tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3398380587565056325.post4856569918104629629..comments2023-11-05T07:32:13.339+00:00Comments on Oxford Libertarian Society Blog: Easy False Superiorityoxlibertarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03486882962781565208noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3398380587565056325.post-24883310890159734382010-11-12T19:36:44.587+00:002010-11-12T19:36:44.587+00:00Libertarianpress.blogspot.comLibertarianpress.blogspot.comBennette Sebastianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06995172728957456534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3398380587565056325.post-84495822425196839312010-11-06T11:44:41.014+00:002010-11-06T11:44:41.014+00:00AKA Confirmation Bias. From Wikipedia..."A s...AKA Confirmation Bias. From Wikipedia..."A series of experiments in the 1960s suggested that people are biased towards confirming their existing beliefs."<br /><br />Let's say that libertarians presented some solid empirical evidence that the free-market could produce comparable levels of many of the same public goods that the state is currently producing. Wouldn't liberals just point out the likelihood of confirmation bias?<br /><br />On one hand, given a choice, many people would not choose to pay taxes. On the other hand, given a choice, many people would choose the option that gives them the most bang for their buck. When it comes to public goods it's understandable to take the first choice away from people...but it also makes sense to give them the second choice.<br /><br />People choosing which public goods their taxes help fund would allow the invisible hand to decide whether a good was produced by the public sector...or by the private sector...or by both.<br /><br />Maybe socialists are right? Maybe anarcho-capitalists are right? I don't know. But a pragmatarian approach would resolve the debate once and for all.Xerographicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14978832439622230018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3398380587565056325.post-87296977873154240192010-09-30T08:11:07.968+01:002010-09-30T08:11:07.968+01:00Or, if atheism and libertarianism are the defaults...<i>Or, if atheism and libertarianism are the defaults that everyone implicitly accepts until they confuse themselves with theology or philosophy</i><br /><br />Very few people come to religion or statism through a concious choice as an adult, after exposure to theology or philosophy.<br /><br />Most absorb religious / statist ideas from their parents at a very young age.<br /><br />What I find fascinating, and somewhat unnerving, is the number of devoutly religious libertarians. They are of course the best kind of religionists, but it raises questions of the sort you've covered.Suboptimal Planethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03326225284771369172noreply@blogger.com