Painam

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.