Liberalism's Two Distinctive Views of Liberty

The podcast episode explores the two distinctive views of liberty within liberalism: the classical approach and the Enlightenment/post-Enlightenment approach. The classical approach, influenced by ancient Greek and Christian traditions, defines liberty as the capacity to conquer base desires through self-governance and virtue. In contrast, the Enlightenment/post-Enlightenment approach views liberty as the lack of constraint and the expansion of the individual's sphere of autonomous activity. This understanding of liberty is rooted in anthropological individualism and a volunteerist conception of choice. The podcast delves into the historical and philosophical context behind these views and their implications for society.