> On Tue, 31 Dec 1996, jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com wrote:
> >In an Anarchy, all men (and women :) become equal
>
> The only thing that becomes 'equal' about them is they carry equal
> responsibility for themselves (including their freedom).
Yes, that's how I meant it. They all have equal opportunity, equal
status, etc... Unfortunately, when total equality occurs, freedom is
compromised.
>
> >they lose their freedom becuase there is nothing to protect them from
> >others who are stronger physically.
>
> And what does so today? The police and armed forces? What if *they* are
> the forces you need to protect yourself from?
No matter how paranoid one may be, the police and armed forces are not
out specifically to "get you". They may come across as not all that
pleasant sometimes, but there is a system of laws (no matter how
ineffectual) which protects your rights against them. When no such laws
exist, these people can do whatever they like, and you have no comeback on
them at all.
> >> Don't underestimate self-interest as a source of many laws and
> >> morality. Most people have an unsuppresed empathy for others,
> >> therefore they can relate to the pain that they would inflict on
> >> others if they were to rob, rape, or kill other humans beings. Since
> >> most people do not want to be robbed, raped, killed, or feel pain,
> >> they agree on laws to make such behavior illegal.
>
> And thus a self-regulatory order is born. Most people will happily give
> up certain freedoms (to kill, rape etc.) in return for reciprocation
> from those around them.
Of course, and this is the basis for the rights in most states. One has the
right to kill, for example, but one also has the right to live. Like
contradicting memes, these cannot live within a group of cooperating
hosts, without one of them being broken. Therefore, the social contract
is one where people trade in one of the rights (usually the right to kill,
due to a self-preservation meme) in return for the upholding of the other
by the state. Hence, everyone (supposedly) stays alive.
Drakir
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Richard Jones "We are the New Breed
jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com We are the Future."
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