Philosophy exercise, anyone?

[doommonkey]

If you hold to the Non-Aggression Principle would you be breaking that if you spanked your child?

It holds that "aggression," which is defined as the initiation of physical force, the threat of such, or fraud upon persons or their property, is inherently illegitimate. In contrast to Pacifism, the non-aggression principle does not preclude defense

Comments

[polyanarch]

I think you would be breaking the ZAP if you failed to spank your child.

Until it learns to take care of itself and pull its own weight in society it is your own responsibility as a parent, and your obligation to make sure it gets a good upbringing so that it respects the ZAP itself.

If you fail it, then it will surely fail at life.

[doommonkey]

How does one learn to respect NAP if physical force was used for any reason against it?

Is a living, breathing child still an extension of parental property as it is assumed while in the womb and has no rights to not be forced against even by those who assume responsibility of care?

TANSTAAFL

[polyanarch]

It isn't fully an independent individual until it can pull its own weight. As long as it needs the support and help from its parent(s) it has to follow their rules. If they don't like this arrangement they can declare themselves independent and emancipated (I'm talking about theoreticaly in Anarchistan of course) and live or die on their own without that help (and the rules/punishments that come tied with it).

[maineshark]

The NAP does not specify "physical force." Any initiated violation of another's self-ownership is aggression. That includes things like theft and fraud.

In any case, spanking is wholly unnecessary. It's an "easy way out" thing. Those who intend to become parents should learn how to actually parent, first.

[doommonkey]

Thank you for your reply. I agree that it's an "easy way out", and add that I think it's for mental sloths who will not take the time to actually parent i.e. teach.

[coevalpretext]

-It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. ~Cormac McCarthy. Blood Meririan

And then:
http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780394280639&view=print

John Keegan's book is a good beginner about aggression. Nature is inherently competitive, and aggression is an imperitive. If it wasn't, we would cease to adapt, and would disappear. We need aggression. Discussions of NAP are only possible in a secure environment, made and kept so by men ready to do violence.