Philosophical Questions: Harm
Jun. 21st, 2025 11:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
How far should governments go to prevent its citizens from causing harm to themselves?
A government ought to prevent people from harming others, but it is not the government's business if people choose to harm themselves. Humans have free will. They may choose to do things which other see as harmful, but they enjoy or find useful. It is particularly egregious when the government tries to take away a coping method without offering a better alternative or changing situations so that it is not needed. It adds insult to injury when the government rails about one thing being dangerous while forcing another dangerous thing on people.
How far should governments go to prevent its citizens from causing harm to themselves?
A government ought to prevent people from harming others, but it is not the government's business if people choose to harm themselves. Humans have free will. They may choose to do things which other see as harmful, but they enjoy or find useful. It is particularly egregious when the government tries to take away a coping method without offering a better alternative or changing situations so that it is not needed. It adds insult to injury when the government rails about one thing being dangerous while forcing another dangerous thing on people.
Thoughts
Date: 2025-06-22 07:52 pm (UTC)Well reasoned. I heartily approve things like guardrails on mountain roads.
>> Consensual deliberate 'harm' is none of their damn business. Granted, informed consent is key, and it should be the government's business to ensure everyone knows what they are doing, what the risks of smoking, alcohol and other recreational drugs are... but it's should not be their business to try and prevent people from indulging in them.<<
Agreed.
>> Although, it is definitely a government's business to prevent other people from influencing that choice as well, e.g advertising, drug pushers etc... <<
I would classify that as harming others, which is not okay.