Fox's Inflexibility: The Relationship Of Value Pluralism And Liberalism

The Value Pluralism and Liberalism what make up Isaiah·Berlin's thought are two important issues in contemporary political philosophy and moral philosophy. On the one hand, he insisted on the idea of Value Pluralism, that there are many differently ultimate values which often be incommensurable and serious conflicts may occur in the world of human's lives; on the other hand, he firmly believes that in the variety of human's values, the value of liberal is for the achievement of other values of life is the basic essential terms, with priority, which concentrated expression of his "negative liberty" of approval. But there is a certain tension between the Value Pluralism and Liberalism, which causes a series of questions:Whether the requirement of the universality of Liberal rejects the Value Pluralism? Value Pluralism is the justification of Liberalism or against? What kind of relationship is between Value Pluralism and Liberalism? This article will discuss the question above.First, we will analyze the implication of Berlin, he thought the Value Pluralism and Liberalism will attempt to combine and focus the concept of value pluralism; however, John·Gray, one of the main interpreter of Berlin's thought, was against this attempt, he suggested that the Value Pluralism particularism requirement must make us reject the universality of Liberalism demands, and Liberalism is not on the best life style and the rational common view of the political system which encourages the achievement of the best life, but a "modus vivendi" between the different regimes and different ways of life; Charles·Larmore thought that Liberalism's foundation is reasonable disagreement, not the Value Pluralism, and Value Pluralism is a very controversial theory, which could not make defense for the liberalism's legitimacy; George·Crowder criticized these two thoughts, what separated Value Pluralism and Liberalism he proved it by three ways, and he insisted that the Value Pluralism includes a powerful and unique defense for the Liberalism, and promoted the Pluralism Liberalism, which is a strong form of Liberalism, a universalism and perfectionism, its core is autonomy, and points to positive liberty. Thus, Crower's answer come back to the Berlin's first attempt, but different.