FREEDOM BUILT UPON A COMMON REALITY

By learning this content, the students are hoped to:

I. Understand the human nature as individual beings.

II. Understand the human nature as social beings.

III. Understand the implementation of the concept of scientific truth in life.

Freedom Bulit Upon a Common Reality ........................................................................ 6

Human Nature as Individual and Social Beings .......................................................... 6

Humans as Individuals and the Limitations of Rights ................................................. 7

Limitations of Humans as Social Beings ..................................................................... 9

The Concept of Scientific Truth................................................................................. 11

 You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed.
You’re responsible for your rose.”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Banyak yang telah kamu pelajari: mulai dari identitasmu

hingga lingkunganmu. Saatnya melanjutkan perjalanan. Kini,
kamu bebas melangkah.

...tapi tunggu.

Bebas? Betulkah itu? Adakah hal-hal lain yang patut kita

pertimbangkan dan memengaruhi kebebasan kita?
FREEDOM BUILT UPON A
COMMON REALITY
Freedom Bulit Upon a Common Reality

Human Nature as Individual and Social Beings

Humans always seek and need freedom in their lives. Freedom is the ability to

do everything without being limited by anything. Although in this universe

nothing is truly free, there is no boundless freedom.

[There are 7.6 billion people on earth and everyone wants freedom, so that there

can't be enough "space" so that freedom doesn't rub against each other]

In philosophical discourse, freedom is discussed in the context of free will and self -

determination, balanced by moral responsibility.

(Jason Brennan. 2016)

When drawn to a philosophical viewpoint, the discussion about freedom is

always related to free will and self-determination balanced by moral burden.

Humans tend to create chaotic conditions (Hobbes) and create conflict with each

other (Locke) so that it needs a social contract thus there is room for freedom

for each individual and create order for the whole people. The existence of

freedom means that there are limits to things that can create freedom, this

is what is meant by the social contract itself. This social contract is then

guaranteed by formal institutions, for example the state, which then defines

freedom as a right.
Our lives go depends in part of individual choice. Still, the rules make a difference.

Nozick and Rawls both concluded that utilitarianism fails to respect the

“separateness of persons.” The idea here is that all people are ends in themselves

with separate lives to lead. They are not tools to be exploited for maximizing

aggregate utility. We cannot force people to suffer for the sake of others. (Jason

Brennan. 2016)

Slightly backing back to discussing freedom, this individual freedom is based on

a life that is free to be chosen by every individual (individual freedom), there is

no reason to make compelling forms as if there is a direction that must be

achieved collectively for increase mutual benefits. Even if it is just to move alone,

achieving common goals without personal choice is still not the right thing to

increase mutual benefits, we recommend you to read “The One Who Walks Away

from Omelas”. However, it should be noted that there are still rules that limit

individual freedom and choice, apart from the laws and norms in the institution

where the individual resides, namely the right itself.

Humans as Individuals and the Limitations of Rights

To say a person has rights is to say other people have enforceable duties toward that

person. (Jason Brennan, 2016)

Individual rights suddenly seem to create indirect and enforceable responsibility

for others. For someone who has the right to live, it means everyone else has

the responsibility not to interfere other’s right to live. When we have defined
freedom in an institution, we are talking about the rights that are always limited

by the rights of others and the responsibility to protect these rights. So we can

conclude that responsibility as a condition to not violate the rights of others.

When this responsibility is not fulfilled there will be consequences that must be

taken.

Right may not be an absolute content and may be pro tanto, it means that

there is strong moral presumption against violating that right but sometimes, in

special circumstances, other moral considerations can outweigh the duty to

respect that right merely for the goods, to avoid a bigger disaster. For example,

during this pandemic condition and everyone is urged to do self-quarantine,

there are restrictions on individual rights, but based on moral presumptions and

considering the possible losses, then maybe this can be a justification.

To say a right is alienable is to say it can be transferred to others—that is, that one

person can lose the right and another person can acquire it. To say a righ t is

forfeitable is to say that if people act in certain ways they can lose that right. (Jason

Brennan, 2016)

Rights can be given to other people, it means that with consent, the ownership

can be changed, such as during the buying and selling process. But this may not

apply to all rights, such as the matter of dedicating oneself to illuminati

organizations or human trafficking, which do not seem virtuous to do. Rights

can be limited or eliminated, it means that we can lose our rights, such as

when committing crimes, some rights can be eliminated. In another cases, when
it comes to some serious violations, let say terrorism or genocide, the right to

life can be eliminated by death penalty.

