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Critiques and Commentaries
on Works by David D. Friedman





Dialogues and Critiques
of the Fundamental
Viewpoints of Others
Aids Adequate and Correct Understanding

In order to see how our currently completed ideas concerning the optimal basis for a free society compare with those of other libertarian scholars, Paul Antonik Wakfer has undertaken the task of critiquing the writings of any such living scholars that he finds online. This is done not with any view to denigrate them, but to see if our own solutions to the creation of a stably ordered, maximally free, minimally restrictive society are adequate, and to see how any problems which other scholars raise can be solved by our system. The examples in this section are taken from the published writings of David D. Friedman. They have been placed here so that readers might better understand how our ideas differ from those of David Friedman, and to illustrate our ideas by contrast with those of his. By this means we hope to help readers learn essential principles and analysis techniques, just as we hope that these critiques will help both David Friedman and us to more solidly found and strengthen our ideas concerning the philosophy underlying liberty. These critiques have been sent to David Friedman by email and it is our hope that they will be accepted by him in the constructive spirit in which they have been written. David Friedman has also been informed that if he does not agree with Paul's critiques, then he may name the forum on which to respond and Paul will join in the discussion. Any response that he makes will together with Paul's reply be added to this portion of the website.



Comments, Questions
and Suggestions

We welcome all constructive comments regarding the examples above at the Yahoo group MoreLife. Paul and Kitty will make comments on posts submitted concerning arguing from the correct principles. Readers are encouraged to learn from the critiques of the writing of libertarian scholars in these sections that they too should not merely nod their heads in agreement when reading even the works of highly published libertarian authors, but should always address each work with critical appraisal. Understanding concepts also requires the ability to explain them to others so that they too understand. Whether or not the "listener" chooses to agree on the correctness of the "new" ideas expressed in the critiques of this section is up to him, but it may reveal much about his willingness to abandon the old inadequate but comfortable, for the new correct but sometimes radically different.