Freedom

[Ryika]

You, as in the consciousness that inherits your body, have no control over the decisions you make, they've all already been made by your subconscious mind the moment you think you're making the decision.

I guess if you count everything that goes on behind the curtain, the things that you, as the consciousness, don't even realize is happening, as decisions that "you" make, then sure, we have some self-control, but we are not beings that make decisions consciously, thus I find saying that we have self-control to be a questionable statement, as we very much experience ourselves as conscious beings, and not at the thing that does things "behind our backs".

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

You, as in the consciousness that inherits your body, have no control over the decisions you make, they've all already been made by your subconscious mind the moment you think you're making the decision.

This sounds interesting and could be largely correct. Where did you get that from? How do you seperate yourself from your subconsciousness? Isnt it true that you are also that?

I guess if you count everything that goes on behind the curtain, the things that you, as the consciousness, don't even realize is happening, as decisions that "you" make, then sure, we have some self-control, but we are not beings that make decisions consciously, thus I find saying that we have self-control to be a questionable statement, as we very much experience ourselves as conscious beings, and not at the thing that does things "behind our backs".

Well our partial self-control lies in consciously controlling the subconscious. E.g. instincts. In my understanding there is a possibility to extended this self-control through enlargement of consciousness/ psychological capacities which lie beyond the range of a regular mind and intelect to the point of transformation of the physical body to more conscious form. The problem with that is that with it the classical human being as such practicaly ceases to exists but it seems its one of the next step in future evolution. In other words what is now part of our sub/over-consciousness has to be made into regular consciousness including the very cells of our bodies. On physical level this would likely mean the end of pain and death at will: existence of new type of (supra)conscious being - the superman.

Meanwhile we have what is called a limited personal will/freedom but even with that we can do quite a miracles...

 

[Hygro]

You know it when you experience it.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

You know it when you experience it.

Many things you cant experience without personal effort though. Having a mind is one thing - to have a university degree is another...

 

[Berzerker]

freedom - the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

The lack of suffering.

 

[PhroX]

Nothing left to lose

 

[Perfection]

My stab at a definition:

Freedom is the ability to make meaningful choices consistent with ones preferences and values.

 

[warpus]

How do you define freedom?

Freedom - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

Does freedom have an end?

Freedom is a concept so no. Does anger have an end?

What would a free society look like?

The Netherlands maybe?

Of course it's impossible to have 100% freedom. So if that's what you're asking, it'll never happen.

 

[inthesomeday]

Why do we think it's impossible for everyone to be 100% free?

 

[Lexicus]

Why do we think it's impossible for everyone to be 100% free?

My answer would be that 100% freedom would require a solipsistic fantasy. Living with other people requires compromises, which reduce the freedom percentage.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Why do we think it's impossible for everyone to be 100% free?

My answer would be that 100% freedom would require a solipsistic fantasy. Living with other people requires compromises, which reduce the freedom percentage.

The only way would seem to be to psychologicaly realise oneself as non separate part of all existence - something which has been part of ancient scriptures from over 4K years ago...

 

[Kozmos]

Kim Jong Un is the only free man on the planet.

 

[Perfection]

You know it when you experience it.

You know it when you lose it.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Kim Jong Un is the only free man on the planet.

Ehm:

 

[Berzerker]

My answer would be that 100% freedom would require a solipsistic fantasy. Living with other people requires compromises, which reduce the freedom percentage.

if freedom is the absence of coercion or constraint, you're still free if you cant coerce or constrain others

 

[warpus]

Why do we think it's impossible for everyone to be 100% free?

Because if you are 100% free then your neighbour isn't.

I suppose it would be possible to be 100% free if you were the only person alive on the planet and you had an army of robots to take care of you, build and maintain infrastructure, etc.

 

[Birdjaguar]

A lot of these answers seem to be in the context of the current world order, or use language indicative of certain assumptions about human society. For this exercise I want everyone to try and forget these limitations and think about the absolute most basic definitions you can think of for human freedom.

We are bound by our bodies. We are bound by our resources. We are bound by our brains. We are bound by our consciousness. At every level we have limitations and for each of us those limitations are different. There is no freedom outside of circumstance. We are most free in our imagination. If we could act on our imagination, we would experience freedom to its fullest availability.

 

[Hrothbern]

A lot of these answers seem to be in the context of the current world order, or use language indicative of certain assumptions about human society. For this exercise I want everyone to try and forget these limitations and think about the absolute most basic definitions you can think of for human freedom.

Privileged in having enough basic freedoms, and ok-ish with the amount of freedom spend on being social enough, personal and moral society wise,
I care most about my freedom of mind

 

[Traitorfish]

freedom - the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action

As much as my imagine Berzerker and myself would interpret the above quite definitely, I have to say that it's about as concise and elegant a definition of "freedom" as you're likely to get.

There is no single definition of freedom that will please everyone. It is to contextual and relative to one's situation.

If that is the case then freedom and democracy are highly incompatible.

Perhaps democracy is the process by which we attempt to work out shared definitions of freedom? Or, at least, which definitions which we are putting our collective weight behind.