Limitations of Humans as Social Beings

In this life, the limitations on not being free are based on the fact that humans

do not live in isolation. We are lonely, but we are never alone. Humans have a

desire to socialize with each other, because in fact humans always want to be in

touch with other humans and show interdependent conditions. Living in a

relationship between relationships and interdependence has consequences in

the form of limitations summarized in existing norms and adjusting to scientific

truth.

According to Soerjono, norms are instruments in society thus relationships can

be good; Isworo said that a norm is a guideline or regulation in life that is able

to make predictions about which actions should be done or avoided. From the

explanation of these two experts, it is reflected that in this society it is

important to understand existing norms, such as moral, politeness, religion,

and legals, therefore the limitations of freedom described before can be

understood thus the human interactions work well. If the prevailing norms are

not implemented properly, the consequences in the form of sanctions for

violations will be applied according to the applicable regulations. It should also

be understood that norms can vary according to the conditions and

environment in which these norms apply.

Example:

• (For religious norms will be deepened in religious mentoring)

• One afternoon, Ali was walking in a luxury mall. Then he saw a

sophisticated smartphone and wanted to own it. Ali did not work and had

an income, so he decided to go home and take his father's property which

was not his right. Then he realized that in his country there are laws

related to the prohibition of stealing and the perpetrator who

prohibits the regulation is subject to criminal law and has the

potential to be put in prison so he decided not to steal his father's

property because it was against his country's legals norm.

• During the colonial era, women could not access education because

based on existing social norms, women were only allowed to be in the

house and manage household affairs. However, RA Kartini finally dared

to oppose this norm based on the concept of education which aims to

educate people regardless of their identity.

The Concept of Scientific Truth

Human is inherently in favor of Order and Structure.

Hans Kelsen, “What is Justice”,

(London: Cambridge University Press 1957)

As an academic person, there is a role that will emerge by following the nature

of science itself — seeking and defending scientific truth. Scientific truth is

truth that is obtained or discovered based on facts, research results, and

research through a process of reasoning or scientific research logic because it

can be scientifically accounted for and without being bound by conditions and

the environment..

In defining freedom, we also have to be in that concept. The concept of scientific

truth in question is the existence of a thinking process with a framework that

can at least describe the cause and effect of choices. A thought process that is

in accordance with the concept of scientific truth by having knowledge of

individual rights, responsibilities, and norms are important to be applied

so that the freedoms described previously can be applied wisely and can

be justified.
Example:

• Recently in Indonesia there is a viral issue about an eucalyptus necklace

made by the Ministry of Agriculture which is reported to be a corona

antivirus. As an academic person, it is necessary to seek and defend the

scientific truth of these statements. Because until now the necklace

cannot be proven scientifically, so the truth is still questionable.

• In the past, there was an issue in the news that women can get pregnant

in swimming pools 'even without penetration' if men with 'strong sperm'

ejaculate in the water. An academic person must not accept this

statement spontaneously. In biology, we knew how reproduction and

pregnancy can occur which is contrary to this statement, so it is not in

accordance with existing scientific truths.

• Indonesia is being shocked by someone who claims to be a microbiologist

and finds an anti-corona herbal medicine that can heal within 3 days. She

said that Covid-19 will die at temperatures above 350 C, also iron melts at

that temperature. As an academic person who puts forward the concept

of scientific truth, it is not appropriate to believe in the issue. Due to

science, protein will begin to denature at temperatures of 70-80 C, and

iron itself melts at temperatures above 1500 C.

 • The view of the consequences of clothing for a person with cases of sexual

violence experienced is the result of a lack of application of the concept

of scientific truth as a result of the society that is carried away from the

social construction of how "should" a person dress.

Figure 1 Percentage of Data Regarding Dressing and Sexual Violence

Important note: The prevailing norms and the concept of scientific truth that

exists are not absolute. The meaning can change over time. As for norms change

according to conditions and environment, scientific truth is truth that is

universal and can change according to the development of science itself.