According to the Oxford dictionary, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of

knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. What I
learned on my previous lesson was that freedom is when you are physically able to do something
without any hindrances. Freedom is the power to make a choice independently among many
alternatives. Almost every student has to study philosophy because it helps them understand
life’s concepts from different points of view. As we study philosophy, we encounter different
kinds of topics that can raise questions in our minds. In my case, the topic that took my interest is
freedom because of Skinner’s statement. He said that man is not free which made me formulate
the question “Are we free?”. This question seems easy to answer at first glance. Most people
would immediately say yes to this because growing up we learned that we are free people which
is also what led me to ask this question. Growing up, we were taught that we are free people so
why does Skinner’s statement contradict this? There are points that led him to say otherwise.
However, I beg to differ from his statements. He mentioned that man is not free because he is
determined by his historicity. I undoubtedly disagree with that statement because you are not
defined by your past nor your present defines your future. Skinner also mentioned that how we
do things as if we are free is only due to external factors applied to us. He pointed out two
factors: reinforcement and punishment. In this paper, we will debunk Skinner’s ideas about
freedom and my ideas of freedom.

We are free people because we are able to express, act, and do what we want without any
obstacles but, it is not limitless. Despite freedom not being limitless, that does not mean we are
not free. Freedom is a responsibility. In a society, people interact and coexist which is why every
action and word that is done and said by us has an effect on other people as well as on ourselves.
As free people, we have the responsibility to use our freedom to be able to live our life but, at the
same time make sure that no one is harmed by it. That is why Skinner had two factors, he
understood that our actions had consequences if we didn’t do the right things. But if we’ve done
a good job then we are praised and favorable things are given to us. These factors he laid out for
us to investigate and understand serves as a method of learning for us because it shows us what is
right and what is wrong through punishments and praises. Skinner also stated how we are not
free because all present behavior is controlled by previous behavior and that all behavior has
motivational causes which are necessitating causes. I do think that people do learn from their
mistakes and that the behavior of the present doesn’t always control how we will act in the future
because humans are intelligent species which means we are able to analyze and comprehend
whether or not we are doing the same mistake done in the past or we want to make a difference
and live a better life. Hence, a life of a person living under the poverty line should not define the
person’s future state. It’s not morally right to judge a person base on his or her historicity, we
have no idea what a person could become in the future therefore I politely disagree that a man is
determined by his historicity. However, I do in to some points agree with his second statement
because people do need the motivation to start doing something. However, these things are done
with free will. Man is motivated by his own choices, and this motivation became a cause for
change that was purely done by his own will. That is why, if a person living under the poverty
line is motivated in changing his life, then he will be able to do such because of his willingness
that is driving him to make that certain decision to navigate his life in a different direction. That
being the case, I opine that it is freedom because it was done by free will and not because man is
obligated to do such decisions.
 Freedom is a word that looks like a shallow floating iceberg where deep under the ice
cold sea lies a vast and depth meaning of this small tipped iceberg. It is a concept where many
thoughts and ideas contradict and gather. My thoughts and beliefs against Skinner’s principles
are examples of a contradicting idea I have with regards of freedom. I have learned that freedom
comes with responsibilities, and that is why we are punished when done a wrong deed. However,
freedom is also a choice we make to make a difference in our lives. Being free is being able to
grow, that is why we are motivated to cause a change in our lives. It is both a responsibility and
free will in order to change one’s past. It is a difficult journey to truly be free in life. I, myself,
have ventured on seeking to find the definite meaning of this intricate word with the thought that
with this philosophical paper I could truly understand the word freedom and put an end on
everyone’s questions about what freedom truly is. Though, I am not sure how far I have
scratched in this deep ice berg, I am delighted to share my thoughts on freedom, especially my
thoughts on Skinner’s ideas about freedom and how much I do not think likewise, and I promise
that the search for true freedom is not yet over for true freedom has just begun.
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https://www.google.com/search?
q=philosophy&rlz=1C1VDKB_enPH1006PH1006&oq=philosophy&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i131i4
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https://reason.com/1975/01/01/skinner-vs-freedom-dignity-and/
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-pangasinan/world-literature/
freedom-of-the-human-person/19251154
file:///C:/Users/lenovo/Downloads/03%20FREEDOM%20(2).pdf