Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

Lesson 5: Freedom of the Human Person

What is freedom? What is the essence of freedom?

Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property of the person. This means that the human person by
nature is a being and that it is in his or her nature to seek freedom. An important indication of human freedom
is the abilities to make choices and perform actions. Our freedom to act sets us apart from other beings.

Let’s compare how animals and human persons behave to get a better understanding of freedom. We
see some animals behave like human beings because they seem to perform actions in response to commands. A
well trained dog can perform certain tasks on command such as “stay” or “fetch" because it has been trained
and conditioned to perform them. The same cannot be said about human beings. You cannot just approach a
stranger, toss him or her a ball, and say “Fetch!" Surely, you will be met with curious and suspicious stares. A
person will not respond automatically to the command to 'Fetch!" because he or she is not conditioned to obey
like the dog.

The human person does not experience the world in the same way that animals do. Animals act
instinctively, meaning, their actions are more like predetermined responses to certain stimuli. A person, on the
other hand, can choose the course of action to take when given a stimulus or faced with a certain situation. You
expect your dog to always respond in the same way to your commands. With us humans, our inherent freedom
makes us very dynamic creatures and our actions do not necessarily follow a set pattern or a pre-determined
course. Your mother may ask you to clean your room one day and you will follow her instruction. The
following week, however, you may decide not to clean your room when told because you feel lazy. The week
after, you may decide to clean your room without even being told. These varied actions indicate that you are
exercising your freedom.

Freedom is also understood as the power to be what you want to be and the ability to decide and create
yourself. You may have a good idea of your personal identity at this point in your life. Though we have certain
inherent traits such as physical attributes and temperament, many of the characteristics that define our
personality are often a product of our choices. Our talents, for instance, are developed to their fullest only if we
choose to dedicate time and effort to improve them. Our preferences and views are other aspects of our
personality that we freely adopt. You may have also imagined yourself as a successful professional in the future.
Your nature as a human person gives you the ability to imagine that future. Your freedom, meanwhile, gives
you the ability to strive to achieve that goal.

1
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

Freedom is rooted in the human person’s self-determination and the exercise of intellect and free
will. This means that a person’s every action is freely determined and these actions define him or her. We can
freely choose to be a good person and to act in a good way. A good act makes a person better while its opposite
has a negative impact on him or her as a person. This is the nature of self-determination: that a person’s actions
determine what kind of person he or she becomes.

Freedom gives us the choice to undertake one of these possible actions. It also enables us to come up
with new choices. For instance, some may laugh at Samuel, but decide to help him later. The essence of
freedom is that it does not confine our actions to those Set or expected by others; we can imagine new actions
and decide to undertake them.

Now, recall your answer and ask yourself why you chose to take that action: Reflecting upon your
actions will enable you to know yourself better as a person. Your actions also determine if you uphold human
dignity and freedom. Having freedom, however, also entails certain responsibilities. It is possible for a person
to diminish or negate freedom through the choices and actions that he or she makes.

Freedom also requires a degree of control from the person who exercises it. A person becomes more
free When he or she exercises control over himself or herself. On the other hand, a person becomes less free
when he or she is no longer in control of himself or herself and is instead controlled by other forces. For
example, persons suffering from addiction are less free because they are overpowered by their addiction to
certain substances and can barely control themselves when presented with these things. People who act solely
based on their emotions are also less Free because they allow themselves to be controlled by their feelings
without any regard for ethical considerations; People who behave impulsively and erratically are more similar
to animals than persons. To lose control of oneself diminishes human freedom and dehumanizes the person.

Persons who are denied their freedom by other individuals, groups, and institutions are also
dehumanized. Slavery is “a dehumanizing act because a person is forced to work for life without the possibility
of ever leaving a life of bondage. A person who is imprisoned is also dehumanized because he or she is denied
his or her freedom and is confined to prison life. That same person, however, also dehumanized the person
whom he or she wronged.

Kinds of Freedom

1. Physical freedom- refers to the absence of any physical restraint The person has me freedom of mobility to
go where he or she wants to go. He or she is not impeded in his or her actions by any physical force. Granted

2
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

that the person has natural limitations, physical freedom allows him
or her to act and move In a determined manner. You cannot be
everywhere at once. but your freedom allows you to move from
one place to another and to go wherever you want to go.

2. Psychological Freedom- Psychological freedom is also called

freedom of choice. The person is free to perform actions that he or
she considers right and wise. A person is also free to act or not to
act. Psychological freedom ls innate and cannot be denied a person. No outside force or influence can compel a
person to take action against his or her will.

