Tom Woods - Where Do Rights Come From? Pt. 1

Thomas E. Woods, Jr., is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books. A senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Woods holds a bachelor's degree in history from Harvard and his master's, M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Columbia University.

This speech was given in September 2009 at Campaign for Liberty's Northeast Regional Conference in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Pt. 1 of this speech includes a definition of "rights,", a history of rights as a concept, the practice and recognition of rights in medieval times, and a comparison between those rights and the developing understanding of natural rights.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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• Tom Woods
• natural rights
• medieval
• campaign for liberty
• ron paul
• valley forge
• language
• meltdown
• politics
• activism
• history

[lazerus9]

Rights are never granted..they are either usurped or defended!

[starsassy]

google - non aggression axiom

[Mike10four]

@ProIndividual Survival transcends the “greater causes.” Without survival there are no “greater causes.” To have a greater cause you must first survive; on the other hand, “greater” is a relative term in one’s reality. “Egoism” is a personal matter. As for “kill another,” have you read the news lately? Jefferson’s “paraphrasing” is what many others do, stand on the shoulders’ of giants; in other words: social and scientific evolution. Jefferson’s contribution was implementation.

[ProIndividual]

@Mike10four I'm not a utilitarian...so I'm not going to agree. Survival is NOT always the chief drive, as evidenced when people give their lives for greater causes. Egoism is relevant, sure...but it isn't a moral code at all. Essentially, egoism argues we have the inherent "right" to kill another, but we do not. Also, egoism of the collective never overrules the individual. I prefer Josiah Warren, Henry David Throeau, and Lysnader Spooner on this subject to Jefferson. He was paraphrasing Locke.

[Mike10four]

@ProIndividual Man can define any metaphysical aspect to the perception of manmade laws. However, man is subservient to the Laws of Nature; the Laws governing our Cosmos responsible for the creation of Life. Once alive, Life has the Freedom in the pursuit of Survival; otherwise, you’re dead. Jefferson’s polished version of this phenomenon is: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” see my channel video for the proof.

[ProIndividual]

@Mike10four reigns*

[ProIndividual]

@Mike10four I have to disagree somewhat, although I agree people try and ammend the Natural Law, manipulating it. I would say pre-human, and even parts of our evolution, there was only egoist law; "might makes right". Then, as we gained more intellect, we developed a moral code, ethics, and therefore made the Natural Law, "do no harm". Only humans are good or evil, because only humans choose; animals act on instinct. Egoism is what rigns in the absence of man, Natural Law with man present.

[Mike10four]

@TomWoodsTV Morality and civil law, aka Natural Law, is the thread that runs through the tapestry of civil society; on the other hand, the Laws of Nature trumps the powers of mortals in government. All life is dependent on the Laws of Nature which includes Jefferson’s Rights. Therefore, these Rights were here before humans! Many confuse these Rights are part of Natural Law, giving the illusion these Rights are man made and therefore, can be manipulated. My channel contains the “argumentation.”

[JasperXoR]

Forward to 4:50 to skip introduction

[TomWoodsTV]

@fergus247 Did you listen to the lecture?