Unfinished Dialogue

by BERLIN, ISAIAH SIRPOLANOWSKA-SYGULSKA, BEATA

• ISBN13: 9781591023760
• ISBN10: 1591023769
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-02-06
• Publisher: Prometheus Books

Summary

The fruit of nearly 15 years of discussion -- in person and by letter -- between world-famous philosopher Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997) and Dr Beata Polonowska-Sygulska of Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland. Berlin always felt a special affinity for scholars of Eastern Europe, and the unique chemistry between him and his younger enthusiast for his ideas yielded a remarkable body of material, most of it hitherto unpublished. The book sheds considerable light on Berlin's thinking, clarifying some of the central themes of his philosophy. The book concludes with a collection of articles on Berlin's thoughts by Dr Polanowska-Sygulska, stemming from her long-standing immersion in his work. Berlin himself thoroughly discussed three of these with the author and approved their publication. This fascinating collection of letters, conversations and articles will be of the greatest interest to students and scholars of one of the 20th century's most renowned intellectuals.

Author Biography

Beata Polanowska-Sygulska works in the Department of the Theory and Philosophy of Law at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. Isaiah Berlin spent a long and distinguished career at Oxford University, where he was Professor of Social and Political Theory, a Fellow of All Souls College, and Founding President of Wolfson College.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Henry Hardy	7	(8)
Preface	15	(6)
Acknowledgements	21	(4)
Memories of Isaiah Berlin	25	(6)
Correspondence: 1983-1997	31	(74)
Interviews: 1991	105	(24)
Nil Desperandum	107	(12)
I Don't Want the Universe To Be Too Tidy	119	(10)
Conversations: 1986-1995	129	(102)
1986	131	(30)
1988	161	(40)
22 and 24 April 1988	163	(12)
6 May 1988 (with John Gray)	175	(12)
23 and 30 May 1988	187	(14)
1991	201	(10)
1995	211	(20)
17 May 1995	213	(12)
24 May 1995	225	(6)
Articles: 1989-2005	231	(70)
One More Voice on Berlin's Doctrine of Liberty	235	(6)
Two Visions of Liberty: Berlin and Hayek	241	(12)
The Twilight of 'Liberty' as an Abstract Ideal?	253	(12)
Pluralism and Tragedy	265	(14)
Value-Pluralism and Liberalism: Connection or Exclusion?	279	(22)
Bibliography	301	(6)
Index	307