
In Memory of Isaiah Berlin - pepys
http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/263644/isaiah-berlin
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noir-york
Berlin's Four Essays on liberty remains one of my most treasured moments (and
books) in my intellectual journey. Lucid and intelligent writing, with none of
the obscurantism. Of course, I have all Berlin's books.

A recent book and very good read I can recommend is Isaac & Isaiah by Caute
which charts the rivalry between Isaiah Berlin and Isaac Deutcher (the author
of an influential biography on Trotksy). I had not been aware of Berlin's
(priviledged) background and the book helped contextualise his thinking.

~~~
neonate
Sorry in advance because I'm not trying to be difficult, but I've never been
able to get anything out of Berlin's writings, other than some of his gossipy
letters. He was a sparkling socialite of the academic elite, which makes him a
historical figure in that way. But what valuable or original ideas did he come
up with? The many essays about him, including the OP, never seem to specify
this, at least not in any way that registers with me. It all seems so mushy
and middling.

~~~
keiferski
You don’t find the concept of “positive and negative liberty” to be specific
and useful? Personally, I think it’s incredibly insightful yet fundamentally
very simple, which is the mark of a good thinker IMO.

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Concepts_of_Liberty](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Concepts_of_Liberty)

