LESSON 2

• Man


  • Subject to the laws of physics and nature
  • Not governed by natural and biological forces (as a free being)
  • Bound by different limitations
• Limitations of freedom


  • Physical/Natural/Biological forces
  • Interpersonal/Intersubjective forces
  • Sociohistorical forces
• Sartre: 'Man is condemned to be free'
• Limitations of freedom


  Obstacles towards absolute freedom
• Freedom can only operate within a set of specific givens in particular contexts
• Free will


  Humans have free choice
• Choices, decisions and actions/inactions

  Carry consequences to other persons
• Angst (dread, anguish, anxiety)


  Experienced in the process of decision-making and potential/actual consequences
• In the existentialist view, free will, consequences and angst interact as human pursues freedom
• Autonomy, accountability, responsibility


  • Awareness that freedom has limitations
  • Every decision eliminates a possible choice
  • Responsibilities and obligations limit freedom
  • Wanting certain goals means choosing certain actions
• Viktor Frankl: 'Freedom without responsibility leads to chaos and nihilism'
• Choice/decision


  Occurs when facing a situation with more than one possibility, considering options and saying yes to one
• Freedom


  Ability to do what one wants or believes to be right, entails autonomy
• Choice


  Involves responsibility - to accept consequences of one's own acts
• Commitment


  Will is activated, leading to action when a decision is carried out
• Obligation


  Something one has to do, acknowledging the duty
• Necessity


  Something a person has to do whether they like it or not
• Freedom, limitations and accountability interact as human pursues freedom
• Freedom without responsibility leads to chaos and nihilism
• Freedom entails choice, responsibility, commitment, obligation and necessity
• Freedom is always limited by responsibility
• Freedom is not a free ride, it involves a deeper sense of responsibility, not just for oneself but for those affected by one's actions
• Autonomy is given, authentic human freedom involves responsibility
• Freedom and its exercise entail choice/decision, freedom, choice, responsibility, commitment, obligation and necessity
• Humans are bound by different limitations - physical/natural/biological, interpersonal/intersubjective, and sociohistorical forces
• Humans are a product of natural, interpersonal and sociohistorical events, given specific tools to work with in life
• Freedom is not a free ride, it involves responsibility for oneself and those affected by one's actions
• Authentic human freedom involves a deeper sense of responsibility, not just autonomy
• Understand that their actions are done within the context of larger whole and forces
• Realize that choices have consequences and some things are given up while others are obtained in making choices
• Most Essential Learning Competency

  Develop more self-awareness in light of freedom and responsibility
• Man


  • Subject to the laws of physics and nature
  • Not governed by natural and biological forces (as a free being)
• Sociohistorical forces


  • Involve a particular culture in a particular area
• Sartre believes


  Man is condemned to be free
• Limitations of freedom


  Obstacle towards absolute freedom
• In saying that man is condemned to be free, we mean that freedom is something that we all possess
• Free choice is an act of consciousness
• Understanding our freedom entails understanding its limitations
• An obligation is essentially the same as a necessity
• Freedom


  Ability to do what one wants or believes to be right