Fulya Cansu Güner
I think
paternalism mostly derives its roots from the negative or rather realistic
beliefs in human nature. It is a well known or many time proved fact that human
beings are capable of doing horrifying things. In this sense, I must admit
that, some kind of a protection or security idea which is provided with
paternalism is welcomed in exchange of preventing those terrible acts. May be
we need paternalism, indeed, to have a better life in overall by sacrificing some
of our liberties like Thomas Hobbes advocates. If human nature is really better than being selfish and
wicked, why do we live under states, under laws today? How come they appeared
in the first place? Why people needed such institutions to take control?
Aras Can Kayar
Although I must admit that human beings are capable of doing horrifying things as Fulya stated, our pessimistic views on the human nature can only justify our position against paternalism. After all, even if there was a necessity to interfere with one’s actions, that intervention will be done by the state which is ruled either by one man or a group of people, and other individuals. Even if we accept the idea that human beings are selfish and self-oriented, and needs to be limited, it cannot provide a justification for paternalism. Therefore, in most cases, interventions will carry the bad intentions of the human nature.
Mehmet Akif Özsoy
Both of my friends's ideas are valuable but not valid enough I think. In “Second Treatise of Government” John Locke defines the paternal power as “ Paternal or parental power is nothing but that which parents have over their children, to govern them for the children’s good, till they come to the use of reason, or state of knowledge, wherein they may be capable to understand that rule….” This shows that paternalism rises from the relationship between parents who are qualified enough, and children who are not qualified enough. I think, in time this parent figure has turned into state formation and child figure has turned into citizen formation. However since adult citizens do not lack of reason like children, paternalism can not be considered as a valid system for governing people.
