Illusion of Freedom: A Study of Berlin's Thought - Nanyuan Young Scholar's Fine Book House

Author: Hu Chuansheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: This book discusses the works of the British liberal thinker Isaiah Berlin in the context of liberal thought and the history of contemporary thought. Berlin was a pivotal figure in 20th-century Anglo-American practical philosophy. His interpretation of the concept of liberty transformed the discourse of liberalism, promoting a return of contemporary liberalism to classical liberalism. His emphasis on pluralism in value conflicts was both a philosophical breakthrough for liberalism's ideal of tolerance and a catalyst for the cultural shift in the paradigm of contemporary practical philosophy. His critique of historical determinism highlighted moral responsibility while defending the humanistic nature of history. His dismantling of rationalist monism provided a pathology of civilization in contemporary Western society. As a typical Western approach and the ideological foundation of Western institutions, liberalism has generated persistent antagonism and meaning fragmentation in regions beyond the West during the pursuit of modernity in globalization.