Join Professor Dennis Dalton as he explores the meaning of freedom—perhaps the most powerful idea to have inspired mankind throughout the ages. These lectures are a guided tour along the byways of the philosophy of liberation, beginning with its ancient roots and ending in 20th-century America. As you travel throughout history, you follow the professor toward personal liberation and spiritual freedom through the lives of those who were often consumed by their fierce and difficult struggles. Fascinating and filled with insights, this course will have you looking in a new way at a concept that many of us take for granted.
Freedom: The Philosophy of Liberation
Explore the meaning of freedom—perhaps the most powerful idea to have inspired mankind throughout the ages.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
24ONR from
Explains philosophical concepts clearly
Prof. Dalton is a very good lecturer with a strong ability to explain philosophical concepts clearly, incorporating humor as well as ways in which concepts are applicable to our modern life. In my opinion, he is stronger when he is dispassionate about his subjects (the first five lectures) and, conversely, weaker when he is enthusiastic about them. All the same, a very strong series of lectures.
Date published: 2023-08-09
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Allen samuelson from
World war two
All are great and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every course
Date published: 2022-09-05
Rated 4 out of
5
by
UUCOB from
Haven’t watched it yet!
I will trust it meets your high standards for audio clarity (no mumbling) and factual components or unbiased views.
Date published: 2022-08-22
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Sfojeff from
The philosophy of liberation.
This course is among the best 5 of the approximately 70 that I have heard. Prof Dalton is lucid, speaks slowly enough to be fully comprehensible, and repeats the fundamental messages from both the current and preceding lecture so as to emphasize the teaching points. He starts at the beginning of freedom philosophy, with the Upanishads in India, then progresses to Locke, Rousseau, and Hegel in later centuries,and ends with Emma Goldman the anarchist, Malcom X, and Martin Luther King. It is an excellent learning experience and thoroughly recommendable.
Date published: 2021-11-20
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Rob Squires from
Not an In-Depth Coverage, but Very Worthwhile
I found this set of lectures to be very worthwhile. Starting with ancient India and Greece, and then moving through Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, and John Stuart Mill, various articulations and understandings of the idea of freedom are compared and constrasted. The last four lectures move on to a female activist and three notable people of color: Emma Goldman—an American feminist and Anarchist, Mahatma Ghandhi, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Their life-experiences, influences—some of which were very mutual, and conceptions of the meaning of freedom are presented in an engaging way. Aside from the general content of these lectures, one specific thing that I learned was that both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. were both assassinated at 39 years of age...which I found surprising. For some reason—most probably due to not only their impact on society, but because of the great wisdom they expressed—I thought they were both at least in their mid-40s when so wrongfully murdered. In spite of the relatively low rankings, I decided to invest six hours in these lectures, since the content sounded promising, and I now consider that as time very well spent.
Date published: 2019-08-21
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Luis Alberto from
Great Guidebook.
I am still reading the guidebook, but so far it is very well explained and goes to the main points to keep in mind and remember. I am very well impressed with the Professor of the course and in general with the materials of the Great Courses.
Date published: 2019-02-11
Rated 5 out of
5
by
ronbeeguy from
Best course ever!
I have listened to many courses from The Teaching Company, and this little course, though only eight lectures, is the best one I have ever heard. It's interesting and educational, like most courses, but unlike others, this one is inspirational. It makes me want to become a better person.
Date published: 2018-11-25
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Lisaac from
Very well done.
I bought this recently, and it's very good. I teach philosophy, and Hegel has always been a mystery, but the lecture on his philosophy of freedom was so clear. All very good!
Date published: 2018-10-13
Overview
About
Dr. Dennis Dalton is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. He earned his B.A. from Rutgers University, his M.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago, and his Ph.D. in Political Theory from the University of London.
Professor Dalton has edited and contributed to more than a dozen publications and has written numerous articles. He is the author of Indian Idea of Freedom and Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. His fields of interests include classical and modern, Western, and Asian political theory; politics of South Asia, particularly the Indian nationalist movement; nonviolence and violence in society; and ideologies of modern political movements in Europe, India, China, and Africa.
Dr. Dalton served as a review editor for the Journal of Developmental Studies (London) and as a U.S. correspondent for the South Asian Review (London). He is a member of both the American Political Science Association and the Association for Asian Studies.
Professor Dalton has been honored with numerous teaching awards, scholarships, and grants, including the Barnard College Margaret Mead Award 2009 for Distinguished Teaching, the 2008 Barnard Commendation for Excellence in Teaching, a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies, a senior fellowship with the American Institute of Indian Studies, and a Gandhi Peace Foundation Grant.
01: Freedom in the Ancient World
The idea of freedom as expounded by ancient Indian philosophy (the concept of "swaraj"); Greek political theory in the writings of Thucydides and Plato's "Republic"; and early Christianity.
47 min
02: The Advent of Freedom in the Modern World
The distinctively modern meanings of freedom in the political theories of 17th-century philosopher John Locke and 18th-century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
48 min
03: Hegel’s Philosophy of Freedom, God and the State
The idea of freedom expounded by the German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel and the 19th century and the theoretical relationship of this idea to his concepts of God and the State.
47 min
04: John Stuart Mill’s Philosophy of Freedom
An analysis of Mill's classic text, "On Liberty", showing its contrasts with Hegel, its similarities with Locke, and its defense of freedom of expression against the "tyranny of the majority."
47 min
05: Emma Goldman and the Anarchist Idea of Freedom
Here Professor Dennis Dalton contrasts Goldman's anarchism with the liberalism of Mill and the nationalism of Hegel.
48 min
06: Mahatma Gandhi—Personal and Political Freedom
Gandhi's concept of freedom examined in the context of his life and leadership of the Indian independence movement.
48 min
07: Malcolm X’s Quest for Liberation
An analysis of the life of Malcolm X. His file is compared with Gandhi's in terms of their similar attempts to cope with racist oppression, both moving through stages of personal development that influenced their ideas about freedom and humanity.
48 min
08: Martin Luther King, Jr.—Stride Toward Freedom
This lecture will examine King's emphasis on the idea of freedom as seen in his speeches and writings, in the context of the Montgomery bus boycott, and the connection between his theories of freedom and non-violence as compared with Gandhi.
47 min
