Freedom

Florante D. Aroc Jr.

Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and
will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and
so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own
responsibility.

Having freedom means that we are

responsible for our actions. Every
action we choose, further,
determines our character.
 Arguments against Freedom

Determinists hold that every event, action and

decision inevitably results from something
independent of the human will.

Genetics Environment

Psychological Factors

Fate
Astrology
 Rationalization – devising self-serving
excuses for behavior

“He who excuses himself

accuses himself.”
Gabriel Meurier
 Further Definition of Freedom…

External Freedom includes Harsh Government

freedom from factors outside
ourselves that threaten or
Illness
destroy our power to exercise Poverty
choice.

Internal Freedom includes

freedom from interior factors
that limit choice.

Addiction Fear
 Limits to Freedom
The modern world often defines “freedom” as “doing
whatever one wants”.

This kind of “freedom” is more precisely defined as “license”

(text) or “freedom of indifference” (Pinckaers).

“True freedom elevates humans; it never demeans.”

“This mentality has created such an

emphasis on the freedom of choice that the
fundamental right to life itself of innocent
human beings has been assaulted and
denied. It is a gross distortion of the
exercise of freedom to attack other human
beings and the values God’s law seeks to
protect…” pg 84
True freedom is not license. License is
unbridled, excessive, undisciplined freedom
that abuses true liberty.

By deviating from the

D’OH!
moral law man violates
his own freedom,
becomes imprisoned
within himself, disrupts
neighborly fellowship,
and rebels against
divine truth.
 True freedom liberates us to develop our
God-given talents in a responsible way
so we can live our lives for others and
for God.
True freedom serves what is
good, just and true.

“Every person possesses

basic moral inclinations
and a primal moral sense
that no corruption due to
sin can completely
destroy…” Pinckaers
 Pinckaers’ Clarification
Freedom of Indifference/ License Freedom of Excellence/ True Freedom
The power to choose between The power to act freely with
contraries excellence and perfection
Does not recognize inclination Recognizes inclination towards good
towards good
Resides in the will Resides in the reason and the will

Is entire from the first moment Develops through education and

discipline
Has no need for virtue Virtue and habit are essential
Synonymous with self-assertion Open to the common good

Moral law, Natural law and any If the law is founded on the true
form of legality is seen as and good, it creates a structure
constrictive to freedom to enhance freedom
 Responsibility…
To every degree that our choices are voluntary,
we are responsible for our actions.

“Imputable” is another word for Ooh..

“accountable”… Culpability
!
“Culpability” is another word for
“blameworthiness”…

Remember those things that can

lessen or nullify culpability???
In other words, the world’s definition
of “freedom” isn’t really True
Freedom at all…It is simply the
license to make choices that will
eventually enslave us to our fallen
passions!

True Freedom pays attention to the

laws written in our nature and those
revealed by God. Making choices
that follow those laws, then, helps us
to live the life God wants us to live to
our fullest potential.