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Dictionary Definition of Freedom:
· the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants
· the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved

Freedom as Intrinsic Desire
Freedom is a natural, intrinsic desire of any creature, since it allows for the access of life-supporting resources, including partners and social groups. The deprivation of freedom is generally causing suffering and is therefore used as punishment.

According to our law we have the freedom to speak freely, act freely in the confinement of rules and regulations, to own property, businesses and pursue education and professions. We elect our own political leadership (although not freely) and make decisions on behalf of our children.

Freedom curtailed by laws:
Most laws curtail freedom in one way or another. This is to regulate the actions of a society in such a way that individuals are protected from harmful actions by others and even themselves. The idea is that laws limits freedom for the greater benefit of all. We know the statement: “Our freedom ends where somebody else’s begins”.

The Concepts of Free Will versus Determinism:
The concept of Free Will becomes important in the context of freedom. If we do not have a free will, then we are also not having freedom. The deterministic worldview would exclude the idea of freedom because our wishes, ideas, views or our decisions would follow external influences, physically, socially or psychologically. Determinists see free will, and with the idea of true freedom, as an illusion of the human mind.

Some Philosophers on Freedom:
Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677) defined freedom not as free will, which he rejected, but as acting according to the necessity of one's own nature and understanding the causes of one's actions, thus increasing one's power and control. True freedom for Spinoza was a process of intellectual development, where a deeper rational understanding of the world and oneself replaces passive reactions to external influences, leading to a more active and self-determined existence. Spinoza believed that only God has true freedom.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) views freedom not as metaphysical choice, but as a hard-won, affirmative achievement of self-overcoming and self-mastery, a capacity to create oneself and embrace necessity, found in the "free spirit" which overrides herd morality and societal constraints in order to embody one's highest potential. He criticised traditional views of free will as a symptom of weakness and a theological invention for assigning blame. He backs instead freedom as a self-relation to one's own drives and commitments, concluding in an acceptance of one's fate.

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905 – 2000) “Man is destined to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” Freedom for Sartre is not the freedom to do something. He stated: “You are free because you always have a choice, therefore choose”. As this creates anxiety and anguish, individuals flee in self-deception and continue leading inauthentic lives. According to Sartre individuals are free when their consciousness acknowledges that something is lacking, when they make purpose, and when they commit.

Caroline Deforche (contemporary writer):
Similar to Sartre, Deforche writes: People are not so much condemned to be free as condemned to bear the consequences of their choices and to take responsibility for their actions. This is not freedom. Freedom differs from free will. We do have choice, no matter what; but it is very questionable whether choosing between several unattractive options relates to actual freedom.

She believes, human have a free will, but that does not make them ultimately free. On the contrary, our choices are mainly driven by survival in a competitive environment. Moreover, as long as people live with others, their freedom is limited by morals, laws, obligations and responsibilities. So, all the freedoms we experience or aspire to are relative: freedom of opinion, freedom of action, freedom to choose a career, residence, or partner. Every choice necessarily leads to a commitment, and thus to obligations and responsibilities. These in turn lead to limitations; but also, to meaning. The relative freedom to make a positive contribution to the world gives life meaning, and that is what humans ultimately seek.

Milton Friedman (1912 – 2006 - Economist) was a strong believer in freedom and with this free market economy. “Government committees don't write great plays. Bureaucrats don't spark innovation. The masterpieces that define human achievement. They come from individuals with the freedom to create, compete, and yes—profit from their brilliance. The critics call capitalism "materialistic," but here's what they often miss: When people are free to pursue their own interests, something remarkable happens. Not because money is noble, but because freedom unleashes human potential in ways central planning never could.”

Some questions will be supplied at the meeting.

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