Those of us who are libertarians often cannot understand why everyone else is not a libertarian too. Isn’t the case for freedom easy to make and, once grasped, utterly convincing? Most contemporary moral and political philosophers think otherwise, though; they reject libertarianism and demand a more egalitarian system. This course will consider some of the leading arguments advanced against libertarianism. Do these criticisms have any validity? How should libertarians respond to them? The course will also consider important philosophical arguments raised by libertarian philosophers, e.g., Robert Nozick’s defense of a minimal state and the argumentation ethics of Hans Hoppe and Frank van Dun. The non-libertarian philosophers discussed will include G.A. Cohen, John Rawls, Thomas Nagel, Ronald Dworkin, and T.M. Scanlon.
Lectures
The video lectures are online. Lectures will be Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:30 pm EDT. They will be recorded and made available for enrolled students to download.
Reading
All readings for the course will be free and available online.
Grades and Certificates
The final grade will depend on quizzes. Taking the course for a grade is optional. The Mises Academy is currently not accredited, but this course is worth 3 credits in our own internal system. Feel free to ask your school to accept Mises Academy credits. You will receive a digital Certificate of Completion for this course if you take it for a grade, and a Certificate of Participation if you take it on a paid-audit basis.
Refund Policy
If you drop the course during its first week (7 calendar days), you will receive a full refund, minus a $25 processing fee. If you drop the course during its second week, you will receive a half refund. No refunds will be granted following the second week.
