Conceptions of Freedom

Abstract

In Chapter 1, I have argued that there is only one concept of liberty — that established by MacCallum in his triadic formula, ‘X is free from Y to do or be Z’ — but many conceptions of that single concept of liberty. In this chapter, I wish to examine the seven most prominent conceptions. But, first, a word to explain why it is important to identify and discuss these seven conceptions. Subscribing to a conception of freedom is not simply a semantic exercise; it is also an expression of the holder’s view of human nature and social relationships. Although freedom may not be the most fundamental concept in the vocabulary of political theorists, it is nevertheless a notion of such basic importance to a philosopher’s view of the world, that it is bound to be coloured by his or her value-system.