DISCUSSION POST: The Concept of Liberty

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Thesis Statement

The central thesis of Isaiah Berlin's work is that the freewill accorded to one person undoubtedly affects the autonomy of another; therefore, liberty controls and represses people.

Main Arguments

The first argument is that positive liberty or “freedom to” refers to the prospect of one assuming control of another person’s determination and drives. For that reason, positive freedom relates to social collectivities characterized by self-rule or capacity to pursue objectives[1]. Berlin explains that it describes self-mastery, and ensures that a person chooses who governs their society. All of this evidence shows that positive freewill is a human ideal that is important in any civilized social setup. Positive freedom not only allows individuals to do something but also gives them the authority to choose rational options.

The second argument is that negative liberty or "freedom from" denotes the absence of limits, hurdles, or limitations on individual agents. According to Berlin, the autonomy accorded to a person should be free from interference[2]. Nonetheless, Isaiah acknowledges that not all restrictions infringe on the negative freedom of a person. All of these indicate that the only constraints imposed by other persons affect an individual's freedom. Besides negative independence recognizing an individual’s free will, it also discusses the acceptable limits of interference in a person’s life.

Significance of Berlin’s Work

Berlin’s work relates to other perspectives since it dictates that positive freedom allows a person to make rational decisions through one assuming control of surrounding environments. However, it provides one with an opportunity to act socially negative since society does not limit an individual's conduct

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