12

Introduction to
the Philosophy of
the Human
Person
Quarter 2 – Module 1:
Freedom
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

Welcome to the Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person - 11

Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Freedom!

This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by

educators both from public and private institutions to assist you, the
teacher or facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social, and economic
constraints in schooling.

This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and
independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore,
this also aims to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while
taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing
them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to
encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

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For the learner:

Welcome to the Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 11

Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on Freedom!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and
time. You will be enabled to process the contents of the learning resource
while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

This will give you an idea of the skills or

What I Need to Know competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.

This part includes an activity that aims to

check what you already know about the
What I Know
lesson to take. If you get all the answers
correct (100%), you may decide to skip this
module.
This is a brief drill or review to help you link
What’s In the current lesson with the previous one.

In this portion, the new lesson will be

What’s New introduced to you in various ways; a story, a
song, a poem, a problem opener, an activity
or a situation.
This section provides a brief discussion of the
What is It lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.
This comprises activities for independent
practice to solidify your understanding and
What’s More
skills of the topic. You may check the
answers to the exercises using the Answer
Key at the end of the module.
This includes questions orblank
What I Have Learned sentence/paragraph to be filled in to process
what you learned from the lesson.
This section provides an activity which will
What I Can Do help you transfer your new knowledge or skill
into real life situations or concerns.

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 This is a task which aims to evaluate your
Assessment level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.
In this portion, another activity will be given
Additional Activities to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the
lesson learned.

Answer Key This contains answers to all activities in the

module.
At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of all sources used in

developing this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of
the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other
activities included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through
with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do
not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind
that you are not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful

learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You
can do it!

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 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.

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 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 paper.

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 __________.

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 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 paper.

FREEDOM

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 What’s New

Answer this in your paper:

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.

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 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

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 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.

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 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 situ ation. 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, an d we use this knowledge in

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 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 on e’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

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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 paper.

______________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 paper.

( ) 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.

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 ( ) 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 paper.
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 paper.

Freedom

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

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 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.