Refining the NAP: A Formal Approach to Bystander Intervention

This paper addresses a critical ambiguity in the Non-Aggression Principle (NAP), a cornerstone of libertarian philosophy that prohibits initiating force against others. While effectively guiding two-party interactions, the NAP lacks clarity regarding third-party bystander intervention. Utilizing formal logic and set theory, this study identifies a logical 'NULL state' inherent in traditional NAP formulations, which leaves bystander actions undefined. To resolve this, the paper introduces a modified NAP (MNAP), explicitly permitting voluntary, consent-based bystander intervention. The proposed refinement enhances the practical applicability of the NAP in complex multi-agent scenarios, offering libertarian societies a coherent framework for ethically and legally addressing immediate situations of aggression through consensual collective action.