INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF A HUMAN PERSON

FREEDOM

1. The power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
2. The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved
3. Unrestricted use of something

Different perspective on freedom:

 Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980)

-Freedom is existence
-“Man is nothing else, but what he makes of himself. Man is what he chooses to be.”

 Emmanuel Kant (1724-1804): Idea of Freedom

-freedom is the key to explain the autonomy of the will
-the will is a kind of causality belonging to living beings so far as they are rational
-freedom would then be the property of this causality has of being able to work independently.

 Eddie R. Babor Ph. D

KINDS OF FREEDOM
Freedom from Physical Constraint This is exercised only by animals. Ex. Birds are free to fly

Freedom as one Pleases
Authentic Freedom
This is participated only by anarchist and immature individuals
An attunement with what is divinely required. Thus, the exercise
of freedom is also the exercise of responsibilities since freedom
cannot be disassociated with responsibility. Therefore if freedom
is founded on human nature, and if human nature is good, then,
freedom means option for the good.

 Franklin Roosevelt

THE 4 FREEDOMS (01/06/1941)

Freedom of speech and expression Everywhere in the world

Freedom of every person to

(in his own way)- everywhere in the world
worship God

Means economic understandings which will secure every nation a

Freedom from Want
healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants. –everywhere in the world
Mean a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in
such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to
Freedom from Fear
commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor.-
anywhere in the world.
 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF A HUMAN PERSON

Concepts of freedom: Morality, Democracy, and Religion

I. Freedom and Morality

 Freedom-is the quality or state of being free

 Ethics- is the branch of philosophy which addresses questions of morality. It is a study of human
conduct and values. It is knowing what is good (while morality is doing what is good)
 Morality- is the quality or state of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. It is a
particular system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a specified person or
society.
 Relationship (Kant’s Philosophy):
The Fundamental principle of morality- the categorical imperative (CI) is none other than the
law of an autonomous will. The CI as an objective that we must always follow despite any
desires or inclinations we may have to the contrary. In short, it is a free will’s law or Principle.
Therefore, we are morally responsible for all our actions because we have free will.

II. Freedom and Democracy

 Democracy- is a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them
directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free
elections.
 Relationship- democracy and freedom go hand in hand as without freedom, there is no democracy which
is mainly based on equality. If freedom is denied, then tyranny, dictatorship prevails in a country.

III. Freedom and Religion

 “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to
change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or
private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance.” (UN general
assembly, UDHR, Art. 18,1948)

Ethics- deals with morality of human acts (rightness and wrongness)

HUMAN ACTS ACTS OF MAN

 Voluntary acts of man  Activities of man as animal

 Acts done with full knowledge and consent
 Acts which are consciously undertaken and
are under our control
 Act that is proper to man as man
 Acts which man is the master; doing and not
doing as he pleases
 Acts are not deliberately done nor voluntary;
 Performed without the free will of the agent
 Includes beating of the heart, dreaming,
sensations by the five senses
 Do not demand responsibility from the agent
(Amoral acts and not subjected to morality)
 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF A HUMAN PERSON

MORAL IMMORAL AMMORAL

-concerned with the principles of

right and wrong behavior and the
goodness or badness of human
character.
-lacking a moral sense;
-not morally good or right :
unconcerned with the rightness or
morally evil or wrong
wrongness of something

The Determinants of Morality:

1. The Act in itself- this refers to the nature of an act which is neither extrinsic/intrinsically evil.
a. Intrinsic Evil Act- is one which by its nature, which is by its functional purpose, is wrongful or
an act that is evil by nature.
b. Extrinsic Evil Act- is one which by its nature is not really evil, although good or indifferent in
itself, however prohibited by human law.

2. The Motive of the Act-the purpose which the doer wishes to achieve by such action. Good intention
doesn’t make an intrinsically disordered act right. The end does not justify means.

