Welfare Rights and Liberty Rights

1
Welfare Rights and Liberty Rights

• Positive Claim Right (Welfare Right) I have a
  welfare right to x means that someone is morally
  obligated to supply me with x.
• Example I have a welfare right to information
  means that someone is obligated to supply me with
  information.

• Negative Claim Right (Liberty Right) I have a
  liberty right to x means that everyone is
  obligated to refrain from interfering with my
  x-ing. (Its a right of non-interference.)
• Example I have a liberty right to information
  means that everyone is obligated to not interfere
  with my seeking information.

2
Welfare and Liberty Rights to Information

• In a society which only believed in liberty
  rights to information the following would be
  true
• No one could prevent you from writing a book,
  reading a book, talking to others, searching the
  internet, posting information to the internet,
  going to school.
• But no one would be obligated to provide
  information for others, e.g., no mandatory taxes
  to pay for schools or libraries and no obligation
  of the government to supply information (no
  FOIA).

3
Where do human rights come from?

• Interest Theory
• As human beings we have interests in certain
  things--being able to learn, raise our children,
  have a voice in our society, etc. Rights protect
  our most fundamental interests (e.g., those which
  are prerequisites for leading a minimally good
  life.)
• Choice Theory
• As human beings are able to make free
  (autonomous) choices--what to believe, how to
  live, who to marry, etc. Rights protect our
  capacity to make our most fundamental choices
  (e.g., those which are prerequisites for leading
  a minimally good life).
• Note Just two ways to think about rights--we
  dont need to worry about which is the right
  theory.

4
Right to Information based on Interests or Choices

• Interest Theory We have an interest in having
  free access to information both for its own sake
  (it is just valuable to us to learn and know) and
  because it allows us to fulfill our other
  interests--e.g., to participate in our
  government, raise our children, avoid disease,
  etc.
• Choice Theory Our choice in what to read, hear,
  see, is fundamental in itself. Also, information
  is necessary for us to make informed choices in
  all other areas of life.