The hedgehog and the fox

In this essay, Berlin uses the metaphor of the hedgehog and the fox to distinguish between two types of thinkers: those who relate everything to a single central vision (hedgehogs) and those who pursue many ends, often unrelated and even contradictory (foxes).

Berlin applies this distinction to Tolstoy, arguing that while Tolstoy's talents were those of a fox, his beliefs were those of a hedgehog, leading to a paradox that helps explain his philosophy of history.

The essay provides profound insights into Tolstoy, historical understanding, and human psychology.