Module 6: Freedom Flashcards
The ability to be free from external constraints and free for self-directed action.
The essence of human freedom
quality or state off being free, such as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
freedom
4 types of freedom
- Physical freedom
- Psychological freedom
- Moral freedom
- Existential freedom
[TYPES OF FREEDOM] the absence of external constraints like imprisonment or physical harm.
Physical freedom
[TYPES OF FREEDOM] the freedom from internal limitations like fear, anxiety, or addiction.
Psychological freedom
[TYPES OF FREEDOM] the ability to discern right from wrong and choose one’s actions accordingly.
Moral freedom
[TYPES OF FREEDOM] the freedom to create meaning and purpose in one’s life.
Existential freedom
2 Philosophical perspectives on freedom
- Determinism
- Free will
[PHILO. PERSPECTIVE ON FREEDOM] It argues that all events are predetermined by a chain of cause and effect stretching back to the beginning of the universe. This means that every decision we make, every path we take, has already been set in motion by past events.
Determinism
Key arguments for determinism
- The laws of physics
- Predictability
- The illusion of choice
[ARGUMENT FOR DETERMINISM] everything in the universe operates according to physical laws like gravity and causality. Our actions are simply part of this larger web of cause and effect, and there’s no room for true freedom.
The laws of physics
[ARGUMENT FOR DETERMINISM] If free will existed, human behavior would be entirely unpredictable. Yet, we can often predict how people will react in certain situations, suggesting their choices are guided by pre-existing factors.
Predictability
[ARGUMENT FOR DETERMINISM] Our sense of freedom is an illusion created by our limited understanding of the universe. We perceive ourselves as making conscious choices, while in reality, those choices are simply the result of our pre-determined desires and motivations.
The illusion of choice
[PHILO. PERSPECTIVE ON FREEDOM] It argues that we have the genuine ability to make choices independent of any external factors. We are not simply puppets controlled by fate; we possess the power to act autonomously, to deliberate and choose between different options, and to forge our own paths.
Free will
Some key arguments for free will
- Moral responsibility
- The experience of choice
- Indeterminacy of the universe
[ARGUMENT FOR FREE WILL] If our actions are predetermined, then can we truly be held responsible for them? Free Will allows us to take ownership of our choices and accept the consequences of our actions.
Moral responsibility
[ARGUMENT FOR FREE WILL] We feel like we are making choices based on our own thoughts and desires. This feeling of agency, while not necessarily proof of free will, is a powerful argument for its existence.
The experience of choice
[ARGUMENT FOR FREE WILL] Quantum mechanics suggests that some aspects of the universe are inherently unpredictable. This could leave room for free will to operate outside the rigid determinism of classical physics.
Indeterminacy of the universe
It refers to being true and honest with oneself and with other people, which is really the mark of being truly free.
Authenticity
refers to the human capacity to think logically, critically, and analytically. It’s the ability to use our minds to form and apply concepts, draw conclusions and make inferences, solve problems and make decisions, engage in critical thinking
Reason
It is our ability to act in accordance with our perceptions of what is good or harmful for us. It also describes our ability to exert control over our own thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Will
Are entitlements (not) to perform certain actions, or (not) to be in certain states; or entitlements that others (not) perform certain actions or (not) be in certain states. In simple terms, it is what is due to you as a human being.
Rights
are intrinsic to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. It is also called natural rights. Ex. Right to life, right to education, and right to health
Human Rights
are rights according to the legal systems. This was enacted through legislation that the government enforces. The enjoyment of these rights is based on citizenship.
Legal rights
Someone whose status is a member of a political community who enjoys the rights and privileges and at the same time, assumes the obligations.
citizens
The ability of a human being to behave as an agent, that is, to act and control his or her conduct
Human agency
Human freedom may be expressed in two ways
free will and free action
the ability to choose among various actions or decisions
free will
ability to do an activity without being hampered by any constraints
free action
Views on the nature of free will
- Faculties model
- Hierarchal model
- Reason-responsive model
[Views on the nature of free will] refers to free will as the use of our mental faculties. It assumes that we have free will due to our intellect and that each human action is based on rationality and sound judgment.
Faculties model
[Views on the nature of free will] argues that free will is based on human wants and desires. A person exercises free will when she identifies one desire as acceptable and decides to act on it.
Hierarchal model
[Views on the nature of free will] believes that man has free will because he is able to entertain reasons not to enact a certain decision and act upon them when the need arises.
reason-responsive model
the power to choose
volition
ability to act freely, not simply out of instinct or compulsion, but based on reasoned deliberation and conscious choice.
