Freedom As Foundation of Morality

ETHICS
G E 1 2 4
FREEDOM
WHY ONLY HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE ETHICAL?
According to St. Thomas Aquinas
Animal ethics Human ethics

Animal behaves instinctively Human behaves rationally
(hard-wired, inborn, characteristic (decision-making process where the
response to specific environmental person acts in ways that best achieve
stimuli) his/her needs in accordance wit his/her
set preference, priorities, and principles)
• The intent for self-sacrifice is more on • Tied to moral standards

ensuring reproductive success rather • Free to decide what to do and free
than true selfless motive to act on his/her own decisions
Altruistic behavior of social animals
FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Thus, only human beings can be ethical
because of his/her capacity for free moral
judgement
FOUNDATION OF MORALITY
According to C. S. Lewis…
Morality is like a fleet of ships
A ship is under a command of a captain

A person is someone who is free to decide his/her course

Why freedom is crucial in your ability to make moral
decision?
Virtue (personal aspect of morality)
• Your thought or behavior guided by, and displays, high moral

standards (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
• Habits developed through learning and practice
• A virtuous person characteristically act in ways consistent with
his or her moral principles that goes beyond moral behavior
which becomes a standard for everyone to follow

decision?
Virtue (personal aspect of morality)
• There is no virtue in self-restraint if, in the first place, you

are prohibited from indulging
• There is no virtue in giving if someone is forcing you to
give up your possessions

Freedom then, is the foundation of moral acts. For a person
to be virtuous, he or she must also be free

decision?
Rules (Interpersonal aspect of morality)
• Freedom is essential
• It makes a person recognize that apart from personal rights, other
people’s right are equally important
• Only when a person is free to recognize that he or she has rights;
that other people equally have rights ; and both need to be
respected will the person be able to pursue projects, be creative,
and reach his or her full potential for the benefit – not just of the
self- but also of others

decision?
Personal aspect of morality
• Developing virtue so that thinking morally, performing acts, and

choosing to do what is good becomes a habit
Interpersonal aspect of morality
• Rules
• Freedom is essential

The Human Person as a free Being
What does human person mean?
• a person endowed with characteristics that are

material, spiritual, rational, and free
• a being with inborn properties that he or she uses to

direct his or her own development toward self-
fulfillment (freedom is one of the inborn properties of
human person)

Activity #4
What is your understanding of freedom? Cite a scenario

in class depicting your understanding of freedom

Philosophical Insights on Freedom
Freedom is a gift
• We are free to act significantly

• Free acts are significant because they help to make us who we
are as human beings
• A gift given to us by God

Freedom is complementary to reason

• Freedom and reason are complementary (Aristotle)
• Human person must exercise practical rationality in order to
determine how to pursue his or her ultimate end
• Self-direction, rather than bare spontaneity is the crucial
characteristic of the free person

Freedom is absolute
• Human is absolutely free (Satre)
• Freedom sets the human person apart from other creatures
• Human freedom is beyond freedom from restrictions
• Free to make choices, to decide and to use freedom to attain goals
higher than satisfying basic needs

Freedom demands responsibility

• Freedom is the capacity to choose, that even not choosing is a
choice (Satre)
• Even though individuals must make their own choices because they
are free, the choices also have consequences to it
• A person can and should choose to act, but his or her actions
should be that which would result in harmony (Lao Tzu)
• Responsibility as a moral quality serves as a voluntary check and
balance of one’s freedom

After watching the film, discuss these in class:
• What was the central theme of the story?

• Which of the two makes you human? Defend your answer
a. Free to decide and do evil acts
b. Forced to become a moral person and not hurt others

Freedom As Foundation of Morality

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Freedom As Foundation of Morality

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ETHICS

Animal ethics Human ethics

• The intent for self-sacrifice is more on • Tied to moral standards

Altruistic behavior of social animals

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Morality is like a fleet of ships

A ship is under a command of a captain

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Virtue (personal aspect of morality)

• Your thought or behavior guided by, and displays, high moral

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Virtue (personal aspect of morality)

• There is no virtue in self-restraint if, in the first place, you

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Rules (Interpersonal aspect of morality)

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Personal aspect of morality

• Developing virtue so that thinking morally, performing acts, and

Interpersonal aspect of morality

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

What does human person mean?

• a person endowed with characteristics that are

• a being with inborn properties that he or she uses to

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

What is your understanding of freedom? Cite a scenario

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

• We are free to act significantly

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Freedom is complementary to reason

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

Freedom demands responsibility

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

• What was the central theme of the story?

FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY

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