Freedom of the

Human Person
Lesson 5

Carlos, Keisha Alana E.

Deliña, Joeylene Cabugason
Deus, Nicole S.
Domincel, Carmelita M.
Domingo, Christina
 DEFINITION OF FREEDOM
Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property of the person.
This means that the human person by nature is a free being and that
it is in his or her nature to seek freedom. An important indication of
human freedom is the ability 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 command
such as stay or fetch because it has been trained. The same cannot be
said about human beings. A person will not respond automatically to
the command to fetch because he/she is not in condition 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
predetermined course.
Your mother may ask you to clean your room one day and you
will follow her instruction. The following week 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
imagine the future. Your freedom, meanwhile, gives you the ability
to strive to achieve the goal.
 ESSENCE OF FREEDOM
Freeing yourself to be who you are no matter who you are. To free
yourself from the fear of others knowing who you are and respecting
yourself for who you are, are the most crucial steps for inner peace.
Freedom is a condition whereby citizens uphold the power to think,
speak and act as per the use of universal reason as a sovereign subject
and change the society in a desirable course.
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 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.
Look at the situation below, Samuel is carrying a heavy load of books along the
hallway when he suddenly loses his balance and drop all the books. Which among
the situations pictured will be your most truthful reaction ?

You may choose not to

You may also choose to You may laugh at him
help Samuel and just
help him pick up his and refuse to help.
watch or ignore him while
books.
he picks up his books.
 Freedom gives us the choice to undertake one of these
possible actions. It also enables us to produce 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.
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 freer 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.
o Persons suffering from addiction are less free because they are
overpowered by their addiction to certain substances and can
barely control themselves.
o 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.
o People who behave impulsively and erratically are more similar to
animals than persons.
To lose control of oneself diminishes human of freedom and
dehumanizes the person.
 Person who are denied their freedom by other
individuals, groups and institutions are also
dehumanized.
o Slavery is a dehumanizing act because a person is
forced to work for life without the possibility of
ever leaving a life of bondage.
o 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 the 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 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. Physiological 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. Physiological
freedom is 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- 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 pleases. A person must use his or her freedom to
grow as a person. A person becomes freer 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?
the process by which a
 voluntary choice person controls their own
a. Two Elements that Define
or decision life. Freedom
1. Voluntariness – the ability of a person to act out of his or her
own free will and self-determination. A person may decide to act
or not to act, and these guidelines
decisions thatare made
assist a from his or her own
person in deciding
free will. A person may between
act even rightifand
hewrong
or she is not required or
called to take action. Voluntary acts are free acts which can be
assigned a corresponding moral value. 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 own
action and take responsibility for them.
2. 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. 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 together in determining a person’s
freedom.
 In a situation where a person is forced to do an action against his or her will,
he or she cannot be held responsible for his or her involuntary actions.
 A person who had no awareness of the effect of his or her actions can be
considered as acting with diminished freedom.
Without these two elements, human freedom is diminished, and the person
makes imperfect actions and unwise decisions which may have negative effects
on self and others.
We can examine our actions, habits, and behavior by asking ourselves the
following questions:
o What should I do?
o Why should I do it?
o What will happen if I do it?
o How will my actions or behavior affect myself, others, and my surroundings?
o Will my action or behavior be considered correct, proper, beneficial, and
moral?
b. Reality that we must face as we exercise our freedom

 Freedom is experienced through the act of making choices.

 Human freedom gives us the ability to think of countless decisions
and actions, we only get to chooseacting
to do one
with or these
showingpossible
care and actions or
decisions. It is also possible that thethought
choicefornot
theto take action may
future
be an acceptable and moral choice in a given situation.
 It is important to exercise caution and prudence, and reflect on
possible courses of action in making decisions or doing actions.
 Self-reflection is vital in the proper exercise of human freedom.
 As free and rational beings, we must recognize the importance of
exercising freedom responsibly. We cannot allow ourselves to be
slaves of sudden emotions and moods whenever we act. This requires
us to reflect on our actions, consider their effects, and make
the proper choices.
 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 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.
You may be very angry at your teacher for scolding you in front of
the entire class, but you refrain from answering back at him or her
since it will be considered a disrespectful act.
 Limiting personal freedom requires sacrificing certain self-
interests and accepting certain realities that are beyond our
control. You may have 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 guide us in recognizing and deciding on
the limitations of 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 to
maintain order and harmony and uphold the welfare of the public.
The ability to acquire information and truthful knowledge
regarding a particular situation is very important since it aids in
making wise and informed choices.
 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 of false or
incomplete information, we may end up making decisions which will
bring harm to ourselves and others. It 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 freedom that should be
enjoyed by all, as these contribute to the quality of life of the
individual of the welfare 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.
Thank you for
listening!