FREEDOM

Lesson Outcomes;

 Discuss the idea of freedom

 Examine the relationship between freedom and responsibility

Content

Why Only Human Beings Can be Ethical

There has been some claim that morality is not unique to human beings. For example,
Dame Jane Morris Goodall DBE, a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN
messenger of Peace reported that sometimes chimpanzees show a truly selfless concern for
the well-being of others (Goodall, 1990). However, other thinkers such as Immanuel Kant, Rene
Descartes, Thomas Aquinas, Peter Carruthers, and various religious theories believe that only
human beings can be ethical (Wilson, 20170. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the
fundamental difference between animal ethics and human ethics is that animals behave
instinctively while human behaviour is rational (BBC, 20140.

Instinctive behaviour is a hard-wired, inborn, characteristics response to specific environmental

stimuli; an example is the altruistic behaviour of social animals (Spink, 2010). However,
researchers found that the animal’s intent of self-sacrifice is more on ensuring reproductive
success (Kin selection) rather than out of true selfless motive (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009).
An example of this would be the suicide attacks of worker honeybees in defense of their colony
against intruders. There is also reciprocal altruism where the animal will provide for another
animal’s need because it expects the similar act in a similar manner at a later time.
Chimpanzees scratching each other’s back are an example or reciprocal altruism (Trivers,
1971).

Rational behaviour is a decision-making process where the person acts in ways that best
achieve his or her needs in accordance with his or her set preferences, priorities, and principles
(Information Resources Management Association, 20150. Rational behaviour is tied to moral
standards. Additionally, the human person in his or her decision- making process is free to
decide to do and free to act on his or her decisions. Thus, only human beings can be ethical
because only humans have the capacity for free moral judgement.

The Foundation of Morality

CS Lewis, a novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian,
broadcaster, lecturer, and Christian apologist used an interesting metaphor to explain morality.
He likened morality to a fleet of ships. According to Lewis, though each ship must sail well on its
own, each must also coordinate with the other ships at all times to stay in formation and avoid
collisions. Finally the fleet must have a destination or purpose for the journey (Lewis, 2012)
because if the ship was just aimlessly sailing then it has failed its ultimate purpose, - that of
getting from one point to the next.
This is a very helpful way to think about morality in relation to self, to others, and your ultimate
end. However, there is one crucial difference between a ship and a person (aside, of course,
from the obvious) a ship is under the command of a ship captain. However, a person is
someone who is free to decide his or her course.

Why is freedom crucial in your ability to make moral decisions?

The personal aspect of morality is about developing virtue so that thinking morally, performing
moral acts, and choosing to do what is good becomes a habit. The Stanford Encyclopaedia of
Philosophy (2016) explained that virtue is your thought or behaviour guided by, and displays,
high moral standards. Virtues are habits developed through learning and practice. Once you
have it, your virtues become your characteristic. Moreover, a virtuous person characteristically
acts in ways consistent with his or her moral principles. A virtuous person not only does what is
right but his or her behaviour also becomes a standard for everyone to follow.

An efficiently run ship is like a virtuous person: both have internalized the practices that make
them weather storms. However, a ship is under the control of a captain while a virtuous person
is free to cultivate his or her values. At the same time he or she is also free to abandon it.
Hence, there is no virtue in self-restraint if, in the first place, you are prohibited from indulging.
And there is no virtue in giving if someone is forcing you to give up your possessions. Although
cultural traditions and social institutions can guide virtues, it cannot be coerced. Freedom then,
is the foundation of moral acts. For a person to be virtuous, he or she must also be free.

It is important to note that even in the following rules freedom is essential. Rules help people
live together in relative harmony. It makes a person recognize that apart from personal rights,
other people’s right are equally important. If people are allowed to dominate others, then people
become mere tools-a means to an end. Not only does this fail to respect a person’s dignity, it
also stifles the development and progress of the human potential. Only when a person is free to
recognize that he or she has rights; that other people equally have rights; and both need to be
respected will the person be able to pursue projects, be creative, and reach his or her full
potential for the benefit-not just of the self-but also for others.

Finally, there is the question of the ultimate end. Why are you here? What is your purpose? The
human person’s final end is always a debatable topic because it often goes hand in hand with
specific religious views. However, the debate does not negate the fact that the freedom remains
essential with one’s view of his or her ultimate purpose. To paraphrase Lord Acton—an English
Catholic historian, politician and writer—the human person’s freedom is so precious that God
will not take over and take control of the person’s life, even when that person badly misuse his
or her freedom (1967). Whatever influences the person’s view of his or her ultimate purpose,
one aspect is clear –only a free person can understand his or her ultimate end. Enlightenment
cannot be forced.

The Human Person as a free being

First, what does “human person” mean? In philosophy, a human being is more than its
biological components. The human being is a person endowed with characteristics that are
material, spiritual, rational and free. A human person is a being (the Aristotelian idea of being
connotes actuality; existence; an actual condition or circumstance) with inborn properties that he
or she uses to direct his or her own development toward self-fulfilment. One of the inborn
properties of the human person is freedom.

Philosophical Insights on Freedom

We have mentioned freedom numerous times. What is your understanding of freedom?

Philosophers talked about this concept extensively. Here are some philosophical insights on
freedom.

Freedom is a Gift

According to Gabriel Marcel, Freedom is the ability to act significantly. Free acts are significant
because they help to make us who we are as human beings. Freedom is not merely the ability
to make arbitrary choices because we are not free if everything that we can choose to do is
insignificant in the first place. Freedom is the ability to make significant choices and, according
to Marcel, it is a gift given to us by God (Hernandez, 2009).

Freedom is Complementary to reason

One of Aristotle’s ethical doctrines asserted that freedom and reason are complementary. In
Aristotle’s view, the human person as a moral agent must exercise practical rationality in order
to determine how to pursue his or her ultimate end (telos). Self-direction, rather than bare
spontaneity, is the crucial characteristics of the free person. Aristotle considered freedom and
reason as necessary faculties for consciously making sense of things (Walsh, 1997).

Freedom is Absolute

Existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of freedom is not the freedom to do

something or anything. In Sartre’s view, the human person is “absolutely free”. Freedom sets
the human person apart from other creatures. How about animal freedom? Animals unless
caged are also free but animals just roam around, eat when they need to, and sleep where they
want. This kind of freedom is called freedom from restrictions. It is a primitive kind of freedom.
While humans even in jail are still free, he is free to think, to change, and to become a better
person. A prisoner is free to redefine himself. We use this freedom to attain goals higher than
satisfying basic needs.

Freedom Demands Responsibility

Jean-Paul Sartre said “You are free” because he believed a person always has a choice. Thus,
according to Sartre, you must choose. His idea was that freedom is the capacity to choose, that
even not choosing is a choice (Gallinero, 2014). It is important to note however, that he also
added the concept of responsibility to freedom. According to Sartre, even though individuals
must make their own choices because they are free, these choices (though freely made) also
have consequences to it. These consequences to freedom are something that the person must
endure. Therefore, it can be said that in Sartre’s concept, responsibility follows freedom
(Gallinero, 2014).

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu also discussed freedom and responsibility. Lao Tzu advocated
that a person can and should choose to act, but his or her actions should be that which would
result in harmony. Lao Tzu’s idea was that in any society the exercise of one’s freedom is not
absolute. The person is free to do anything; but it is not without consequence of one’s actions
(Gallinero, 2014).