Read more
In A Consequentialist Defense of Libertarianism, Richard Fumerton argues that empirical facts concerning consequences must always play a crucial role in a plausible defense of freedom. After making distinctions between morality and law, he defends the view that it is a fundamental mistake to think that the law should always, or even usually, attempt to mirror morality. With this framework in place, Fumerton addresses various controversial questions concerning when the law ought to side with freedom. He offers a nuanced defense of several positions shared by many "moderate" libertarians.
This consequentialist defense of freedom offers a fresh perspective on some very old philosophical debates. As more people become frustrated with a perceived lack of principled attempts by established political parties to appreciate important concerns people have involving their desire for freedom, the issues discussed in this book are particularly timely.
List of contents
Preface
Part I: Theoretical Controversies: The Importance of Consequentialist Reasoning
Chapter 1: Level Distinctions and a Philosophical Dilemma
Chapter 2: Law, Rationality, and Morality
Chapter 3: Controversies in Meta-ethics and Meta-rationality
Part II: Defending Freedom
Chapter 4: Mill's Defense of Freedom
Chapter 5: Consequentialist Arguments for Freedom of Thought and Expression
Chapter 6: Social Libertarianism
Chapter 7: Economic Libertarianism
Chapter 8: Summary
References
About the author
Richard Fumerton is F. Wendell Miller Professor of philosophy at the University of Iowa.
Summary
In defending freedom, most libertarians have appealed to a moral framework that puts an emphasis on the concept of moral rights. Rejecting that approach, Richard Fumerton offers a fresh, nuanced, and balanced "consequentialist" perspective on the importance of defending liberty.
