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2007-03-14 06:50:59 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities Philosophy

6 answers

No. Maybe, like the person before me said, if you have to have your freedom granted to you it isn't true freedom, but that doesn't mean that granting freedom denies it (you had it before, but then someone granted you freedom and suddenly you are denied it). It could be different with 'inner freedom' but that's a subjective thing.

2007-03-14 08:36:07 · answer #1 · answered by finlandssvensk 3 · 1 0

I think we might be mixing up two different ideas. Freedom is not something that can be granted, unless you are talking about the moral freedom God gave us.

Men can only grant each other permission to do this or that, and in that case it does not mean you are being denied.

Example: Your neighbor can say "I grant you permission to hunt on my land." He has just expanded your hunting territory. If you were previously hunting wherever you wanted (his land and everyone else's), then you might view his permission as "restrictive" but the truth is you were overstepping your limits before by not respecting others property.

So permission granted does not always mean permission denied.

And "freedom granted" can only refer to God-given freedom. There are many sinful things God has warned against but in doing so He has not denied us freedom but rather given us freedom. When a man becomes what he was born to be he is more free than the man who did whatever he wanted and never controlled his passions. That man is actually a slave to himself.

2007-03-14 16:09:03 · answer #2 · answered by Veritas 7 · 0 0

Surely if someone is granting you freedom, they are setting the goalposts for you? So therefore it isn't necessarily your idea of freedom but theirs?
So in answer, yes i think possibly so.

2007-03-19 16:07:58 · answer #3 · answered by just me 4 · 0 0

Yep. If it was really freedom, there would be no "granting" required. It would just be.

2007-03-14 13:56:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

"Since civilization began, human beings have made heroic sacrifices in order to attain and protect individual freedom. Yet, in today's culture it seems that we have lost an understanding of what true freedom is. Though commonly defined as an "ability to do what I want," real freedom is much more. True freedom leads us to attain our full potential, and allows us to fulfill our greatest desires. (If you have not yet read the first article on the four levels of happiness, click here.)

From a Level 1/2 view of happiness, freedom is "freedom from." That is, freedom from obligation, restraint, duty, commitment, sacrifice, claims on my time or resources, or any other perceived imposition. For example, if I have a Level 2 view of life, and am therefore intent on being better than everyone else all the time, I will begin to look at other people, the world, and even myself, as problems. Rather than seeing dignity and mystery in others, I see only competitors; and as a result, I feel threatened, suspicious, jealous, and afraid of losing. The logical conclusion is that I feel free when I am relieved of any responsibility.

"Freedom from" is not necessarily bad. There are many things that are good for us to be free from, such as tyranny, oppression, danger, and slavery; or even addiction, abuse, or bad habits.

But trouble occurs when "freedom from" is taken to an extreme and is interpreted to mean freedom from all rules, all regulations, all responsibility, all authority, and all commitments. At this point, my understanding of freedom is limited to "doing what I want when I want to do it." What I probably don't realize is that I have just reduced freedom to escapism.

There is a better view of freedom, a more "freeing" form, if you will. It's called "freedom for." From a Level 3/4 point of view, freedom is a condition that allows me to pursue what is truly worthy of me. That condition is "moral agency." Human beings are free where animals are not, because only humans have the capacity to choose between good and evil, to contribute to others and to the world, and to move toward the goal of ultimate Love and Home. Of course, humans are most free, then, when they are choosing to align themselves with what is good, just, loving, true, and beautiful.

Naturally, "freedom for" requires sacrifice and commitment. For instance, in order to fulfill my dream of helping people by becoming a nurse, I would probably need to study. And in order to get a good amount of study time in each day, I would have to choose not to spend all of my time watching television, playing solitaire, or riding a bike. In other words, in order to form good study habits, I have to sacrifice immediate, Level 1 desires for longer-lasting, Level 3 desires.

Ironically, it is only when we accept certain restrictions that we are actually free to choose what is best for us. If there were no traffic laws to govern the roadways, our freedom to get places quickly and safely would be significantly diminished. If there were no constitutional laws to direct our governments, our freedom to live in an ordered society would disappear. And if there were no moral principles to govern our consciences and our societies, there would be no foundation for law or ethics. From a Level 3 view of freedom, then, the question becomes: "how can I commit myself to best love other people, best serve the common good, and best become the person I am meant to be?"

Level 3 freedom is extremely important for relationships, happiness, and personal growth. But the problem with Level 3 is that human beings are limited, our view of things is partial, and our perception of what we should do is not always correct. Additionally, there will be moments in life where our own willpower is not enough. And so, we need the fourth level of freedom: surrender to God. Here, one uses one's freedom to turn to God and say: "No matter how hard I try, I cannot overcome this difficulty without Your help. Therefore, You take care of it; I freely surrender." Or, "Lord, You know the best course to take; guide me to Your will." Then, having placed myself in the hands of Providence, I am free to follow, trusting that God wants what is best for me."

2007-03-14 16:54:53 · answer #5 · answered by Giggly Giraffe 7 · 0 1

yes i think so especially in this backwards world.

2007-03-21 22:15:36 · answer #6 · answered by townlakeangel 1 · 0 0

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