31 Aug Short Essay Question
Answer the following essay questions. For Question 1, you could answer it with around 250 words. And for Qustion 2, you could answer it with around 300 words. It’s up to you, if you wanna answer them with more words, that’s awesome. I would really appreciate it.
—!!! IMPORTANT : You need to read the reading material that I attached with this instruction before answering the question. There are two PDF files and one PowerPoint Slides. Please check it.
1. Describe Isaiah Berlins distinction between negative and positive liberty and Benjamin Constant’s contrast between the liberty of the modern and the ancient. To what extent these conceptualizations of liberty are similar/different?
2. According to the proponents of negative freedom, the government (and/or the society) can force individuals to be free only in certain extreme cases (e.g., children, people with severe mental illnesses). According to the proponents of positive freedom, on the other hand, it could apply in a wider range of cases (e.g., compulsory education is necessary so that the reasoning part, the true self, will be freed from the physical desires.) Who is right? To what extent, or under which circumstances, should the society or the government force people to be free? Any examples?
2. According to the proponents of negative freedom, the government (and/or the society) can force individuals to be free only in certain extreme cases (e.g., children, people with severe mental illnesses). According to the proponents of positive freedom, on the other hand, it could apply in a wider range of cases (e.g., compulsory education is necessary so that the reasoning part, the true self, will be freed from the physical desires.) Who is right? To what extent, or under which circumstances, should the society or the government force people to be free? Any examples?
