Philosophy: Sir Isaiah Berlin and Two Concepts of Liberty
In his essay 'Two Concepts of Liberty・(1958), Sir Isaiah Berlin made considerable intellectual ground on the philosophical definition of Freedom ｯ notably, it was here that the archaic distinctions between 'Positive・and 'Negative・freedom were reexamined and given a fresh, clear outlook. The ideas offered in his essay on the nature of these two 'freedoms・provided philosophers with such intellectual ammunition that they continue to be debated over, even to this present day.In trying to demarcate the separate senses of the two types of liberty, Berlin correctly noted that negative liberty is 'freedom from・ or the absence of obstacles to the individual's free choice; positive liberty is 'freedom to・ or the power of which the individual may act according to this free choice. From here, it may seem that the differences between positive and negative freedoms are just semantic; they basically are different sides of the same coin. This is true, insofar that they are both still liberty in a general sense. Liberty, in a very general, broad definition, is the individual's capacity for free choice; it is his ability to exercise free will. This idea of basic liberty is central to both 'Positive・and 'Negative・senses of the concept; t
The essence of liberty in this sense is non-interventionism. This instinctual desire is irrational impulse that is beyond his control, and cannot be deemed as 'free choice・ Thus one cannot be deemed to be free if he were to succumb to these desires; in stark contrast, to act according to these fits of irrational impulse would be tantamount to self-enslavement, simply because he is not choosing out of free will, but succumbing out of necessity. In Berlin's discussion of positive freedom, when he brings in the rational self, he introduces into the equation ends other than freedom itself. It is one of a repertoire of moral goods. In conclusion, what seemed like cosmetic differences of the same argument became distinct and separate, upon analysis of the underlying implications of these same differences. To seek negative liberty is to seek a removal of restrictions to 'free choice・ it is emancipation from forces outside of oneself that might coerce one to act in a manner that he otherwise would not. Here, the positive and negative senses of liberty come into conflict: exponents of negative liberty would detest this notion, as they would view intervention by any entity in coercion of the individual to be oppressive. To determine how negatively free one is, is to measure the degree to which the individual may act unhindered to his possible choices; it is prudent to note that the specific choice that he makes is largely irrelevant, only that there are several possible options that he is free to choose from. Apart from the goal of self-mastery (triumph of the rational self), Berlin's essay seems to imply that liberty in this positive sense exists along with a whole collection of moral ends, like justice, equality, et cetera. In further elaboration of what the 'rational self・in the 'positive・sense of liberty entails, Berlin, extends this rational self, to 'a tribe, a race, a Church, a State, the great society of the living and the dead and the yet unborn・ In this inclusion Berlin expands the rational self as not only the faculty of reason possessed by the specific individual, but whole social systems of which the individual is part of. In carefully analyzing the two separate concepts, one may realise that negative liberty must exist first before positive liberty; Berlin supports this claim that negative liberty, being the more basic, fundamental sense of freedom, must be necessarily present before positive liberty can exist. Truly, it is 'freedom to・ｯ to achieve something other than itself. Positive freedom is thus more a means to an end, an end that has teleological implications. This is true, as one must be free to choose, before considering what is chosen.
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