Freedom notes
- 1. HUMAN FREEDOM: How much andwhat kindsof freedomdo humanbeingspossess? Kindsof freedom: 1. B.F. Skinner: All presentbehavioriscontrolledbypreviousbehavior/byantecedenteventsinthe environment. All behaviorhasmotivational causeswhichare necessitingcauses. Feelingsandinner states,suchas plansand purposes,are by-products,notcauses. Since the environmentmakesuswhat we are, Skinnerconcludesthatwe needasocietycarefullydesignedtobringforthandreinforce responsesleadingtohumansurvival. Inshort,SkinnerissayingthatMAN isdeterminedbyhis historicity.Ourhumannature iscompletelyshapedbyculture andsociety. 2. Jean-Paul Sartre: For Sartre: MAN ISABSOLUTELY FREE. Man hasno history.The individual hasonlyhisfuture projectwhichhe makesentirelyof himself andhe alone isresponsible.Inshort,He isfree and indeterminate. AccordingtoSartre: “Individualsmustdefine themselves;“humannature”isconstantlybeinginventedandredefined throughchoicesof each individual.Authenticindividualsare aware of theirtotal emptiness –thatthey are condemnedtobe free – free toaccept the full responsibilitytodefine themselvesandthe meaning of theirlives”. 3. Abraham Maslow: For Maslow: MAN cannot be reducedtohistoricity&determinismnorbe divorcedfromthem.To be a humanpersonmeans:tohave potentialities…andtobe insertedintoanenvironment&history. Accordingto AbrahamMaslow: “Deepwithineverypersonexistsanurge to actualize the full potentialitiesof the self.A healthy,fully functioningpersonsdonotaccept an image of self-imposedbyothersandexperiencedaswhatone “shouldbe”;theyresistenculturationandconformitytosocial normsand pressures;theyrefusedtobe shapedpassivelybythe societyaroundthem…Anauthenticindividual derivessatisfactionfromself- developmentandinnergrowth;theymove towardbeingthe complexprocessthattheyinwardlyand activelyare;andtheymove towardbecomingself-directing,autonomous,andresponsible for themselves.”We are not “emptyorganisms”merelyreactingandadjustingtooutside stimuli and pressures. Although“culturemakesushuman”,itmustbe balancedwith“humanbeingsmake culture”. From these three conceptions,comes the reflectionandquestioning: 1. Can we questionourhistoricityandpast? 2. Can we achievedadistance fromand control overthe immediate environment? 3. Can we create our ownhorizons,potentialities,and whatI mightwantto make of myself? 4. Do we reallyhave learntobe free? 5. Do we needfreedomatall? Goalsof freedom: 1. Achievingadistance fromblindnecessitywith respecttoexternal stimuli,values,etc. 2. Achievingadistance frommyself…seeing&questioningmyself inrelationtopresentneeds and conditions. 3. Achievingself-possession. 4. Achievingself-determination –whatI am. Componentsof Freedom: 1. Will - the poweror capacityto choose among alternativesortoact incertainsituations. 2. Choice - the abilityvoluntarilytodecideto performone of several possibleacts,or to avoidaction entirely. a. Free choice - b. Determinedchoice -allchoicesare inevitable consequencesof antecedentsufficient
- 2. causes;oftenunderstoodasdenying the possibilityof free will. 3. Reason/Knowledge In makinga choice,itinvolvesacertainkindof deliberationon: 1. in relationtoour knowledge of whowe are and ourpotentialities. 2. pointsto the importance of environment,habit,emotion,preferences,history,etc. In process,one must a. question b. self-reflect c. inquire intelligently before makingachoice. In mostcases,our will istendingtowardsa“good”choice and thischoice iseither determined/conditioned or a free choice. But,doesthatmeanwe neverchoose evil? We, sometimes,choose evil because we thoughtwe have AbsoluteFreedom,thus, @ Man isabsolutelyfree because there isnoGodto conceive manasa definable essence. @ The essence of humanbeingissuspendedinhisfreedom…There is nodifference betweenthe beingof man andhis beingfree. @ Man is the onlysource whichdecidesends,motives,&causes... @ Man is nottieddownby hisfacticityandthe worldinwhichhe finds himself...Freedom’smeaning isa struggle withandnegationof whatis given. @ Man is nottieddownby hispastor bythe choicesof the past... @ There is nodefinable limitationtomy identity,since Ichoose itand make my ownessence… Thus: “I am myFreedom”– one’sidentityisfreedomitself. However,freedommustbe betweenthe extremesadvocatedbySkinnerandSartre: Absolute determinism(Skinner)eitheromitsthe dataof transcendence andquestioningortriestoreduce it to “external forces.”Absolute indeterminism(Sartre)ignoresman’shistoryand structure ortriesto wishit out of existence. Freedomof maninvolves both“extremes”… Itmustbe a Structured Freedom. “To be me involvesthe structure of whatbeingme;andwheneverImaygo or flee,Iwill carrymyself with me.My structure ismy arrangementandorganizationof interrelatedessencesandaccidentsinme. My structure ismy limitationtomyfreedom.Butmystructuresare alsomy potentialities.Myownfreely createdlife projectisalsoastructure…” In sum, man isfreedomwithin structure/within“others’. But freedomcarrieswith itanxietiesandambiguities: The Anxietiesof Freedom; 1. Freedomcan be a lonely&terrifyingthing…Itisnota rewardor a decorationthatis celebratedwith champagne (Camus). 2. There is no escape fromfreedom.Inawaywe are condemnedtobe free (Sartre). 3. In our exercisesof freedom, we are alone…Noone else candoitfor us and ourchoicesare irrevocable, since the presentmomentisnevertobe repeated.We cannotundowhatwe have chosen. 4. In our exercisesof freedom, we are alone…Noone else candoitfor us and ourchoicesare irrevocable, since the presentmomentisnevertobe repeated.We cannotundowhatwe have chosen. The Ambiguitiesof Freedom: 1. Man isable to knowthat he is free…andable to say somethingabouthimself.Butmyidentityasa questionerIam thrustout of myencapsulatedself.Iamcarried intothe worldof the otherand intothe entire cosmoswhichisopenratherthancloseddynamism.Thisisthe majorambiguityof freedom. 2. I can freely,irrevocablychoose tobe closed…Man wouldattimesavoidthe terrorof the choice… However,if one takesawaythe ambiguitiesof life,if youtake awaytensions,difficulties,etc.,one takes away freedom…
- 3. 3. However, freedomisalsothe mostimportantandfulfillingactionamancan place.A man can know himself andcanpossesshimself andhisdestiny.Yethisdestiny&meaningisother-directed,openinhis potentialitiestoknowandlove… However,despite all these, the mostimportanteffectof freedomis: Making a choice isa commitment.Itpenetratesthe rootsof responsibilitytodowhatyouhave chosen, for itinvolvesyourconcrete lifeworld.Youare personallyresponsibleforwhatyoudo,for whoyou are, for the wayyou face and deal withthe world,andultimatelyforthe waythe worldis,because you cannot shiftthe burdenontoGodor Nature.Youcannot blame Godor Nature for yourfailures.There are no excusesinmakingachoice.Yourchoice may notbe able totell yousomethingisrightor wrong, true or false butitwill clarifythe grounduponwhichyoucan make a responsible reflectionanda responsible decision.Itisnotyour rational mindanditsknowledge,butyourrational willandits commitmentthatmakesthe bigdifference inthe choice thatyoumade inthisconcrete world.