Lesson 11
Freedom of the
Human Person
(Part 1)
Mr. Edward B. Noda Jr.
FREEDOM
 The human capacity to act (or not to
act) as we choose or prefer without
any external compulsion or restraint.
 It is an intrinsic and essential
property of a person.
 Important indication of human
freedom is the ability to MAKE
CHOICES and PERFORM ACTIONS.
Our freedom to act sets us apart
from other beings.
Aristotle (The Power of Volition)
Volition in this sense is the faculty or power to
use or discharge one’s will.
 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, or worthy or worthless.
 The happiness of every human being is in his own
hands, to preserve and develop, or to cast away.
 For Aristotle, a human being is rational. Reason
is a divine characteristic. If there were no
intellect, there would be no will.

St. Thomas Aquinas
(Freedom is spirituality and love)
Freedom, for St. Thomas, is the manner intellectual
beings seek universal goodness . It is a condition of the
will arising from our nature being in the kind of world
that we inhabit.
 St. Thomas considers the human being as a moral
agent.
 Our spirituality separates us from animals; it delineates
moral dimension of our fulfillment in an action. Through
our spirituality, we have a conscience. Whether we
choose to be “good” or “evil” becomes our responsibility.

St. Thomas Aquinas
(Freedom is spirituality and love)


St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica)
establishes the existence of God as a first cause.
And as God’s creations, human beings have the
unique power to change themselves and things
around them for the better.
We have a conscience because of our spirituality
Jean Paul Sartre
(Individual Freedom)
Existentialism is a philosophical movement
known for its inquiry on human existence,
which means “to exist”.
 For Sartre, the human person builds the
road to the destiny of his/her choosing;
he/she is the creator.
 Sartre’s Existentialism stems from this
principle: existence precedes essences.
 Sartre emphasizes the importance of free
individual choice, regardless of the power
of other people to influence and coerce
our desires, beliefs, and decisions.

Human being is solely
responsible for their
actions because we
choose who we are
Jean Paul Sartre
(Individual Freedom)

Freedom means exercising our capacity to
make decisions, change our life path and
direct the course of our lives through our own
steering.

Freedom is something
through our CHOICES
that
is exercised
Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and
John Locke (Theory of Social Contract)
Hobbes, Rousseau and Locke define the freedom
of an individual in the context of having a
government to rule them (contract), which is the
basis of notion of moral obligation and duty.
 Social Contract- an agreement where individuals
sacrifice an amount of their freedom and submit to
a higher authority.
 It is a necessity that we must assure for the
government and people to work as one. From this
understanding also arises certainty that we have
freedom.

Kinds of Freedom
1.Physical Freedom
Refers to the absence of any PHYSICAL RESTRAINT. The
person has the freedom of mobility to go where he/ she wants to
go.
2. Psychological Freedom
Also called as “freedom of choice”.
The person is free to perform actions that he/ she
considers right and wise. A person is also free to act
or not to act.
Psychological freedom is INNATE and CANOT BE
DENIED AS A PERSON.
Example:
1. Freedom to choose your friends
2. Freedom to choose your partner
3. Freedom to choose your course in college
4. Freedom to be what you want to be
3. Moral Freedom
Using freedom in a manner that
upholds human dignity and goodness.
Example:
1. Doing charitable works
2. Participating on outreach activities
3. Being sensitive to the needs of other
4. Being prudent on the use of social
media
5. Participating volunteer works.
Positive and Negative Freedom
Negative Freedomrefers to the “absence of
interference”; absence of
coercion or interference.
The Freedom whatever
you want. It’s considered
negative because you
failed to use freedom in
a responsible manner.
Positive Freedom- kind of
freedom that requires active
effort; has control or mastery of
his/ herself and has the strength
to do what is good.
This is doing the right thing and
exercising our freedom in a
responsible manner.
For example: you will finish first
the school requirements before
hanging out with friends.
Absolute Freedom
Absolute freedom- no form of
hindrance that would prevent from
doing what you want.
Should freedom be absolute?
Definitely NO- freedom always had
its limitations. Freedom is always
coupled with RESPONSIBILITY.
Recap
Freedom
Perspectives
on Freedom
Negative vs.
Positive
Freedom
Types of
Freedom
Freedom is
not absolute