L-C

Nail, head, sledgehammered. A society where the only social interactions are of mutual consent and interest is inconcievable to altruists. Irrational.

nanite1018: Volition is a type of causation.

Good point, hunterrose. He's giving them too much power in owning the false definition of "selfish", and too much credit when he expects them to understand what self-interest is.

They do so because they choose to not produce, or because of the welfare state that destroys the kind of economy where they could otherwise have been self-sufficient.

No, because (hopefully) you don't operate on the same definitions.

Brule said it. You will be robbed tenfold to pay for this. You didn't get to choose that the state be a mafia organisation rather than a proper government.

The most "successful" high profile criminal, with his mansion, yachts, steaks and hos will never know the happiness felt by a "middle class" rational man.

I didn't hint at the total abscence of ground forces. But the won't be used as sacrificial fodder before the bombing has played its role.

Also I'd possibly wager that we'd see a lot less ground forces and more bombings. No huge masses of American infantry in Baghdad etc. The average "fighting individual" would be something like a bomber pilot.

Yes, that's wrong. Force can be: 1. Initiatory (crime) 2. Defensive (permitted to private individuals) 3. Retaliatory (e.g. police raid) 4. Pre-emptive (e.g. nuke terrorist states before they can attack)

Anyone who believes that wealth taken by force will be spent frugally is a bigger fool than the thief.

Living isn't automatic.

That is a binary condition. There are no degrees to which you can understand Capitalism, only no or yes.

As I told you above: "The popular definitions of these are instruments of philosophical war, crafted to destroy the real meaning behind them. Your confusion demonstrates but one casualty."

It is because they are wrong about Capitalism that they could further the wrong idea about it.

Barring a contract stating otherwise:

Because while Democrats/Republicans are an enemy that can be fought, Libertarianism could replace the proper concept of Capitalism so that there is nothing for, and with which to fight.

That is a condemnation of man as such, including himself. But for every sacrifice there is a collector, and for every slave a master.

"Even"? All systems other than laissez-faire Capitalism are about various ways of using force against people. That socialism pretends to do it for people's own good makes it more disgusting, not less. Slacker00, it is you who do not understand the concepts of altruism and selfishness. The popular definitions of these are instruments of philosophical war, crafted to destroy the real meaning behind them. Your confusion demonstrates but one casualty. Altuism is not caring for other people; it is destruction of the self. Selfishness is not hedonism; it is acting in one's self interest with one's entire life as the standard of value, and the best life is one lived in a productive society where people interact only through mutual consent.

Then it is neither selection nor choice, but a pre-programmed path. A river does not flow into the unobstructed air.

I don't believe animals choose. They act according to their nature. To live, they eat, drink, sleep, avoid danger and so on. Even plants do this. Animals have a psyche (they can feel contentness, fear, anger, annoyance, etc.) but this is more like a biological robot.

"The fact that there is a choice isn't enough to prove that it was a free choice." That is a contradiction. "Choice" as a random or predetermined outcome is a meaningless concept. If someone believes in free will, end of discussion. If someone doesn't, why do they even bother?

Marc K answered your reply to me in the manner I was going to, crizon. When you initiate force, you forfeit your rights. The victim does not have the right to tie you down and torture you as punishment for theft, but no just man will cry over the "loss" of the life of a thief that results from defense. To suggest that perpetrators have rights but victims do not is obscene.

Although there are several big misconceptions found in BioShock, one shouldn't dismiss the game entirely because of those. Apart from being a high quality game in general, the city of Rapture and the character Andrew Ryan are captivating.

Not every single person needs to be an Objectivist for the US to turn around, but a good deal of important people do.