Coffin in Living Room Led to Florida Incest Arrest

Reuters ^

[62chrysler]

What are the Libertarians moral absolutes--other than: Thou (and thou's government) shalt not interfere with thy neighbor unless he physically harms thee or thy property?

[62chrysler]

Amen. I couldn't agree more.

[Marysecretary]

Well, maybe the gov-mint didn't want to have to figure out what to do with all those children! They probably figured she wouldn't run away.

[r9etb]

Thou (and thou's government) shalt not interfere with thy neighbor unless he physically harms thee or thy property?

Try asking him the natural follow-on: what makes that particular one absolute?

[Registered]

Uh... they're genetically deformed?

Obviously the odds are higher of producing genetic defects in a smaller gene pool, but there are lots of other risks that can produce these defects. Alcholism, drugs, and on and on. So using your same concern about the potential genetic defects why not as you say, " submit that every act of persuasion short of initiated force should be undertaken to prevent such adults from engaging in FILL IN THE BLANK HERE WITH ANY HUMAN ACTIVITY THAT COULD PRODUCE A HIGHER CHANCE OF GENETIC DEFORMITIES".

Don't worry, I won't call you a statist ;-)

[OWK]

What are the Libertarians moral absolutes..

Libertarianism describes a system of political philosophy.

As such, it deals with things political.

All of libertarian philosophy is predicated on a single moral absolute.

It is immoral to initiate force or fraud against any inidividual or to delegate it's initiation.

This does not mean that libertarians discard all other moral judgements, nor does it suggest that libertarians are moral relativists. It means that libertarians recognize political mores (the just actions of state) as a separate and discrete entity from the moral questions of individuals.

Many libertarians are Christians. They apply a Christian morality to their personal lives, but would not dream of employing government guns to initiate force against their neighbors to apply those mores in the political sphere.

[Registered]

Many libertarians are Christians

Like the van Dams?

[r9etb]

Registered: So some humans have more value than others and that value impacts your thoughts about this situation?

OWK: Huh? How the hell did you get THAT from what I said?

Obviously you don't think it's a matter of inflicting harm, as that would justify the use of force to prevent it from occurring. (Your words: As such, I would submit that every act of persuasion short of initiated force should be undertaken to prevent such adults from engaging in sexual activity. )

So if it's not harm, it must be undesirable for some other reason. Specifically, if the possibility of genetically-deformed offspring is reason enough to strongly dissuade incestual relations, it means that genetically-deformed offspring are obviously less valuable than children with normal genes.

[OWK]

Like the van Dams?

Can you elaborate?

[is_is]

man...this has got to be confusing to a child....

My Mom is my Aunt......geez

do they call her Aunt Mom or Mommy Aunt.....

[OWK]

Obviously you don't think it's a matter of inflicting harm, as that would justify the use of force to prevent it from occurring.

I'm not so sure it's all that "obvious" to me.

As I said in my first post... It's a tough call.

A good case could be made for either position.

[shaggy eel]

,,, wow! A game the whole family can play! They ain't too smarts but they have a whole lotta fun. Why am I thinking of that movie "Deliverance" right now?

[MARTIAL MONK]

Isn't this the kind of call that the Supreme Court should be for, instead of deciding where we can spend our money before an election?

[semaj]

Hey, as long as the relationship was between two consenting adults, yada, yada, yada, </sarcasm off >

[csvset]

I'll see your van Dams and raise it a Yates.

[wimpycat]

Why am I thinking of that movie "Deliverance" right now?

I don't know, but I'm hearing banjos playing in the distance.

[Dallas]

yeah,...it's not like she was an intern.

Cut em some slack...

[js1138]

This does not mean that libertarians discard all other moral judgements, nor does it suggest that libertarians are moral relativists. It means that libertarians recognize political mores (the just actions of state) as a separate and discrete entity from the moral questions of individuals.

Still cruising FR?

There are many issues that cannot be decided simply by stating that one is a libertarian. One is abortion, which requires a judgement as to when a fetus legally acquires human rights.

Laws against incest have long been justified as necessary to prevent harm to children. You could argue that this is technically unjustified, but that has been the argument.

A more interesting question would be to ask, on a case by case basis, is at what age brother/sister incest began. I spent more than six years in a child abuse agency and never saw or heard of an incest case where it was initiated by a child. I would go somewhat further a say that it is rare to the point of non-existance, for children to be sexually attracted to anyone they grew up with. So incest, when it occurs, is most likely to be between people related by marriage rather than blood, and far more likely to be initiated by an older person. This calls up the question of abuse.

[Teacher317]

Ya got me... I missed that one.

[Cogadh na Sith]

A good case could be made for either position.

Maybe we could just take the middle road and start a non-profit charity that runs Public Service Ads and booths at various state fairs with the motto:

"Don't boink your sister."

It would need a catchy jingle of course.