Is freedom related to choices? Are we totally free?
2006-06-27 20:05:20 · 34 answers · asked by jepoi 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
The essence of freedom is to be able to act with impunity. It's not the ability to do a thing, but to do them without fear of negative consequences, or some force that prevents you from carrying out your will. To have total freedom would mean that no outside force could get in our way, and we would be in effect omnipotent. Until we are omnipotent we are never totally free. The ability to make a choice depends on your ability to see the possibilities. There are infinite choices, but our minds can only comprehend a few.
2006-06-27 20:35:21 · answer #1 · answered by martin h 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The essence of freedom is not only choice, but the decision to use choices wisely and to assume responsibility for outcomes. No one is less free than the person without a focus or a plan who drifts then blames others when he crashes..
2006-07-08 15:24:22 · answer #2 · answered by John (Thurb) McVey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are free to be free so long as our freedom does not infringe on others freedom and rights. I think the founding fathers of America found this balance in our Bill of Rights. I think if you were totally free to do as you pleased you would become a slave to guilt and shame and bad consequences, thus not free at all.
2006-07-11 18:38:37 · answer #3 · answered by angelicsanto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We cannot be totally free because others too have to live in this world. If you treat others as equal beings, there will be a natural tendency to limit your needs. Finally you can reach a world of your own and enjoy full freedom in it. I do that and it is very rare that I come across others' freedom.
2006-07-10 03:24:37 · answer #4 · answered by latterviews 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Universal love is the essence of human freedom.
2006-06-27 23:06:56 · answer #5 · answered by das.ganesh 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A man is never free completely of responsibility to his elders children and peers, his social responisbility and duty whatever his station in life might be. but a man is considered free when he can meet his life with the dignity that s his due, and with time to pursue his interests outside of just maintaining a life. Thats what freedom is, a life with honor and one can have it and have lords and ladies and kings unlike what Americans think. but the freedom to elect ones own leaders can not be downplayed. And maybe some century it will really happen.
2006-06-27 20:13:47 · answer #6 · answered by yourdoneandover 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Freedom lies in uncertainties.
Where is the freedom if we know exactly which to choose from bad or good, right or wrong, nice or ugly.
Of course we're always gonna choose the good, the right, the nice etc.
We hardly ever deliberately choose otherwise.
But if we are not sure, if we do not have the knowledge about what we are going to choose, then it's at that point we have the freedom to choose.
2006-06-27 20:11:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that freedom is about choices. Because even when we feel we have no choice, we are still making a choice. It can all be boiled down to do or die. People feel more free when they have more choices. Those who are truly free are those who can create alternative choices rather than succombing to the idea that they have no choice.
2006-06-27 21:00:30 · answer #8 · answered by mia_violenza 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
essence of human freedom is GOD! He created us with a mind and the freedom to use it. We can choose right or wrong. Good or bad. Obey or disobey. That is our freedom. Do as he asks and reap the rewards or disobey and deal with the consequences!
2006-07-10 16:17:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming that freedom = liberty,
Negative liberty is the absence of obstacles, barriers or constraints. One has negative liberty to the extent that actions are available to one in this negative sense. Positive liberty is the possibility of acting - or the fact of acting - in such a way as to take control of one's life and realize one's fundamental purposes. While negative liberty is usually attributed to individual agents, positive liberty is sometimes attributed to collectivities, or to individuals considered primarily as members of given collectivities.
They are distinct from, though sometimes related to, philosophical discussions about free will. Free Will is a philosophical term of art for a particular sort of capacity of rational agents to choose a course of action from among various alternatives. Which sort is the free will sort is what all the fuss is about. (And what a fuss it has been: philosophers have debated this question for over two millenia, and just about every major philosopher has had something to say about it.) Most philosophers suppose that the concept of free will is very closely connected to the concept of moral responsibility. Acting with free will, on such views, is just to satisfy the metaphysical requirement on being responsible for one's action
2006-06-27 20:48:36 · answer #10 · answered by Aldo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