I decided to move some discussion from this post up to the top level here. Specifically, Watoosh wrote: "Well, if violence is defined as initiation of force (which, of course, presupposes certain property rights), then I think Rockwell is correct..." Well, if we define cats as elephants, then many people keep elephants in their house. More seriously, firstly, violence is not usually defined that way. It's defined as, you know, violence, so that, say, someone may respond violently or non-violently to someone who aggresses against them. Otherwise, it would make no sense to say, for instance, "He punched me, but I did not stoop to violence in response." And, secondly, the libertarian usage of "initiation of force" is very offbeat. If I wander onto someone's meadow, most people would not say I had "initiated force" -- I mean, sure, I used "force" against the earth to push off walking, but that's not force directed against...
Huh?!
ReplyDeleteI am almost afraid to ask, but what prompted this?
By the way, interesting new blog-header.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, do you know what the header is referencing?
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that it has to do with current instability of nations and its threat to "whirled peas". Sure, it is a generality, but things are quite strange these days. More war seems to be afoot.
ReplyDeleteIf you were thinking of something more specific, then I must say that I am at a loss.
Well, there is the whole Ron Artest thing, as well. Haha!
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that you wouldn't change your header just for "Metta World Peace". It's got to be deeper than that.
Well, it was mostly just my chuckling about Artest, but if there is anything deeper, it's that perhaps this blog can best be called "the blog with the ever changing name."
ReplyDeleteThe post? Sheer whimsy.
ReplyDelete