SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

W5
UNIT TITLE: METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPINION AND TRUTH
LESSON TITLE: CONSEQUENCES OF ONE’S ACTION

Learning Competencies:

❑ Evaluate and exercise prudence in choices.

❑ Demonstrate freedom of choice and the consequences of choices.

Learning Objectives:

✓ Discuss philosophical views on freedom;

✓ Describe philosophical views regarding free will and free action;
✓ Demonstrate understanding of the topic by exercising prudence in choices; and
✓ Relate freedom to human rights, society, politics, and morality.

Gaining Attention

I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I

tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free How is the freedom
because that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. defined in the quotes?
--- Robert A. Heinlein Which idea regarding
freedom is most
The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, acceptable to you?
and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other If you were to make
people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little your own definition of
unsexy ways, every day. “freedom,” what will
--- David Foster Wallace it be?

Presentation / Content:

This lesson highlights freedom from the intellectual, political, spiritual, and economic aspects. To be free is
a part of humanity’s authenticity. In one way, understanding freedom is part of our transcendence. Freedom consists
of going beyond situations such as physical or economic. For instance, students can be young and poor, but they can
still pursue their dreams of becoming a doctor, teacher, or a stage actor. As discussed in the last lesson, critical
thinking is an important tool toward freedom and truth.

WHAT IS FREEDOM?

Freedom or liberty is a social and political concept which has great significance in how people participate
in society.
• Enlightenment thinkers believed that early man existed in a “natural state” and had absolute freedom.
• However, the establishment of societies required people to surrender some of their freedom in order to live
in harmony with others and ensure the survival of society.
• In establishing a society, people entered into a “social contract” which defined the freedoms that they will
be enjoying as members of a society and the state.
• Freedom in a political and social context means the freedom of an individual from oppression, compulsion,
or coercion from other persons, an authority figure, or from society itself.
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 HUMAN FREEDOM is
expressed in two ways:
Freewill = the capacity to
choose from alternative courses
of action or decision; and
Free action = the freedom to
perform an action without any
obstacles or hindrances.
POLITICAL FREEDOM CONSISTS OF TWO TYPES OF
LIBERTIES:
- Positive liberty refers to a person taking control of his or her
own life and fulfilling one’s potential
- Negative liberty is freedom from external restraint, barriers,
and other interferences from other people.

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES ON HUMAN LIBERTY

LIBERALISM upholds the preservation of individual rights and stresses the role of the government in
protecting the civil liberties
LIBERTARIANISM believes that the individual, not the government, is the best judge in upholding and
exercising rights
SOCIALISM considers freedom as the freedom to acquire economic resources and the ability to work and act
according to one’s desires.

WHAT CAN PREVENT US FROM EXERCISING FREEDOM?

1. Constraints on free action include external obstacles such as prohibitions, laws, and other social controls imposed
by society
2. Disability or sickness, or coercion by another person
3. Weather, accidents or poverty
4. Manipulation and brainwashing

REALIZE THAT “ALL ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES”

The following persons have their own concept of consequences, it is for you to find out whether or not, you
will embrace their ideologies.

A. ARISTOLE – THE POWER OF VOLITION

Volition is the faculty or power of using one's will. "Without conscious volition she backed
into her office."
• If there were no intellect, there would be no will.
• the will of humanity is an instrument of free choice. It is within the power of everyone to be good or
bad, worthy or worthless.
For Aristotle, a human being is rational. Reason is a divine characteristic.
“Reason, will, action Humans have the spark of the divine. If there were no intellect, there would be no
drives each other” 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. THOMAS AQUINAS – SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

For him, of all creatures of God, human beings have the unique power to change themselves
and the things around them for the better.
• St. Thomas Aquinas considers man as a moral agent.
• Through our spirituality, we have a conscience. Whether we choose to be good or evil becomes our 2
responsibility
 • St. Thomas wisely chose and proposed Love rather than law to bring
Aquinas’ 4-fold classification of laws about the transformation of humanity. For love is in consonance with
1. Eternal law; humanity’s free nature, for Law commands and complete; love only
2. Natural law; calls and invites.
3. Human law; and • Since God is love, then Love is the guiding principle of humanity
4. Divine law toward his self-perception and happiness – his ultimate destiny.

C. JEAN PAUL SARTRE: INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM

• Sartre’s existentialism stems from this principle: existence precedes essence.

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.
Sartre emphasizes the importance of free individual choice, regardless of the power of other people to
influence and coerce our desires, beliefs and decisions.
“To be human, to be conscious, is to be free to imagine, free to choose and be responsible
for ones’ life.”

