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One approach to developing a
theory of rights is to identify an ultimate
value and then construct a set of rights in
order to protect that value.
For example, Robert Nozick takes liberty as
the ultimate value. James Griffin takes
personhood as the ultimate value. Lawrence
Haworth takes autonomy as the ultimate value.
So one question you can ask yourselves, in
order to clarify and simplify the task of
developing your thinking about rights, is
this: What ultimate value should we be trying
to protect or preserve or enhance by
establishing rights?
By the way, this isn't the
only approach to developing a theory of
rights. In a minute I'm going to ask you to
think about the contractarian approach. And
maybe there are other approaches you can think
of.
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