What is freedom?

How do you define freedom and more importantly why do you define it the way you do?

Super-clever response: "Do I have to answer?"

Is this another "I need help with my homework" thread?

ttwtt78640 said:

Is this another "I need help with my homework" thread?

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The concept has been part of philosophical debate since pre-Socratic philosophers. I'm just curious to see how different people describe freedom, and specifically their rationale. I'm an accounting (lulz) student and we obviously don't have any freedom, so cannot be my homework task :drink

It's just another word for nothing left to lose.

Vodon said:

The concept has been part of philosophical debate since pre-Socratic philosophers. I'm just curious to see how different people describe freedom, and specifically their rationale. I'm an accounting (lulz) student and we obviously don't have any freedom, so cannot be my homework task :drink

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Let me give this a try then: Freedom is what you may do, take and say without facing any negative consequences - since paying any price is, by definition, not free. When that price (or consequence) is mutually agreed upon, that becomes free trade, but is no longer simply freedom.

ttwtt78640 said:

Let me give this a try then: Freedom is what you may do, take and say without facing any negative consequences - since paying any price is, by definition, not free. When that price (or consequence) is mutually agreed upon, that becomes free trade, but is no longer simply freedom.

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So if I jump off a building and die, knowing full well that it would kill me, even though I did not want to die, does that mean that I'm not free?

phattonez said:

So if I jump off a building and die, knowing full well that it would kill me, even though I did not want to die, does that mean that I'm not free?

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Yes. Gravity is notable for killing people who disagree with its rules in flagrant violation of the non aggression principle. Coercive authority at its worst.

rathi said:

Yes. Gravity is notable for killing people who disagree with its rules in flagrant violation of the non aggression principle. Coercive authority at its worst.

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Then to clamor for this kind of freedom is lunacy.

phattonez said:

So if I jump off a building and die, knowing full well that it would kill me, even though I did not want to die, does that mean that I'm not free?

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Good point, I must amend that to "facing any negative consequences from outside sources".

Death is the ultimate freedom - so yes suicide is freedom.

ttwtt78640 said:

Good point, I must amend that to "facing any negative consequences from outside sources".

Death is the ultimate freedom - so yes suicide is freedom.

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We face physical consequences as well as moral consequences.

phattonez said:

We face physical consequences as well as moral consequences.

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I think ttwtt's description is good. Physical and moral consequences usually being outside forces.

Personally, I believe this level of freedom is unrealistic outside theoretical considerations.

I suppose it depends on what kind of freedom you're talking about - or in what context you'd like to define freedom. Politically, I'd have to agree with Ayn Rand, that freedom is the experience of no government coercion. Economically, I'd probably have to say that freedom is the experience of no economic restraints, either to possess wealth or to create it. Religiously, freedom would probably be the experience of being able to worship whatever, whomever one pleases, however one pleases, without restraint from the state or society. Emotionally, I'd have to say it's the experience of being able to express one's emotions in an unfettered fashion. And so on and so on.

Basically, at least for me, the concept of freedom, regardless the context then is the concept of not experiencing any coercion to do whatever is contrary to what you'd wish to do, need to do, or feel obligated to do, for whatever reasons that comprise any of those. This is not to advocate of course that any coercion is necessarily bad, because in civil society we're never entirely free either.

Freedom is the ability to think, believe, speak and act as you wish.


Naturally, unless you live on an island where you are the sole inhabitant, freedom cannot be absolute and universal at the same time. The commonly accepted standard is summarized thus: "your freedom to swing your fists ends where my nose begins."


Then you have the modern politician, who decides to pass anti-fist-swinging legislation because he saw you swinging your fists in your own back yard while he was spying on you with a drone aircraft, and the thought occurred to him that you might swing a fist at him someday... and of course, that cannot be permitted... therefore ALL fist-swinging must be banned.

Freedom is the ability to behave in a way which is most in accordance with one's nature.