Lesson 11 Freedom of the Human Person (Part 1) PDF

Lesson 11 Freedom of the Human Person (Part 1)  FREEDOM  The human capacity to act (or not to act) as we choose or prefer without any external compulsion or restraint.  It is an intrinsic and  essential Important indication of freedom property...

Lesson 11 Freedom of the Human Person (Part 1)  FREEDOM  The human capacity to act (or not to act) as we choose or prefer without any external compulsion or restraint.  It is an intrinsic and  essential Important indication of freedom property human of is athe person.* MAKE CHOICES and PERFORM ACTIONS ability to. Our freedom to act us sets other from apart beings.  FREEDOM entails certain RESPONSIBILITIES Ex. Requires a degree of control A person becomes MORE OR LESS FREE – “more or less human” – depending on how she uses her freedom MORE FREE – if able to control him/herself A person denied of her freedom (ex. Slave, prisoner, etc.) is dehumanized – she becomes  Aristotle (The Power of Volition)  Volition in this sense is the faculty or power to use or discharge one’s will.  If there were no intellect, there would be no will. The will of humanity is an instrument of free choice. It is within the power of everyone to be good or bad, or worthy or worthless.  The happiness of every human being is in his own hands, to preserve and develop, or to cast away.  For Aristotle, a human being is rational. Reason is a divine characteristic. If there  St. Thomas Aquinas (Freedom is spirituality and love)  Freedom, for St. Thomas, is the manner beings seekuniversal intellectual. It is a condition of goodness will the arising from our nature being in the kind of world that  St. considers the human being moral we inhabit. Thomas as a agen t. spirituality separates us from animals; it  Our delineates moral dimension of our fulfillment in an action. Through our spirituality, we have a conscience. Whether we choose to be “good” or “evil” becomes our responsibility.  St. Thomas Aquinas (Freedom is spirituality and love)  St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica) establishes the existence of God as a first cause. And as God’s creations, human beings have the unique power to change themselves and things around them for the better.  We have a conscience because of our spirituality  Jean Paul Sartre (Individual Freedom)  Existentialism is a philosophical movement known for its inquiry on human existence, which means “to exist”.  For Sartre, the human person builds the road to the destiny of Human being is solely responsible his/her choosing; he/she is the for their actions principle: existence precedes creator. because we choose essences. Sartre’s  Sartre Existentialism emphasizes the stems from of importance who we are this individual free choice, regardless of the power of other people to influence and coerce our desires, beliefs, and decisions.  Jean Paul Sartre (Individual Freedom)  Freedom means exercising our capacity to make decisions, change our life path and direct the course of our lives through our own steering.  Freedom is something that is exercised through our CHOICES. When a person exercises her freedom, he/she becomes REAL.  Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau andJohn Locke (Theory of Social Contract)  Hobbes, Rousseau and Locke define the freedom of an individual in the context of having a government to rule them (contract), which is the basis of notion of moral obligation and duty.  Social Contract- an agreement where individuals sacrifice an amount of their freedom and submit to a higher authority.  It is a necessity that we must assure for the government and people to work as one. From this understanding also arises certainty that we have freedom. Kinds of Freedom  1. Physical Freedom Refers to the absence of any PHYSICAL RESTRAINT. The person has the freedom of mobility to go where he/ she wants to go. Kinds of Freedom  2. Psychological Freedom Also called as “freedom of choice”. The person is free to perform actions that he/ she considers right and wise. A person is also free to act or not to act. Psychological freedom is INNATE and CANOT BE DENIED AS A PERSON. Example: 1. Freedom to choose your friends 2. Freedom to choose your partner 3. Freedom to choose your course in college 4. Freedom to be what you want to be Kinds of Freedom  3. Moral Freedom Using freedom in a manner that upholds human dignity and goodness. Example: 1. Doing charitable works 2. Participating on outreach activities 3. Being sensitive to the needs of other 4. Being prudent on the use of social Kinds of Freedom media  Positive and Negative Freedom Positive Freedom- kind Negative Freedom- of freedom that requires active refers to the “absence of effort; has control or interference”; absence of mastery of his/ herself and coercion or interference. has the strength to do what The freedom to do is good. This is doing the right thing whateverIt’s you and exercising our freedom negative considered want. because in a responsible you failed to use freedom manner. For example: you will finish in a responsible first the school manner. requirements before hanging out with friends. Kinds of Freedom  Absolute Freedom Absolute freedom- no form of hindrance that would prevent from doing what you want. Is freedom absolute? NO- freedom always had its limitations. Freedom is always coupled with RESPONSIBILITY. Kinds of Freedom  Reca p Perspective Types of Freedom s Freedom on Freedom Negative vs. Freedom is Positive not Freedom absolute