PHILOS 1B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Henry David Thoreau, Practical Reason
27 Feb 2017
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The individual is, by right, the legitimate authority over her person and property; i. e. each individual is an independent power (p. 83) Any government only has authority legitimately iff it is derived from the sanction and consent of the governed" (p. 83) And such a government ought only to arise by means of expediency (i. e. what is of practical worth and reflects the interests of the governed) Government authority, as it actually comes to be, is not based on just/legitimate authority, but the ability to coerce others. The fact of the ability to enforce laws does not establish just laws. Any government that does not enact just laws ought to be disobeyed. I cannot for any instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave"s government" (p. 81) The duty to obey conscience: the only obligation which i have a right to assume, is to do at any time what i think right" (p. 81)
