University Press of America
Pages: 178
•
Trim: 6 x 9¼
978-0-7618-5751-8 • Paperback • December 2011 • $40.99 • (£32.00)
Gizi Rapaport grew up under Communism in Romania and arrived in Israel at age 14. She taught philosophy of the social sciences and political philosophy at Tel Aviv University. Her Hebrew publications include: Freedom or Equality? (1992), On Feminism and its Opponents (1993), Beyond Limits: Women vs. Women (1999), For a Particular Secular Option: From Monotheism to Rationality (2005), and The Best of All Possible Worlds (2011).
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Presentation of the Theses
Chapter 2: Types of States And Types of People
Chapter 3: The Nature of Man
Chapter 4: The Welfare Option
Chapter 5: Justification
Summary
Bibliography
Notes
Your book was extremely fascinating for me. I believe that your discussion of the two concepts—freedom and equality—was profound, and that you raised conclusions with which I definitely agree. The tension resulting from absolute equality or absolute freedom is an inherent tension, with which we in Israel must live from day to day, especially in preparation for important social and economic decisions.
— Shimon Peres
The special contribution of Ms. Rapaport’s book lies in her ability to identify the simple and central point of the disagreement between the two camps. Her main innovation is the argument that once we have located that point, it is possible to see clearly the special problems of the socialist solution: it is too closely connected to a dubious perception of true human nature. The elucidation of this simple point is of crucial importance in transforming this composition into a useful and even vital book for a wide reading public.
— Jacob Joshua Ross, professor emeritus and former chair, Philosophy Department, Tel Aviv University
Dr. Gizi Rapaport has written a careful study of the great political debate of modern times—whether classical liberty or socialist equality best realizes human potential. Dr. Rapaport’s useful contribution is to draw upon the work of thinkers as diverse as John Stuart Mill, Herbert Marcuse, Milton Friedman, Moses Hess, and Isaiah Berlin in making more precise our understanding of the core concepts of freedom, equality, welfare, and fraternity.
— Stephen Hicks, Chair, Philosophy Department, Rockford College