As we've discussed in 2301, John Locke's Second Treatise was a response to Robert Filmer's justification for the Divine Rights of Kings. Filmer based his theory partly on the idea that a father's absolute power over his children justifies a king's absolute power over his subjects (kings being considered the father of their people). This absolute power includes power over life and death. Parents commonly possessed such power over children.
So here's a discussion question: Would Filmer support the prosecution of the parents of Baby Grace? Were they in fact free to punish her as they saw fit even if the punishment lead to her death? Would he think that government is justified in what it is doing? If we disagree, what is the basis of our disagreement?
