The Zeroth Position

A place for novel arguments in libertarian philosophy.
Profile picture
  • Zeroth Position

On Degeneracy, Loss, and Civilization Apr 21, 2018

A significant portion of my work consists of critiquing arguments, decisions, and statements made by other people. But sometimes, the lens of examination is best turned inward to correct one's own missteps. Such is the case for an article I wrote last year about the nature of degenerate behavior. In that article, I started with the dictionary definition of degeneracy as “sexual perversion” and degenerate as “having declined or become less specialized (as in nature, character, structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state”, “having sunk to a lower and usually corrupt and vicious state”, “one degraded from the...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part IX: Trust Apr 20, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series are further expounded upon in my book Anarcho-Monarchism, which you can buy here. Introduction The first eight parts of this series demonstrated that libertarian governance is both necessary and desirable, explained how it ought to be structured, and showed that statism is inferior to libertarian statecraft. The next task, which will occupy the remainder of this series, is to explore the nature of wise statecraft. The principles laid out here will apply to all statecraft, whether done on an individual, collective, or even statist level. However, these principles of...

By Zeroth Position Vote1 0

An Overview of Second-Order Logical Problems Apr 12, 2018

In rational discourse carried out by irrational beings such as humans, mistakes are a natural occurrence. Collectively, these are known as logical fallacies. A fallacy is a logical structure that may produce false conclusions from true premises. There are a great many fallacious logical structures that one may encounter. Learning to recognize as many of them as possible will both increase one's debating skills and keep one from being led astray by demagogues and charlatans. But when opposition to these fallacies goes too far, further fallacies and sub-optimal behaviors can result. Let us examine the most common examples of this...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part VIII: Authority and Elite Apr 10, 2018

By Insula Qui Introduction Having established thus far that an entire field of libertarian inquiry exists by using statecraft for the maximization of profit within a libertarian system, we can now start looking at the problems that arise from certain systems. The most problematic political system that could arise from libertarian statecraft is a totalitarian system. This is any system in which superficially libertarian contracts could lead to a complete abandonment of all rights. We must now determine whether this is a problem for libertarians, and if so, whether voluntary totalitarianism must be fought. Totalitarianism and Profit It is possible...

By Zeroth Position Vote1 0

The Color Theory of Conflict, Part I: Order of Battle Apr 5, 2018

Introduction The overarching story of human history is a story of conflict. Interpersonal, tribal, political, religious, economic, and ideological disputes have been the driving forces behind societal changes, both progressive and regressive. As such, many efforts have been made to study and model conflicts in order to gain understanding of their function and role in society. These efforts gave rise to the field of sociology in the 19th century, and the influence of Marxism has permeated most mainstream efforts ever since. Some of the successors to Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels have done better, while others have not. What is...

By Zeroth Position Vote1 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part VII: Libertarian Philosophy and Social Contract Mar 31, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series are further expounded upon in my book Anarcho-Monarchism, which you can buy here. Introduction The frame in which the modern libertarian movement sees the world is a combination of individualist anarchism and classical liberal thought. This in itself is excusable, as the classical liberals and individualist anarchists were major influences in the development of libertarianism. However, framing libertarianism by these principles also results in serious problems. Our theory is subject to the suppositions of opposing theories. Freedom for Freedom An idea that is largely derivative from the individualist anarchists...

By Zeroth Position Vote1 0

A Glossary of Social Justice Warrior Terminology, 2nd Edition Mar 30, 2018

The use of language by social justice warriors frequently departs from both the dictionary definitions and the common understanding of words by most of the general population. As such, a guide to social justice warrior speech may be helpful to the layperson, along with commentary about how their uses of words relate to reality. This will take the form of an informal and potentially humorous glossary, which will not be exhaustive due to some terms being understood in the same manner by social justice warriors and the layperson, and due to the continual invention of new terms. This glossary will...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

How To Manufacture A Sociopolitical Movement Mar 25, 2018

Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on February 14 that left 17 people dead and 17 more wounded, there has been a renewed push for tougher gun laws. In the weeks since, schools around the nation have had organized protests in which students walked out of class. Some students traveled to Washington, D.C., and a larger event occurred there on March 24. There is some lovely beachfront property in Arizona for sale for anyone who believes that this is truly a grassroots movement in which students are expressing their own opinions and planning...

By Zeroth Position Vote3 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part VI: Authority and Liberty Mar 24, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. Introduction If there is to be a government in a libertarian society, there will eventually be a problem of state formation. Libertarians wish to avoid having a state over them, but here I advocate for giving a degree of sovereignty to a governing entity. The main problem lies within the potential capacity of the managerial government to usurp the property of its constituents and leave that property liable for expropriation and resale. This...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

Ten Observations on Right-Wing Activist Bans in the UK Mar 17, 2018

On March 9, American activist Brittany Pettibone and Austrian activist Martin Sellner were detained while attempting to enter the United Kingdom through Luton Airport. The UK Home Office said in a statement that “Border Force has the power to refuse entry to an individual if it is considered that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good.” They were kept in a prison until being released and deported back to Austria on March 11. On March 12, Canadian journalist Lauren Southern was denied entry at Coquelles, France, where the English Channel Tunnel joins the...

