Topic of the thesis: Pure Negative Social Freedom

Abstract: The central hypothesis guiding the research for this dissertation is that the relations between freedom and ability, hence the distinction between unfreedoms and mere inabilities are crucial for political philosophy. If (in)ability and (un)freedom are not perfect synonyms, this distinction is sound. Then any conception of freedom needs to focus on the preventing conditions in order to clarify the relation between unfreedoms and mere inabilities. Nevertheless, accepting this distinction does not lead to an agreement on one conception of freedom because preventing conditions can be defined in many ways.  I defend a bivalent pure negative conception of social freedom (BPNSF) which holds that I am unfree with respect to some φ-ing iff my performance of that φ becomes physically impossible due to the actions of other agent(s). And freedom is simply the contradictory of unfreedom, that is, if I am not prevented with respect to some φ-ing by other agent(s), I am free irrespective of whether I will successfully φ if I try. In other words, according to BPNSF, freedom is the lack of unfreedom and the only source of unfreedom is prevention. thesis will focus on the following issues. First, what is the relationship between freedom and ability? Second, once we endorse BPNSF, the conclusion follows that we restrict one another’s freedom most of the time because we almost always prevent (if not always successfully) others when they attempt, at least without our permission, to use our property or to occupy the same spatio-temporal regions we are occupying. But since unfreedom is ubiquitous and unavoidable, what is the point of defining freedom in this way? What good does it serve?

Research interests: Political philosophy – Ethics – Freedom

Graduated from: Baku State University (BA) – Central European University (MA) – Heidelberg University (MA).

Degrees obtained: BA in American Studies, Department of History – MA in Political Science, Department of Political Science – MA in American Studies, Faculty of Philosophy.

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