LESSON 5: FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON
THOMAS AQUINAS
Introduction:
This lesson highlights freedom from the intellectual, political,
spiritual and economic aspects. TO BE FREE IS PART OF
HUMANITY’S AUTHENTICITY. Understanding freedom is part of
our transcendence. CRITICAL THINKING is an important tool
toward freedom and truth.
*REALIZE THAT ALL ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES”
A. ARISTOTLE “ the POWER OF VOLITION
Intellectual Freedom
will
action reason
The imperative quality of a judgment of practical
intellect is meaningless,apart from will.
Reason can legislate but only through will can its
legislation be translated into action.
The task of a particular INTELLECT is to
guide WILL
by enlightening it.
WILL is to be understood wholly in terms of
intellect. If there will no intellect there would be no WILL.
THE WILL OF HUMANITY is an instrument of FREE CHOICE.
This is borne out by:
*our inner awareness of an aptitude to do right or wrong
*the common testimony of all human beings
*the rewards & punishment of rulers
*the general employment of praise & blame
MORAL ACTS, which are always particular acts, are in our
power and we are responsible for them. CHARACTER or HABIT
is no excuse for immoral conduct.
For ARISTOTLE, a human being is RATIONAL. REASON is a divine
characteristic. Human have the spark of the divine. IF THERE
WERE NO INTELLECT, THERE WOULD BE NO WILL.
REASON can legislate but only through WILL can its legislation
be turned into action.
OUR WILL is an instrument of FREE CHOICE.
B. ST.
1 C. SPIRITUAL FREEDOM (Aquinas*
LOVE is FREEDOM
action
ST. Thomas Aquinas considers human beings as moral
agent.. Our spirituality separates us from animals,; it
delineates moral dimension of our fulfilment in an
action.. Through our spiritualityaction we have our
CONSCIENCE.. Whether to be “good or evil” becomes our
responsibility.
The idea of St. Thomas that in the plan of God, a human being
has to develop and perfect himself by doing his daily tasks.
Hence, if a human being perseveringly live a righteous &
virtuous life, he transcends his mortal state of life and soars
to an immortal state of life and soars to an immortal state of
life.
The POWER OF CHANGE however cannot be done by human
beings alone, but is achieved through COOPERATION WITH
GOD.
PERFECTION BY PARTICIPATION here means that
it is a union of humanity with God. Change should not be
purely private advantage but the GOOD OF THE
COMMUNITY.
FOURFOLD CLASSIFICATION OF LAW (Aquinas)
1. Eternal law- is the decree of God that governs all creation
2.Natural law - is the human participation in the eternal law
& is discovered by REASON. Based on the “first principles”
. It is the ETHICAL SENSE, applies only to human beings
3. Human law- like the natural law, this is concerned with
ENDS determined simply by humanity’s nature.
4. DIVINE law or REVELATION - a law ordering a person
necessary to ordain to an end transcending his nature. It is
divided into 2: a. Old (MOSAIC LAW ) and b. New
(CHRISTIAN)
For Aquinas, aside from having a virtuous life to be
happy, He points to a higher form of happiness beyond
this life that can be found in God alone. He proposed
LOVE rather than LAW . LOve only calls and invites. HE
emphasized the freedom of humanity but CHOOSES
LOVE in governing humanity’s life. Since GOD IS LOVE,
then LOVE is the guiding principle of humanity toward
his self perception and happiness.
actions
ST. Thomas Aquinas establishes the existenc e of
conscience
God as a first cause. Of all God’s creations, human
beings have the unique power to God’s change themselves
and things around them for the Love better.
As humans, are both MATERIAL & SPIRITUAL. We have a
conscience because of our spirituality. GOD IS LOVE & LOVE IS OUR
DESTINY.
D. JEAN PAUL SARTRE: INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM
His philosophy is considered to a representative of EXISTENTIALISM
For Sartre, THE HUMAN PERSON is the DESIRE TO BE GOD.: the
desire to exist as a being which has its sufficient ground in itself
(en sui causa) . There are no guidepost along the road of life. The
human person builds the road to the destiny of his/her choosing:
he/she is the creator.
SARTRE’s EXISTENTIALISM STEMS FROM THIS PRINCIPLE:
EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE
1..The person, first, exists, encounters himself and surges up in the
world then defines himself afterward.. The person is nothing else
but that what he makes himself.
2.The person is provided .with a supreme opportunity to give
meaning to one’s life. In course of giving meaning to one’s life, one
fills the world with meaning.
3. FREEDOM is, therefore, the very core and the door to authentic
existence. AUTHENTIC EXISTENCE is realized only in deeds that are
committed alone, in absolute freedom and responsibility and
which, therefore, the character of true creation.
4.The person is what one has done and is doing.
5.On the other hand, the human person who tries to escape
obligations and strive to be en-soi ( excuses such as “ I was born
this way” or “I grew up in a bad environment”) is acting on bad
faith ( mauvi foi”).
