Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 17:35:12 -0700
Subject: Re: Father Burns's Justice


  The statement of mine Rahul quotes below does 
  not need reworking.  Is it possible to justly 
  use coercion to obtain what is rightfully mine.  
  Answer: yes.  Hence, "I can justly coerce 
  another to obtain what is rightfully mine".  It 
  does not follow that any amount of any kind of 
  coercion can always be legitimately used to 
  obtain what is rightfully mine.  That is an 
  inference which Rahul mistakenly imagines can be 
  drawn from the statement.  If he thinks about 
  the *negation* of the statement he quotes, he 
  ought to see that his position is 
  untenable--would he affirm the negation?  And 
  Rahul's example about the IRS shows that this is 
  not the only part of my post he hasn't read 
  carefully enough.  As for the bit about 
  "hellfire", does Rahul really think that sort of 
  jibe cuts any ice with the likes of me?  Grow 
  up.
  
  Peter


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Father Burns's Justice
Author:  rahul-AT-peaches.ph.utexas.edu (Rahul Mahajan) at SMTPLINK-LMU
Date:    5/1/96 6:00 PM


Peter:
  
>I can justly coerce another to obtain what is rightfully mine.
  
So, if a kid steals your kid's bike, you can whip out your Uzi and threaten 
to blow him into the next world. If the IRS makes you pay your taxes (after 
all, it's your money), you can hold innocent bystanders hostage to get it 
back. If a small child takes your crucifix because it looks nice and shiny, 
you can tell her she'll burn in eternal hellfire unless she gives it back.
  
You might want to re-work that statement a tad.
  
Rahul
  
  
  
  
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