Continuums Part II
To: Kenn Williamson ; Walter Block
Subject: Typhoid Mary
Interesting discussion that you two are having.
I agree with Kenn in principle: libertarianism does not allow for punishing pre-crime (to use the term made popular in the movie, The Minority Report). Pre-crime is how most state regulation works: the state posits that action A might lead to damage, and thus prohibits action A, but that unnecessarily and immorally constrains all of those using their own property engaging in action A who don’t cause the theoretical damage. Only when damage is actually caused, or is imminent, is responsive force justified.
Compulsory Mask Wearing Part II
Dear Kenn:
Yes, infecting others with Typhoid is like shooting random poisoned metal spikes all over the place. If that’s not just the sort of thing the NAP is supposed to stop, then my understanding of libertarianism is sadly deficient.
Best regards,
Subject: Re: Mask Mandates Continued
Dear Walter,
After discussing this issue with some work friend libertarians, they came up with a good counter argument which is that a virus is more like poisoned metal spikes shooting out of your body intermittently. I agree that is a closer analogy however I don’t think that changes the analysis. If you are on property where all the inhabitants were in an implicit contract that poison spikes intermittently being spewed from your body is permissible, I still don’t see how a libertarian could justify having a third party come in and force them to “stop shooting the spikes” (wear a mask.) Otherwise, how could you justify your positions on Murder Pa