I might be an anarchist in effect, in that presented with option A (no government involvement) and option B (government involvement) regarding a specific proposal, I will likely choose option A each and every time on the merits. But I have no a priori commitment to that result. As a practical matter, I think the philosophic idea of anarchy is not congruent with human nature, at least the nature of most people. Look at England right now -- we have an inkling that our modern souls are missing out on something that those in the past appreciated. We have the story of the Israelites, living in tribal anarchy, demanding a King against the advice of Samuel (in one of the great libertarian speeches in history). People like being on a team, and I appreciate that.
David Shemano -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Eugene Coyle Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 2:22 PM To: Progressive Economics Subject: Re: [Pen-l] What Money Can't Buy David, It is too bad that you are not an anarchist. But I think you will be. I read your posts, over the past years, as sort of a cry for help, as in "Stop me before I sin again." So there is hope. Gene On Jun 4, 2012, at 1:16 PM, David Shemano wrote: > On behalf of all market fundamentalists - > > I view a price, which is the product of an exchange, as information. Nothing > more and nothing less. I don't view information as good or bad, such as a > "just price." It is simply information. > > Some people do not like the information, just like some people do not like > what a scale tells them when they stand on it. The dislike of specific > information is subjective. Normally, this is no big deal. If a buyer > subjectively views the appropriate price for an apple as 25 cents, and the > seller subjectively views the appropriate price at 50 cents, they each go on > their way without a second thought. At this point, we are in the realm of > economic and/or moral reasoning, and I have nothing insightful to say whether > buyer should or should not be offended that seller will not sell the apple at > 25 cents. > > The issue moves from the economic/moral to the political when the discussion > moves from whether one "should" disregard a price to one "must" disregard a > price, or whether A and B should not be permitted to engage in exchange > regardless of a mutually satisfactory price. To reach such conclusion, we > necessarily must conclude that C's view of the proposed transaction between A > and B is so important that it should be imposed by force of law/gun. For you > to convince me, a market fundamentalist, that C should be permitted to impose > value on A and B, you must convince me that C knows more than A and B about > the exchange from the perspective of A and B. For example, you must > convince me that Mayor Bloomberg knows better than the consumer of soft > drinks what is in the subjective best interests of the consumer from the > subjective perspective of the consumer. I insist on the subjective standard, > that Mayor Bloomberg knows me better than I know myself, which is indeed a > very high! burden, as opposed to whether Mayor Bloomberg claims to know what a fully informed A and B would do if they were hyper-rational. I assert that position because I a priori reject the notion that there is some "objective" view of what a person should do and I especially reject the probability that a third person who gets themselves in a position of power and ability to use force will be in a better position than me to know my best interest. I am a radical subjectivist, and all that entails. > > While it should not be necessary, I will conclude with the proviso that I am > not an anarchist, I am in favor of rules, there are hard cases, > externalities, transaction cost problems, etc. > > David Shemano > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > [email protected] > Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 5:07 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Pen-l] What Money Can't Buy > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/27/michael-sandel-reason-valu > es-bodies _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
