Liberalism implies tolerance about substantial or comprehensive views (different belief systems and values), and seeks not to impose, enforce, or privilege any one comprehensive view politically. Tolerance is the idea that competing comprehensive beliefs and values can all be recognized as reasonable, even if many of them are ultimately mistaken (i.e., false but not unreasonable).

In terms of action, the application of these ideas is called the promotion of personal autonomy, which is connected to agency, ‘rational self-governance’, and a sphere of non-interference in thought and action. Liberals tend to hold that making someone do something, even if it’s for the common good, is wrong. That is, many reject paternalism. Sometimes, liberals will be OK with paternal interference if it enhances the person’s autonomy (so-called ‘libertarian paternalism’).