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Speaker 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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