1) Is it true to say that power and freedom are opposites?
2) Amartya Senn says: “While I am interested in economics and philosophy, the union of my interests in the two fields far exceeds their intersection.” Select one problem or idea on which Senn has worked: for example, famine relief, the idea of development as freedom, or his critique of ideal theory. Trace how Senn brings together tools and concerns from both economics and philosophy in his treatment of that issue.
3) Is a lack of money a lack of negative freedom? What are the stakes of answering yes or no? Discuss with reference to Berlin and your own views.
4) What exactly are rights? How do they contribute to freedom? What are their limits in this regard? Can these limits be overcome or remediated? Answer with reference to at least two contemporary thinkers.
5)Are there any group or cultural rights? If you think not, explain why. If you believe there are group or cultural rights, give examples of such rights and describe how they might differ for national minorities (territorially based, linguistically distinct communities such as the Quebecois), ethnic groups (various immigrant groups, such as Mexican-Americans or Chinese-Americans), or other groups. Can such rights be justified within a liberal, egalitarian conceptual framework? Describe and assess at least two prominent attempts to justify such rights.
6)How is freedom conceptualized within contemporary liberal thought? How useful are Isaiah Berlin’s famous concepts of liberty?