By Zeroth Position Vote6 0

Book Review: Homo Deus Mar 13, 2018

Homo Deus is a book about the possible future of humanity by Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari. The book is divided into three sections and eleven chapters, each of which covers a different part of the history of Homo sapiens and our potential futures. Harari begins with an introductory chapter in which he considers how the future will likely be fundamentally different from the past. He correctly credits modern agriculture, evidence-based medicine, and nuclear weapons for the relative lack of war, famine, and plague in the current era. He then predicts that improvements that raised the minimum standard for the...

By Zeroth Position Vote3 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part V: Aristocracy, Republicanism, and State Mar 12, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. Introduction In Part IV, the logistical question of merging the rule of the aristocracy with the absolute property held by each person was considered. To concede that individual sovereignty is invalid would effectively defeat all libertarian values. To concede that central sovereignty is invalid would defeat the purpose and role of statecraft. To resolve this, one must look to the nature of contracts. When multiple people sign a contract, they do so for...

By Zeroth Position Vote3 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part IV: Libertarian Governance Mar 4, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. Introduction Part III concluded by asserting that without governance in a libertarian social order, each property holder is vulnerable to social and economic issues, to say nothing of conquest. But the reasons provided did not form a definitive case for why it is necessarily true. There still could be an appeal to private defense agencies, decentralized collaboration, and independence. Thus, let us consider the fundamental reasons why people are so drawn to governance....

By Zeroth Position Vote7 0

Agreeing With Statists For The Wrong Reasons: Anti-Discrimination Laws Mar 1, 2018

In the latter half of the 20th century, governments throughout the West passed legislation that forbids discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, and other such factors. The mainstream narrative says that the market failed to protect people from evil bigots, so the state had to step in to save these poor minorities. The truth, as usual, is that the state caused this problem. This was done by legally requiring business owners to deny service to certain types of people, officially segregating urban communities and public services, and teaching children a bigoted curriculum in government schools. While...

By Zeroth Position Vote6 0

Eliminate Government Shutdowns Feb 21, 2018

Several months ago, I argued that the United States debt ceiling is a counterproductive and anti-formalist measure that should be eliminated, albeit for what establishment thinkers might call the wrong reasons. However, the debt ceiling is only part of the problem. Another part is the practice known as a government shutdown. Let us examine this practice and its effects, then make the case for its elimination. Overview Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution delegates the power of the purse to Congress. Appropriations bills must start in the House of Representatives, then be approved by the Senate. Next,...

By Zeroth Position Vote6 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part III: Governance, State, and Defense Feb 19, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. Alleviating Burdens of Property As established in Part II, the entire burden of owning property is usually too much for a single person to bear. Any person who fully owns property in a libertarian social order has the responsibility of an absolute monarch. He would have to uphold all control over legislation, arbitration, and upkeep when it comes to his property. The only way to alleviate this burden is to outsource part of...

By Zeroth Position Vote6 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part II: Property and Liability Feb 13, 2018

By Insula Qui Author’s note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. Stateless Statecraft At the end of Part I, I posited that statecraft would best function and flourish without a state. This is an assertion that could seem oddly self-defeating unless the meanings of state and statecraft are clarified. Statecraft is by definition simply good governance of the internal and external affairs of a political body. The state is a group of people who exercise a monopoly on initiatory force within a geographical territory....

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

Agreeing With Statists For The Wrong Reasons: Conscription Feb 10, 2018

Conscription of individuals for civil or military service has been practiced since the dawn of statism, and has expanded to include almost all men since the French Revolution. The practice goes by many names: levying, impressment, national service, call-up, and the draft, to name a few. Though many states no longer use it, relying instead upon professional soldiers that enlist voluntarily, most claim a right to resume conscription if they cannot preserve themselves or achieve their foreign policy goals otherwise. This policy is controversial on religious, political, and philosophical grounds. Libertarians object to conscription as a violation of self-ownership, the...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

On Libertarianism and Statecraft, Part I: Political Strategy Feb 5, 2018

By Insula Qui Author's note: The main themes of this series will be further expounded upon in my upcoming book Anarcho-Monarchism, which will be available in April. The Libertarian Party There are few efforts within the libertarian movement that are as shameful and poorly constructed as the US Libertarian Party. It is famously a den of toxicity that is rarely able to have a positive impact on libertarianism. Every attempt of having innovation in the party and having the party be involved in anything other than mainstream politics is stamped out. The party that is supposed to represent the libertarian...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

On Linguistic Warfare Feb 3, 2018

Whereas the most basic purpose of language is to facilitate communication between people, its development is necessarily a social affair. That being said, the role of individuals in this process cannot be denied. Only individuals think, act, speak, and write; there can be no erection of social constructs without the sum of individual efforts. It is true that a collective endeavor is necessary in order for a particular word to come into use and be understood to have a particular set of meanings with regard to connotation, denotation, and exosemantics. But before this can happen, some individual must take the...

By Zeroth Position Vote2 0

Login