Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person – Grade 11

Alternative Delivery Mode Quarter 2

– Module 1: Freedom
First Edition, 2020

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human

Person
Quarter 2 – Module 1:
Freedom

What I Need to Know

This module discusses freedom and how it relates to human rights, society, politics,
and morality. The discussion also focuses on free will and free action, and how these
concepts define human freedom and experience. Students are encouraged to
effectively and reasonably exercise their freedom by identifying examples or
responsible action.

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:

• Evaluate and exercise prudence in choices (PPT11/12-IIa-5.2)

• Realize that: (PPT11/12-IIb-5.3)

▪ Choices have consequences

▪ Some things are given up while others are obtained in making

choices
• Show situations that demonstrate freedom of choice and the
consequences of
their choices (PPT11/12-IIc-5.4)
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
• Discern the essence of true freedom
• Evaluate the exercise of prudence in choices
• Realize that choices have consequences, and some things are given up
while others are obtained in making choices
• Show situations that demonstrate freedom of choice and the
consequences of choices.

What I Know

Directions: Identify the terms described in the sentences below. Choose your answer
from the word pool provided. Write the letter of your answer in your activity notebook.
a. Freedom of others f. Self-reflection
b. Physical Freedom g. Moral Freedom
c. Freedom h. Control
d. Voluntariness i. Truth
e. Psychological Freedom j. Responsibility

1. _____________ is an intrinsic and essential property of the person.

2. _____________ refers to the absence of any restraint.
3. _____________ is also called freedom of choice.
4. _____________ refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds human

dignity and goodness.

5. _____________ refers to the ability of a person to act out of his or her own free
will and self-determination.
6. _____________ refers to the person being accountable for his or her actions

and their consequences.

7. _____________ is vital in the proper exercise of human freedom.

8. Human freedom should be exercised with _____________ and a recognition of
reasonable limits.
9. Freedom should also be exercised with regard for knowledge and ________.
10. We should also recognize and uphold not only our personal freedom but also the
__________.

What’s In

In the previous lesson, you have tackled on the bond between man and nature, as
expressed by varying viewpoints of philosophers. In this lesson, you will now learn the
importance of freedom, and how it has provided us with various rights.
WORD WEB: What comes into your mind, when you hear the word FREEDOM? Copy
and answer the word web below in your activity notebook.

FREEDOM
 What’s New

Answer this in your notebook:

1. What do you think makes us free?
2. How do we know that we are free?
3. Do you use your freedom responsibly?

What is It

What is Freedom?
Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property of the person. This means that the
human person by nature is a free being and that it is in his or her nature to seek
freedom. An important indication of human freedom is the ability to make choices and
perform actions. Our freedom to act sets us apart from other beings.
The human person does not experience that world in the same way that animals
do. Animals act instinctively, meaning, their actions are more like predetermined
responses to certain stimuli. A person, on the other hand, can choose the course of
action to take when given a stimulus or faced with a certain situation. You expect your
dog to always respond in the same way to your commands. With us humans, our
inherent freedom makes us very dynamic creatures and our actions do not necessarily
follow a set of patterns or a predetermined course. This means that animals, unlike
humans, just obey and follow commands given by their owners or their masters, in
which they call conditioning. Humans think first before obeying someone’s command.
Freedom is also understood as the power to be what you want to be and the
ability to decide and create something for yourself. As humans, we have some things
that we don’t want, and yet we have. For example, we have those physical qualities that
we inherited from our parents. Despite these inherited qualities, there are still a lot of
characteristics that define our personality which are the product of our choices. Our
talents, for instance, are developed to their fullest only if we choose to dedicate time
and effort to improve them. You may also have imagined yourself as a successful
professional in the future. Our nature as a human person gives us the ability to imagine
that future. Meanwhile, freedom gives you the ability to strive to achieve that goal. It is
rooted in the human person’s self-determination and their exercise of intellect and free
will. This means that we can freely choose to be a good person and to act in a good
way. A good act makes a person better while its opposite has a negative impact on him
or her as a person. This is the nature of self-determination: that a person’s actions
determine what kind of person he or she becomes.
 Freedom also requires a degree of control from the person who exercises it. A
person becomes more free when he or she exercises control over himself or herself. On
the other hand, a person becomes less free when he or she is no longer in control of
himself or herself and is instead, controlled by other forces. For example, persons
suffering from addiction are less free because they are overpowered by their addiction
to certain substances and can barely control themselves when presented with these
things. People who act solely based on their emotions are also less free because they
allow themselves to be controlled by their feelings without any regard for ethical
considerations. People who behave impulsively and erratically are more similar to
animals than persons. To lose control of oneself diminishes human freedom and
dehumanizes the person.
Persons who are denied their freedom by other individuals, groups, and
institutions are also dehumanized. Slavery is a dehumanizing act because a person is
forced to work for life without the possibility of ever leaving a life of bondage. A person
who is imprisoned is also dehumanized because he or she is denied his or her freedom
and is confused to prison life. That same person, however, also dehumanized the
person whom he or she wronged.
There three types of freedom;
1. Physical Freedom – refers to the absence of any restraint. This means that a
person has the freedom to go anywhere he or she wanted to do. On the other
hand we cannot go to two places at a time yet we have the ability to go to
wherever we want to go.

