Freedom as the

Foundations of
Moral Acts
Culture
Moral Behavior
Cultural Relativism
Filipino Way
 Introduction

Remember that morality deals with the choices that define who we become and
determine our eternal destiny. How we define and use our freedom would
clearly affect these defining choices. In fact, it defines how we make these
decision.
For human freedom to fulfill its purpose, we need to have not only the ability to
choose, but the ability to choose what we can, we do the greatest good for us as a
human beings.
Put being simply, true human freedom is the ability to choose the best possible
good.
 Kant Philosophy
In Kant philosophy, freedom is defined as a concept which is involved in the
moral domain, at the question: what should I do?
In summary, Kant says that the moral law is only that I know myself as a
freeperson. Kantian freedom is closely linked to the notion of autonomy, which
means law itself: thus, freedom falls obedience to a law that I created myself. It is
therefore, respect its commitment to compliance with oneself.
Practical reason legislates (makes laws and requirements) of free beings, or more
precisely the causality of free beings. Thus, practical reason is based on freedom,
it is freedom.
 Phenomena
In the Kantian notions, are subject to the law of natural causality: each event is
the effect of another, and so on to infinity.
Unlike the phenomenon of man, the moral rule is free, i.e, it has the power to
self-start condition. Kant ethics is mainly based on the concept of free will and
autonomy.
 Kant’s Morality and Freedom
To act freely is to act autonomously. To act autonomously is to act according to a
law I give myself.
Whenever I act according to the laws of nature, demands of social convention,
when I pursue pleasure and comfort, I am not acting freely.
To act freely is not to simply choose a means to a given end. To act freely is to
choose the end itself, for its own sake.
This is central to Kant's notion of freedom. For Kant, acting freely (autonomously)
and acting morally are one and the same thing.
The capacity to act autonomously in this manner gives humans that special dignity
that things and animals do not have. Respecting this dignity requires us to treat
others not as means to an end, but as ends in themselves.
 Kant’s Morality and Freedom
To arrive at a proper understanding of Kant's notion of moral law and the
connection between morality, freedom and reason, let's examine these
contrasts:
1. Duty vs. Inclination (morality) Only the motive of duty, acting according to
the law I give myself confers moral worth to an action. Any other motive,
while possibly commendable, cannot give an action moral worth.
2. Autonomy vs. Heteronomy (freedom) I am only free when my will is
determined autonomously, governed by the law I give myself. Being part of
nature, I am not exempt from its laws and I'm inclined or compelled to act
according to those laws (act heteronomously).
3. Categorical vs. Hypothetical Imperatives (reason) Kant acknowledges two
ways in which reason can command the will, two imperatives.
 Kant’s Morality and Freedom
If the action would be good solely as a means to something else, the imperative is
hypothetical. If the action is represented as good in itself, and therefore necessary
for a will which of itself accords with reason, the imperative is categorical.
Categorical Imperative is non-conditional. "It is concerned not with the matter of
the action and its presumed results, but with its form, and with the principle from
which it follows. And what is essentially good in the action consists in the
mental disposition, let the consequences be what they may.
 Categorical Imperative
What is Categorical Imperative? This question can be answered from the idea of
a law that binds us as rational beings regardless of any particular ends. Here are
two main formulations of the Categorical Imperative:
1. Act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should
become a universal law. "Maxim" is a rule, a principle that gives reason to
action. This is a "universalizing” test that checks whether my action puts my
interests and circumstances ahead of everyone else's. My action will fail the
test if it results in a contradiction.
2. "Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own
person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at
the same time as an end.“
For Kant, human existence has in itself an absolute value - it is an end in itself and
the only ground of a possible categorical imperative
 Role of Freedom in Morality
The personal aspect of morality--which might more properly be called ethics- is
about the cultivation of virtue: the development of character traits so that
choosing the good becomes a matter of habit. But a person, in order to be truly
virtuous, must be free to cultivate the virtues, or not.
There is no virtue in being temperate when you are being forced not to indulge.
There is no virtue in being charitable when someone is forcing you to give up
what is yours.
Virtue can be guided by cultural traditions and social institutions, but it cannot be
coerced. A virtuous man must also be a free man.
 Role of Freedom in Morality
The interpersonal aspect of morality is more about rule following. These rules
are important because, they prevent us from "colliding" with each other. They
permit us to live together in harmony, and they also make us recognize, apart from
the mere consequences to ourselves, the rights of others. Here too, liberty is
essential.
When some people are permitted to dominate others, they treat others as merely a
means to an end, rather than ends in themselves. Not only does this fail to honor
the basic dignity within each person, it also stifles the flourishing of human
potential and creativity.
A society of domination will be a society that never reaches its full potential in the
human sciences, physical sciences, and creative arts. Liberty affords us the
greatest space possible to pursue our projects, in a way that enables us to live well
with one another.
 Role of Freedom in Morality
Having a final end does not obviate the need for liberty. Freedom remains
essential.
Freedom is so precious that God will not override it, even when we badly
misuse that freedom. In other words, we can't get where we're going we're not
free to walk the road. Thus, freedom is essential to a genuinely good human life at
all the levels of morality.
 Freedom: The Foundation of Moral
Act
Freedom is humans' greatest quality and it is a reflection of our creator. Freedom
is the power rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that and so
to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. Having freedom means
having responsibility. Every action you choose further determines our character.
Are animals free? Do they have freedom? What separates human from animals?
Reason (Intellect) and will (moral action). Freedom is a power rooted in reason
and will, to act or not to act. Good and evil are forged in freedom.
To the degree that a person reaches higher level of freedom, he becomes capable
of higher levels of morality. The sinful person becomes slave.
 Freedom: The Foundation of Moral
Act
The existence of freedom is a central premise in Catholic morality. Our secular
culture greatly exalts freedom. Yet it also questions whether freedom really exists
 Freedom and Free Will
While the existence of freedom is a central premise in Catholic morality, we are
not all equally free. There are many possible limits to our freedom: both external
and internal.
External freedom is a freedom from factors outside ourselves that limit or destroy
our free will.
Internal freedom is a freedom from interior factors that limit our free will.
 Requirement of True Freedom
True freedom is dependent upon truth, "You will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free" (John 8:32). Example, lying to a teacher or to friends. True freedom
is oriented toward the good.
We should not understand freedom as the possibility of doing evil. Evil enslaves
us and diminishes our ability to be free. True freedom requires responsibility.
There is no such thing as irresponsible freedom.