isaiah berlin's legacy

Author: (American) Mark Lilla
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-05-01
Features: In this book, you can see the gathering of outstanding thinkers such as Thomas Nagel, Ronald Dworkin, Charles Taylor, and Bernard Williams, who discuss a single issue—truly a rare treat. Every perspective seems to be imbued with a divine touch. —The Observer Isaiah Berlin was one of the most distinguished liberal thinkers of the 20th century. In the fall of 1998, a year after his death, the New York Institute for the Humanities organized a seminar on the intellectual legacy of Isaiah Berlin. The conference invited a small group of scholars who had studied Berlin's thought extensively, to engage in a concentrated discussion of Berlin's intellectual legacy in an open and critical manner. Pluralism was a central focus of the scholars in attendance: Berlin's belief in pluralism was at the heart of his historical research and philosophical arguments, and he also regarded pluralism as the key to liberal values. The papers submitted at the conference and included in this book focus on three aspects of Berlin's work. Mark Lilla and others trace the development and outcomes of Berlin's theory of the difference between "hedgehogs" and "foxes." Berlin used "hedgehogs" to refer to thinkers who hold holistic, unified theories of human behavior and history, while "foxes" referred to those who believe in diversity, rejecting the idea of subordinating human nature to universal impulses. Ronald Dworkin and others examine how liberalism can continue in the face of Berlin's insights—that equally legitimate values, such as freedom and equality, may lead to irreconcilable conflicts. Robert Silvers and others explore Berlin's defense of the State of Israel and his hopes for it: to become a place where liberal and nationalist values, which are often in opposition, can coexist harmoniously. This book includes not only the papers submitted by the scholars but also transcripts of their live discussions. These explorations and debates demonstrate the enduring vitality and relevance of Isaiah Berlin's thought in contemporary social and political discourse.