The case for tyranny
Fake Nous, July 11, 2020
Abstract
What is the strongest argument against libertarianism? Occasionally, someone asks that. Until recently, I didn’t think there were any very strong ones. But today I think there is at least one important argument against liberty that is hard to answer. This isn’t exactly an argument “for tyranny” (as my title colorfully puts it — I have to attract clicks, you know) — there’s no interesting argument for having the government send people to concentration camps, or prohibit people from criticizing the government, or prohibit private property, etc. But it’s an argument for a pretty intrusive state. I’m going to explain it here to see if any readers can identify a good response to it.
Quotes from this work
This is how our species is going to die. Not necessarily from nuclear war specifically, but from ignoring existential risks that don’t appear imminent at this moment. If we keep doing that, eventually, something is going to kill us – something that looked improbable in advance, but that, by the time it looks imminent, is too late to stop.