In Theory
These are the first in a series of essays I wrote as an undergraduate, honours, and then masters student in political theory. I’ve edited some to remove youthful hyperbole and imperfections of style, but essentially they’re the work of a political science student in his early twenties, written from 1989 to 1992.
Beyond the Social Contract looks at Mary Midgley’s “Duties Concerning Islands” and why we should care about rights beyond the human.
Why the Lottery Won’t Work considers the pitfalls of Barbara Goodwin’s proposed system of judicial roulette.
It’s For Your Own Good examines paternalism and autonomy in the light of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
The Force Behind Advance Directives responds to Allen Buchanan’s discussion of personal identity, autonomy, and living wills.
