Introduction to Philosophy - Reflection

Introduction to Philosophy

Human Freedom Reflection

“Freedom is doing what is good as a matter of duty” - Immanuel Kant

REFLECTION

According to Immanuel Kant, freedom is not an act of doing anything one wants. Doing what one wants is not freedom, it is slavery that one's appetite or emotion. Freedom does not react, it commands. Freedom is not also doing things because they are beneficial; it is doing things because they ought to be done. According to Kant, as an autonomous rational being, a person acts freely only if he/she acts for the sake of duty, which he/she imposes upon himself/herself in accordance with moral laws. The challenge for the individual person, therefore, is to align his own will with the moral law so that when he obeys his own will which is in accordance to the moral law he obeys himself and the moral law itself. What a human person ought to do is to “Act in such a way you always treat humanity, whether in your person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but at the same time as an end”. According to Immanuel Kant, a human person perform acts that can be universalized and not those that simply promote the interests of the individual. His duty to humanity constitutes in respecting the dignity of a human person as a rational, free, and moral being. A human person's responsibility to morality constitutes in always acting out of a sense of duty. That is what ought to be done.

I learned from this topic with accordance to the previous topics is although we have freedom, we are not free to do anything we want simply because we don’t always have to think about ourselves but also keep in mind what is right and moral and what is wrong and immoral. Our duty is to heed and obey the moral laws that governs all human persons in the world. Since it is universal, it applies regardless of our race, gender, religion and other factors that defines us. Only and only if our actions are done with accordance to the moral law then we can call ourselves free. It is our duty to do what is right, we are not born in this world to be sinners, offenders or criminals. We are born as rational beings that are free and be able to fulfill the commands of moral laws. Since we are rational, we are able to distinguish between what is right and wrong so we can realize the obligations of being morale and perform it so it can be what we call as universal law. While we are free, we have the capacity to choose what is right for it is the moral law and we shouldn’t choose what is wrong simply because it is against the moral law. We shouldn’t also do anything because there is a reward or punishment as the consequence of the action. When we do anything, we have to keep in mind that we are doing it for it was the right thing to do only then the rewards will follow. I already learned that our freedom is not only for ourselves but we have to keep in mind those people that co-exists around us. It is also our sense of duty to respect their dignity as rational, free and moral human persons. We shouldn’t think only about things that interests us but also to others because it is also our duty to be responsible for them.  Acting out of a sense of duty is to act in freedom as free persons in this world.

I chose the topic because for me, it provides the best reason why we are free but are not able to do anything we want. Before the lesson about human freedom started, we were asked whether we are free or not. Most of us answered no because if we are truly free, we shouldn’t be in class listening obediently as ordered rather than going out with friends and living the YOLO life. I always thought freedom is being careless of my actions for I am the master of my own life instead of being aware of other people’s own freedom and dignity. Throughout this whole topic, I finally understood the true meaning of freedom in contrast with my initial definition of freedom. Our duty is to be moral and rational to do the right thing in order to be free. It also struck me that in doing things, we should not do it for the sole purpose of its reward but rather do the right thing for it is the right thing to do and the reward shall follow. Honestly speaking, I was guilty of it because I never do anything without a condition for my own benefit. I was enlightened with the true meaning of moral law and now that I learned what it is, I will apply it to my life. I can be free because I will fulfill my duty of doing what is right, in that way, I can have a peace of mind and realize my purpose in life.