freedom of human person

1. FREEDOM OF THE
HUMAN PERSON
THE WILL: ITS EXISTENCE,
NATURE AND OBJECT
• The will, in philosophy and
psychology, is a term used to

2. describe the faculty of mind that
is alleged to stimulate
motivation of purposeful
activity.
• The concept has been
variously interpreted by
philosophers, some accepting
the will as a personal faculty or

3. function (for example, Plato,
Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes
and Kant)
• And other seeing it as the
externalized result of the
interaction of conflicting
elements (for example, Spinoza,
Leibniz, and Huma).

4. Thomas Aquinas’ Ideas
About the Will and
Human Freedom
• Five Stages of a Human Act
(from perception to action of
the will)

5. 1. Intellect - apprehends a
situation and determines that
a particular end is appropriate
(good) for the given
circumstances.

6.  Will - approves a simple
volition for that end (or can
reject, change the subject,
etc.)
2. Intellect - determines that
the end can be achieved, is
within the power of the agent.

7.  Will - Intention: to achieve
the end through some
means
3. Intellect - Counsel:
determines various means to
achieve the end.

8.  Will - accepts these means
(or can ask for more means)
4. Intellect - determines the
best means for the given
circumstances.

9.  Will - Electio (choice):
selects the means the
intellect proposes as best.
5. Intellect - Command: says
"Do the best means!"

10.  Will - Use: exercises
control over the body or
mind as needed.
HUMAN ACTS AND
VOLUNTARINESS

11. • We have human dignity
because we are intelligent and
free persons, capable of
determining our own lives by
our own free choices.
• We give this dignity to
ourselves by freely choosing to

12. shape our lives and actions in
accord with the truth; that is, by
making good moral choices.
Such choices are in turn
dependent upon true moral
judgments. These choices
performed as free persons are
called human acts.

13. CITY OF ANGELS
• The only thing that separates
us from angels is...freedom/free
will
• from the latin word VOLUNTAS