HUMAN FREEDOM
A Critical Reflection on the nature and character of human
freedom and its role and place in human interpersonal relationships
Being a Paper presented by Nwanyanwu Christopher C. on the
occasion of the meeting of OBAASA 2007 held at CKC, Aba on Sunday 22nd
December, 2013.
The Interim Executives and working Committee
The Members of this Meeting of OBAASA 2007And all invited guest Present.
I greet you most earnestly!
Permit me to start by thanking our Interim President Nwankwo Stephen for
affording me this opportunity to present this paper on this occasion of our
meeting. I promise you that our discussion shall be worthwhile.
INTRODUCTION
Freedom is an element of human life that enjoys prominence. This is
because it is the centre of human life in terms of expression and way of life.
And because human life which cannot but be expressed enjoys an important status
in the world especially in confronting the world and all its contents, human
freedom cannot be ignored. At present, all the aspects of human life, many
people from all walks of life be it in the political sector, in religion, in
education, in economy and others cannot consider important issues without
giving a room for freedom directly or indirectly.
More still, human associations at various levels are all about
interpersonal relations of various degrees and levels. Hence, the way and
manner in which particular human lives are expressed go a long way to determine
the holistic nature and character of that particular relationship and others
built on it. Thus, the existence of human freedom is never found wanting
neither does its place remain unfound.
To this effect therefore, I desire in this short and brief paper to
discuss the nature and character of human freedom with reference to its role
and place in human interpersonal relationships.
The Human Social
Nature
Humans
assume different natures by their very existence. They are religious, moral, political and more
especially, they are social. They are
social because they must live in society made up of fellow human beings. Hence, Aristotle would say that a human being
is a social being or he is either a spirit or a beast.[1]
The possible implication of this statement is that outside the human community,
human beings may not be fully aware of their existence and its difference with
other existents in the world.
One
of the necessary implications of human social nature is that the presence of
others make one an integrated whole.
According to Mbiti, the community must create or produce the individual;
for individuals depend on the corporate group.
Physical birth is not enough: the child must go through rites of
incorporation so that it becomes fully integrated into the entire society.[2]
To be sure, the very nature of human movement, for example, is known and learnt
through interaction with other human beings by experiences of various degrees
and kinds. Nutrition as a character of human beings clearly and explicitly
expresses our social nature. Nutrition
has to do with feeding and feeding adequately too. All the processes involved in acquiring the
content of feeding, the preparations and probably its serving must involve (at
differing degrees) the presence and active participation of others. That is why when it comes to issues
concerning food and good health, the farmer, the trader and the doctor who are
best equipped in prescribing what to be eaten are indispensable. This is
because they are all involved in maintaining good health of others in the
society. Finally, reproduction explicitly expresses the social nature of human
beings. It has to do with the act or
process of producing young ones which requires the coming together of a man and
woman (husband and wife).
The
foregoing reveals human social nature. They all portray humanity as social. The
social nature of human beings was fully captured even in the traditional
society. In such societies, the meaning and nature of a human person is not
devoid of the recognition of and interactions with others in the society.
Hence, Mbiti says:
In
traditional life, the individual does not and cannot exist alone except
corporately. He owes his existence to
other people including those of past generations and his contemporaries. He is simply part of a whole. The community must therefore make, create or
produce the individual for the individual depends on the corporate group.[3]
An
individual is insufficient without the support of another person; the
individual is not a kingdom in the society. The society puts meaning to the
existence of the individual. Man cannot live together without acknowledging,
and consequently, making mutual sacrifices, without tying themselves to one
another, with strong, durable bond.
Because the individual is not sufficient unto himself, it is from
society that he receives everything necessary to him, as it is for society that
he works. This formed a very strong
sentiment of the state of dependence in which he finds himself.[4]
Finally,
we can say that the social nature of human beings is harnessed in socialization
which is essentially interpersonal relations.
Interpersonal
Relations
One
indubitable fact about human beings is that, they have the capacity to relate
mutually with one another. This they do in order to actualize their individual
needs since they are individually insufficient to attain their desires alone.
This connection or interaction between persons can be qualified as
interpersonal relations. Interpersonal relation is simply an association
between two or more people that may range from fleeting to abiding.
An
important fact to note about interpersonal relations or relationships is that
they are of different kinds, levels and context. It could be between two equals
or unequal persons. The reason for such an interaction is defined by its
context which points towards the realization of their needs. Thus, we say that
interpersonal relations is a mutual, close or friendly relation among people
whereby the parties pull their resources together for the attainment of their
common good concretely manifested in their individual good which has been
realized.