3. Moral Freedom- Moral freedom refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds human dignity and
goodness. Freedom is not an object that a person may use In whatever way he or she pieases.‘A person must
use his or her freedom to grow as a person. A person becomes more free when he or she uses freedom well, but
becomes less free when he or she Uses it in a bad way. Humans have a natural inclination for what is true and
good, and when a person uses his or her freedom to do acts that violate human dignity and goodness. he or she
dehumanizes himself or herself and effectively negates human freedom.

What makes us free? How does freedom shape our experiences.

There are two elements that define freedom. Voluntariness refers to the ability of a person to act out of
his or her own free will and self-determination. This means that a person may decide to act or not to act, and
these decisions are made out of his or her own free will. Voluntariness also means that a person may act even if
he or she is not required or called to take action. Voluntary acts are free acts which can be assigned a
corresponding moral value. Let' s analyze the following scenario and figure out how voluntariness was
expressed in the situation.

Whenever we decide to take action, this results in a certain consequence. All human actions have
consequences, and these affect not only the person who commits the action, but also other people and our
surroundings. As a free being, the person must accept the consequences of his or her action and take
responsibility for them. The second element of freedom, responsibility, refers to the person being accountable
for his or her actions and their consequences.

Taking responsibility can either mean a person voluntarily taking responsibility for his or her own
actions, or being held responsible by other people. Whenever you know you committed a bad action, you can

3
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

either voluntarily confess to it or other people Will point it out and hold you responsible. Responsibility can
also have a positive or negative meaning, and it goes hand-in-hand with voluntariness in determining the
morality of an action.

Voluntariness and responsibility go hand-in-hand in determining a person’s freedom. In any situation

where a person is forced to do an action against his or her will, it follows that he or she cannot be held
responsible for his or her involuntary actions. A person who is forced by bank robbers to open the safety vault
in a bank may not be held fully responsible for the crime of robbery, since he or she acted without much
voluntariness. On the other hand, a person who had no awareness of the effect of his or her actions can be
considered as acting with diminished freedom. One example may be a person who tried to scare his or her
friend by jumping out of a corner wearing a scary mask. The surprised friend decided to run away but in his or
her panic, he or she hit a wall and was injured. It was not the intention of the person who committed the prank
to get his or her friend hurt, but it happened because he or she did not fully consider the consequences of his or
her actions. Without these two elements, human freedom is diminished, and the person makes imperfect actions
and unwise decisions which may have negative effects on the self and others.

The realization of voluntariness and responsibility in the exercise of our freedom gives our actions and
experiences a whole new meaning. We can now reflect on our actions to better understand them and guide us
toward making the best possible decision.

Another reality that we have to face as we exercise our freedom IS the fact that freedom is experienced
through the act of making choices! Although human freedom gives us the ability to think of countless decisions
and possible actions, we only get to choose to enact one of these possible actions or decisions. Having the
ability to choose and enact a course of action does not automatically mean that we should take action every
time. It is also possible that the choice not to take action may be an acceptable and moral choice in a given
situation. When we make the choice to do a particular action, we can never go back and redo our actions and
make another choice. Real life is not a movie where we can stop and rewind events and get a “second take" on
the situation. Therefore it is very important that when confronted with choices, we exercise caution and
prudence and reflect on our possible courses of action. Self-reflection is vital in the proper exercise of human
freedom. As persons, we cannot allow ourselves to be slaves to sudden emotions and moods whenever we act.
As free and rational beings, we must recognize the importance of exercising freedom responsibly. This requires
us to reflect on our actions, consider their effects, and make the proper choices regarding the most beneficial
decisions or actions.

4
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

How can I exercise my freedom in a responsible and beneficial manner?

You may have heard the saying: “My freedom to swing my fist ends where your nose begins." This
simple statement points to the fact that human freedom, though essential, is not absolute. Human freedom
should be exercised with control and a recognition of reasonable limits. We set limits to our own freedom and
learn to moderate or control our thoughts, emotions, and actions depending on the situation. A person can even
choose to limit his or her own freedom or even surrender it entirely if it will result in greater benefits.

A person may choose not to enter the jeepney first despite being first in line to give way to an elderly
woman. A young professional may choose not to speak up in a meeting regarding serious concerns about a
worker, but instead directly confront the person concerned in private. You may be very angry at your teacher
for scolding you in front of the entire class but you refrained from answering back at him or her since it will be
considered a disrespectful act. Citizens may be angry about corruption in the government but they do not go to
the streets and engage in violence just to express their anger. Instead, they find other more reasonable and
lawful means to express it.

