- Origin
- characteristics
- It is considered the opposite of total freedom
- It is required for moral responsibilities
- It's controversial
- It is governed by social norms
- It is religious by nature
- Examples
- References
The moral freedom is a philosophical concept that defines the ability of a human being to do what you want, but to do what is morally right. It is not the absence of an ability to restrain personal actions, but the ability to adhere to what is morally right for each man.
Because what is considered morally correct or not can be predefined by a particular religion, the concept of moral freedom is tied to religion. For example, in one religion it may be considered morally correct to eat pork and in another it may not.
Morality is defined as the decision-making of a person who, although free, takes internal aspects into consideration. Religion usually plays an important role, because since history began to believe that “bad” acts lead people to hell, acting freely is conditioned by this belief.
Origin
The concept of moral freedom has been around forever. However, it was strengthened with the emergence of the various religions worldwide in the last two millennia.
The main influence of this concept is the presence of a heaven and a hell, which have similar characteristics although they are different in each religion.
Moral freedom is another way of looking at freedom and, in part, is opposed to the original concept. Freedom is a human capacity that exists since the species is aware of its existence.
It is a concept that means being free from bondage and being able to carry out actions without being influenced by any external factor.
characteristics
It is considered the opposite of total freedom
Although moral freedom has been a type of freedom, the original concept of freedom indicates that there is no obligation to act in a specific way.
However, moral freedom makes the individual governed by the principles of his own way of thinking.
This limitation of making a person act based on a goal (religiously speaking it could be reaching heaven) makes the concept differ from the original idea of freedom. It is a freedom with personal characteristics.
It is required for moral responsibilities
Moral freedom is a concept that, according to authors such as Plantinga, is necessary for the existence of morality in societies.
According to this concept, moral freedom is presupposed to be good, since it makes human beings act in a socially correct way.
In religious terms, God made human beings free of action so that they would be able to distinguish between good and bad for themselves. Therefore, the concept enables humans to achieve moral goodness.
It's controversial
The implications of being morally free are so complex and difficult to define that the concept itself tends to bring considerable disagreement in discussions about freedom.
It is governed by social norms
The rules governing moral freedom are usually personal. Each person interprets what is good and what is bad in a different way, although the perception of each specific society is equally important.
If a human being is raised in a society where homosexuality is not perceived negatively, the fact of being homosexual will not be perceived negatively by that human being.
This generates a moral acceptance of the concept; It happens to be seen as a good thing, but as a consequence of the society in which the individual was raised.
It is religious by nature
Moral freedom, although it is the antonym of total freedom, is a concept linked to religion. The existence of world religions changed the moral thinking of human beings.
Perceptions of what is good and what is bad began to revolve around religion since the emergence of the first beliefs.
In turn, it is a concept that generates conflicts between philosophers. This is because many religious texts (particularly Christian) define humans as imperfect beings, whom God created in his image and likeness, granting them free will.
This free will is what generates discord among experts. They argue that God gave humans the ability to act freely; however, this must be tied to your ability to act on what is right.
The definition of what is right or wrong is what defines moral freedom. Acting correctly in a free way is what characterizes moral freedom.
Examples
One of the clearest examples of moral freedom is whether or not to commit a crime. When a human being considers the possibility of crime (regardless of its justification), he evaluates a series of factors that influence his decision.
How important the person believes it is to commit the crime is contrasted with the moral significance involved in carrying it out. Whether you decide to commit the crime or decide to refrain from doing so, it is still a decision influenced by moral freedom.
According to the strict definition of the term, stealing is an act that breaks with moral freedom. Committing a crime or murder also goes against moral freedom.
On the other hand, the fact that a person decides to marry, maintain a stable relationship with his partner or even establish a friendship with an acquaintance are facts that respect the principles of moral freedom.
Moral commitments are also included in this concept. For example, if a firefighter is in a fire and there are people in danger, the morally correct decision is that he goes to save them.
References
- Moral Freedom and Power, Myrton Fryre, May 7, 1931. Taken from jstor.org
- Moral Freedom Summary, Alan Wolfe, (nd). Taken from enotes.com
- The Final Freedom, Alan Wolfe, March 18, 2001. Taken from nytimes.com
- What Is So Good About Moral Freedom ?, The Philosophical Quarterly, July 2001. From Colorado.edu
- What is Moral Freedom ?, Institute of Basic Life Principles, (nd). Taken from iblp.org
- Moral Freedom Definition, Catholic Dictionary, (nd). Taken from catholicculture.org
- Four Visions of Moral Freedom, Pedro Vicente Aja, 1950. Taken from philosophy.org
- Libertad Moral, Wikipedia in Spanish, March 25, 2015. Taken from Wikipedia.org