From: S
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 6:14 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Typhoid Mary
Professor Block:

I heard only a moment of your conversation with Sam Seder which I suspect did not encompass all your thoughts on public health policy. Nevertheless, I feel moved as a physician to respond as follows.

If you accept the right of the state to imprison or forcibly vaccinate a carrier of Salmonella Typhi or Measles or Influenza or Adenovirus because they have the potential to kill even a small number of innocent contacts, then isn’t it a small step to endorsing compulsory screening and prophylaxis against nearly every imaginable illness or thought crime because they are all arguably potential lethal threats?

Leaving the science or lack of it in this case behind, Mary could receive a D- rating on her kitchen inspection,  patrons can beware or they can sue. Mary is not radioactive, nor is she a serial killer or  a bio-weapons manufacturer. In my view her illness is certainly not a justification for violating her right or the rights of millions to be left alone. Your argument and Salmonella Sam’s benevolent agreement with you are musical accompaniment to the relentless, toxic and tyrannical fear mongering by the biotech and pharm industry which I  labor against evey day of my professional life.

I should add that I’ve enjoyed reading many of your enlightening discussions on LRC.

Steve MD

From: Walter Block [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 4:31 PM

To: S

Subject: RE: Typhoid Mary

Dear Doctor S:

Thanks for your kind words

I think this pub responds to your concern. If you don’t agree, please get back to me on this:

Block, Walter E. and William Barnett II. 2008. “Continuums” Journal Etica e Politica / Ethics & Politics, Vol. 1, pp. 151-166, June; http://www2.units.it/~etica/; http://www2.units.it/~etica/2008_1/BLOCKBARNETT.pdf

Here are my two debates with Sam Seder:

February 11, 2015. Sam Seder debates Walter E. Block. Part III. The Majority Report [mailto:[email protected]] The Majority Report with Sam Seder. Live M-F 12:00 NOON ET. http://majority.fm; Ring of Fire Radio. With Sam Seder, Mike Papantonio and Bobby Kennedy Jr. Weekends. http://www.ringoffireradio.com; Resolved: “laissez faire capitalism is the best system known to man” http://majority.fm/2014/05/01/51-professor-walter-block-defends-libertarianism/; http://majority.fm/; 646-257-3920; topics: vaccinations, a reprise of our min wage discussion, your email sign off “If it moves, privatize it; if it doesn’t move, privatize it. Since everything either moves or doesn’t move, privatize everything.” and if it’s ok, a listener wanted me to ask you to explain the difference between consequentialist and deontological libertarianism; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBNZwHw4eT8; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulMRmIALBX8

April 30, 2014. Sam Seder debates Walter E. Block. Part II. The Majority Report [mailto:[email protected]] The Majority Report with Sam Seder. Live M-F 12:00 NOON ET. http://majority.fm; Ring of Fire Radio. With Sam Seder, Mike Papantonio and Bobby Kennedy Jr. Weekends. http://www.ringoffireradio.com; Resolved: “laissez faire capitalism is the best system known to man” http://majority.fm/2014/05/01/51-professor-walter-block-defends-libertarianism/; http://majority.fm/; 646-257-3920; http://archive.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/walter-block-defends-the-ethical-argument-for-eliminating-the-minimum-wage/; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVAzC3r8WUs

The Best of Walter E. Block