How much personal freedom is too much?

Lycan · Post by **Lycan** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:42 am

We in America take personal freedom very seriously. Is there such a thing as too much personal freedom? When is the line? Does it not matter what limitations one persons rights have on another's?

steen · Post by **steen** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:01 pm

Certainly, imposing restrictions in others personal, private lives is unreasonable.

Lycan · Post by **Lycan** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:49 am

But don't some expressions of one's personal rights infringe on another's?

steen · Post by **steen** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:05 pm

Lycan wrote:But don't some expressions of one's personal rights infringe on another's?

Not really, as the acts that infringe on other persons' rights is not your right to begin with.

Forge · Post by **Forge** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:10 am

steen wrote:Certainly, imposing restrictions in others personal, private lives is unreasonable.

To some extent. A wholesale "it's your personal life, we don't care" attitude would be very... interesting.

In a bad way, I think.

Dilettante · Post by **Dilettante** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:16 am

Unlimited personal freedom would have some very unpleasant results. We tend to forget that our values conflict with each other and it is necessary to strike a balance. Freedom is a value, no doubt, but pursuing freedom to the exclusion of other values would not be a good idea. Our actions have consequences for people other than just ourselves. That's why legal, moral and ethical rules are necessary if we are to live in society rather than the jungle.

steen · Post by **steen** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:38 pm

The point, of course, is that your beliefs should not be imposed on somebody else's personal life.

If I don't like strawberries, should I stop you from eating them?

Forge · Post by **Forge** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:51 pm

Not even God can impose his beliefs on you.

Some arbitrary authority might place artificial, objective restrictions, but it doesn't impose beliefs.

However, if I understand what you're saying, that there should be no imposing, then you run into a self-contradiction. What If I feel you're "no imposition" doctrine is harmful and imposing on my perfectly intolerant and bigoted provincialism... are you imposing on me?

steen · Post by **steen** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:07 am

Forge wrote:Not even God can impose his beliefs on you.

Some arbitrary authority might place artificial, objective restrictions, but it doesn't impose beliefs.

However, if I understand what you're saying, that there should be no imposing, then you run into a self-contradiction. What If I feel you're "no imposition" doctrine is harmful and imposing on my perfectly intolerant and bigoted provincialism... are you imposing on me?

Well, that would be the old excuse of (forgive me, I am not implying that you are one) "It is bigoted to be bigoted against bigots." For numerous reasons, I can't accept that one.

Forge · Post by **Forge** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:49 am

Since I see you refuse to acknowledge a logical fault with the "intolerance" argument, I guess this will go logically nowhere.