Ripstein “Beyond The Harm Principle”

Type 1 Focused Summary

Ripstein begins his work by introducing Mill and the harm principle, the idea that only acts that ‘harm’ others should be prevented. Ripstein refers to the idea of sovereignty that Mill produces in his text, saying that individuals under this idea become sovereign. Ripstein continues to state that because of this, we should abandon the harm principle and adopt the sovereign principle. He supports this claim by stating that the sovereign principle, unlike the harm principle, can decide if the harm is actually significant or if it matters.

He begins with an example that shows a case of wrongdoing that is harmless, but as a society feel as it is harmful. A person breaks into your home secretly, wearing protective gear, sleeps in your bed, and then silently leaves. They have not harmed you at all, but the idea of someone on your property and near you unknowingly seems like a wrongdoing. He also states three side issues: the fact that it shows lack of respect and character, generating fear, and failure to ask permission. These are seen as societal mistakes, but are not actually harmful.

His idea is on the basis that we must decide these things based on freedom. However, people’s idea of freedoms may cross over to each other. One person may think they have a freedom to walk into someones house, and that person may have the freedom to their private property. He responds to this by stating the idea of freedom is that everyone is subject to their own freedom and rules, and not to anyone else’s. This emphasizes the idea of independence and allows people to recognize what is actually harmful and why.