This
association may be based on inference, love, solidarity, regular business
interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the
context of social, cultural and other influences. The context can vary from family or kinship
relations, friendship, and marriage; relations with associates, work, clubs,
neighborhoods, and places of worship.
They may be regulated by law, custom, or mutual agreement, and are the
basis of social group and society as a whole.[5]
In
interpersonal relations, availability and fidelity are essential. But beyond
these, it is recognition of the freedom of the other and an agreed acceptance
of and respect for such individual freedoms that sustains such a relationship.
Availability and fidelity are very important in realizing interpersonal
relation because before two people can have mutual or interpersonal relation,
they must be willing to put themselves at the disposal of the other.
Existence
requires not only a worldly environment but also personal environment where
there will be contacts between human beings in form of close emotional
connection and relationships which may provide a sense of safety and security
that reduce stress and promotes good health. Based on this, we can say that
interpersonal relationships exist between any two or more persons who interact
and fulfill one or more physical or emotional needs.
The Essence of
Interpersonal Relations
The
very social nature of human beings portrays them as beings that cannot exist
and enjoy existence without the presence and assistance of others. Ultimately,
all human beings desire happiness as they strive for it and in its context and
longing others will be present.[6]
Flowing from this, we now realize that for human beings to satisfy their
desires which condition their state of emotions and feelings, they must connect
with others.
The
essence of interpersonal relation is to create a harmonious existence with
others which forms the bedrock of the attainment of individual needs and
ultimately provides happiness. And so,
human beings as social beings who must necessarily live and have contact with
one another or other people in their environment, aim or focus at making
themselves happy in any form of relationship they enter in to. In all its variants, interpersonal
relationships aim, or focus on making one another happy. In order words, people
in a relationship tend to influence each other, share their thought and
feelings and engage in activities together so as to make themselves happy and
live harmoniously too.
The
socialization process which is a chief element of interpersonal relations helps
us in the understanding of another essence of interpersonal relations. If one
is isolated from other human beings immediately after his or her birth, he or
she will not have the ability to relate well with other human beings who live
in the same society. This is because the child will lack some human attributes
that can make him or her an integrated person, and as a result of this, the
person may become less human or an imbecile. So socialization is another reason
why we have interpersonal relation. This means that we relate with other people
around us in order to learn how they live. The
feeling of togetherness and the desire for the common good is also one of the
essences of interpersonal relation that human persons engage themselves
in. Human beings often wonder at their
origin and essence. Interpersonal
relation is that connection and interaction that exists among people based on
various degrees, contexts and intentions.
Principles of
Interpersonal Relations
There
are many principles of interpersonal relations among them are the “I and Thou
Relationship” of Martin Buber,[7]
“The Unification of the Phenomenal Field” of Merleau Ponty, “Live and Let
Live”, These and similar principles stem
from one fact which is the recognition of human freedom of every human person. This
implies that in recognition of one’s freedom, those of the others must be
respected as well. This will make room for people to achieve that ultimate
freedom they desire without the infringement on others’ freedom. With this,
interpersonal relations become harmonious and meaningful. And so the
inter-subjective recognition of individual freedom becomes a viable to organize
human interpersonal relations.
Human Freedom
Also
called “freewill” freedom is the capacity to direct the course of one’s life
according to personal will without constraints. It is the ability to make
choices of actions to follow. One of the basic elements of human life is that
the human person is free. The human person is free to the extent that the
course of one’s life is determined personally and privately. The reality of
human freedom was firstly recognized in the period of history when St.
Augustine in his account of evil, propounded that evil is a consequent of the
abuse of freewill which man has been endowed with. This freewill or freedom is
the intrinsic opportunity and capacity one has to make choices in life.
Rousseau also recognizes this reality. For him “man is born free and but is
everywhere in chains”[8]
The
reality of this freedom cannot be doubted. Hence:
The
best and most convincing proof of human freedom comes from man’s moral
experience…if men were not free… nobody would be blamed or punished…Besides,
the idea of regret, remorse, etc. would be unknown. The idea of decision-making
or choice-making would be unknown. All these presuppose human freedom and are a
convincing proof that men are free.[9]
Theorists
and philosophers are of the view that when human beings are allowed to direct
the course of their actions, they are bound to be comfortable and happy of
their existence and all that colour it. The human person naturally is endowed
with unique outlook to life, unique way of thought and unique way of life. And
so each individual is much concerned with the way and manner in which he or she
is allowed to express this personal life without the constraints of the other.