Volition by Aristotle
For Aristotle, intellect is meaningless, apart from will. Intellect’s role is to enlighten and guide the will. Therefore, for Aristotle, if there is no intellect, there is no will. Man/woman uses his or her will to be able to freely choose. Therefore, human beings have the power to be good or bad, worthy or worthless
Aristotle’s power of volition
We have the ability to make moral decisions and act on them. But, at the same time, we must take responsibility for our moral conduct. It is never acceptable to justify unethical or immoral behavior by blaming it on our personality or habit.
Aristotle’s power of volition
The human person is the desire to be God. It is the desire to exist as a being which has its sufficient ground in itself (en sui causa).Each individual is challenged to create his or her own life template. To put it another way, you are the architect of your own fate.
Jean Paul Sartre and Individual Freedom
Existence comes before essence. When we first enter in this world, there is no creator or god who made us, no “god’s plan,” and no set of laws to follow. When we do, we are essentially constructing ourselves and, more significantly, deciding what a human being should be
Jean Paul Sartre and Individual freedom
He believes that freedom is absolute
Jean Paul Sartre
In the beginning man lived in the state of nature. There was no government nor law to regulate people. It is marked by hardships and oppression.
Social Contract Theory
In order for people to overcome these hardships they decided to enter into two agreements which are:
Pactum Unionis
Pactum Subjectionis
People wanted to protect their lives and their properties. Consequently, a society was formed wherein people committed to respect each other and live in peace and harmony.
Pactum Unionis
People bonded together and committed obedience to an authority and surrendered the whole or part of their freedom and rights to an authority. The authority was mandated to protect life, property and to a certain extent liberty. So they established a society by collectively and reciprocally renouncing the rights they had against one another in the State of Nature and they must mandate some one person or assembly of persons with the authority and power to enforce the initial contract.
Pactum Subjectionis
Acc. to Hobbes, a world without laws, without rules, just raw instinct and survival.
State of nature
Hobbes believes that humans, driven by self-preservation, would eventually realize this chaos is unsustainable. To escape this “war of all against all,” they would agree to certain rules called?
The Laws of Nature
Key points of Hobbes’ Law of Nature
- First Law: Seek peace
- Second Law: Give up some rights
- Third Law: Honor contracts
The most fundamental law, driven by the desire to survive.
First Law: Seek Peace
To achieve peace, people must give up some freedoms, like harming others. Contracts are formed to formalize this exchange of rights.
Second Law: Give up some rights
Keeping promises is crucial for trust and a functioning society. Breaking contracts is unjust.
Third Law: Honor contracts
Key features of Hobbes’ Commonwealth
- Sovereign Power
- Sovereignty is Inalienable
- Subjects owe obedience
Hobbes argues that these laws alone are not enough. We need a powerful authority, a sovereign, to enforce them. This leads to the formation of a _________.
Commonwealth
[Features of Commonwealth] One person or group holds absolute power, created through consent or conquest.
Sovereign power
[Features of Commonwealth] Once surrendered, power cannot be taken back from the sovereign.
Sovereignty of inalienable
[Features of Commonwealth] As long as the sovereign protects them, subjects must obey, even if they disagree.
Subjects owe obedience
Freedom in Hobbes’ World
Limited
No right to resist
Freedom is not absolute but exists within the boundaries set by the sovereign for the sake of peace and order.
Limited freedom
Subjects have no right to rebel against a functioning sovereign, even if they are unhappy
No right to resist
Skinner challenges the traditional notion of freedom as an inherent human quality and instead argues that freedom is shaped by the environment and our interactions with it.
BF Skinner Operant Conditioning
Behavior that operates upon the environment to produce consequences can be studied by arranging environments in which specific consequences are contingent upon it.
Operant conditioning
What is needed then, according to Skinner, is to free the social environment from aversive stimuli, we do not need to destroy the environment or escape from it. What would we have to do then is to ____________.
Redesign the environment
[This could involve reforming institutions, promoting social justice, and creating opportunities for individuals to flourish.]
While acknowledging the influence of the environment, Skinner doesn’t completely negate human agency. He recognizes our capacity for thought, reflection, and choice. These abilities, he argues, allow us to navigate the environment, find meaning in our actions, and shape our own unique paths within the constraints we face.
BR Skinner and Operant Conditioning
you have the power to choose, but every choice you make comes with a reality of consequence.
The essence of freedom
To act freely is acting determined
reason and will
