The Libertarian Alternative: Essays in Social and Political Philosophy by Tibor R. Machan

The Libertarian Alternative: Essays in Social and Political Philosophy Reviews

• 
  Julia

  Absolute load of drivel. Smarmy prose delivering flawed arguments.
  
  Despite being a collection of essays penned by different authors, they all read the same and all suffer from the same fundamental logical flaw.
  
  Every single essay relies upon conclusions already made with no justification. This book could easily be renamed "begging the question." For example, one essayist points out that we assume people to be the owners of their own bodies, and works from that starting point. Failing to get into the crux of WHY people deem that to be the case. This logical error creates a shaky foundation which can't possibly hold up the conclusions that are reached.
  
  I went into this book with sympathy and respect for the Libertarian perspective, and unfortunately these essays (and their lack of true critical engagement with the subject matter) have caused me to lower my view on an entire ideology.
  
  For shame!