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Nozick's Real Argument for the Minimal State*
Author(s) -
Hyams Keith
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of political philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1467-9760
pISSN - 0963-8016
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2004.00204.x
Subject(s) - argument (complex analysis) , citation , state (computer science) , mathematical economics , philosophy , sociology , computer science , library science , economics , algorithm , medicine
First submitted to the University of Oxford for the BPhil in philosophy examination 2002.The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comNozick is often interpreted as arguing that independents are entitled to protection by the Dominant Protective Agency (DPA) because the DPA infringes their right to punish those who violate their rights. Yet a closer look at Anarchy, State and Utopia reveals that Nozick actually rejects the very argument which is commonly attributed to him, and that he does so for good reason. However, I argue that Nozickâ\u80\u99s replacement principle of compensation for disadvantage, meant to ground his real argument for independentsâ\u80\u99 entitlement to protection by the DPA, ought to be unacceptable to a libertarian. I end by suggesting an alternative to it, which I think remains faithful to basic libertarian principles