Human Freedom and Accountability PDF

**Human Freedom and Accountability** **Objectives:** 1. Define freedom. 2. Tell how freedom possible. 3. Tell under what conditions is human person free. **Review** - What is the idea of B.F Skinner, Sartre and Maslow about freedom? - A human person is free to make choices and perform...

**Human Freedom and Accountability** **Objectives:** 1. Define freedom. 2. Tell how freedom possible. 3. Tell under what conditions is human person free. **Review** - What is the idea of B.F Skinner, Sartre and Maslow about freedom? - A human person is free to make choices and perform actions, and is consequently accountable for these choices and actions. **Drill Statement:** **Man's meaning is not only to possess himself freely. His identity is not fully achieved until, having possessed himself, he gives himself to other.** **Definition of terms** a. Will- refers to our mental ability to make choices and do actions to carry out these choices. If humans are free in making choices and doing actions, it is because their will, which enables them to make choices and do actions, is free. Thus saying that humans are free is just the same as saying that humans have free will. Conversely, saying that they are not free is just the same as saying that they do not have free will. b. Determinism- is the view that all events that happen in the world are caused by previous events or conditions along with the laws of nature. It follows that if we know the relevant conditions for an event to occur and the neutral laws governing its occurrence, we will be able to predict the occurrence of this event. **is a philosophical theory holding that all events are inevitable consequences of antecedent sufficient causes; often understood as denying the possibility of free will.** Discussion: **Freedom** There are three main philosophical position on the possibility of freedom a. **Hard Determinism** - Believes that humans are not free. - Everything is determined. - Accepts determinism, and further believes that determinism and freedom are incompatible- that they cannot both be true. "What is 'hard' about determinism is its conclusion: no free will and no moral responsibility, - The incompatibility between determinism and freedom is explained by the view called the principle of alternate possibilities for freedom **Principle of alternate possibilities for freedom** a. states that actions done freely or choices made freely could have been otherwise. E.g. If I freely choose to stay at home, I could have gone somewhere else. b. The idea is that there are alternative possibilities to the free choices that we make or actions that we do. This is not the case of our actions or choices are determined. If event is caused by previous events following some natural laws, this event could not have been otherwise. Given certain conditions and some natural laws, there is only one possibility that will occur. E.g. If we throw a rock up in the air, there is no other possibility than for it to fall down. If our choices and actions are determined, then they cannot be otherwise. If my choice to stay at home is determined, then I could have not gone to somewhere else. And so, if determinism and freedom were incompatible, and determinism were correct, then the belief in freedom would be a mistake. b. **Libertarianism** - Rejects determinism. It accepts that while certain events in the world are caused and thus are determined, there are also some events that are not- referring precisely to human choices. - Accepts the premise of hard determinism that determinism and freedom are incompatible but rejects its premise that determinism is correct. If free choices are not caused by previous events and some natural laws, what then produces or causes them? - It is only the self or the mind of the human person that produces these free choices through the power of the will. In this consideration, freedom is sometimes referred to as self- determinism. Free choices, in this sense, are in a way also determined, but not by things or conditions outside of the self, but by the self through the power of its will alone. c. **Compatibilism** - Rejects the premise that determinism and freedom are incompatible. - Even if determinism is correct and thus all human actions are caused by previous events or conditions along with natural laws, still such actions can be free. - Neutral to the truth of determinism (or does not really care whether determinism is correct) as it defines freedom not in terms of the absence of determinism. - ***the actions of a human person are not free not because they are not cause by previous events or conditions along with natural laws, but because the human person is not forced, compelled, or constrained to do actions to satisfy his own desires to carry out his own intentions.*** - It does not matter for compatibilism that our choices and actions are determined; what is important for its followers is that when a human person makes choices and does these choices, he is not forced, compelled, or constrained to do so. Hard Determinism Libertarianism Compatibilism ------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Is freedom incompatible with determinism? Yes Yes No Is determinism correct? Yes No It does not matter Are humans free? No Yes Yes When are human choice/ actions free? When they are not determined by external factors When they are not determined by external factors When they are not forced to make choices or to do actions. **Definition of Freedom:** From these three views on the possibility of human freedom, we see two different definitions given to human freedom. 1. NATURAL FREEDOM (**Shared by hard determinism and libertarianism)** Human freedom is the absence of determinism in human choices and actions. Freedom is incompatible with determinism. So if humans are to be free in their choices and actions, then these choices and actions are not determined. In this kind of freedom, human actions are distinguished into ***voluntary kind***, referring to actions that are not determined or actions done to carry out free choices, and the ***involuntary kind*** referring to actions that are determined or actions done not to carry out free choices. 2. SOCIAL FREEDOM (**Assumed by compatibilism)** Human freedom is the absence of force, constraints, or anything that makes a person act against his will or desire. 1. **Explain:** **"Man is not only free, he becomes free and response-able."** 2. **Discuss** a. **Man is absolutely determined** b. **Man is absolutely free** c. **Maslow notion about freedom** 3. **Explain** **Freedom THETREFORE is always INTENTIONAL BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS** **INTENDING,** **REACHING OUT, and STRIVING FOR THE GOOD.**