Group personification obscures, rather than illuminates, important political questions.

But there is no obvious reason for holding that some normal adults are entitled to make choices for other normal adults, as paternalists of both left and right believe.

Guardians are necessary for children and abnormal adults, because they cannot make responsible choices for themselves.

Group personification obscures, rather than illuminates, important political questions.

The first census in 1790 asked just six questions: the name of the head of the household, the number of free white males older than 16, the number of free white males younger than 16, the number of free white females, the number of other free persons, and the number of slaves.

Libertarians recognize the difference between adults and children, as well as differences between normal adults and adults who are insane or mentally hindered or retarded.

Equality of rights means that some people cannot simply impose obligations on others, for the moral agency and rights of those others would then be violated.