ABSTRACT

My subject is liberalism, so I had better open by stating exactly what I

take ‘liberalism’ to be. I shall then say why I think humanists – and,

indeed, anyone likely to be reading this – should take more than a

passing interest in liberalism (as I am about to define it). The greater

part of this essay will be devoted to a problem to which I would like to

find some sort of answer. I will set it out in detail when I come to it.