Critical Assessments on Nozick’s Libertarianism from the Point of View of Kantian Moral Philosophy

Abstract

This article presents a critical assessment of Nozick’s libertarian theory from the perspective of Kantian moral philosophy. The criticisms are divided into three sections. The first challenges the libertarian justification for the original acquisition of holdings and the right to property. The second evaluates the presuppositions and difficulties with the principle of transfer of holdings. The third section examines how the principle of rectification works in the context of Nozick’s libertarian theory. At the end it is concluded that despite Nozick’s claim of an affiliation with Kantian moral philosophy, there is a deep gap between both moral perspectives, so that libertarianism would be for Kantian philosophy only a theory of moral selfishness.