Limiting our personal freedom requires us to sacrifice certain self-interests and accept certain realities
that are beyond our control. You may have the freedom to pursue a degree in medicine but, realizing that your
parents do not have the means to send you to medical school, you decide to take a less expensive course. Our
sense of right and wrong guides us in recognizing and deciding on the limitations to our freedom.

Our society also imposes restrictions on our individual freedom. From determining the places where we
can cross a street to controlling our actions through laws and regulations: society implements reasonable
restrictions to personal freedom in order to maintain order and harmony and uphold the welfare of the public.

Freedom should also be exercised with regard for

knowledge and truth. As rational beings, it is natural for us to
think before we act. We use our freedom to act and acquire
more knowledge, and we use this knowledge in order to come
up with decisions and courses of actions when confronted with
difficult situations. To correctly answer a multiple choice item
in an exam, a student should study and prepare beforehand to know the correct information needed to answer
the test. Otherwise, he or she will be unable to answer the test correctly.

5
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

The ability to acquire information and truthful knowledge regarding a particular situation is very
important, since it aids us in making wise and informed choices. For instance, in voting for officials in your
student council elections, some students may choose to vote for candidates they know and like, or even
candidates that they find attractive or appealing. More discerning students, however, will choose to find out
each candidate’s views on important school issues and cast their vote based on their judgment of who is the
better candidate to address these concerns. A courtroom judge has the freedom to make any decision on any
case. But if he or she wishes to uphold justice and render proper judgment, he or she must carefully study the
facts of the case in order to arrive at correct conclusions regarding the issues. Truthful knowledge is also
needed for people who wish to invest in ' business ventures to determine if they are getting into legitimate
transactions or are just being deceived into participating in a scam.

Determining the proper information needed before we choose the best course of action is not easy, but it
is a necessary step to ensure that our choices, decisions, and actions are proper, reasonable, and just. If we
make a choice and act on false or incomplete information, we may end up making decisions which will bring
harm to ourselves and others. lt is therefore necessary to cultivate the intellectual virtue of prudence to be our
guide in making sound choices.

As human persons, our nature drives us to uphold human dignity and goodness. In exercising our
freedom, we should also recognize and uphold not only our individual freedom but also the freedom of others.
This view has led to the assertion that freedom is a recognized and guaranteed right for all persons. Many
societies identify certain freedoms that should be enjoyed by all, as these contribute to the quality of life of the
individual and the welfare of society. These include the freedom to live and determine One’s identity; freedom
from slavery and other constraints; freedom of speech; and freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
Freedom should be exercised with due regard for the Welfare of other persons and one's 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.

FINAL NOTE: The Given and the Chosen

People often think that the fullness of freedom is found in one’s ability to make decisions about one's
life. Choicer indeed an element of freedom, but freedom goes beyond mere choosing. Freedom is not absolute,
and in our lives, there are a lot of things that We could not choose. For example. we were not given a choice if
we wanted to be born; we were simply given life. We also did not choose our parents; some of our physical
traits and personal characteristics were simply genetically handed down and already form part of us. We are not

6
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min.

in total control of everything around us, and we sometimes find ourselves with very limited choices, such as
being stuck In traffic, getting mugged by . someone on the street. and having strong emotions for someone.
Many things in life are given. Although some things are given, it does not mean that we do not really have
freedom. On the contrary. there are instances when we can exercise our freedom because we are not determined
by these forces or situations. Difficult situations may not always be avoidable. especially if we happen to be
victims of circumstance. but we may take these difficult situations positively or negatively. We may not always
have the best family. but it does not mean that our future family will turn out the same way as our current one.
A person with an indifferent attitude may find it hard to be motivated and excited about things in general. but it
doesn't mean that he or she is incapable of being interested and inspired to act passionately. These "givens’ or
predetermined things do not negate our freedom. but give us opportunities to exercise our freedom when we
determine ourselves. The key idea is that we should always act well in any given situation because the self is
determined by the self. We have given tendencies or inclinations. and the world also exerts some forces over us,
but we can transcend all of these and determine ourselves in the manner we want because we are free.’ As
much as possible. we must use our freedom in a good way so that we may become better people and better
versions of ourselves for our own sake and the sake of others.