LEGAL THEORY WORKSHOP
presents
David Owens
King's College London
Department of Philosophy
Private Authority
Friday, April 13, 2018
12:30 - 2:00
Room 219, Flavelle House
78 Queen's Park
In recent work, John Gardner and Arthur Ripstein agree that property rights give us authority over things. In Gardner's view, this private authority is to be justified in much the same way as public or political authority by reference to the collective interests that it serves. For Ripstein, by contrast, the justification of property essentially involves the idea of a proprietary domain which is mine (or yours). I argue that there is truth on both sides: the distinctive element in the justification of private property is an interest in external things being mine.
David Owens is Professor of Philosophy at Kings College, London. Much of his more recent published work focuses on promise and consent. A collection of his papers Normativity and Control came out in 2017 and he is the author of three other books: Shaping the Normative Landscape, Reason Without Freedom and Causes and Coincidences. He is currently working on a book about Convention.
To be added to the paper distribution list, please contact Nadia Gulezko at n.gulezko@utoronto.ca. For further information, please contact Professor Larissa Katz (larissa.katz@utoronto.ca) and Professor Sophia Moreau (sr.moreau@utoronto.ca).
'Private Authority'
In recent work, John Gardner and Arthur Ripstein agree that property rights give us authority over things. In Gardner's view, this private authority is to be justified in much the same way as public or political authority by reference to the collective interests that it serves. For Ripstein, by contrast, the justification of property essentially involves the idea of a proprietary domain which is mine (or yours). I argue that there is truth on both sides: the distinctive element in the justification of private property is an interest in external things being mine.
Bio:
David Owens is Professor of Philosophy at Kings College, London. Much of his more recent published work focuses on promise and consent. A collection of his papers Normativity and Control came out in 2017 and he is the author of three other books: Shaping the Normative Landscape, Reason Without Freedom and Causes and Coincidences. He is currently working on a book about Convention.
