Philosophy 2: Society and Values

Los Angeles Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lecture Notes for Nozick's "Distributive Justice" excerpts focused in on property rights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nozick and Locke

"Locke views property rights in an unowned object as originating through someone's mixing his labor with it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unowned and Labor

I have just built a magnificent sand sculpture (of a fanged-unicorn) on the beach.  I've mixed my labor with the sand, so its mine! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and Others' Plights

"The crucial point is whether appropriation of an unowned object worsens the situation of others."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lockean Proviso

"Locke's proviso that there be 'enough and as good left in common for others' is meant to ensure that the situation of others is not worsened." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Worse Off"

But let's distinguish

 

Worse off 1: lost opportunity to improve

 

Worse off 2: no longer able to use what one could in the past

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong Locke

"A stringent requirement that another not be made worse off by an appropriation would exclude the first way if nothing else counterbalances the diminution in opportunity, as well as the second."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weak Locke

"A weaker requirement would exclude the second way though not the first."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Locke and Nozick

Nozick will defend that weaker version of Locke's account of property. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Worse Off"

But what types of behaviors are prohibited because they would make someone "worse off?" 

 

At least those having to do with "life"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life & Death

"A theory of appropriation incorporating this Lockean proviso will handle correctly the cases (objections to the theory lacking the proviso) where someone appropriates the total supply of something necessary for life."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Transfer

"If the proviso excludes someone's appropriating all the drinkable water in the world, it also excludes his purchasing it all."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interference

"Once it is known that someone's ownership runs afoul of the Lockean proviso, there are stringent limits on what he may do with (what it is difficult any longer unreservedly to call) 'his property.'"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justice

"Thus a person may not appropriate the only water hole in a desert and charge what he will. Nor may he charge what he will if he possesses one, and unfortunately it chances that all the water holes in the desert dry up, except for his."