FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN

PERSON
Objectives:
1. to discern the essence of true freedom
2. discuss moral responsibility and accountability in
their exercise of freedom
3. to realize that all actions have consequences
4. evaluate the exercise of prudence in choices
5. To show situations that demonstrate freedom of
choice
WHAT IS FREEDOM?
 FREEDOM
 Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property of the person.
-Ability to make choices
-Perform actions
 Freedom is also understood to be the power to create and define
oneself. It is also rooted in the person’s self –determination and
the exercise of intellect and free will.
(To be what you want to be and the ability to decide and create yourself)

Human Person is the only kind of being who is conscious of its own, even
conscious about its own consciousness.
 ESSENCE OF FREEDOM
The pure essence of freedom is freeing yourself to be who you are no
matter who you are.

“If you are busy pleasing everyone, you are not being true to
yourself” 
― Jocelyn Murray

“You strive to please others, to fit in, and feel accepted. In spite of
that, you still don’t feel accepted, and not because others don’t
accept you, but because you haven’t accepted yourself as you are.” 
― Dragos Bratasanu
Sometimes you aren’t listening to your body
“

because you’re listening to everybody else’s

expectations.” 
― Ann Voskamp

“We cannot please all men but we can be a

blessing to many.” 
― Mac Canoza
 Note:
Difference between human person freedom and
animals.
Animals act instinctively, meaning, their
actions are more like predetermined responses
to a certain stimuli. While a person, on the
other hand, can choose the course of action to
take when given a stimulus or faced with a
certain situation.
 “HUMANE”
having or showing compassion or
benevolence

regulations ensuring the humane

treatment of animals
Freedom is rooted in the human person’s self-
determination and the exercise of intellect and
free will. This means that person’s every action
is freely determined and these actions define
him or her. We can freely choose to be a good
person and to act in a good way. A good act
makes a person better while its opposite has
negative impact on him or her as a person. This
is the nature of self-determination: “that a
person’s actions determine what kind of person
he or she becomes.”
Freedom also requires a degree of
control from the person who exercises it.
A person becomes more free when he or
she exercises control over himself or
herself. On the other hand, a person
becomes less free when he is no longer in
control of himself or herself and is
instead controlled by other forces.
KINDS OF FREEDOM
1. PHYSICAL FREEDOM
Physical freedom refers to the absence of any
physical restraint. The person has the freedom of
mobility to go where he or she wants to go. He or she
is not impeded in his or her actions by any physical
force. Granted that the person has natural
limitations, physical freedom allows him or her to act
and move in a determined manner. You cannot be
anywhere at once, but your freedom allows you to
move from one place to another and to go wherever
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL FREEDOM
Psychological freedom 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
Moral freedom 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 must use his or her freedom to grow as a
person. A person becomes more free 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.
TWO ELEMENTS THAT 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 out of his or her own
free will. Voluntariness also means that a person may
act even if he is not required or called to take an
action. Voluntary acts are free acts which can be
RESPONSIBILITY
Refers to the person being accountable for his or
her actions and their consequences. 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-had with
voluntariness in determining the morality of an
action.
NOTE:
Voluntarines and responsibility go hand-
and-hand in determining a person’s
fredoom. In any situation where a person is
forced to do an action against his or her will,
it follows that he or she cannot be held
responsible for his or her involuntary
actions.
We can begin to examine our actions, habits, and
behavior by asking ourselves the following questions:
What should I do?
Why should I do it?
What will happen if I do it?
How will my actions or behavior affects myself,
others, and my surroundings?
Will my actions or behavior be considered
correct, proper, beneficial, and moral?
Think:
Summarize your ideas on freedom by completing the table. Copy the table
and write your responses in each column.

I am free because…. As a free person, I must…..

“Freedom is experienced through the act of
making choices.”
Having the ability to choose and
enact a course of action does not
automatically mean that we should
take action every time. It is also
possible that the choice not to take
action may be an acceptable and
moral choice in a given situation.
REMEMB ER:

When we make the choice 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 rewind events
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.
FREEDOM should be exercised in a
responsible and beneficial manner. Individuals
must exercise control over their actions and
recognize reasonable limits to their freedom.
Freedom should also be exercised with regard for
knowledge and truth, and each choice or action
must be made after careful thought and
reflection. Finally, it is our responsibility as
persons to uphold not only our individual
freedom, but also the freedom of others.
Realize that “all actions have consequences…”
ARISTOTLE
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.

Moral acts, which are simply particular acts, are in our power
and we are responsible for them. Character or habit is no excuse
for immoral conduct. Attending class is a student’s
responsibility. Should the student cut class, then he/she is
responsible for the consequences of his/her actions.
 “ FREEDOM GIVES YOU
THE ABILITY TO STRIVE
TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.”
 ACTIVITY 1
What can you say about the pictures below? Have you
been in this kind of situation? What are the things that
you considered in making choices?
 ACTIVITY 2
As a grade 12 student, you have made some important life
decisions in the past. Make a time-line of major decisions
in your life and below the line then write down the
consequence of those particular decisions.

• Life Decisions
12 y/o • Consequences
• Life Decisions
14 y/o • Consequences
• Life Decisions
16 y/o • Consequences
Summarize your ideas on freedom by completing the table. Copy the
table and write your responses in each column.

I am free because…. As a free person, I must…..

ACTIVITY 3
What is the message of the picture? Write your reflection
about this picture in your notebook.
 ACTIVITY 4
Divide the class into 4 groups. Discuss the given actions
below and brainstorm about the possible consequences.
Assign a leader and a reporter to present your group
output.
ACTION CONSEQUENCES
A student studying his or her lesson
A lady dating two guys
A grade 12 student partying every
night
A person taking illegal drugs
A student practicing conservation of
natural resources