The Freedom of the Human

Person
Module 5
Objectives

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. identify the kinds of freedom of the human person;
2. use freedom responsibly in various situations; and
3. develop a positive choice when exercising freedom.
THE FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Freedom is an intrinsic and essential property

of a person. This means that the human person
by nature is a free being and it is his nature to
seek for freedom. The ability to make decisions
and perform certain actions according to a
situation is an important indication of human
freedom.
Turpin Family

The Turpin
case concerned
the maltreatment of
children belonging to David
and Louise Turpin of Perris,
California, United States.
Turpin Family
• For years, the parents had imprisoned, beaten, and strangled their
children, allowing them to eat just once per day and shower just
once per year. The older children appeared much younger because of
malnourishment; the 29-year-old weighed just 82 pounds (37 kg).The
11-year-old child had an arm circumference equivalent to that of a 4-
month old baby. Some appeared to lack basic knowledge of the
world, for example being unfamiliar with what medicine and police
were.
• The case is considered "extraordinary for numerous reasons",
including that abuse was inflicted on multiple children by both
parents, and the calculated and systematic nature of the abuse and
torture.
 THE FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Freedom is also understood as the power to be what you

want to be and the ability to decide for your own being.
Physical attributes and temperament are some of our
inherent traits but some of the characteristics that define
our personality are often a product of self-made decisions.
Freedom gives the ability to strive in order to achieve a set
goal while the nature of a human person gives the ability to
imagine what is his future.
 THE FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Freedom is rooted in the human person’s self-

determination and the exercise of intellect and free
will. This implies that every actions of a human
person are freely determined and his actions define
who he is. The nature of determination is that the
future of a person can be determined according to
what he takes place.
 KINDS OF FREEDOM

1. Physical Freedom
Physical freedom refers to the absence of any physical
restraint. The person has the freedom of mobility to go
where he wants to go. He is not hindered in his actions by
any physical force. Consented that the person has his
limitations, physical freedom allows him to act or perform
in a determined manner. You cannot be everywhere at once,
but your freedom permits you to move from one place to
another and go wherever you want to go.
 KINDS OF FREEDOM

2. Psychological Freedom
Psychological freedom is also known as the freedom
of choice. The person is free to make actions that he
considers right and wise. A person is free to act or
not to act. Psychological freedom is innate and
cannot be denied a person. No outside force or
influence can urge to take action against his will.
 KINDS OF FREEDOM

3. Moral Freedom
Moral freedom refers to using freedom in a manner that
upholds dignity and goodness. Freedom is not an object that a
person may use in whatever way he pleases. A person must use
his freedom to grow as a person. A person becomes more free
when he uses freedom well, but becomes less free when he
uses it in a bad way. Humans have a natural inclination for what
is true and good. And when a person uses his freedom to do acts
that violate human dignity and goodness, he dehumanizes
himself and effectively negates human freedom.
 What makes us free? How does freedom
shape our experiences?
There are two elements that define freedom. The first element,
voluntariness, refers to the ability of a person to act out of his 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 own free will. It
means that a person may act even if he is not required to take any
action.
Whenever we decide to take action, this results in a certain
consequence. All human actions have consequences, and these affect not
only the person who commits the action, but also other people and our
surroundings. As a free being, the person must accept the consequences
of his actions and take full responsibility of the consequences.
What makes us free? How does freedom
shape our experiences?

The second element of freedom, responsibility, refers to the

person being accountable for his actions and their consequences.
Taking responsibility can either mean a person voluntarily taking
responsibility for 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 or
negative meaning, and it goes hand-in-hand with voluntariness in
determining the morality of an action.
THINK
1. What should I do?
2. Why should I do it?
3. What will happen if I do it?
4. How will my actions or behavior affect myself, others
and my surroundings?
5. Will my actions or behavior be considered correct,
proper, beneficial and moral?
THINK
Is what I want to say True?
Is what I want to say Helpful?
Am I the best one to say it?
Is it necessary to say it Now?
Is it Kind to this person and others?
 Try to reflect as we go deeper with the
concept of freedom of the human person.

Don’t try to put your self in a compromise if you are not fully decided
on the course of action that you will take because in the end you are
accountable. There are so many possibilities that will test your free
choice and self-determination. For example, what should I do during
this Covid-19 crisis? You are instructed to follow the curfew hour of
your barangay to mitigate the spread of the corona virus. Why should I
do it? Doing it does not only control the spread of the corona virus but
it also maintains the orderliness of your barangay. If you will follow
the rules being imposed by your local government official, you will
become a role model to your colleagues.
Another reality that we have to face as we exercise our
freedom, is the fact that freedom 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.
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 whenever we act. 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.
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.
To correctly answer a multiple choice item in an
exam, a student should study and prepare
beforehand to know the correct information needed
to answer the test. Otherwise, he or she will be
unable to answer the test correctly.
Freedom should be exercised with due regard for
the welfare of other persons and one’s freedom
should be exercised not as tool to restrict the
freedom of others, but as a means to enable
others to fully enjoy their own freedom.