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    The concept we know as government is merely an idea or an abstraction. Spencer morgan: government is a group of humans who enjoy a unique privilege to commit aggression. He says government's purpose is to maintain equality, protect property, resolve disputes. Morgan says we have to separate the definitive conceptual idea from all of the mythology.

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    Morgan 11 the Concept of Government

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    The concept we know as government is merely an idea or an abstraction. Spencer morgan: government is a group of humans who enjoy a unique privilege to commit aggression. He says government's purpose is to maintain equality, protect property, resolve disputes. Morgan says we have to separate the definitive conceptual idea from all of the mythology.

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    11 views1 page

    Morgan 11 The Concept of Government

    Uploaded by

    Spencer Morgan
    The concept we know as government is merely an idea or an abstraction. Spencer morgan: government is a group of humans who enjoy a unique privilege to commit aggression. He says government's purpose is to maintain equality, protect property, resolve disputes. Morgan says we have to separate the definitive conceptual idea from all of the mythology.

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    The Concept of Government

    bySpencerMorgan
    Lastweekwebeganexaminingtheuniquelyhumancapacityofformingconcepts.Weexaminedtheproper roleoftheconceptualcapacityasenablingmantodealmoreeffectivelywithrealitybyformingabstractions andprinciples.Wealsodiscussedthedangersoftheconceptualcapacitywhenitbecomesdetachedfrom reality. Oneexampleofthisistheconceptweknowasgovernment,orthestate.Whenweactuallyaskthe questionwhatisgovernment?thetypicalanswersreferentirelytotheconceptualrealm.Inotherwords, thereisnoactualmanifestationofgovernmentinreality(bygovernmentImeantherulingentitiesofthe world,notthelargernotionofgoverningingeneral).Itismerelyanideaoranabstraction.Governmentisa conceptuallabelappliedtotheactionsofcertainindividualhumans.IfIweretoaskforevidenceofthe existenceofgovernmentitself,nottheindividualsorbuildingsthatweassociatewiththatlabel,thereis none. Sincegovernmentismerelyagroupofhumans,whatisitthatourconceptuallabelholdsaboutthese particularhumanbeings?Whatmakesthemspecial? Herecomesthetrickypart.Wehavetoseparatetheactual,definitiveconceptualideauponwhichalmostall ofsocietyisoperatingwhenapplyingthatlabel,fromallofthejingoism,nationalisticrhetoric,mythology, etc. Thereisalotofvariationinsocietyaboutwhattheconceptualpurpose,orproperrole(ifany)ofgovernment shouldbe.Onepersonmightbelieveitspurposeistomaintainequality,whileanothermayseeitasa protectorofproperty.Othersstill,mightseeitsprimarypurposeasaneutralarbitertoresolvedisputes betweenindividuals.Thevariationsinpurposebehindgovernmentareasnumerousasthevariationsof thingsthatitisinvolvedinundertaking. Thereis,however,acorenotionattheheartoftheideaofgovernmentuponwhichallwhoseethatlabelas operativeshare.Itistheuniquecapacityuponwhichallofthosemoredetailedpurposesforanygiven governmentdepend.Governmentisagroupofhumanswhoenjoyanexpectationandauniqueprivilegeto commitaggression.Forsomethevalidityofthatlabelissostrong,thattheywouldactuallyrefusetoaccept thecharacterizationofmanyactsbyindividualslabeledgovernmentasbeingaggression,evenwhenthe literalfactsofasituationwouldindicatesuch.However,thisisthedefiningexpectationandpresumptionof privilegethatisconveyedbythelabel,andtheeverloomingthreatthatallcompliancewithgovernment presupposes. Admittedly,thischaracterizationofanyactasaggressiondependsonanotherconceptwhichhave addressedpreviously,rights.Beforeanactthatoverridesmyuseofmypersonorpropertywithphysical force,orthreatsthereof,canbeseenasaggressive,ImustholdtheconceptthatIown,orareentitledto exclusiveusershipofthem.Isgovernmentagoodconcept?Isitonethatattemptstodenyandsubordinate realityorisitonethatisinharmonywithreality?Iwouldarguefortheformer,foronekeyreasonwhichIwill discussatlengthnextweek.

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