Live data from Hacker News

The Jews in the Attic Test

joehuffman.org

1–10 of 63 posts

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#4
post #2

This is kind of perfect.

It's okay, I guess: the firearm registration thing applies to essentially every kind of private ownership that the commons might have some interest in. Pinpointing it out of all possibilities betrays a very American perspective where the ability to bear arms is considered a fundamental right.

Edit: as another commenter astutely pointed out above, this rule, when sufficiently contorted, can essentially be applied to invalidate every law. It amounts to a radical mistrust of government. I wonder what the author's perspective is on property rights and their enforcement.

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#5
This applies to almost every law, and illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence. This is deeply ignorant.

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#6
> Government monopoly on medical care. This is a bit surprising -- isn't it? If it is illegal for you to pay someone for anonymous health care then how can your "Jews in the attic" receive health care?

This is absurd. The government also has a monopoly on law enforcement, so if "Jews in the Attic" are victim of a crime how can they seek justice? From this premise, to suggest the government should not enforce laws is a non sequitor.

This actually happens to undocumented immigrants: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/652/ice-capades/act-two-2

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#7
post #5

This applies to almost every law, and illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence. This is deeply ignorant.

> This applies to almost every law

Yep. What does that tell you?

> illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence

Only if they can get away with it. That is not always the case. And that's a key point of the test: it could be rephrased as "will this make it easier for an illegitimate government to achieve its ends using violence?"

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#8
post #7
post #5

This applies to almost every law, and illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence. This is deeply ignorant.

> This applies to almost every law Yep. What does that tell you? > illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence Only if they can get away with it. That is not always the case. And that's a key point of the test: it could be rephrased as "will this make it easier for an illegitimate government to achieve its ends using violenc…

Yep. What does that tell you?

It tells you exactly what the commenter is saying. This is a really silly 'test'.

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#9
post #6

> Government monopoly on medical care. This is a bit surprising -- isn't it? If it is illegal for you to pay someone for anonymous health care then how can your "Jews in the attic" receive health care? This is absurd. The government also has a monopoly on law enforcement, so if "Jews in the Attic" are victim of a crime how can they seek justice? From this premise, to suggest the government should not enforce laws is…

> The government also has a monopoly on law enforcement, so if "Jews in the Attic" are victim of a crime how can they seek justice?

They can't. So by the proposed test, a government monopoly on law enforcement is a bad thing and should be opposed.

If you ask "how can it be possible not to have a government monopoly on law enforcement?", note that historically that has been more often the norm than the system we have now. See, for example, David Friedman's The Machinery Of Freedom for a number of historical case studies.

> From this premise, to suggest the government should not enforce laws is a non sequitor.

No, it's a reason, as above, to not have the government have a monopoly on law enforcement.

Re: The Jews in the Attic Test

#10
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This applies to almost every law Yep. What does that tell you? > illegitimate governments don't suddenly give up when there are no legitimate means (laws) that lead to their ends, they just use violence Only if they can get away with it. That is not always the case. And that's a key point of the test: it could be rephrased as "will this make it easier for an illegitimate government to achieve its ends using violenc…

Yep. What does that tell you? It tells you exactly what the commenter is saying. This is a really silly 'test'.

> It tells you exactly what the commenter is saying. This is a really silly 'test'.

I think you and the other commenter are seriously missing the point.

Post reply on HN