[ExI] Private and government R&D

[Max More]

Eschatoon Magic wrote:
>What are "the goods"? To whom, when, how, and at what price, they 
>are "delivered"? And first of all, what is "better"? I think wine is 
>better than beer, you may think beer is better than wine. There is 
>one sane solution: I drink wine and you drink beer.

But when a good is provided by the government, you are forced to pay 
for Joe's beer, and Joe is forced to pay for your wine.

>There are many types of cohercive systems. I can force you to do 
>what I say by pointing a gun, or by withdrawing a loan.

This is the same frustrating discussion as on the WTA list... No, 
withdrawing a loan (under previously-agreed conditions) is *not* 
coercion. It may be damned inconvenient, but you had no right to the 
loan in the first place. It was something you agree to. Withdrawing 
it under agreed upon conditions (like failure to make payments) is 
not coercion. Surely you can see the difference?

Of course, it's possible that the system making the loans is one that 
you're being forced into (for instance, it may be a government 
monopoly, or one where your private choices are restricted through 
legislation), but that's a separate issue.

Max



-------------------------------------
Max More, Ph.D.
Strategic Philosopher
Extropy Institute Founder
www.maxmore.com
max at maxmore.com
-------------------------------------