Freedom is a universal concept that is synonymous with liberty, independence, autonomy and equality. It is a concept that is both deeply personal and rooted in humanity’s desire to control their own destiny. In a world of increasing economic and political uncertainty it seems more important than ever for humans to understand the value of freedom and to work together to make it available to all.
Despite this obvious need, the meaning of freedom remains one of the most misunderstood concepts in human history. The concept of freedom has been interpreted in a variety of ways, ranging from an absence of external coercion to the ability to choose what you do and who you associate with. While both interpretations are valid, they each lead to different conclusions about the meaning of freedom and what makes it valuable.
A common interpretation of freedom is that it is the ability to shape your own life according to your evaluative judgments. The idea behind this interpretation is that you are free to decide what direction your life should take and what goals you want to pursue. This ideal is often portrayed as a Platonic ideal, with an unerring sense of what is good and the means to achieve it, where the only impediments are ignorance and physical obstacles (see Kramer, 2017).
Another interpretation of freedom is that it is the state of being able to act without hindrance from others, irrespective of whether you can actually perform the action in question. This is a deontological interpretation of freedom, which derives its value from the fact that the mere absence of interference gives you the ability to do whatever you want to do (see Steiner, 1999: 27-29).
Finally, some philosophers have argued that the only meaningful form of freedom is the absence of any compulsion or obligation, regardless of the actions that can be performed. This interpretation is often called the “freedom from want” theory. The problem with this view is that it does not take into account the reality of scarcity and the fact that the only way to satisfy a basic need is through productive effort.
Freedom is vital for individuals to live a full and satisfying life and for societies to progress and grow. Freedom of expression encourages innovation and creativity, which leads to the development of new ideas that can solve societal problems. It also promotes a culture of tolerance and diversity that is essential for peaceful coexistence. Freedom of association enables people to form and join clubs, societies, trade unions and political parties with whomever they choose.
To explore the meaning of freedom, divide students into groups of four or five and assign each group a different freedom that made it onto the list you built as a class. Give each group 10 minutes to create a frozen representation (tableau) with their bodies of a society practicing their assigned freedom and a society that does not practice it. Then, call up half the groups and ask them to present their tableaus first. Then, ask the other groups to present theirs, making sure that each of the groups has a representative in both images. Allow the groups to quickly discuss what they saw in each other’s presentation and to compare and contrast their own representations with those of the other groups.