More on Human ABILITY to REASON, Human RIGHT to CONSENT - Proem & Poem No. 129

Most likely to be published later this fall/winter of 2019/2020, my 11th book entitled appropriately; More 100 Proems & Poems on the Peculiar Human ABILITY to REASON, Singular Human RIGHT to CONSENT & Other Neglected Matters. The following will probably be included upon further editing, and front cover a slightly modified yet appropriate version of the previous....

PROEM & POEM No. 129 - Epicurus and John Locke

      The Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC) stated with insight "Justice is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed." Fast forward some 1800 years, John Locke (1632-1704) wrote similarly, "No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions." Similar only if one compares the proper elements of these two quotes or axioms and others like them. For what is justice if harmed but injustice. What is life, health, liberty and possessions if harmed but injury to these things in various possible forms; termination, affliction, subjugation, confiscation and incalculably more.

      The common operative is "if harmed", that is to say, if perceived as such by the individual. If perceived as harmful, it is solely due to the individual dissenting to the arrangement. In contrast, if perceived as beneficial or at least not harmful, it is solely due to the individual consenting to the same arrangement.

      Lets be clear. Popular or majority opinion have no more ethical justification to intrude, intervene or impose upon individual perception than minority or oligarchical opinion. Determining what is harmful per dissent or not harmful per consent is strictly a matter quite individual thus ethical else a matter quite tyrannical thus unethical. Only covetousness, presumption and arrogance would disagree. My apologies.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Copyright © 2019 by D.C. Quillan Stone