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On the subject of natural rights and their
relationship to morality, Younkins's
discussion clearly identifies the
intellectual progress made in this area
since the time of Aristotle, who was himself
inconsistent about whether morality
needed to be enforced by a governmental
entity. The concept of rights as metanorms –
offered by Den Uyl and Rasmussen – offers
useful insights into the distinction between
society-wide, legally enforceable natural
rights and the personal sphere of moral
decision-making. In short, “Natural
rights are metanormative principles that
regulate the conditions under which
moral conduct and human flourishing can take
place.”
Natural rights establish the ground rules
within which individuals can make
efficacious moral choices as autonomous
moral agents. Metanorms do not themselves
bring about individual flourishing, since
individuals also have the right to act
immorally or otherwise sub-optimally as long
as they do not initiate force against others.
However, proper metanorms, such as natural
rights, create the environment in which
flourishing can be successfully pursued by
large numbers of people. Another approach by
Tibor Machan at the ethical foundations of
natural rights is also discussed. To Machan,
rights can be derived from rational egoism
in ethics, as it is in an individual's
rational self-interest to protect conditions
that allow him to pursue his flourishing
autonomously, without coercive interference.
In
Chapter 3
– “Toward
the Development of a Paradigm of
Human Flourishing in a Free Society”
– Younkins's system-building endeavor comes
to a climax. Insights from metaphysics,
epistemology, ethics, economics, psychology,
and politics are combined into an
intellectual edifice with implications for
everything from personal improvement to the
nature and workings of a politically and
economically free society. Ultimately, there
are many fronts on which one can work to
bring this integrated understanding closer
to an everyday reality that is recognized
and implemented by large numbers of people.
Younkins's book should be read not just as
an abstract academic treatise, but as a way
of motivating improvements – incremental
ones where necessary, radical ones where
possible – in every aspect of theoretical
and practical human endeavor. Younkins is to
be praised for investing much effort into
emphasizing what many advocates of a
rational, free society all too often forget:
that there
is
a beautiful, rigorously consistent system of
knowledge that unites them intellectually,
even as they retain their differences in
individual skills, personalities, areas of
focus, and opinions on the finer points of
theory and practice. For someone who desires
the kind of society-wide human flourishing,
liberty, and rational advancement that
Younkins describes, it should be clear upon
reading this book that there is much left to
be done, and much that
can
be done by individuals in any position in
life. At the same time, Younkins's book has
the potential to introduce many readers to
the work of a plethora of wonderful,
insightful thinkers, and to motivate a
further, in-depth exploration of their
works.
Disclosure:
The
reviewer received a free copy of the book so
as to produce a review in advance of
publication.
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