Human Freedom the Idea of Human Freedom

Human Freedom

The idea of human freedom transcends the spectrum of most subjects worthy of academic discussion. The purpose of this essay is to investigate, describe and discuss the concept of human freedom as it specifically relates to sociology and the social landscape. In order to accomplish this I will highlight some of aspects of human freedom to demonstrate the complexity and necessity of understanding this ideal. Political, religious and economic factors will be included to give this broad issue context and to further broaden the discussion and descriptions of this important subject.

Society could be described as a qualitative manifestation of human freedom. Differing cultures residing in various national landscapes appear to hold varying views on what is allowed or not allowed in these areas. Freedom is therefore rationally based upon the local and domestic traditions and practices of given areas. War and conflict appears as the process where new or current definitions of human freedom are brought into knowledge.

Human freedom is fluid and a permanent definition cannot be understood without relating the concept to a real life situation. The study of sociology and the fields of science and art relating society to the individual are all based upon the concept of human freedom. What is freedom exactly? Depending on what viewpoint is taken, that answer will surely vary. It is therefore important to link sociology and the idea of freedom together to help give examples of what is needed to be understood in order to practically apply the lessons learned.

All that is known about human freedom has been recorded throughout history and has evolved into our sciences as well. The limits of human freedom however is not known. What can the term human freedom come to mean? That answer is most likely unattainable yet it is important to strive to expand this idea of freedom into as many variables as possible. Research into this topic is valuable due to the potential contributions to all fields of study this information can branch and transfer.

Human freedom is difficult therefore to gather a complete grasp upon. One of the most influential forces in the world during historic times, The Roman Catholic Church, speaks of human freedom in an interesting if not paradoxical manner. Greenwell (2011) stated "As John Paul II defined it in his homily in Orioles Park at Camden Yards in October 1995, 'freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought'." Human freedom is therefore relegated to moral control according to this standpoint. Religious or societal laws appear to have an important relationship to the ideal of human freedom and seem to serve as the basis for dogma or written laws of any type.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights that serves as the planet Earth's most comprehensive political document relates to human freedom concepts in an important manner. The first article states "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Unlike the Catholic Church, the United Nations tends to define human freedom in terms of dignity and ambiguous rights. These are subjective and interpretive notions that are being used in this particular case. The problem of local and domestic practices having varying and often disagreeable definitions of rights and dignity hinders this particular usage's feasibility as a universal explanation.

Up to this point, I have described human freedom as something desirable and necessary for being or existence. The down side or negative side of human freedom must be included in this discussion to discover the truth. What then are some of the negative factors of human freedom? Human freedom may be just an illusion or imaginary. We do not know of this completely. Philosophy and metaphysics are needed to be integrated with sociology to fully comprehend this idea.