3. Circumstances of the Act- refers to the events of an act which occur in a definite time and place
and accompanied by certain elements which contribute to the nature and accountability of such act.

Elements of Human Acts:

 Voluntarism- voluntariness is equated to freedom of will in man. Only acts that are done with consent
have moral bearing.
 Knowledge and consent equates to being responsible with all aspect of the action.
 Factors that lessen Accountability:
a. Ignorance is the absence of knowledge.
1. Invincible- it is a type of ignorance that could not e dispelled with any amount of effort
because under the situation, it is impossible.
2. Vincible- it is a type of ignorance that can be dispelled with diligence.

b. Fear- when one acts out of fear the freedom is restricted and the responsibility diminishes as
well.
c. Violence-the impulse from something external that forces and agent to do that is against his
will.

NB: “The greater the knowledge and freedom, the greater the voluntariness and the moral responsibility”
 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF A HUMAN PERSON

Moral Reasoning

 Is a process of examining moral arguments

 It evaluates the soundness of an argument
 It is an analysis of what is considered as good or bad, right, or wrong, correct or incorrect in a moral
realm.

A. Deontological Ethics (duty based)

 Greek word: dein (duty)
 It recognizes that there are moral principles that we follow which we consider as universally correct and
should be applicable of all humanity
 The right/ wrong is based on the action itself.
 Universality Principle: Can everyone do the same thing? Can this decision be applied to every human being?

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)- Categorical Imperative (LAW OF MORALITY)-we conditionally obliged to do.

 Describes as doing something from duty and for duty’s sake alone, without regardto feelings, emotions,
and inclinations.

B. Teleogical Ethics (consequence based)

 Greek word: telos (end, goals, or purpose)
 It believes that the end, goal, or purpose of an action must be based on its consequences.
 The sense of right/ wrong is based on the outcome of the decisions.
 Dictum- “the end justifies the means”

John Stuart Mill

 Proposed the principle of utility of the greatest happiness principle

Deontological Ethics Teleogical Ethics

 Rule-based view of ethics was first proposed
by Immanuel Kant which therefore
commonly known as Kantian Ethics
 Good or badness is determined by actions
 Consequences-based view of ethics was
introduced by Jeremy Bentham and
developed by John Stuart Mill which is also
known as utilitarianism.
 Goodness or badness is determined by the
result or outcomes

 The only behavior that can be considered  Can justify the behavior as either if it
ethical is the one that has good will behind it produces greatest good for the greatest
number
 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF A HUMAN PERSON
Consequences of Pre-Marital Sex:

1. Getting pregnant
2. Broken heart that doesn’t mend quickly or easily
3. Getting an STD
4. Messing up your future marriage relationship with painful memories or infertility.
5. Losing your self-respect / self-esteem
6. Being trapped in a relationship that is only held together by sex
7. Destroying your reputation
8. Having you future plans and life goals laid aside
9. Feeling cheap or used
10. Denying yourself the opportunity to have real friends with the opposite sex.

Theory of Multiples Intelligences

 Developed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983

 It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence (based on IQ test), is far too limited.
 8 different intelligences
1. Linguistic intelligence (word smart)
2. Logical- Mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning)
3. Spatial intelligence (picture/images)
4. Body Kinesthetic intelligence (bodily movements)
5. Musical intelligence (music)
6. Interpersonal intelligence (people)
7. Intrapersonal intelligence (self)
8. Naturalist intelligence (nature)

 Logical Mathematical- the ability to use numbers and

reasoning effectively.
 Intrapersonal- the ability to understand yourself
 Verbal Linguistics- the ability to think in words and use
words effectively whether oral or written.
 Interpersonal- the ability to notice and make
distinctions among other individuals
 Spatial- the ability to comprehend three-dimensional
images and shapes.
 Body Kinesthetic- the ability to be aware of one's own
body and translate this ability in all the activities that
are undertaken.
 Musical - the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre,
and tone. 
 Naturalist- ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features
of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations)