Human

Freedom &
Responsibility
In this lesson, the students are
expected to:

a.To define the meaning of Freedom of

the Human Person;
b.To understand the Elements of
Freedom
c. To identify the different Kinds of
Freedom
Ever since time immemorial, man
recognize and uphold freedom
which is intrinsically possessed at
his birth. In our everyday activity
we make decisions and actions
that affects our daily life. These
decisions and actions is the
manifestation of our Freedom.
Freedom
Freedom is defined by Merriam
Webster as the quality or state of
being free, such as: the absence of
necessity, coercion, or constraint in
choice or action. Liberation from
slavery or from the power of another.
What philosopher says about freedom?

Rousseau: “Freedom is less about

doing one's will than about being
subjected to that of others; it still
consists in not submitting the will
of others to ours “.
Freedom as a natural rights possessed
by every person without being granted
by the state for they are conferred upon
him by the creator as a human being so
they may live a happy life.( Examples
are the right to life and the right to love.)
Freedom is rooted in reason and will, to
perform or not to perform an actions. To
perform means to act voluntarily and
intentionally, but not to perform is an omission
of an action. There is an omission that can
cause an injury, which is the failure to perform
a positive duty which one is bound to do.
 Animals vs.
Human
“Stay”
“Fetch”
Animals
 Animals are conditioned to respond to certain
stimuli.
 Trained
 Animals act instinctively
 Predetermined responses
 Always
responds the same way to your
command
Human
Our inherent freedom makes us very
dynamic creatures and our actions
do not necessarily follow a set
pattern or a pre-determined course.
Freedom

Alsounderstood as the
power to be what you want
to be and the ability to
decide and create yourself.
“ ELEMENTS
OF
FREEDOM ”
Voluntariness Responsibility
refers to the ability of REFERS TO THE
a person to perform or ACCOUNTABILITY OF A PERSON
incur with deliberate IN CONSEQUENCES OF HIS
action out of his free ACTIONS. A PERSON IS
will and self RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTION
determination. In IF HE IS VOLUNTARILY DOING
simple words, he has AN ACT OR OMITTING TO DO AN
ACT. WHEN A PERSON IS FACED
the degree of control WITH CERTAIN SITUATION OR
in doing or omitting an CHALLENGES, HE CAN FREELY
act. PERFORM AN ACTION IN
RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION.
Aresponsible person considers the
possible effects of his or her
actions before making a decision.
He or she chooses what is
beneficial for the common good.
Kinds of Freedom:
2.
1. Physical 3. Moral
Psychological
Freedom- Freedom
Freedom –
refers to the
refers to refers to an
absence of
freedom to action that
any physical
restraint make the upholds human
(Example the right and dignity and
right to Travel wise decision goodness.
and Abode)
 ACTIVITY 1
Born free Stay free
As free as the wind blows Where no walls divide you
As free as the grass grows You're free as a roaring tide so there's no need to
hide
Born free to follow your heart

Born free
Live free
And life is worth living
And beauty surrounds you
But only worth living
The world still astounds you
Cos you're born free
Each time you look at a star
Stay free…
 What do you think is the message of
the words given above?

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Activity 2. COMPLETE THE TABLE.
Determine the possible consequences and
obligations of the actions listed below. You
assume that intention and voluntariness
existed in every happening. Write your
answers in your notebook.
Scenario number 1:

Ronald drove his motorcycle without

registration and license.
Consequences Responsibility
XC used all his income in upgrading his
Scenario number 2:
motorcycle despite the fact that he is
married..
Consequences Responsibility
Scenario number 3:

Frezmark entered in a no-label

relationship. Consequences
 Responsibility
Consequences Responsibility
Activity 2.
FAMILY FEUD
 1 ST
ROUND
TOTAL CORRECT ANSWER x 1
IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THE SCENARIO
10 SECONDS TO ANSWER
6 ANSWERS ARE ON THE
BOARD

