Hi Marcy,
Thank you for the reminder.
The NAP applies to humans only. I do not mean to deny or disparage
guidelines for moral treatment of animals. I only wish to clarify what
libertarian law includes.
Warm regards, Michael
Michael,
I don't think there is any special authority that says the Non-Aggression Principle only applies to humans. Current levels of evolution and understanding may make it impractical to fully apply it to any non-humans, since other animals are incapable of understanding it as far as we know, but there is nothing inherent in the idea of non-aggression itself that restricts its application to one particular species. I think to assume otherwise is speciesist.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
Starchild,
I appreciate your excellent response. The claim has been made by our
detractors that libertarians lack compassion. Your deep caring for people,
which you even extend to animals, clearly puts the lie to this charge.
I disagree with your notion that there is no "special authority" defining
the libertarian NAP. Certainly the founders of the libertarian movement are
the special authorities. Murray Rothbard, who Wendy McElroy cites as "the
greatest libertarian theorist of the 20th century," is widely regarded as
"the father of libertarianism" is one of these.
Warm regards, Michael
Hi Michael,
To me, aggression is aggression, period -- towards humans, animals (with recognition that we humans are animals too), the earth. In some societies, what we call inanimate objects are placed in the same plane as humans, and I lean towards that also. If I may share a personal experience that might seem like a stretch. When my daughter was growing up, before we threw away an old pair of sneakers or an old toy, we would tell it something like, "You have served us well. Best wishes as you move to another phase of your life." Thus, I am just assuming that when Rothbard or anyone else who speaks out against aggression are referring to aggression, period.
P.S. I recall with pleasure past arguments on this list about aggression vs. self defense, and how all that relates to the NAP.
Marcy