2. Psychological Freedom – is also called freedom of choice. This means that a

person has the will power whether to act or not to act on what he or she
considers to be right and wise.

3. Moral Freedom – refers to using freedom in a manner that upholds human

dignity and goodness. Freedom is not an object that a person may use in
whatever way he or she pleases. A person must use his or her freedom to grow
as a person. A person becomes more free when he or she uses freedom well,
but he/she becomes less free when he or she uses it in a bad way. Humans
have a natural inclination for what is true and good, and when a person uses his
or her freedom to do something, that violates human dignity and goodness, he or
she dehumanizes himself or herself and effectively negates human freedom.

We learned that being human in nature means that we are free physically,
mentally and morally. It means that we are free to do or think whatever we
want to in a good manner. On the other hand, we may think that some
things are also determined which means if we act in a good way we will
be considered as a good person, But, if we act in a wrong manner we will
be considered as a bad person. Thus this question arises in our minds
 “How can I exercise freedom in a responsible and beneficial manner?”
but before we discuss that, let’s first answer this question
“What makes us free? How does freedom shape our experiences?”
There are 2 elements that define freedom:
1. Voluntariness – refers to the ability of a person to act out of his or her own free
will and self-determination. This means that a person may decide to act or not
to act, and these decisions are made out of his or her own free will. It also
means that a person may act even if he or she is not required or called to take
action. These are acts which can be assigned a corresponding moral value.

2. Responsibility – refers to the person being accountable for his or her actions
and their consequences. This means that in everything that we do, there are
consequences. Taking responsibility can either mean a person voluntarily
taking responsibility for his or her own actions, or being held responsible by
other people. Whenever you know you committed a bad action, you can either
voluntarily confess to it or other people will point it out and hold you responsible.
Responsibility can also have a positive and negative meaning, and it goes
hand-in-hand with voluntariness in determining the morality of an action.

Voluntariness and responsibility go hand-in-hand in determining a person’s

freedom. In any situation where a person is forced to do an action against his or her
free will, it follows that he or she cannot be held responsible for his or her involuntary
actions. A person who is forced by bank robbers to open the safety vault in the bank
may not be held responsible for the crime of robbery, since he or she acted without
much voluntariness. On the other hand, a person who had no awareness of the effect of
his or her actions can be considered as acting with diminished freedom. One example
may be a person who tried to scare his or her friend by jumping out of a corner wearing
a scary mask. The surprised friend decided to run away but in his or her panic, he or
she hit a wall and was injured. It was not the intention of the person who committed the
prank to get his or her friend hurt, but it happened because he or she did not fully
consider the consequences of his or her actions. Without these two elements, human
freedom is diminished, and the person makes imperfect actions and unwise decisions
which may have negative effects on the self and others.
The realization of voluntariness and responsibility in the exercise of our freedom
gives our actions and experiences a whole new meaning. We can now reflect on our
actions to better understand them and guide us toward making the best possible
decisions.
Another reality that we have to face as we exercise our freedom, is the fact that it
is experienced through the act of making choices. Although human freedom gives us
the ability to think of countless decisions and possible actions, we only get to choose to
enact one of these possible actions or decisions. Having the ability to choose and enact
a course of action does not automatically mean that we should take action every time. It
is also possible that the choice, not to take action may be an acceptable and moral
choice in a given situation.
When we make the choice to do a particular action, we can never go back and
redo our actions and make another choice. Real life is not a movie where we can stop
and rewind events and get a second take on the situation. Therefore it is very important
that when confronted with choices, we exercise caution and prudence and reflect on our
possible courses of action.
Self-reflection is vital in the proper exercise of human freedom. As persons, we
cannot allow ourselves to be slaves to sudden emotions and moods in a given situation.
As free and rational beings, we must recognize the importance of exercising freedom
responsibly. This requires us to reflect on our actions, consider their effects, and make
the proper choices regarding the most beneficial decisions or actions.
We just learned and answered the question, “what makes us free?” Now we
proceed to answering the second question, “how can we exercise our freedom in a
responsible and beneficial manner?”
1. Human freedom should be exercised with control and a recognition of
reasonable limits.

We set limits to our own freedom and learn to moderate or control our
thoughts, emotions, and actions depending on the situation. A person can even
choose to limit his or her own freedom or even surrender it entirely if it will result
in greater benefits. Limiting our personal freedom requires us to sacrifice certain
self-interests and accept certain realities that are beyond our control. Our sense
of right and wrong guides us in recognizing and deciding these limitations to our
freedom.
Example:
You may have the freedom to pursue a degree in medicine but, realizing
that your parents do not have the means to send you to medical school, you
decide to take a less expensive course.

