FREEDOM PRECEDES RESPONSIBILITY

The following are some of the interrogations that trigger our minds; Is there such a thing like freedom? Are the human beings free? The above-mentioned queries arise probably because of law that makes some to say that they are not free. Oxford Dictionary defines freedom as the quality or state of being free, such as the absence of coercion, or constraint in choice or action. As I have always stated, there is a need of having a philosophical and logical eye in such matters. 

If we happen to define freedom as the ability to do what one wants, our arguments will not only be illogical or non-philosophical but nonsensical. I prefer to define freedom as the state of choice visible or invisible after a rational process. In this regard freedom is a matter of consciousness and outside this context, we refer to it as an illusion. Having that in mind, with the law or without we remain to be free beings. Mad people in this case are not free and cannot be held responsible for the choice that they take. 

In the History of Philosophy, some have argued that everything is determined and therefore we are not free. Some have a belief that our future is prescribed by supernatural powers like witchcraft while others have a notion that God is in control of everything because of His omniscience. Abiding in such myths, one would be committing the fallacy of appeal to ignorance. Since we are rational beings, we cannot allow ourselves to be confined to the world of determinism. For that case, we can say that after the creation we are both free of and free from. This implies that every action that we perform knowingly and willingly we are fully responsible. We are not under any influence or limited in any circumstances. Responsibility comes into show since the action is done under the influence of will and intellect. We are and should be responsible for our voluntary acts. If one is forced therefore he/she is not responsible in any case. As freedom applies to reason/consciousness, responsibility applies to voluntary acts. 

On the other hand, a responsible man is influenced by correct and certain conscience. Once one doubts, to some extent the level of responsibility is lessened. A great German Philosopher Immanuel Kant has taught us that no matter the situation one should act according to duty. In other words, in our responsibilities, we should not base on consequences but the duty for its sake. This is possible only to an ethical man.