Tag: Freedom

On freedom and the vaccine mandates.

Aaron Blake writing in the Washinton Post discusses the debate over vaccine mandates in the context of “positive freedoms” and “negative freedoms.” In this he draws upon the writings of Isaiah Berlin.

Political theorist Isaiah Berlin reflected upon the difference in 1958 in “The Two Concepts of Liberty.” He described the difference as being between “the freedom which consists in being one’s own master, and the freedom which consists in not being prevented from choosing as I do by other men.”

Here’s my overly simplified version:

I recognize that everyone has the “freedom” to choose not to be vaccinated.

In a similar fashion, I recognize that they each have the “freedom” to choose not to stop at a red light.

But the latter quite obviously conflicts with the “freedom of others” not to be broadsided at an intersection when they have the green light.

In the same way, the “freedom” to choose not to be vaccinated conflicts with the “freedom of others” not to be infected.

I believe in the face of the pandemic we should be willing to set aside our “personal freedom” so that we may honor the “freedom of others.”