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Let me put the ideal I described
in a little context.
The fundamental value of
utilitarianism is pleasure or preference
satisfaction. The fundamental value for some
libertarians is self-ownership. For other
libertarians the fundamental value is liberty.
I'm not so sure about Rawls. His fundamental
value may be the equal concern of each
individual's interests. For Catholic philosophers,
the fundamental value is the salvation of
the individual.
For me, the fundamental
value is what might be called 'autonomous
personhood.' I'm going back to James Griffin
when I say that. A system of rights, including
a system of property rights, is designed to
protect that fundamental value. The ideal
society I am describing establishes those
rights and protects that value.
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