What freedom entails as responsibility

Mudjadjo"

Those who know the limits of their freedom are freer; freedom should never be confused with licentiousness. In philosophy, the concept of freedom negatively refers to the absence of submission, servitude and determination, that is, it qualifies the independence of the human being. In a positive sense, freedom is the autonomy and spontaneity of a rational subject. Freedom is a constituent principle so that the human being can be judged regarding his/her responsibility for his/her actions. Freedom qualifies human actions. Freedom in its broadest sense is the ability to choose and act freely, without restrictions or external coercion. Therefore, this freedom should not be unlimited and should be exercised responsibly, taking into account the rights and well-being of all. And responsibility, in turn, refers to the obligation to answer for the consequences of our actions, both in terms of personal impact and in terms of impact on society. Responsibility implies recognizing that each choice we make has an impact and we must be willing to assume the consequences of these choices. Freedom and responsibility are interconnected and complementary concepts, where freedom implies the ability to choose and act, and responsibility refers to the need to assume responsibility for those actions. Freedom without responsibility can lead to irresponsible or harmful actions, such as the production of the atomic bomb, which represented scientific progress but without awareness, due to the harmful consequences that continue to this day. Responsibility without freedom can generate a feeling of oppression and lack of autonomy. The relationship between freedom and responsibility is fundamental to the development of a fair and equitable society. A society where freedom is exercised irresponsibly can become chaotic and unjust, while a society where responsibility is exaggerated can become oppressive and limiting. The balance between these two concepts is essential for the development of individuals and communities. The search for a balance between freedom and responsibility is an ongoing challenge for society. It is always important to promote freedom of expression, thought and action, but it is also essential that people take responsibility for their choices and the consequences of their actions. Education, dialogue and reflection are important tools for promoting this balance. We are all free to do whatever we want, but we must be aware of the responsibility of our decisions and our choices for the well-being of all in society, in what is living together in harmony as the basis of sustainable development, thus strengthening social cohesion. The relationship between freedom and moral responsibility is a relationship of complementarity, in which they are linked to each other. Therefore, one can question human acts, their morality and the responsibility of Man for his acts. Since acts only have a moral character to the extent that freedom intervenes in them, and their moral character diminishes in proportion to the decrease in the intervention of free will, therefore, the morality of acts consists in making use of freedom. When freedom is deprived, there is no moral responsibility. Therefore, Man is responsible for the acts that he performs with freedom. Therefore, one cannot judge a certain act without first analyzing the conditions that led to a certain action. If the individual had the possibility of choice, then it becomes possible to attribute moral responsibility to him.

2025/12/3