Freedom And Multiple Values

Isaiah Berlin can be remembered by people, not just because he is a famous political philosopher, concept of historians and political theorist, more because as one of the most prominent liberal thinkers in the20th century, with its extraordinary understanding of political philosophy thought evolution process of critical analysis, put forward the value pluralism thought (the core theory of Berlin’s thought). The core has subversive ideas gave all his books the lasting vitality. This paper first discusses the main content of Berlin criticizes western traditional value-monism, and the source of Berlin’s value-pluralism thought and its theory base,that is his unique interpretation to the history of political ideas; The second part which about the basic connotation, and core concept of Berlin’s value-pluralism,and then points out the difference between value-pluralism and relativism; The third part discusses the relationship between Berlin’s value-pluralism and his famous propose "two kinds of liberties", and highlights the value-pluralism as Berlin theoretical foundation position; The fourth part discusses the compatibility problem of Berlin’s value-pluralism and liberalism, and expound the argument about value-pluralism which Berlin makes. Through selection of academic criticism and response, then points out its theory existing internal tension and problem; Finally, will discuss the most important contemporary western political philosopher John Rawls’s political liberalism,which formed by deal with the issue of the relationship between liberalism and multiple values, and shows that Rawls’s political liberalism is transcend and ascend of Berlin’s value-pluralism view of freedom.