Jan Narveson
Encyclopedia
Jan Narveson, OC
(born 1936) is professor of philosophy
emeritus at the University of Waterloo
, in Waterloo, Ontario
, Canada
. An anarcho-capitalist and contractarian, Narveson's form of libertarian anarchism is deeply influenced by the thought of Robert Nozick
and David Gauthier
.
Narveson was born in Erskine, Minnesota
, United States
. He studied at the University of Chicago
where he obtained a B.A. in political science and in philosophy; he then spent a year at the University of Oxford
on a traveling fellowship before earning a PhD at Harvard University
in 1961. His libertarian views have evolved from dissatisfaction with utilitarianism
.
A prolific author, Narveson has written hundreds of essays, reviews and articles for publication. Despite his distinguished academic background, his writing style is often informal and humorous, broadening his potential appeal to the general public. A fierce critic of Marxism
, he is also known in the University of Waterloo
for taking part in many on-campus debates. In 2002 he published Respecting Persons in Theory and Practice (2002), a collection of his most influential essays spanning the length of his career. His most recent work is You and the State: A Short Introduction to Political Philosophy. Narveson is a long-time member of the Ontario Libertarian Party
, and currently sits on its Ethics Committee.
Apart from his libertarian work, he is the founder/president of the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society - a long-running venue for classical chamber music.
In 2003, Narveson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
by past Governor-General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson.
Since 2006, Narveson has been president of the Institute for Liberal Studies
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1936) is professor of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
emeritus at the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
, in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. An anarcho-capitalist and contractarian, Narveson's form of libertarian anarchism is deeply influenced by the thought of Robert Nozick
Robert Nozick
Robert Nozick was an American political philosopher, most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a professor at Harvard University. He is best known for his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia , a right-libertarian answer to John Rawls's A Theory of Justice...
and David Gauthier
David Gauthier
David Gauthier is a Canadian-American philosopher best known for his neo-Hobbesian social contract theory of morality, as laid out in his book Morals by Agreement.-Biography:...
.
Narveson was born in Erskine, Minnesota
Erskine, Minnesota
Erskine is a city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 503 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Grand Forks- ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area'.-Geography:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He studied at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
where he obtained a B.A. in political science and in philosophy; he then spent a year at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
on a traveling fellowship before earning a PhD at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1961. His libertarian views have evolved from dissatisfaction with utilitarianism
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
.
A prolific author, Narveson has written hundreds of essays, reviews and articles for publication. Despite his distinguished academic background, his writing style is often informal and humorous, broadening his potential appeal to the general public. A fierce critic of Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, he is also known in the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
for taking part in many on-campus debates. In 2002 he published Respecting Persons in Theory and Practice (2002), a collection of his most influential essays spanning the length of his career. His most recent work is You and the State: A Short Introduction to Political Philosophy. Narveson is a long-time member of the Ontario Libertarian Party
Ontario Libertarian Party
The Ontario Libertarian Party is a political party in Ontario, Canada that was founded in 1975 by Bruce Evoy, Vince Miller, and others, inspired by the formation three years earlier of the US Libertarian Party. The Party is guided by adherence to the philosophical ideas of Austrian Economics and...
, and currently sits on its Ethics Committee.
Apart from his libertarian work, he is the founder/president of the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society - a long-running venue for classical chamber music.
In 2003, Narveson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
by past Governor-General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson.
Since 2006, Narveson has been president of the Institute for Liberal Studies
Institute for Liberal Studies
The Institute for Liberal Studies is a non-profit educational Institute focused on Canada's classical liberal history and tradition....
.
Works
- Morality and Utility. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1967.
- Moral Issues. Oxford University Press, 1983.
- Political Correctness: For and Against co-authored with Marilyn Friedman. Roman & Littlefield. 1995.
- Moral Matters. 2nd ed. Broadview Press, 1999.
- The Libertarian Idea. Paperback ed (with new preface). Broadview Press, 2001. (Orig. pub.: Temple University Press, 1988)
- Respecting Persons in Theory and Practice: Essays on Moral and Political Philosophy. Rowman & Littlefield, 2002.
- You and the State, 2008.
External links
- Homepage of Jan Narveson at the Univ. of Waterloo
- Criticism of Narveson's Libertarianism by G.A. Cohen
- The Fox Guarding the Chicken Coop: An Interview with Jan Narveson
- An interview with Jan Narveson about the philosophy of Robert Nozick by Peter Jaworski
- A review of Narveson's The Libertarian Idea and Respecting Persons in Theory and Practice
- A debate between Narveson and Gary Francione on Radio Netherlands on the issue of animal rights.