Isaiah Berlin and his Philosophical Contemporaries

This book sets out to identify the nature and implications of a proper understanding of pluralism in a original and illuminating way. Isaiah Berlin believed that a recognition of pluralism is vital to a free, decent and civilised society. By looking below at the often neglected foundations of Berlin’s celebrated account of moral pluralism, Lyons reveals the more philosophically profound aspects of his undogmatic and humanistic liberal vision. He achieves this by comparing Berlin’s core ideas with those of several of his most distinguished philosophical contemporaries, an exercise which yields not only a deeper grasp of Berlin and several major twentieth-century thinkers, principally A. J. Ayer, J. L. Austin, P. F. Strawson, Bernard Williams and Quentin Skinner, but, more broadly, a keener appreciation of the power of history and philosophy to help us make sense of our predicament. Unique Selling Points Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Abbreviations List of Figures Chapter 1: Introduction The Aims, Scope and Structure of the Book The Sciences and the Humanities But Why Should Anyone Care? Chapter 2: Berlin and A. J. Ayer on Morality The Emotive Theory of Morality Berlin’s Pluralist Theory of Morality: Part One Facts and Values Berlin’s Pluralist Theory of Morality: Part Two Knowledge, Truth and Morals Metaethical Judgments and Normative Convictions Chapter 3: Berlin and J. L. Austin on Philosophy It Depends on What You Mean by ... The Linguistic Method The Implacability of Philosophical Questions Thought and Reality Philosophy and Human Understanding Chapter 4: Berlin and P. F. Strawson on Freedom The Silence of Determinism Truth and Freedom Reason and Freedom Living with/Under/Without Illusion God, Freedom and Belief Back to the Future Exact and Inexact Knowledge Liberal Freedom and Human Needs Chapter 5: Berlin and Quentin Skinner on History Plamenatz’s Proposal Skinner’s Sting Berlin’s Rapprochement Philosophy and / or / as History A Phoney War or a Genuine Conflict? Incommensurable Forms of Life Versus One Pluralist World Chapter 6: Berlin and Bernard Williams on Liberalism Williams’ Historicist Turn Thinking for Ourselves Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline From Pluralism to Liberalism and Back Again or Against Abstract Simplification Chapter 7: Conclusion A Faustian Choice? But Does Philosophy Make any Progress? Dealing with the Mess Selected Bibliography Index