Marie cheated
during the exam.
X X X
 2nd
ROUND
TOTAL CORRECT ANSWER x 1
IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THE SCENARIO
10 SECONDS TO ANSWER
4 ANSWERS ARE ON THE
BOARD

Erwin used all his

income in upgrading
his motorcycle.
X X X
 3rd
ROUND
TOTAL CORRECT ANSWER x 2
IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THE SCENARIO
10 SECONDS TO ANSWER
5 ANSWERS ARE ON THE
BOARD

A grade 12 learner
involved herself into
a pre-marital sex.
X X X
 4th
ROUND
TOTAL CORRECT ANSWER x 3
IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THE SCENARIO
10 SECONDS TO ANSWER
5 ANSWERS ARE ON THE
BOARD

Janzen entered
into a no-label
relationship.
X X X
“ FAST MONEY
ROUND ”
20 SECONDS
TO ANSWER
25 SECONDS
TO ANSWER
 Activity 3

COMPLETE THE CHART BELOW. Recall three

decisions you have made recently. Then, analyze
them. What are the good things they produced for
you and your community and what are the negative
effects they caused yourself and others? Write your
answers in your notebook.
 Activity 4

PROCESSING. Answer the following questions

based on how you answered the activity above.
Write your answers in your notebook.
1. What are your prior considerations for
making those decisions?

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2. What are your considerations for
classifying the effect of your action as a
positive one?

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3. What are your considerations for
classifying the effect of your action as a
negative one?

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4. In making those decisions, are you free
in doing them? If yes, how? If no, what
binds you?

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5. What are your considerations in saying
that you made a “best decision?”

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HUMAN ACTIONS
VS. ACTS OF MAN
 HUMAN ACTS ACTS OF MAN
• An act that is
performed only
• Acts of man are
by a human being
and thus is proper
actions shared by
to man.. humans and
Appropriate other animals.
actions of human
beings.
What makes an act performed by
a human being distinctively a
human act is that it is voluntary,
that is, an act in some way under
the control or direction of the will,
which is proper to man.
A voluntary act continues either by
the will - like an act of love or choice
- or from another human power that
may be motivated by the will, either
by an act of intellect or by the sense
of reasoning or emotion; even a
gesture commanded by the will can
be a voluntary act.
Aristotle’s Distinction
of Voluntary and
Involuntary Actions
 1. Voluntary Actions

These are acts originating from the

individual performing the act using
knowledge about the situations of
the act.
 2. Involuntary
Actions
These are acts done under
a) force or coercion and
b) ignorance where the doer failed to
understand the effect and feels sorry
on the result.
Classifications of Involuntary
Actions
A. Under Compulsion – circumstances which are
beyond the control of the agent and contributes
none to the action. Example: A person was
kidnapped, hence impossible to resist.
B. Through Ignorance of Particular Circumstances.
Example: a man steals and ignorant of the law,
arrow or gun shot by mistake.
Human Freedom
and Obligation
According to John Mothershead,
freedom and obligation are two
indispensable conditions for morality to
occur.
This is anchored to the individual’s
moral and rational capacity to discern
what is right and wrong.
“Buntot mo, hila mo!”
It is taking full responsibility
for your actions and being
obliged to do so.
• When was the last time you see yourself escaping
from the consequences of your actions?
• When was the last time you hide from the problems
brought about by your irresponsible actions?
BLAMING
OTHERS
 INTELLECTUAL
CHOICE VS.
PRACTICAL CHOICE
 A. Intellectual Choice

This is a choice which is

deliberately selected based on
a moral standpoint.
Normative answers(the behavior
which the society will accept)would
be taken into consideration
 B. Practical Choice

