Introduction

to
philosophy
OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the learner is expected

to:
1. Realize that all actions have consequences;
2. Evaluate and exercise prudence in choices;
and
3. Demonstrate freedom of choice and the
consequences of their choices.
Lesson 2:

The Freedom of the

Human Person
A person must possess 4
qualities that validate him or
her as a person namely;
self-awareness, externality,
dignity, and self-
determination.
Self-determination is the capability of the person
to make choices and decisions based on their own
preferences, monitor, and regulate their own actions
and be goal-oriented and self-directed. It is in this self-
autonomy that we, as human persons are free to
choose whatever and whenever our wants and needs to
set us into and let us dictate the direction of which our
life is heading. An important dictation 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 on
command such as “stay” or “fetch” because it has been
trained and conditioned to perform them. The same
cannot be said about human beings. You cannot just
approach a stranger, toss him or her a ball and say
“fetch!” Surely, you will be embarrassed with curious and
suspicious stares from that person. A person will not
respond automatically to the command “fetch” because
he or she is not conditioned to obey like a 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 incitement or faces with a certain situation.
With us humans, our inherent freedom makes us very
dynamic creatures and our actions do not necessarily
follow a set pattern.
Freedom is categorized into three
kinds:

1. Physical Freedom – this is the

first type of freedom that comes
into mind when talking about
freedom. It refers to the absence
of any physical restraint and the
freedom of mobility to act and go
whatever, whenever and wherever
he or she pleases.
2. Psychological Freedom – it 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. Psychological 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 – This 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 becomes
freer when he or she uses freedom well but
becomes less free 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.
Freedom gives us the choice to undertake one
of these possible actions. It also enables us to come
up with new choices. For example, some may take
some of the cash before reporting it to the police to
purchase their needs. The essence of freedom is that
it does not confine our actions to those who do set or
expected by others; we can imagine your actions and
decide to undertake them.
Now recall your answer to John’s situation
and ask yourself why you chose to take that action.
Reflecting upon your actions will enable you to know
yourself better as a person. Your actions also
determine to uphold human dignity and freedom.
Having freedom, however, also entails certain
responsibilities. A person can diminish or deny
freedom through the choices that he or she makes.
Freedom requires a degree of control from the person
who exercises it. A person becomes free 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. For example, persons suffering from addiction are less
free because they are overpowered by their addiction to certain
substances and can barely control themselves when presented
with these things. People who act solely based on their
emotions are also less free because they allowed themselves
to be controlled by their feelings without any regard for ethical
considerations. To lose control of oneself diminishes human
freedom and dehumanizes the person.
“We are who we are because of the choices we
make.” Life is a long journey, and, in this
journey, we would likely face the same
situations again and again. Every repeated
choice that we make in the same scenario can
develop into a habit. If this habit continues, it
becomes one of your character traits.
Element of Freedom

What makes us Free? How does Freedom

shape our experiences?
Two elements
define freedom.
Voluntariness refers
to the ability of a
person to act out of his
or her own free will and
self-determination.
This means that a person
may decide to act or not to
act, and these decisions
are made of his or her own
free will. Voluntariness also
means that a person may
act even if he or she is not
required or called to act.
Voluntary acts are free acts
which can be assigned a
corresponding moral value.
Whenever we decide to act, this results in a
certain consequence. All human actions have
consequences, and this affects not only the person
who commits the action, but also other people in our
surroundings. As a free being, the person must
accept the consequences of his or her actions to take
responsibility for them. The second element of
freedom, responsibility, refers to the person being
accountable for his or her actions and their
consequences.
Taking responsibility can either mean a
person will voluntarily taking responsibility for his
or her own actions or being held responsible by
other people. Whenever you know you committed
a bad action you can either voluntarily confess to
it or other people will point it out and hold you
responsible. Responsibility can also have a
positive or negative meaning, and it goes hand in
hand with voluntariness in determining the
morality of an action.
The realization of voluntariness and
responsibility in the exercise of our freedom
gives our actions and experiences a whole new
meaning. We can now reflect on our actions to
better understand them and guide us towards
making the best possible decision.
Another reality that we must face as we
exercise our freedom is the fact that freedom is
experienced through the path of making choices.
Although human freedom gives us the ability to think
of countless decisions and possible actions, we only
get to choose one of these possible actions or
decisions. Having the ability to choose and to enact a
course of action does not automatically mean that we
should act every time. It is also possible that the
choice not to take action may be acceptable and
moral in a given situation.
When we choose to do a particular action, we
can never go back and redo our actions and make
another choice. Real-life is not a movie where we can
stop and get a second take on the situation.
Therefore, it is very important that when confronted
with choices, we exercise caution and prudence and
reflect on our possible courses of action.
REFERENCES

1. Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person by Roberto D.

Abella, 2016, C&E Publishing, Inc.
2. Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person by Brenda
Corpuz, R.A. Paclibar, M.L.C Paclicbar, 2016, Loremar Publishing
Inc.
3. Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person by Christine
Carmela R. Ramos, 2016, Rex Bookstore Inc.