Introduction to Isaiah Berlin

The One And the Many: 

Reading Isaiah Berlin 

by George Crowder

"What he sees is not the one, but always, with an ever-growing minuteness, in all its teeming individuality, with an obsessive, inescapable, incorruptible, all-penetrating lucidity which maddens him, the many." - Isaiah Berlin

In the history of ideas and political philosophy of the 20th century, Isaiah Berlin is regarded as a significant figure. His discussion of the connection between the "positive" liberty of self-fulfillment and the "negative" liberty of non-interference has made him most famous in the modern era. Offering a thorough introduction to Isaiah Berlin's ideas "across its whole range" is the audacious aim of this compilation of  essays about his thought. Regardless of whether that objective is met, this is still a remarkable collection of essays that highlight Berlin's wide body of work.

Berlin's Karl Marx, a brief book that served as my personal introduction to Berlin's ideas, is the subject of the first essay. Other subjects covered include history, nationalism, pluralism and liberalism, the Russian intelligentsia, and liberty. I have read a few of Berlin's books, so this was a great addition to my reading. It may also serve as an introduction to the diverse ideas of Isaiah Berlin for readers not familiar with his writings.