A choice which is borne out of

psychological and emotional
considerations.
A person may be so engulfed
by emotions that he may
sometimes fail to make the
right choice. Likewise, stress
could make a person’s practical
choice inconsistent with his
intellectual choice.
Activity 4. List down five Human Acts and
Acts of Man you have done this week.
Write your answers in your notebook.
 Activity 5
SOLVE THE TROLLEY PROBLEM. There is a runaway trolley
barreling down the railway tracks. Ahead, on the tracks, there
are five people tied up and unable to move. The trolley is
headed straight for them. You are standing some distance off in
the train yard, next to a lever. If you pull this lever, the trolley
will switch to a different set of tracks. However, you notice that
there is one person on the sidetrack. You have two options:
1.Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five
people on the main track.
2.Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the
sidetrack where it will kill one person.
Which is the more ethical option? Or, more
simply: What is the right thing to do? Justify
your answer using the lesson above. Write
your answers in your notebook.
1.Was there freedom on your part in facing the
situation?
2.What are your considerations for saying that
your choice is the right thing?
3.Following the concept of Intellectual choice,
will your decision be the same? Why or why
not?
4.Following the concept of Practical choice, will
your decision be the same? Why or why not?
5.Was your decision a choice based on your
understanding or based on some reference?
 Activity 6
Supposed that you are the main character in the situation,
and you are required to act or to decide:
a. What will you do?
b. How will you classify your choice? Is it practical or
intellectual?
c. What
will be the cost of your decision? You must
answer the following questions for each situation.
1. Atty. Nathalie Joy is one of the best criminal lawyers in the
country. One time her boyfriend Mark who is the judge of the
Regional Trial Court of Calamba was assassinated by the
unknown armed men. One evening, she received a call from her
friend saying that she has to meet her old client and friend.
Upon coming to her office, she received her former client and
friend Zandy. Zandy confessed that she is the one who
commanded the assassins to assail the judge. Unknown to
Zandy is the relationship between the celebrity lawyer and the
deceased judge. However, before they talked, both signed an
agreement that says that what shall transpire in their
conversation shall be considered as privileged communication.
Zandy asked Atty. Nathalie to be her legal counsel. Atty.
Nathalie Joy and her deceased fiancé highly believe in the
sanctity of the legal profession. If you are Atty. Nathalie Joy,
2. Victoria, the mother of Rico, is known to be a church servant
in their Local Church. One night while she was preparing for
dinner, suddenly, her son came rushing to her. This son of hers
confessed that his girlfriend Gayle was found pregnant. His
girlfriend, being a minor, told her parents that she was just
simply seduced by her boyfriend that is why they ended up
with a child in her womb. Frederico, the father of Gayle and a
military sergeant, becomes furious and hunts the lover of his
daughter to harm the latter. Afraid of the father of Gayle, Aling
Victoria brought his son to Pastor Denggoy, the eldest brother
of Vicoria, to seek refuge for his son. It so happened that the
said pastor and Frederico are “compadres” because the former
is one of the godfathers of Gayle in her baptism. If you are
Pastor Denggoy, what will you do?
3. During a buy-bust operation conducted by the PNP San Gabriel City, the
daughter of the incumbent city mayor, Chenelyn, was caught by the
policemen in pot – session. There is a strong public belief that Chenelyn is
behind the rampant drug activities in his town. During the preliminary
investigation, Dr. Nicole, the resident criminal laboratory doctor is given
the task of conducting a drug test to the accused daughter of the city
mayor. Dr. Nicole is known for her credibility for her profession and is even
recognized by the United Nations as one of the excellent practitioners in
her field. In the afternoon before she would conduct the drug test for the
accused, she received a call from her mother, who was a victim of a
drugrelated crime, saying that she must perform the drug test well. After a
few minutes, the city mayor himself shows up and offers 1.5 million pesos
surety just to falsify her soon to be findings. The mayor indirectly
conveyed that if she does anything against his will, evil may befall on Dr.
Nicole’s family. Outside the Crime Laboratory is a group of anti-drugs
citizens shouting for justice and conviction against the accused daughter
of the city mayor. If you are Dr. Nicole, what will you do?