrary interference) then it is not a constraint on X’s freedom

which philosophers use a moralized conception of freedom

taylor, pettit, gray, nozick, marx

krause: freedom as non-oppression

means living in a society that lets you live your agency to the fullest, without hindering it by patterns of stigmas, systematic patterns of prejudice and privilege

who has the standing to talk about freedom according to davis

free men do not have the best experience to talk about unfreedom because they do not know what it is truly like to be unfree

is a kind master a possibility according to douglass

no. the very relationship of mastery corrupts the soul and makes it inevitable that the master will abuse the enslaved

mrs. auld

taught douglass how to read, her husband stops her from doing so. she struggles with this, but she eventually becomes cruel

what does freedom require according to davis

both a physical and psychological journey

personal resistance is necessary to achieve freedom

conditions for resisitance according to davis

physical, violent, and open

covey

in mbmf, douglass stands up to his cruel master in a physical struggle

insists his actions were self-defense to prevent future abuse

davis on covey

the fight with covey restored in douglass a sense of identity and dignity

right-libertarianism

liberty requires the least government intervention in all areas of life

advocate for small governmen

self-ownership

each of us fully owns ourself. no one has a right to our body and our mind or our talents

what kind of liberty does nozick advocate for

negative liberty

justifications for interference according to nozick

to prevent aggression against another and protection against life, health, liberty, or possessions

nozick on self-ownership

nozick believes that self ownership is the basis upon which our moral system and what we owe to each other are founded

what type of rights does nozick believe in

we only have negative rights

positive rights

associated with positive and republican liberty

rights that require others to provide certain benefits or services, or secure some needs

nozick on property rights

our right to ourselves also ground our rights to things outside us

original acquisition

if there is an unowned resource, and we mix our labor with it, we come to own that resource

the lockean proviso

a person may approproate resources as long as the original acquisition would not make worse off by the appropriations

nozick on private property

private property creates incentives for people to improve what they own

as long as they improve what they own, the proviso is not violated, no one can complain their negative liberties are affected

legitimate ways to transfer resources

gift, rewards, remuneration, inheritance, bestowment

illegitmate ways to transfer resources

deliberate coercive interference

the minimal state

nozick says the only function of the state should be to protect against force, theft, fraud, and enforcement of contracts

what do positive and republican liberals say how a free society should look like

a free society is one in which inequalities are controlled and everyone has access to sufficient resources to achieve positive freedom

why don’t libertarians like taxation

taxation curtails the positive liberties of the rich

libertarians and poverty

a lack of resources does not mean a lack of freedom

agent (X) in negative liberty

an individual who has the capacity to act

constraint (Y) in negative liberty

deliberate interference of other human beings

goal (Z) in negative liberty

any area of action

agent (X) in positive liberty

the rational, higher, or authentic self

constraint (Y) in positive liberty

internal obstacles (e.g., desires, fears, misconceptions, ideologies)

goal (Z) in positive liberty

realizing the “real” self/exercising agency to the fullest

agent (X) in republican liberty

an individual who has the capacity to act

constraint (Y) in republican liberty

capacity of another to interfere on an arbitrary basis

goal (z) in republican liberty

an area in which the individual could otherwise act

what counts as a constraint on freedom to structuralists

if agents lack the capacity to act, and there is an alterable social arrangement where they would have had that ability

how is unfreedom generated according to structuralists

social systems, practices, ideologies, and norms, even if no one intends to impose these restrictions

which philosophers are structuralists

krause, marx, russell, majhorta

what counts as a constraint on freedom to externalists

external interference by other, specific human beings

which philosophers are externalists

mill, berlin, pettit, cohen

what counts as a constraint on freedom to internalists

internal barriers such as fears, fetters, internal conflicts, desires

which philosophers are internalists

taylor, douglass

neutral conception of freedom

freedom can be constrained, regardless of the content of the act

neutral conceptions of freedom: implications

poverty constrains negative liberty, borders constrain immigrants, the law constrains freedom

moralized conception of freedom

freedom is constrained only when one is interfered with in an action they have a moral right to perform

moralized conception of freedom: implications

lack of money is not a constraint on freedom, borders do not necessarily constrain freedom, the law does not constrain freedom

marx on human nature

innovation and creativity is the essence of humanity

marx on human socialability

humans are inherently social beings and communal

marx on liberal rights

places too much of an emphasis on individualism, ignores that humans are actually communal

base

the productive forces at our disposal: the plough, the loom, the engine, the computer, etc.

structure

the relationship classes to these forces of production (users/owners, etc.)

super structure

all other non-economic parts of society, such as the state, law, politics, religion, art, philosophy, and ideology

two opposing classes in capitalism

bourgeoise and workers

marx’s critique of capitalism

it is exploitative and it alienates human beings

how will the working class gain power according to marx

When the working class gains enough political power, they could take democratic control over the institutions of the state and transform them so that they serve the needs of everyone

Alluded to some violence