Choices: Freedom of the Human Person PDF

CHOICES Freedom of the Human Person  Read and reflect on the situation below: Bert was on his way home from school when unknowingly, he stumbled upon a wallet. It appears to be full of cash as well as several Identification Cards of the owner. Bert knows he was short on the...

CHOICES Freedom of the Human Person  Read and reflect on the situation below: Bert was on his way home from school when unknowingly, he stumbled upon a wallet. It appears to be full of cash as well as several Identification Cards of the owner. Bert knows he was short on the budget he needed to complete the school project he was working on and he could also spend some on new shoes. Imagine that you are in his situation. Which among the situations pictured below will be your most truthful action? https://www.shutterstock.com/search/lost+wallet Turn-in the wallet Take the money Leave the to the nearest and spend it on wallet alone police station and the things you and continue tell them what need and want walking home happened  Choices: Freedom comes with great responsibilities ❑ It is an absolute understanding that all actions have consequences. Freedom involves choice. ❑ Chance and choosing are incommensurable. If a person has the capacity to choose, then that person can be held responsible over the consequences of his/ her actions. ❑ Freedom is the power to be what you want to be and the ability to decide and create your self. ❑ Many of the characteristics that define our personality are often a product of our choices. Freedom gives you the ability to strive to achieve goal. ❖ Freedom is rooted in the human person’s self determination and the exercise of intellect and free will. ❖ A person’s actions determine what kind of person he/ she becomes. ❑ Freedom entails certain RESPONSIBILITY ❑ Freedom requires a degree of control from the person who exercises it (eg: addiction, impulsive behavior) ❑ To lose control of oneself diminishes human freedom and dehumanizes the person What makes us free? How does freedom shape our experiences?  2 Elements that define freedom: 1. Voluntariness- refers to the ability of a person to act out of his/ her own free will and self determination. ❑ Decisions are made out of his/ her own free will ❑ Also means that a person may act even if he/ she is not required or called to take action. ❑ Voluntary acts are free acts which can be assigned a corresponding moral value. ❑ Whenever we decide to take action, this results in a certain consequence. Let us analyze the following scenario and figure out how voluntariness was expressed in the situation. Freddy was on vacation in a resort prior to graduating senior high school. He was relaxing on the poolside when he noticed two kids playing near the pool without their parents. He did not mind them since he knows there is an on-standby lifeguard in the area. After a short while Freddy heard a splash. When he looked, he saw both kids struggling to grasp for air desperately wailing their hands on the air to call for help. He immediately got up and headed for the Lifeguard tower but to his dismay, no one was there. https://www.shutterstock.com/search/drowning+person Freddy knows he is not an expert swimmer, but he decides to rescue the children himself. He successfully secured both to the side of the pool  Reflect on the actions and choices that were made in that situation. 1. Why did the children play near the pool unsupervised? 2. Why was the Lifeguard not there? 3. Why did Freddy save them? 4. Did Freddy have to save the two children whom he did not know at the expense of his own life? 5. One can argue that he does not have the responsibility to save them since he is not a lifeguard. If he did that, what would be the result of his action? Would it be possible for other people to be heroic just like he did? 6. What can you say about Freddy’s actions? What do you think will be the result of his actions?  2 Elements that define freedom: 2. Responsibility- refers to the person being accountable for his/ her actions and their consequence. ❑ A person who had no awareness of the effect of his/ her actions can be considered as acting with diminished freedom. ❑ Another reality that we have to face as we experience/ exercise our freedom is the fact that freedom is experienced through the act of making choices. There are important factors to consider in the exercise of freedom: 1. Prudence 2. Self-reflection  PRUDENCE Is the ability to govern and discipline oneself with the use of reason; it is having caution and giving good judgments in making decisions. Because once we made a decision there is no turning back, there is no rewind, so we should always reflect first on the possible outcomes of the choices that we are going to make. Self-reflection is very important in exercising freedom.  SELF-REFLECTION Allows us to be more rational in making choices, because sometimes human beings tend to be slaves by their emotions and moods whenever they act certain things. As free beings, exercising our freedom responsibly is very important. Thus, it requires us to reflect on the actions that we are going to make by considering its possible effects and the benefits it has to the people affected by it.  Evaluate and Exercise Prudence in Choice ❑ When we are exercising our choice, we must always be cautious and aware of the choices that we make, as well as the implications of these in the future. ❑ The capacity of an individual to make good choices comes from his/her accumulated experiences and values. ❑ Always remember that when we make we make choices not for ourselves choices, but also for the things that will affect that choice.  Choices: Consequences and Sacrifices ❑ We must take into consideration the necessary sacrifices that we must take for us to grow. ❑ There are times that when we decide, we take risks, may it be a sacrifice or consequence, and the tendency of humans to take such daunting tasks comes from his experiences and values. ❑ In totality, the situation and progress of a person in a situation falls on the result, that is our goal depends solely the weighted consequences we must bear and the sacrifices we must endure. How can I exercise my freedom in a responsible and beneficial manner? 1. Freedom should be exercised with control and reasonable limits. ❖ As humans, we enjoy freedom, but we need to understand that it is not absolute. Meaning, we should exercise our freedom with control and reasonable limit Examples: 1. A student may be first in line in a grocery store but chooses to give way to an elderly woman next to her. 2. You may be very upset to a friend for losing a thing she borrowed but refuses to confront her because you already know that she already feels bad of herself for the thing she had done. 3. You may be very angry with your teacher for scolding you in front of the entire class, but you refrained from answering back at him/her since it will be considered as disrespectful act. 1. Freedom should be exercised with control and reasonable limits. Giving limits to our personal freedom simply means sacrificing certain self interest and accept that there are things beyond our control. Our ability to think and know what is right and what is wrong serves as guide in recognizing and deciding the limitations of our freedom. 2. Freedom should be exercised with regard for knowledge and truth. As a rational beings, it is natural for us to think before we act. We use our freedom to acquire knowledge, which in turn are useful in making right and sound decisions essential in dealing with our life situations. Example: To correctly answer a multiple-choice item in an examination, a student has to study his/her lessons. Otherwise, he/she cannot answer the test 2. Freedom should be exercised with regard for knowledge and truth. We should also be equipped with the ability to acquire information and truthful knowledge because it will aid us in making wise and informed choices. Example: In casting our votes during SSG election, we will not vote to a candidate because of she/he is attractive or appealing but because she/he is knowledgeable on the important school issues.  3. Freedom should be exercised to uphold the freedom of others. Freedom is recognized and guaranteed right for all persons. Meaning, freedom should be enjoyed by all. But it is important to remember that freedom should be exercised not as a tool to restrict the freedom of others, but as a means to enable others to fully enjoy their own freedom. Example: You shared your hard-earned money to cater the needs of your friend who is in dire needs of it for the realization of his/her school project.  ACTIVITY: 1.In what way can you change or improve your behavior so that you will be better able to uphold human freedom? 2. What is the most significant decision that you have made in your life so far? Describe how this affected you?