I have now posted most of the quotes from my collection concerning the concept of liberty. Generally, they either tend to define its rightful scope or its rightful limits (or how far government can rightfully act against it), but I occasionally included related information concerning, for example, the historic importance of liberty to the laws of England (at least as a goal).
I admit, if it qualifies as an admission, that my collection of quotes is, in some way, selective. In reading these books, I only took notes on parts that I thought were of value. More senseless views of freedom than those that I have reported to you over this past month have been omitted. However, I think that together, they communicate something other than simply my own bias toward a certain perspective on freedom. This was no narrow, carefully-picked selection of obscure authors. Most of these authors were well-known and influential not only in their own times but in later times, as well, or were otherwise well-established, in matters of philosophy, government, and law. A few could well be described as "legendary," without hyperbole. Their ideas about liberty varied, somewhat, but the similarity provides whatever demonstration was needed that liberty is a particular, definite thing, not something either subjective or mysterious.
I admit, if it qualifies as an admission, that my collection of quotes is, in some way, selective. In reading these books, I only took notes on parts that I thought were of value. More senseless views of freedom than those that I have reported to you over this past month have been omitted. However, I think that together, they communicate something other than simply my own bias toward a certain perspective on freedom. This was no narrow, carefully-picked selection of obscure authors. Most of these authors were well-known and influential not only in their own times but in later times, as well, or were otherwise well-established, in matters of philosophy, government, and law. A few could well be described as "legendary," without hyperbole. Their ideas about liberty varied, somewhat, but the similarity provides whatever demonstration was needed that liberty is a particular, definite thing, not something either subjective or mysterious.
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