My Values

            I value liberty, but as I have discussed positive and negative liberty written about by Isaiah Berlin, I do not believe in the positive liberty of the slaveowner to do whatever he wants, when I talk about liberty, I mean the liberty of the slave to be free. I do not mean the liberty of the corporation to pollute the environment or exploit workers, I mean the liberty of the people to be free from pollution or exploitation.

            I value democracy, including US democracy. Not a democracy ruled by the wealthy or special interests or white people or men, but a true indirect democracy that values equality before the law regardless of identity characteristics, equality of opportunity, equity for those who are disadvantaged, and the rule of law.

            I believe in tolerance and multiculturalism, within limits. Karl Popper described what is called the paradox of tolerance, if we are so tolerant that we tolerate intolerance, then tolerance necessarily gives way. I believe that other cultures have values and norms from which we can learn. Simultaneously, if you offered me medicine developed from empiricism, or medicine developed by tradition, I would take the medicine developed by empiricism.

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