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    If liberalism entails the harm principle as a side-constr... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→Liberal claims that harmless immorality should not be regulated are not inconsistent with weak moralism

    If liberalism entails the harm principle as a side-constraint, then weak moralism's permission to regulate harmless wrongdoing 'on balance' directly contradicts the liberal position.

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    1 reason for
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    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.The harm principle is foundational to liberalism, making it non-negotiable rather than merely one consideration among others.
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    • 2.Weak moralism's 'on balance' approach treats harm prevention and moral wrongness as equally weightable, violating harm principle priority.
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    • 3.If regulation of harmless wrongdoing is permissible for liberals, the harm principle loses its constraining force entirely.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
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    • 1.Liberalism permits constraints beyond the harm principle—e.g., justice, consent, autonomy—making it compatible with limited moralism.
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    • 2.Weak moralism's 'on balance' can defer to harm principle when relevant, rather than denying it absolute priority in every case.
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    • 3.The claim equivocates on 'contradiction': disagreement on weights differs from logical inconsistency in core commitments.
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    Key Terms

    Liberalism(as the main subject being discussed)
    A political and philosophical tradition that emphasizes individual rights, democratic governance, and the idea that government should remain neutral on questions about what makes life meaningful or good.
    On balance(as a term describing how weak moralism makes decisions)
    After weighing all the pros and cons together; when you consider everything as a whole rather than following a strict rule.
    Side-constraint(as a philosophical concept about limits on decision-making)
    A principle or rule that cannot be violated or overridden, even if breaking it would produce better overall results; it acts like a boundary that limits what methods are acceptable.
    The Harm Principle(core concept in liberal political philosophy)
    An idea that the only good reason to limit someone's freedom is to prevent harm to others—not to protect people from harming themselves or from doing things society disapproves of.
    harmless wrongdoing(Used to distinguish the category of wrongdoing from the category of harmful conduct in debates over legal moralism)
    Conduct that is morally wrong but does not result in harm to any party
    weak moralism(Legal philosophy; compatible with liberal constraints on regulating harmless conduct)
    The view that there are at least some cases of harmless wrongdoing where legal regulation is not only pro tanto justified but also on-balance justified

    Connections

    2 topics

    Rights & Liberty1 linkedJustice & Punishment1 linked

    Related

    If regulation of harmless wrongdoing is permissible for liberals, the harm princ...Liberal claims that harmless immorality should not be regulated are not inconsis...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit
    Liberalism permits constraints beyond the harm principle—e.g., justice, consent,...
    The claim equivocates on 'contradiction': disagreement on weights differs from l...
    +3 moreShow less
    The harm principle is foundational to liberalism, making it non-negotiable rathe...Weak moralism's 'on balance' approach treats harm prevention and moral wrongness...Weak moralism's 'on balance' can defer to harm principle when relevant, rather t...