A Law of Nature 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 conclude that in order to preserve our lives:
1. We should seek peace (firsts law of nature)
2. Mutually divest ourselves of certain rights (CONTRACT)
3. That person be willing when others so too
4. To lay down this right to all things
5. And be contented with so much liberty against other people, as he would allow other people against himself

D. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (vs. Thomas Hobbes)

· One of the most famous and influential philosophers of the French Enlightenment in the 18th century
· They differed in their interpretation: Hobbes developed his idea in favor of absolute monarchy, while
Rousseau, interpreted the idea of absolute democracy and individualism.

On the other hand, Rousseau believes that a human being is born free and good. Now, he is in chains,
and has become bad due to evil influences of society, civilization and progress. Hence from these come
dissension, conflict, fraud and deceit. Therefore, a human being lost his original goodness, his primitive
tranquility of spirit. Everyone should grant his individual rights to the general will – The Social Contract.

SITUATIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE FREEDOM OF CHOICE,

EXCERCISING PRUDENCE IN CHOICES, AND THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THEIR CHOICES

Remembering EDSA
For Aristotle and Rand, reason and will or volition is part of our being human.
- In relation to this, Filipinos had proven matured thinking, pertaining to EDSA Revolution.
- Filipinos become sovereign people who stood up for what they believe is right even before physical threat.
- During EDSA Revolution, Filipino actuations were based on reason; Filipinos exemplified a conscious
decision of ousting a dictator.
This decision is based on the Filipinos; belief in freedom

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 HOW CAN WE EFFECTIVELY EXERCISE FREEDOM IN OUR
LIFE?
1. Moral responsibility (refers to a person’s status of deserving a praise and reward, or blame and punishment
for an action.) ¨ Christian doctrine establishes that all good, moral actions will result in rewards such as blessings
and salvation, while evil deeds merit punishment both in this world and in the afterlife
2. Control and regulation are necessary in the responsible exercise of freedom
3. Our interactions with other people in society adopting the concept of social contract.

This lesson discussed the concept of freedom from various perspectives:

intellectual, spiritual, political, and economic in relation to Filipino’s thoughts. For the
Filipinos, freedom is rooted not just in the intellect but is also to commune with God,
neighbor and the universe. Freedom is a gift that should not be squandered but taken as
a wonderful gift that must be nurtured and protected without impinging the rights or
freedom of others. Therefore, it is not enough that the human being is free but that one
is conscious of one’s responsibility for the consequences of one’s choices.

Eliciting Performance:
Put a check in the box if the scenario described shows responsible use of freedom. Put an “X” if otherwise.

1. While his parents were on vacation, Francis invited his schoolmates over to their house for an overnight party.
Neighbors called the police to complain about the noise made by the partygoers, while a bonfire in the yard almost
burned down part of the house.

2. Instead of spending her excess allowance on new shoes, Ada decided to open a bank account and start saving
up for her future.

3. Despite the threats made to his life, the witness decided to come forward and divulge important information
regarding the crime he witnessed.

4. A woman used the internet to humiliate her ex-boyfriend by spreading lewd photos of him on social media.

5. Despite being told not to travel to other countries, a seriously-ill businessman continued on his vacation
overseas.

Prepared by:
Reference: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
MARICAR S. DIOKNO
Authors: Christine Carmela R. Ramos, PhD Contact number: 09477207257
Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min. FB account: M Khar Diokno
Gmail account: maricar@ktla.online

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 Name of Student: ______________________________Year Level & Strand: ___________________
Name of Teacher: Maricar S. Diokno Subject: INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY
Type of Assessment: FORMATIVE / Week: 5 Date Due: ___________________

Concept Mapping
In the concept map given below, write your concepts about freedom.

FREEDOM
Cut here

Parents Signature: ____________________

Date Submitted: ______________

KING THOMAS LEARNING ACADEMY, INC. | (SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL) DEPARTMENT | SY 2021 - 2022

Take Note. This page should be cut and submitted based on the
date due stated above. Thank you.

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 Name of Student: ______________________________Year Level & Strand: ___________________
Name of Teacher: _Maricar S. Diokno_____________Subject: INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY
Type of Assessment: SUMMATIVE / Week: 5 Date Due: __________________

Check Your Understanding

ESSAY. Choose a concept and expound.
a. Great love and great achievements involve great risks.
b. Respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for your actions.
c. The future is fixed; how one’s life unfolds is a matter of destiny. Agree or disagree?
Cut here

Parents Signature: ____________________

Date Submitted: ______________

KING THOMAS LEARNING ACADEMY, INC. | (SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL) DEPARTMENT | SY 2020 - 2021

Take Note!! This page should be cut and submitted based on the
Date due stated above. Thank you.