What Kind of Liberal are You?

In a review of the new book by Alan Wolfe, "The Future of Liberalism," K. Anthony Appiah undertakes an impressive overview and succinct history of Liberalism -- with a big L. Despite it's current state as a party concerned with important questions -- pro-choice, anti-gun, big government, Liberalism began as a concept more associated with social realism. Appiah points to Immanuel Kant's slogan sapere aude ("Dare to Know") as a liberal's guiding light, and Appiah connects this with the stereotypical image of the liberal artist/scholar. Kant's view of Man's role is not to fulfill god's work, but to create our own path. This stands in stark relief to Rousseau's view of the Man in nature, trusting his instincts (i.e., using faith) to guide him.

Tangentially, this is one of the many reasons I love ABC's Lost. With characters like John Locke and Rousseau -- who, by the way, lived alone (mostly) on the Island for 18 years until Flight #815 crashed -- populating the island, along with many more obscure scientists and mathematicians, create a dense fabric of allusions that keeps the internet buzzing.

Back to the point, here are Alan Wolfe's seven elements of Liberalism: how many define you?

1) Sympathy for equality
2) Inclination to deliberate
3) Commitment to tolerance
4) Appreciation of openness
5) Disposition to grow
6) Preference for realism
7) Taste for Governance