Sartre emphasizes the importance of FREE INDIVIDUAL
CHOICE,regardless of the power of the other people to
influence and coerce our desire, beliefs and decisions. TO BE
HUMAN, to be conscious, is to be free to imagine, free to
choose and be responsible for one’s life
LESSON 5: FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON
E. THOMAS HOBBES –
proponent of “THEORY OF SOCIAL CONTRACT” –
developed his idea in favour of absolute monarchy
Law OF Nature (lex naturalis) – is a precept or general
rule established by reason, by which a person is
forbidden to do that which is destructive of his life or
takes away the means of preserving the same; and to
omit that by which he thinks it may be best preserved.
HOBBES’ LAW OF NATURE
1. Everyone should seek peace .
2.We mutually divest ourselves of certain rights
so as to achieve peace.
3. Human beings perform their covenant made.
CONTRACT- refers to the mutual transferring of rights and is
the basis of the notion of moral obligation and duty.
SELF PRESERVATION- the rational pursuit of this leads us to
form commonwealth or states. STATE- is
the resultant of the interplay of forces; HUMAN REASON- is
one of the determining forces
The LAWS OF NATURE can be said to represent AXIOMS &
POSTULATES that render this deduction possible.
In LEVIATHAN, Hobbes asserts:
“ The fundamental law of nature seeks peace and follows it,
while at the same time, by the sum of natural right, we
should defend ourselves by all ,means that we can”.
The 3rd law of nature – is the “fountain of justice”.
DISTINCTION between a commonwealth by institution and
by acquisition:
1.A commonwealth is said to exist by institution when
it has been established through covenant of every member
of a multitude with every other member.
2.A commonwealth is said to exist by acquisition when
the sovereign power has been acquired by force.
2
F. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU
– is one of the most famous
and influential philosophers of the French Enlightenment in the 18th
century.
In his Book “THE SOCIAL CONTRACT” - Like Hobbes ,he believed that
the states owes its origin to a social contract freely entered into by its
members but he interpreted the idea in terms of Absolute Monarchy.
- He believes that human being is BORN FREE & GOOD.
The term “SOCIAL CONTRACT- is a philosophical fiction, a metaphor
and a certain way of looking at a society of voluntary collection of
agreeable individuals.
Sovereign/ruler
Freedom (general will or
mutual transferring of rights)
Hobbes’ & Rosseaus’
POLITICAL FREEDOM
Citizens
(individual Rights)
There must be a common power or government which the
plurality of individuals(citizens) should confer all the
powers and strength into one will.
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EVALUATE & EXERCISE PRUDENCE IN CHOICES
For B.F. SKINNER – the environment select which is similar with
natural selection. For him, behaviour is shaped and maintained by its
consequences (operant conditioning)
YELON- accepted that behavioural psychology is at fault for having
overanalyzed the words “reward” and punishment”
CAN AN INDIVIDUAL BE FREE?
According to Skinner our struggle for freedom is not due to a will to
be free
As for Aristotle or Sartre, but to certain behavioural processes
characteristic of the human organism, the chief effect of which is the
avoidance or escape from “ aversive” features of the environment.
JOHN STUART MILL – “ Liberty consists in doing what one desires.”
Guide Questions:
1. Relate peace and freedom as necessary for the state.
2. Despite genetic defects, are we free? Defend your answer.
3. To what extent does the environment affect our choices?
CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES AND SOME THINGS ARE GIVEN
UP WHILE OTHERS ARE OBTAINED IN MAKING CHOICES
FOR AYN RAND(1996) – individual mind is the tool for economic
progress vis-a- vis laissez faire capitalism. Same with Aristotle ,
he believes that THINKING IS VOLITIONAL. The person has the
freedom to think or not.
-He rejects collectivism because of its brute effect. THOUGH
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE RIGHTS, THERE SHOULD ALSO BE
RESPONSIBILITY.
Individualism – IS LINED IN FAMILY DEPENDENCY BEACUSE
EASTERNERS BELIEVE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS THE
COMMUNITY AND VICE VERSA.
Ex. The Chinese & Filipino , stress the human relationships that
emphasize that the person is NOT NECESSARILY AN INDEPENDENT
ENTITY.
IN FILIPINO’s “LOOB”- the individual s the captain of his own ship
on a sea that is not entirely devoid of uncertainties.
- is the basis of Christian value of sensitivity to the needs of
others and gratitude.
Filipinos holistic and interior dimensions stress bein-with-others
and sensitivity to the needs of others that inhibits one’s personal
and individual fulfilment.
INDIVIDUALISM thus, should not be seen as selfishness but an
affirmation of truly human self that is supreme of value of
human living. TO BE A FREE INDIVIDUAL IS TO BE RESPONSIBLE
NOT ONLY FOR ONE’S SELF BUT ALSO FOR ALL.
DISCUSS:
According to Rand,individual freedom should be aligned with
economic freedom.
WHAt are the relations of Individualism to self sufficiency,
entrepreneurship, Self respect, amor propio (pride &
respectability)
What is the role of education in promoting individualism?
How did the EDSA Revolution show that Filipinos become
sovereign people?
Rabindranath Tagore “ LET ME CRAVE IN CONSCIOUS fear to be
saved,but hope for the patience to win my freedom
LESSON 5: FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON 3