PANEL 10 / REMEMBERING ROBERT NOZICK: 50 YEARS AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF "ANARCHY, STATE, AND UTOPIA"
CONVENORS: JOÃO CARDOSO ROSAS and JORGE MATEUS
All inquiries about the panel should be sent to [email protected]
Keynote speaker: JOHN MEADOWCROFT (King's College London)
This year, the Meetings on Ethics and Political Philosophy include a special session in honour of Robert Nozick, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of tthe publication of “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” (1974). This special session comprises panel presentations and a plenary talk by John Meadowcroft (King’s College London). Robert Nozick’s “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” emerged during a time of intense philosophical debate. After John Rawls’ “A Theory of Justice”, this is arguably the most influential work of political philosophy of the twentieth century. In it, Nozick laid down the foundations for a modern version of a rights- based libertarianism structured around the notion of self-ownership and robust individual property rights, anchoring the entitlement theory of justice and justifying minimal state intervention. Yet, the book’s significance extends far beyond libertarianism. Its arguments on individual rights, self-ownership, and the entitlement theory of justice have influenced a wide range of thinkers and schools of thought. The libertarian, conservative, and liberal traditions all owe a significant debt to
Nozick’s work, as it provided original insights into the principles of justice, property, and the legitimate scope of government.
The Special Session:
In this special session, we will explore the book’s enduring relevance, its influence on contemporary political thought, and the debates it has spawned. We welcome high quality presentations dealing with aspects of Nozick’s life and work. Presentations dealing mainly with secondary literature on Nozick’s ideas are also welcome, and they will be accommodated as much as possible, depending on the number of slots that will be made available by the general organisation of the Meetings.
Key Themes and Discussion Topics:
- The Role of the Minimal State in Political Philosophy
- Nozick’s Defence of Individual Rights
- Freedom and Property
- The Entitlement Theory of Justice and Its Critiques
- The Influence of “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” on Contemporary Political Philosophy
- The Ongoing Debates on Libertarianism
- Nozick’s Influence on Ethical and Political Theories Beyond Political Philosophy
All inquiries about the panel should be sent to [email protected]
Keynote speaker: JOHN MEADOWCROFT (King's College London)
This year, the Meetings on Ethics and Political Philosophy include a special session in honour of Robert Nozick, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of tthe publication of “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” (1974). This special session comprises panel presentations and a plenary talk by John Meadowcroft (King’s College London). Robert Nozick’s “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” emerged during a time of intense philosophical debate. After John Rawls’ “A Theory of Justice”, this is arguably the most influential work of political philosophy of the twentieth century. In it, Nozick laid down the foundations for a modern version of a rights- based libertarianism structured around the notion of self-ownership and robust individual property rights, anchoring the entitlement theory of justice and justifying minimal state intervention. Yet, the book’s significance extends far beyond libertarianism. Its arguments on individual rights, self-ownership, and the entitlement theory of justice have influenced a wide range of thinkers and schools of thought. The libertarian, conservative, and liberal traditions all owe a significant debt to
Nozick’s work, as it provided original insights into the principles of justice, property, and the legitimate scope of government.
The Special Session:
In this special session, we will explore the book’s enduring relevance, its influence on contemporary political thought, and the debates it has spawned. We welcome high quality presentations dealing with aspects of Nozick’s life and work. Presentations dealing mainly with secondary literature on Nozick’s ideas are also welcome, and they will be accommodated as much as possible, depending on the number of slots that will be made available by the general organisation of the Meetings.
Key Themes and Discussion Topics:
- The Role of the Minimal State in Political Philosophy
- Nozick’s Defence of Individual Rights
- Freedom and Property
- The Entitlement Theory of Justice and Its Critiques
- The Influence of “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” on Contemporary Political Philosophy
- The Ongoing Debates on Libertarianism
- Nozick’s Influence on Ethical and Political Theories Beyond Political Philosophy