Is this not the case with little children when they are denied the freedom to
extend their plays and free times as they get sad? Is this not the case with
adults and young people when they disagree with their parents over their
freedom to live their lives the way they want? These and similar cases show
that each human being has that intuition that among other fundamental human
rights is that of freedom. This is true virtually in all aspects of human life.
And this idea of the recognition and respect for the freedom of each person in
the society is championed today under the title of “liberalism”
Liberalism
Liberalism is essentially a doctrine devoted to
protecting the rights of the individual to life, liberty, property, and the
pursuit of happiness as guaranteed by a government that is limited by a
constitution and by the rule of law. In its variants, while classical
liberalism emphasizes on unlimited freedom, social liberalism places more
emphases on freedom according to the stipulations of the society.
Today
in Europe and America and some other parts of the whole, the idea of the full
recognition and respect of human freedom has become a rule of life such that
every person is allowed to express his or her life as desired. In some other
societies, while it is not fully pronounced like that of Europe, the trend of
liberalism has overshadowed every aspect of human life. The only difference
between the first kind of societies and the second category is on the basis of
prominence. Liberalism go a long way to show that human freedom must be
recognised and respected and it only on this basis that human co-existence can
be possible and comfortable.
Describing
the human society as organised and shaped under the political aspect,
philosophers argue that when the individual person is allowed to direct the
course of his/her life, the society can experience justice and peace. Hence,
Rorty, Dewey, Nozick, Mill and many others argues that freedom begets equality;
and freedom and equality begets fairness; and the three principles beget
justice; finally they all beget peace in human interpersonal relationships of
all kinds and levels.
However,
despite the fact that human freedom brings about peace, it can as well negative
as when it is used negatively. This is the situation when freedom is seen as an
absolute value. This is the situation when individuals believe so firmly that
they can decide the course of their lives without reference to anyone and at
the extreme even without religion/God. No doubt the implication of this
negative approach to human freedom is the existence of social crises in the
society. A direct expression of this negative approach to human freedom is
ethical relativism. Ethical relativism is a theory that holds that there is no
absolute truth or certitude in ethical matters. It claims that truth depends
entirely on the variable factors such as person, place, culture, time, and
circumstances.[10] For ethical relativists,
there are no unchangeable principles of human behaviour; either because all
truth is relative or because there are no inherently evil actions, since
everything depends on the individual or societal perception. The regrettably
conclusion of this theory is that morality is a private affair and no one
should infringe upon one’s right to privacy. This is because morality is a
matter of choice; its justification is personal and there is no objective
standpoint to judge moral principles. With this orientation what is the hope of
the society?
The consequences of ethical relativism are choice of these
actions are justified on the altar of human freedom. And with the nature of the
society where individuals decide what to do, how to do it, when to do it and
where to do it, we have settled for an end of human survival; for what we shall
see is the destruction of the human society. A situation whereby we believe
that we can live our lives the way we want even to the point of not being
responsible for our choices (in the case of sexual promiscuity/pregnancy and
the choice of abortion/denial instead of taking the right responsibility), we
are heading to destruction both on earth and after our lives here. Thus, we
need a proper definition and understanding of human freedom.
Human Freedom: Towards a Redefinition
Human freedom is a Divine gift and must make
references to its source. For St. Augustine, that is the only means of making
right choices. Freedom cannot be realised in decisions made outside God. The
pragmatic understanding of human freedom (as anything goes depending on the
situation) cannot be rational. Hence, John Paul II says “Freedom is not the
ability to do anything we want whenever we want. Rather, freedom is the ability
to live responsibly the truth of our relationship with God and with one
another”.[11]
Mores so, conceiving freedom as an autonomous power
of self-realization and self-affirmation which is mostly often channelled
against others, for selfish interest is a corruption of the idea of freedom.
That is why proponents of the culture of death[12]
must understand that they are corrupting the idea of human freedom.
