The Golden Meanies

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I received unsolicited mail the other day containing this article. In it, the author mis-uses Aristotle, contending his idea of virtue as the mean between extremes "refutes" anarcho-capitalism, as it represents a vicious "extreme" and a constitutional republic a virtuous mean. I'm no expert on Aristotle, but I know this is rubbish. One cannnot simply take any spectrum and declare that Aristotelian ethics shows the mid-point is the place to be. The mean between going on a murderous rampage and committing no murders is to murder a moderate amount of people. The mean between telling the truth all the time and lying constantly is to lie half the time. Anarcho-capitalist contend that the State is an evil, and so the virtuous course is to eliminate it, not go halfway towards the total State. I'm sure Aristotle discussed the fallacy being committed here -- perhaps our friend Roderick Long can provide more details?

The author, Hultberg, is also wrong that anarcho-capitalists are preventing republicans like him from being taken seriously in academia -- my experience is that anarchism is taken far more seriously than views like his.

PS -- Roderick has spoken.

Comments

  1. Anonymous12:52 AM

    As a matter of fact I've written on just this question, here: http://praxeology.net/unblog03-04.htm#24

    ReplyDelete

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