No state more extensive than the minimal state can be justified. Robert Nozick More Quotes by Robert Nozick More Quotes From Robert Nozick Taxation of earnings from labor is on a par with forced labor. Seizing the results of someone's labor is equivalent to seizing hours from him and directing him to carry on various activities. Robert Nozick liberty political philosophy Individuals have rights and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights). So strong and far-reaching are these rights that they raise the question of what, if anything, the state and its officials may do. How much room do individual rights leave for the state? Robert Nozick what-if strong rights Our main conclusions about the state are that a minimal state, limited, to the narrow functions of protection against force, theft, fraud, enforcement of contracts, and so on, is justified, but any more extensive state will violate persons' rights not to be forced to do certain things, and is unjustified; and that the minimal state is inspiring as well as right. Robert Nozick enforcement protection rights You can't satisfy everybody; especially if there are those who will be dissatisfied unless not everybody is satisfied. Robert Nozick dissatisfied satisfied ifs The illegitimate use of a state by economic interests for their own ends is based upon a preexisting illegitimate power of the state to enrich some persons at the expense of others. Eliminate that illegitimate power of giving differential economic benefits and you eliminate or drastically restrict the motive for wanting political influence. Robert Nozick political use giving Instead of trying to prove your opponent wrong, try to see in what sense he might be right. Robert Nozick opponents trying might The trouble with government regulation of the market is that it prohibits capitalistic acts between consenting adults. Robert Nozick regulation adults government Marxian exploitation is the exploitation of people's lack of understanding of economics. Robert Nozick economics understanding people Taxation of earnings from labor is on a par with forced labor. Robert Nozick libertarian taxation liberty The scientists often have more unfettered imaginations than current philosophers do. Relativity theory came as a complete surprise to philosophers, and so did quantum mechanics, and so did other things. Robert Nozick philosopher surprise imagination What else can matter to us, other than how our lives feel from the inside? Robert Nozick our-lives matter feels Philosophical argument, trying to get someone to believe something whether he wants to believe it or not, is not, I have held, a nice way to behave towards someone; also it does not fit the original motivation for studying or entering philosophy. That motivation is puzzlement, curiousity, a desire to understand, not a desire to produce uniformity of belief. Most people do not want to become thought-police. The philosophical goal of explanation rather than proof not only is morally better, it is more in accord with one's philosophical motivation. Robert Nozick motivation nice philosophy The socialist society would have to forbid capitalist acts between consenting adults. Robert Nozick capitalist socialist adults Only the refusal to listen guarantees one against being ensnared by the truth. Robert Nozick refusal guarantees A distribution is just if it arises from another just distribution by legitimate means. Robert Nozick distribution arise mean Through the evolutionary process, those who are able to engage in social cooperation of various sorts do better in survival and reproduction. Robert Nozick engagement able survival From each as they choose, to each as they are chosen. Robert Nozick chosen inspirational Is there really someone who, searching for a group of wise and sensitive persons to regulate him for his own good, would choose that group of people that constitute the membership of both houses of Congress? Robert Nozick sensitive-person wise people Wisdom is not just knowing fundamental truths, if these are unconnected with the guidance of life or with a perspective on its meaning. If the deep truths physicists describe about the origin and functioning of the universe have little practical import and do not change our picture of the meaning of the universe and our place within it, then knowing them would not count as wisdom. Robert Nozick perspective knowing fundamentals Some communities will be abandoned, others will struggle along, others will split, others will flourish, gain members, and be duplicated elsewhere. Each community must win and hold the voluntary adherence of its members. No pattern is imposed on everyone, and the result will be one pattern if and only if everyone voluntarily chooses to live in accordance with that pattern of community. Robert Nozick ifs-and struggle winning
