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Anarchy, State, and Utopia

By: Robert Nozick
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
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Publisher's summary

In this classic work, award-winning philosopher Robert Nozick offers a “complex, sophisticated, and ingenious” (The Economist) defense of libertarianism

First published in response to John Rawls' A Theory of Justice, Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia has since become one of the defining texts in classic libertarian thought. Challenging and ultimately rejecting liberal, socialist, and conservative agendas, Nozick boldly asserts that the rights of individuals are violated as a state's responsibilities increase—and the only way to avoid these violations rests in the creation of a minimalist state limited to protection against force, fraud, theft, and the enforcement of contracts.

Winner of the 1975 National Book Award, Anarchy, State and Utopia remains one of the most philosophically rich defenses of economic liberalism to date. With a new foreword by Thomas Nagel, this revised edition introduces Nozick and his work to a new generation.

©1974 Basic Books, Inc. (P)2018 Hachette Audio
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Critic reviews

"Complex, sophisticated and ingenious."—The Economist

"[Nozick's] powers of argument are profound, and his insights are at times staggering in their brilliance."—New Republic

"A major event in contemporary political philosophy...[Nozick] is always stimulating; an open-minded study of what he has to say could be a healthy tonic for romantic leftists."—Peter Singer, New York Review of Books

What listeners say about Anarchy, State, and Utopia

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a classiic of political thought

you might not agree with everythjng but you would be wrong to no agree with a lot of it.
one thj g is sure, Nozick was a great thinker. his arguments are well constructed and intellectually honest that can not be dismissed easily

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The Best Political Philosophy Book I've Read

Robert Nozick hits on everything that one could imagine in trying to create an ideal State. The subject matter is superb, the narrator is great, and the length is spot on. If you're interested in political philosophy then Anarchy, State, and Utopia is a must read. Well worth it, 5/5.

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2 people found this helpful

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Well done, but not ideal for scholars

I liked the reader, but some of the text was changed (“the reader” becomes “the listener,” for example), which is not ideal for a student or scholar who wants the original text.

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Quality Content

This audiobook is full of quality content and good points. Narration not the hottest of reads though.

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Mathematical analysis of minarchy

philosophy books are a bit hard to listen to.
But the piece is monumental and educational dissection of the core ideas of liberalism.

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6 people found this helpful

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Incredible level of concentration

I had no idea how intellectual heavyweight this book would be. Obvious classic and required for anyone studying political or economic institutions.

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In a box

Stopped listening. Seems the author can only imagine a world of privateering capitalism. I pray these "thinkers" never get a foothold, it would be a tyrannical nightmare.

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pdf not included

great reading but the PDF isn't here, so you don't get to see any of the formal logic

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joyfully ignorant or joyfully heinous

I find it rather interesting that Nozick doesn't touch upon Hobbes considering how independent of states he wants his readers to be. The flippant disregard Nozick has for the loyalty towards hlthe state speaks of a very corrupt state, yet his proposed solution is a darwinist slaughterfest of communities, and the individuals living in those communities. His protective agencies sound very much like mercenary companies. What prevents them from acting like such? other protective agencies?Nozick also seems to disregard the western revolutions that so enshrined the freedom of the individual, in favour of lower taxes. Who needs roads is one of his flippant comments.

even compared to the revolutionaries of the 1840's Nozick's vissions are unimaginative and misrepresented.

Nozick is a true Sophist, who has no regard for others in his philosophy. But if you are healthy, wealthy and intelligent, Nozick might be the Sophist for you

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Largely overrated, and is basically an opinion

the writer basically makes hundreds of problems largely explained away by writers in the past and makes no attempt to reference them and there large breaths of work. he doesn't understand the difference between Rights and violence.
humanism verses gaiaism.
it's like a kid who guess this whole field of study and was largely disappointed in the presentation of this information.

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