Hence:
To claim the right to abortion, infanticide and
euthanasia, and to recognise that right in law, means to attribute to human
freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of absolute power over others
and against others. This is the death of true freedom.[13]
Apparently, freedom is part of human life and it
has the onerous task of sustaining life. This is the case because without a
responsible use of freedom, the world is in trouble. Hence, a freedom which
claims to be absolute ends up treating the human body as raw datum, void of any
meaning and moral values. It becomes necessary that in the exercise of freedom,
individuals must not behave as it pleases them. Instead social and necessary
structures that regulate human actions must be respected. It becomes therefore
that one is free according to a rational standard of the society, religion, and
God. Freedom exercised outside the commandments of God is an abuse of freedom.
CONCLUSION
Human
freedom is a value to human life. It must be cherished and guided very well.
This positive attitude of freedom must be priced and learnt while the negative
attitude of freedom must be jettisoned by all men and women. The liberty of
individuals must be recognised and they must be at liberty to express them
fully and positively. This recognition and expression must not be absolute; it
must be rationally guided towards the attainment of an ultimate goodness of
life.
Finally, we need the responsible use of human
freedom. This freedom must constantly make reference to the Natural law which
is ultimately founded on the divine law. Such a law is necessary and it is
beyond space and time. As such, human freedom can only be a better liberal
framework to advance proper happiness in the human society. When freedom is
exercised in this way, we shall live happy and meaningful lives on earth and be
sure of heavenly rewards. But when freedom is abused by delving into actions
and decisions that devalue human dignity, decisions that betray our
personality, decisions that are against God, then, we are heading for doom. The
desire of the wicked man leads to doom because he uses his freedom against God
and neighbour. We can make our demarcations and we know the consequences. Interestingly, we are free to take this or
ignore it. The choice is ours.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Analyse and Kritik, Community & Human Social Nature in
Contemporary Society. Stullgart: Lucius & Lucius 2004.
Cosmas Maduakolam Ekwutosi, Basic Issues in Ethics. Anambra State, Rex Charles and Patrick Ltd, 2006.
Mbiti,
J.S. African Religions and Philosophy. London:
Heinemann, 1981.
…………...
Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy.
London: Heinemann, 1969.
Omoregbe, J Ethics: A Systematic and Historical Study. Lagos:
Joja Educational Research and Publishers Limited, 1993.
…………………, Knowing Philosophy.Lagos: Joja
Educational Research and Publishers Limited, 1990.
Rader, M. (ed.), The Enduring Questions: Main Problems of
Philosophy. 4th Edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
1980.
Stumpf, Samuel Enoch. Philosophy: History and Problems. Fifth
Edition .New York: MacGraw Hill Inc., 1971.
Uzoukwu, Samuel kelechi. The Wise Teacher John Paul II .Martins
Continental Co., 2002.
Okonkwo, Anthony Chukwuemeka .Destined Beyond
.Ibadan: Don Bosco Publications, 2010.
[1] Samuel Enoch Stumpf, Philosophy:
History and Problems. Fifth Edition (New York: MacGraw Hill Inc., 1971),
p.103.
[2] J.S. Mbiti, African Religions
and Philosophy, (London: Heinemann, 1981), p.107.
[3] John S. Mbiti, African
Religions and Philosophy (London: Heinemann, 1969), p. 108.
[4] Analyse and Kritik, Community
& Human Social Nature in Contemporary Society (Stullgart: Lucius &
Lucius 2004), p.7-29.
[5] Analyse and Kritik, op. cit., pp.7-29.
[6] Samuel Enoch Stumpf, op. cit., p.100.
[7] Martin Buber, “ Elements of the Interhuman”, in M. Rader (ed.), The Enduring Questions: Main Problems of
Philosophy. 4th Edition, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
1980), p. 365.
[8] Joseph Omoregbe, Ethics: A
Systematic and Historical Study (Lagos: Joja Educational Research and
Publishers Limited, 1993), p. 217.
[9] Joseph Omoregbe, Knowing
Philosophy (Lagos: Joja Educational Research and Publishers Limited, 1990),
p. 191.
[10] Cosmas Maduakolam Ekwutosi, Basic
Issues in Ethics (Anambra State, Rex Charles and Patrick Ltd, 2006), p. 66.
[11] Samuel kelechi Uzoukwu, The
Wise Teacher John Paul II (Martins Continental Co., 2002), p. 85.
[12] These are the practices that undermine the respect to rights and do
not promote the standard of the human person in the society. This includes
abortion, cloning, war, etc. Anthony Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, Destined Beyond (Ibadan: Don Bosco Publications, 2010), pp.
7,171.
[13] Samuel kelechi Uzoukwu, Op. Cit., p. 86.
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