Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Program
Philosophy
Advisor
Carol Gould
Committee Members
Charles Mills
Miranda Fricker
Subject Categories
Ethics and Political Philosophy
Keywords
libertarianism, socialism, left-libertarianism, consent, property rights, luck egalitarianism
Abstract
The past twenty-five years have witnessed the emergence and development of what has become known as left-libertarianism—a philosophical position that seeks to show that certain moral principles traditionally associated with libertarianism are compatible with egalitarian views about the distribution of resources. However, this position has also come under fire from various critics who argue that the position lacks coherence. For example, Barbara Fried argues that, even if left-libertarians show that one can simultaneously hold some combination of ethical principles, it doesn’t follow that one should. This dissertation argues that there is a suitably coherent version of left-libertarianism wherein egalitarian conclusions are shown to actually follow from core libertarian premises.
Recommended Citation
Spafford, Jesse E., "The Coherence of Left-Libertarianism: A New Approach to Reconciling Libertarianism and Socialism" (2020). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3749