Liberty and the Harm Principle

In this Wireless Philosophy video, Geoff Pynn (Elgin Community College) discusses liberalism, the idea that the protection and promotion of liberty is the state’s fundamental job. According to John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle, this means that the only basis for state coercion is the prevention of harm to others. But do modern liberal states respect the Harm Principle?

Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Elgin Community College

I work at Northern Illinois University. I teach on a wide range of topics. My research centers on epistemology. I’m also interested in creating connections between professional philosophers and ordinary people.
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From 2011-2017, I was the the graduate adviser for NIU’s successful MA program in philosophy. I maintain a listing of funding at MA programs in the US and Canada.

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