Single Idea 21015

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 5. Freedom of lifestyle]

Full Idea

The very idea of 'negative liberty' ...is an incoherent idea: all liberties are positive, meaning liberties to do or to be something, which all require the inhibition of interference by others.

Gist of Idea

Negative liberty is incoherent; all liberties, to do and to be, require the prevention of interference

Source

Martha Nussbaum (Creating Capabilities [2011], 3)

Book Reference

Nussbaum,Martha C.: 'Creating Capabilities' [Belknap Harvard 2013], p.65


A Reaction

This rejects Isaiah Berlin's well-known claim that negative liberties are good, but positive liberties are far too dangerous.