Who was Isaiah Berlin?
Mr. MICHAEL IGNATIEFF (Author, “Isaiah Berlin: A Life”): Possibly the greatest liberal philosopher of the 20th century, or certainly the greatest liberal philosopher since John Stuart Mill; a historian as well, friend of the famous. But h–what he will be remembered for is as a philosopher of liberty. LAMB: Who decides that he’s the greatest liberal philosopher of the 20th century? Mr. IGNATIEFF: Good question. I do, I guess. It’s personal–a–a personal call. But I think you could get a lot of philosophers and historians lined up saying the same thing. He wrote a thing called “Two Concepts of Liberty” in 1958 which is the kind of starting point for the philosophy of liberty ever–ever since. It’s a kind of–one of those essays that you just have to read if you’re gonna play the game of arguing about liberty in the late 20th century. LAMB: I remember reading the front-page bio–or, obituary in The New York Times, and I was, remember at the time, struck by, why is it on the front page?
If you have ever wanted to be better informed about Wolfson’s founding President, Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997), this is the event for you. In 1995 Berlin’s biographer Michael Ignatieff made two 50-minute programmes about his life and times for BBC TV’s The Late Show. They were screened shortly after Berlin’s death. Footage of Berlin, famous for his conversation, talking to Ignatieff about his experiences and ideas is interspersed with archive film of the background to his long life, which included personal experience of the Russian Revolution and government service in Washington during the Second World War. The films will be screened on Tuesday 13 February at 7.45 pm in the HALDANE ROOM, with an interval during which wine and light refreshments will be served. Berlin’s editor, Henry Hardy, will be on hand to introduce the films and answer questions. [Michael Ignatieff will be giving this year’s Berlin Lecture on 24 May.
