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 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.