2. Freedom should also be exercised with regard for knowledge and truth.
As rational beings, it is natural for us to think before we act. We use our
freedom to act and acquire more knowledge, and we use this knowledge in order
to come up with decisions and courses of actions when confronted with difficult
situations.
The ability to acquire information and truthful knowledge regarding a
particular situation is very important, since it aids us in making wise and informed
choices.
 Determining the proper information needed before we choose the best
course of action is not easy, but is a necessary step to ensure that our choices,
decisions, and actions are proper, reasonable, and just. If we make a choice and
act on false or incomplete information, we may end up making decisions which
will bring harm to ourselves and others. It is therefore necessary to cultivate the
intellectual virtue of prudence, and use it as our guide in making sound choices.

3. We should also recognize and uphold not only our personal freedom, but
also the freedom of others.
Many societies identify certain freedoms that should be enjoyed by all, as
these contribute to the quality of life of the individual and the welfare of the
society. These include the freedom to live and determine one’s identity; freedom
from slavery and other constraints; freedom of speech; and freedom of thought,
conscience, and religion. Freedom should be exercised with due regard for the
welfare of other persons and one’s freedom should be exercised not as a tool to
restrict the freedom of others, but as a means to enable others to fully enjoy their
own freedom.

Final note (The Given and the Chosen)

People often think the fullness of freedom is found in one’s ability to make
decisions about one’s life. Choice, is indeed, an element of freedom, but freedom goes
beyond mere choosing. Freedom is not absolute, and in our lives, there are a lot of
things that we could not choose from. We are not in total control of everything around
us. Many things in life are given. Although some things are given, it does not mean that
we do not really have freedom. On the contrary, there are instances when we can
exercise our freedom because we are not determined by these forces or situations.
Difficult situations may not always be avoided, especially if we happen to be victims of
circumstances. But, we may take these difficult situations positively or negatively. We
may not always have the best family, but it does not mean that our future family will turn
out the same way as our current one. A person with an indifferent attitude may find it
hard to be motivated and excited about things in general, but it doesn’t mean that he or
she is incapable of being interested and inspired to act passionately. These “givens” or
predetermined things do not negate our freedom but give us opportunities to exercise
our freedom when we determine it ourselves. The key is that we should always act well
in any given situation because the self is determined by the self. We have given
tendencies or inclinations, and the world also exerts some forces over us, but we can
transcend all of these and determine our choices in the manner we want because we
are free to do it. As much as possible, we must use our freedom in a good way so that
we may become better people and better versions of ourselves for our own sake and
the sake of others.
 What’s More

I. Identify the concepts described in the following sentences. Write your

answers in your activity notebook.

______________1. This is the ability to make choices and perform actions,

and is an intrinsic and essential property of the human
person.
______________2. This is freedom from physical constraint

______________3. This is the freedom of choice.

______________4. This is the ability to act out of one’s own free will and self-
determination.

______________5. This refers to the person being accountable for his or her
actions and their consequences.

II. Put a check mark ( / ) beside the number of the statement which shows
responsible use of freedom. Write your answer in your notebook.

( ) 1. Instead of spending her excess allowance on a new pair of shoes,

Reyna decides to open a bank account and start saving up for her future.

( ) 2. Despite the threats made on his life, the witness decided to come
forward and divulge important information regarding the crime he
witnessed.
( ) 3. A woman used the Internet to humiliate her ex-boyfriend by spreading
lewd photos of him on social media.

( ) 4. Despite knowing that many of his clients were poor and desperate, a
moneylender continues to impose very high interest in rates on loans.
( ) 5. A businessman did not accept a high-paying position in an overseas firm
and instead decided to start his own business and spend more time with his family.
 What I Have Learned

Directions: Read the questions below and answer them in your activity
notebook.
In what way can you change or improve your behavior so that you will be better
able to uphold human freedom?
What is the most significant decision that you have made in your life so far?
Describe how this has affected you.

What I Can Do

Directions: Fill in the circles with words that you have associated with freedom. Copy
and answer the concept web below in your notebook.

Assessment

Direction: Analyse the following situations. Give your recommendations on how the
persons involve can exercise freedom more responsibly. Write your answers in your
activity notebook.

1. Julia’s family is well-known for being wealthy and influential. However, her family
faced hard times in the previous year. Her father’s business closed and they
were forced to sell most of their possessions and live a much simpler life. Julia
however, wishes to maintain her image among her friends. So she has resorted
to borrowing money from relatives in order to keep up with her well-off barkada.

2. Mang Tony’s meat stall has been very profitable these days. It turns out that he
has been tampering with the weighing scales and has been selling less meat at
increased prices. One time, some meat went stale and he decided
to mix it with the other fresh meat so he could still sell it.

3. Bernard was asked by his teacher to photocopy handouts and reading materials
in their English class. His teacher unknowingly inserted a copy of the final exam
 Freedom

in the stack of papers she gave to Bernard. When he saw the copy of the final
exam, Bernard quickly took it and place it in his bag.

4. Gladys was very angry when she heard that her friend Julia was spreading mean
gossip about her in school. When Gladys found out that Julia has been
pretending to be rich when in fact her family is now poor, she contacted her
friends and told them about it.