One of the things that distinguishes human beings from animals is the sense of ourselves as free, autonomous individuals. In the words of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle: 'Where we are free to act, we are also free not to act, and where we are able to say 'No', we are also able to say 'Yes'.' Yet human beings have not always seen themselves in this light. In this original and important book, Bernard Williams examines the history of this most human of ideas, showing how at different times and in different places, liberty has had divergent meanings. He uncovers the roots of the concept in the ancient world; examines how personal liberties that once restricted to kings and emperors - to travel, to be free from bondage, to have the power to order one's own actions - have gradually become rights that all citizens in democratic states can enjoy; and looks at the evolving relationship between the government and the citizen. Williams concludes by looking at the democratic, biological and economic challenges that look set to modify once again our understanding of what it means to be free. The consequence of a lifetime's thought by one of the world's leading philosophers, this book is accessible philosophy at its finest.

One of the things that distinguishes human beings from animals is the sense of ourselves as free, autonomous individuals. In the words of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle: "Where we are free to act, we are also free not to act, and where we are able to say No, we are also able to say Yes." Yet human beings have not always seen themselves in this light. In this work, Bernard Williams examines the history of this most human of ideas, showing how at different times and in different places, liberty has had divergent meanings.

Bernard Williams is one of the world's most eminent philosophers. He is a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford and is currently Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley. A Fellow of the British Academy and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is the author of many books, including Morality (1993) and Making Sense of Humanity (1995). From the reviews of Making Sense of Humanity: 'A treat: civilised, sharp discussions of serious issues, spiked with asides which are deep, funny and sometimes both' Onora O'Neill, Times Higher Education Supplement 'In Making Sense of Humanity, Williams takes his scalpel and sets about slicing morality's jugular: free will, blame, moral responsibility, the ability of everyone to do the right thing, and the possibility of a theoretical justification for being good. His attack seems to me to be alarmingly convincing.' Spectator