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Two concepts of freedom
What defines individual freedom in a civilised society? Philosophers have argued over such questions for centuries. This free course, Two concepts of freedom, looks at a positive and a negative concept of freedom, asking you to think carefully about how freedom is restricted by our place in society and how it can vary from state to state.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- distinguish between negative and positive concepts of freedom
- understand the main points in Isaiah Berlin's article 'Two Concepts of Liberty'
- recognise emotive language, to distinguish between necessary truths and contingent facts, and to appreciate what is involved in refutation by counterexample.
First Published: 09/08/2012
Updated: 12/01/2016
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