The fundamental sense of freedom is freedom from chains, from imprisonment, from enslavement by others. The rest is extension of this sense, or else metaphor.
About Isaiah Berlin
Sir Isaiah Berlin was a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas. Although he became increasingly averse to writing for publication, his improvised lectures and talks were sometimes recorded and transcribed, and many of his spoken words were converted into published essays and books, both by himself and by others, especially by his principal editor from 1974, Henry Hardy.
More quotes from Isaiah Berlin
Only barbarians are not curious about where they come from, how they came to be where they are, where they appear to be going, whether they wish to go there, and if so, why, and if not, why not.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
Injustice, poverty, slavery, ignorance – these may be cured by reform or revolution. But men do not live only by fighting evils. They live by positive goals, individual and collective, a vast variety of them, seldom predictable, at times incompatible.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
Philosophers are adults who persist in asking childish questions.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
To understand is to perceive patterns.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
The fundamental sense of freedom is freedom from chains, from imprisonment, from enslavement by others. The rest is extension of this sense, or else metaphor.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
Liberty for wolves is death to the lambs.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
All forms of tampering with human beings, getting at them, shaping them against their will to your own pattern, all thought control and conditioning is, therefore, a denial of that in men which makes them men and their values ultimate.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
The very desire for guarantees that our values are eternal and secure in some objective heaven is perhaps only a craving for the certainties of childhood or the absolute values of our primitive past.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
The first people totalitarians destroy or silence are men of ideas and free minds.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)
Few new truths have ever won their way against the resistance of established ideas save by being overstated.
Russo-British Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909-1997)