Reviews for The Philosophy of Liberty

[Tequila]

Nice job

Even though it's not directly interactive, it gets you involved, so that's why you got a 10. You should work for PBS! Now let me respond to someone else.

"but force in response to unjust force is sometimes neccesary (Allied retaliation for Japan and Germany's actions, the UN reaction to the Iraqi seizure of Kuwati oil fields)."

No, force for the sake of protection from an unjust force is necessary. Force in response to an unjust force is just revenge. Ideally, we should have fought World War 2 to control Germany and Japan's expansion, not to get back at the Japanese for Pearl Harbor.

"Also, what of the issue of abortions? A woman owns her own life, but does her life encompass the life of her fetus?"

Well since that fetus wouldn't have been born without her eggs, yes.

"But since the fetus is contained within the woman's body, which is her life, does that make the woman's life and the fetus' life one in the same?"

No, but she does have some say in it, since she gave up part of her life for it to exist.

LuxLucre responds:

Thank-you very much Tequila. Hey, if PBS offers me work...heh heh. It was my intent to use universal symbols that would be recognised by all. Look for the presentation in other languages on my web site.

[Heinzen]

Thank you...

Finally somebody hits the nail on the head. People have been needing to see something like this for a long time. I like how it says that having other people protecting you is fine, but having others (namely the government) to enforce and take from other people is BAD. I really enjoyed it, make more. :)

LuxLucre responds:

Really glad that you liked it, I'll keep on making more as I'm able.

[The-Apologist]

Great!

Wow! This was well-written, although I disagree with the anti-war message. I believe that our government is representative of who we are. We are not empowering ourselves to use force against people just because we think they are wrong. We are, with the consent of said people, helping them to protect their life and liberty. In theory this should require nothing, but in reality the oppressive son-of-a-bitch isn't letting go. If he will hold on to the end, we must bring about said end through any possible means. I think that it's important not to get caught up in too much politicising and realize that we are helping innocent people who are being tortured, starved, beaten, and deprived of the liberty we as humans hold so dear. We are not attacking an innocent man for no reason, or for a petty reason. We have a legitimate reason, and I think that there are absolutes, but there are also shades of gray. Yes, what you say is true, but in addition sometimes the powerful must make decisions for the good of the whole. I'm a conservative Republican, so you know where I stand on the power of a big government, but a good chunk of life is paradox and compromise. You cannot distill a belief in defense of an event occuring in a world where distillations exist only in theory. You make some touching and inspiring points, but I think there's more to be said than the basics. Sometimes talking cannot bring about peace, and decisions must be made by small groups of people. You say that a person cannot impose his own leadership on other people. A presidency dosen't do that. People are free to leave America and any leadership they feel opressive at any time they want. The people are free to choose their own leaders and elect their own representatives, who may impeach an abusive president. In addition, laws are not wrong. People can call behaviour immoral by a code and force others under their jurisdiction to adhere to that code with threat of consequences, so long as they did not force themselves into that circle of jurisdiction. It is also important that people have a way to strike down jurisdiction that they feel is immoral (Congressional term limits, the Supreme Court, Executive Action). I didn't really expect the review to be so long, but I may as well reveal the other side of the well-reasoned story.

LuxLucre responds:

I'm glad you liked it well enough to respond with such a detailed response. I'm a Canadian who created this more than a year ago, so it was not intended as a slam against Mr. Bush in particular. I dislike all rulers equally just because they are...well, ruling.

[Screg]

The Straight Truth

Ive been reading through the other reviews and I have one thing to say to those who disagree with the concept of Liberty and Freedom: You are nothing but cowards. Keep allowing others to think for you. You have been lulled into a stupor by liberal bed wetters that tell you real freedom is being provided with everything you need and having someone take care of you. REAL freedom is having the power to make your own choices and suffer the conseqences or reap the benefits. Sure, there are people that have disabilities, but we as people will take care of them... WITHOUT having guns put to our head and being told to do so. WE WILL NOT however take care of someone that does not wish to work to provide for himself or herself or their familes. A harsh truth about this world: Bad things happen to good people. This will never be stopped. Another Truth: The only RIGHT people have is the FREEDOM to do what one wishes as long it does not inhibit another's RIGHT to FREEDOM. In short this movie had it right on the money and any nay sayers ARE WRONG, no questions, no arguements.

[AmonZeth]

Good ideas, but you miss some points.

1.) You assume that if people stopped asking their governments to initiate force, they would stop. This is assuming that all societies are free and that dictators initiate force due to popular consent. I seriously doubt that Hitler, Stalin and Saddam Hussein would have stopped initiating force if their populace asked them to stop- they were after their own aims, not the aims of their people.

2.) You do not comment about what to do when other people's natural rights are violated. You say that you are allowed to have people protect you, but there is no comment on others' rights. You also make no comment about the use of force to end an initiation of force and coercion. You have the right, even the duty, to protect rights and stop initiated force, even if it is not your own rights but rather those of another that are threatened.

Otherwise, great libertarian philosophy.