12

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Name: __________________________________________ Score: _______________

I. Types of Activity: Skills, Exercises, Essay

CONCEPT:

Love is Freedom and Spiritual Freedom by St. Thomas Aquinas

Of all creatures of God, human beings have the unique power to change themselves and the things around them for the better. St.
Thomas Aquinas considers the people as a moral agent. Our spirituality separates us from animals. It delineates morale
measurements of our fulfillment in an action. Through our spirituality, we have a conscience. Whether we choose to be “good” or
“evil” becomes our responsibility. Aquinas gives a fourfold classification of law – the eternal law, natural law, human law
and divine law.
eternal law – is the decree of God that governs all creation
natural law – is applicable only to human beings in its ethical sense
human law - both are concerned with ends determined simply by humanity’s
- nature however, since human
divine law - being is in fact, ordained to an end transcending his nature. It is necessary that he has a law ordering him to that end,
and this is the divine law.

Saint Thomas wisely and aptly chose “love” rather than law to bring about the transformation of humanity. For “love” is consonance
with humanity’s free nature, for law commands and complete; “Love” only calls and invites. St. Thomas emphasizes the freedom of
humanity but chooses “love” in governing humanity’s life. Since God is love, then “Love” is the guiding principle of humanity toward
his self-perception and happiness – his ultimate destiny.

Individual Freedom by Jean Paul Sartre

Sartre’s philosophy s considered to be a representative of existentialism (Falikowski 2004). For Sarte, the human person is the desire
to be God: the desire to exist as a being which it is sufficient ground in itself (en sui causa). There are no guideposts along the road of
life. The human person builds the road to the destiny of his/her choosing; he/she is the creator (Srathern 1998). Sartre’s
existentialism stems from this principle: existence precedes essence. Sartre emphasizes the importance of free individual choice,
regardless of the power of people to influence and coerce our desires, beliefs, and decisions. To be human, to be conscious, is to be
free to imagine, free to choose, and be responsible for one’s life.

Theory of Social Contract by Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A Law of Nature (lex naturalis) is a precept or general rule established by reason, by which a person is forbidden to do that which is
destructive of his life, or takes away the means of preserving the same; and to omit that by which he thinks it
may be best well-looked-after.

It is our desire to get out of the state of nature, and thereby preserve our lives, Hobbes concludes that we should seek peace. This
becomes his first law of nature. The reasonableness of seeing peace nearly suggests his second law of nature, which is that we
mutually divest ourselves of certain rights (such as the right to take another person’s life) so as to achieve peace. That a person be
willing, when others too, to lay down this right to all things. The mutual relocating of these rights is called a contract and is the
basis of the notion of moral obligation and duty.

If one settles to give up his right to punch you, you give up your right to punch him. You have then transferred these rights to each
other and thereby become obligated not to hurt each other. Hobbes continues by discussing the legitimacy of certain contracts.
However, one cannot contract to give up his right to self-defense or self preservation. Since it is his sole motive for entering any
contract.

Choices Have Consequences and Some Things are Given Up while Others are Obtained in Making Choices

Twentieth century gave rise to the standing of the individual, the opposite of the medieval thought that was God-centered. For Ayn
Rand (1996), separate mind is the tool for economic progress. Since the mind is important, the sector that molds it should
not be controlled by the government. Similar with Aristotle, Rand believes that thinking is volitional. A person has the freedom or
think or not. Though, for Rand, the majority belongs to the passive supporters of the status quo who choose not to think. Though
human beings have rights, there should also be responsibility.
Individualism, as espoused by Rand, is lined in family dependency because Easterners believe that the individual needs the
community and vice-versa. The Filipino and Chinese, for instance, stress the human relationships that emphasize that the person
is not necessarily an independent entity. In Filipino’s loob , for instance, the individual is the captain of his own ship on a sea that is
not entirely devoid of uncertainties. Loob touches the daily human aspect of the Filipinos. Rand’s concept of free separate and
Filipino’s view of the free human being may have differences but can be overcome. The potential of the Filipino should be able to
grow so that he will be aware of his uniqueness. Children should be brought up to the identity of the members of the family
and simultaneously with that of the nation. Self-sufficiency (kasarinlan) should recognize human worth and dignity.

Show Circumstances that Demonstrate Freedom of Choice and the Consequences of their Choices

According to Rand, individual freedom should be united with economic freedom. The Filipino “sakop” or harmony can be a helping
value to the full development of the Filipino if it opens up to embrace the whole Philippine society. However, there are cases where
the Filipino “sakop” may adversely affect the social and financial status of the one moving upward the social ladder. For instance, the
more rich members of a family share their gains with their relatives or friends in need.

ACTIVITY 1. Short Essay (15 pts)

1. Explain the meaning of freedom by explaining the following terms/sentences:

- Positive freedom

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

- Freedom is not abstract. Freedom is exercised through choices

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

- Existence precedes essence

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 2. What Can I do. (20pts)

Exercise prudence in your choice/decision. What should you do in this situation?

• (Assume you are a teacher) A student has been absent due to sickness as contained in her parents’ letter to you. In
your school, the rule is, nobody who has been absent, excused or unexcused, can be admitted in class, unless he/she has
an admission slip from the Office of the Students Affairs. The sick student comes to class, was not able to obtain an
admission slip from the Office of the Student Affairs because the staff in charge was not there when the student went,
you will be giving a quiz. If you send the student out because she has no admission slip, she will miss the quiz.

•_________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________