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Freedom and
Chapter 4
Accountability
“Freedom means choosing your burden.”
- Hephzibah Menuhin
Most Essential Learning Competencies
4.1 Evaluate and exercise prudence in choices
K to 12 CG Code: PPT11/12-lla-4.1
4.2 Realize that:
a. Choices have consequences
b. Some things are given up while others are obtained in making
choices
4.3 Show situations that demonstrate freedom of choice
K to 12 CG Code: PPT11/12-llb-4.2
Lesson 8: Understanding Human Freedom
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to:
1. Explain the relation between freedom and accountability.
2. Distinguish the three main views on the possibility of human freedom, namely,
hard determinism, libertarianism, and soft determinism
3. Explain the two dimensions of human freedom as assumed in the three competing
views on the possibility of human freedom.
4. Explain human freedom in terms of the relation between mind and body.
5. Distinguish the various solutions to the causal mind-body problem.
Pre-assessment
Based on your point of view explain the following questions.
What is freedom?
Can you identify instances in your life where you were not free? Why do you say
that you were not free then?
Are animals free or not? Explain your answer
Lesson Proper
A. Natural and Social Freedom
In the previous chapter, we learned about human person as an embodied spirit that
is conscious, in the world through involvements, temporal, transcendent, and free. In this
chapter, we shall look more closely at human freedom and accountability. A human
person is free to make choices and perform actions, and is consequently accountable for
these choices and actions. To fully understand this, two questions need to be asked.
First, under what conditions is a human person free? Second, under what conditions is a
human person accountable for his choices and actions? We shall, in this lesson, examine
how human freedom is defined in the discussions on the reality of human freedom and
on the mind-body relation.
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Before we proceed, let us first clarify the relation of freedom and what we call “free
will.”
The will refers to our mental ability to make choices and actions to carry out these
choices. If humans are free in making choices and doing actions, it is because their will,
which enables them to make choices and do actions, is free. Thus, saying that humans
are free is just the same as saying that humans have free will. Now, what is meant by
human freedom or free will varies among the philosophers analyzing its possibility. Our
purpose is simply to get a better understanding of what it means for humans to be free.
Accordingly, there are three main philosophical positions on the possibility of human
freedom, namely, hard determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism or soft
determinism. Basically, hard determinism believes that humans are not free while both
libertarianism and compatibilism believe that humans are.
Determinism is the view that all events that happen in the world are caused by
previous events or conditions along with the laws of nature. If X, Y, and Z (facts or laws)
existed then W (event) will occur. If I throw a rock up in the air, I can predict that it will
fall down because I know something about gravity and the nature of the rock – that is
solid. Thus, in principle, (that is, if we know all the relevant facts and natural laws) if
determinism is correct that every event is caused, then any event that will occur is
predictable. In the case of humans, the conditions that can determine their choices and
actions include their genes, behavioral conditioning (for instance, training from parents),
and the physical and social conditions of their environment. If determinism is correct,
human choices and actions are in principle predictable.
Hard Determinism accepts determinism, and further believes that determinism and
freedom are incompatible--that they cannot both be true. “What is hard about hard
determinism is its conclusion: no free will and no moral responsibility.” The
incompatibility between determinism and freedom is explained by the view (sometimes
called the principle of alternate possibilities for freedom) which states that actions done
freely or choices made freely could have been otherwise. Again, if we throw a rock up in
the air, there is no other possibility than for it to fall down (assuming no intervening
forces). If our choices and actions are determined, then they cannot be otherwise. If my
choice to stay home is determined, then I could have not gone to somewhere else. And
so, if then determinism and freedom were incompatible, and determinism were correct,
then the belief in freedom would be a mistake.
Libertarianism rejects determinism. It accepts that while certain events in the world
are caused and thus are determined, there are also some events that are not--referring
precisely to human choices. Libertarianism accepts the premise of hard determinism
that determinism and freedom are incompatible but rejects its premise that determinism
is correct. For libertarianism it is only the self or the mind of the human person that
produces these free choices through the power of its will. In this sense referred to as
self-determinism, Free choices, are in a way also determined, but not by things or
conditions outside of the self, but by the self through the power of its will alone.
Compatibilism or Soft Determinism on the other hand, rejects the premise that
determinism and freedom are incompatible. For compatibilism, even if determinism is
correct and thus all human actions are caused by previous events or conditions along
with natural laws, still such actions can be free. Compatibilism is neutral to the truth of
determinism as it defines freedom not in terms of the absence of determinism. It does
not matter for compatibilism that our choices and actions are determined; what is
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important for its followers is that when a human person makes these choices and does
these choices, he/she is not forced, compelled, or constrained to do so.
The distinction between “hard determinism” and “soft determinism” was first made
by the American Philosopher William James.
Hard
Libertarianism Compatibilism
Determinism
Is freedom Yes Yes No
incompatible with
determinism?
Is determinism Yes No It does not
correct? matter
Are humans free? No Yes Yes
When they are When they are When humans
When are human not determined not determined are not forced
choices/actions by external by external to make these
free? factors. factors. choices or do
these actions.
(Table 1: Showing the stands of three main philosophical positions on the possibility of human freedom)
In sum, human freedom can be defined in two ways. One is that human freedom is
not being determined by previous actions and natural laws in one’s choices and actions.
This is what we call natural freedom. In this kind of freedom, human actions are
distinguished into voluntary kind, referring to actions that are not determined or actions
done to carry out free choices, and the involuntary kind, referring to actions that are
determined or actions done not to carry out free choices. The other is that human
freedom is not being constrained, forced, or compelled in one’s choice and actions. And
this is what we call social freedom. For our purposes, we shall regard these two
definitions as two dimensions of human freedom: its natural and social dimensions.
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Name: Date :
Strand/Grade&Sec: Score:
Student
Activity 3
Photo Analysis
What can you say about the picture below? Have you been in this kind of situation?
What are the things that you considered in making choices? Write your answer below
each question.
What can you say about the picture?
Have you been in this kind of situation?
What are the things that you considered in making choices?
1. ___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________
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B. MIND BODY RELATION
Another way of understanding human freedom is to examine it in the context of the
philosophical discussion on the nature of the mind-body relation. We noted in the
previous discussion that human freedom is rooted in the human will, referring to a
certain power or ability of the mind. Free will or the power of the mind to freely come up
with mental states and processes and to freely cause the body to perform action is also
referred to (in philosophical of mind) as the “power of mental causation”.
The issue of explaining the possibility of mental causation, of how it is possible for
the mind to causally influence the body in a way not governed by natural laws is an
essential part of what is called mind-body problem. In this second section of the lesson,
we shall examine the various philosophical solutions to the causal mind-body problem.
We shall begin our examination with interactionism, which is the common-sense view on
the causal mind-body relation. Afterwards, we shall proceed to solutions or views that
deviate from interactionism varying degrees.
Interactionism, being the view taken by most people on the causal mind-body
relation, is regarded as the “default position” on this problem. This view affirms four
types of causal relation at work between the mind and the body.
1.) Mental-to-Mental type of causation- where one mental state causes another mental
state. An example of which is when a belief causes a desire like when one’s belief
that it is raining causes one to the desire to bring an umbrella.
2.) Mental-to-Physical type of causation- where a mental state causes a bodily state. An
example of which is when a desire causes an action like when one’s desire to sing
causes one to sing.
3.) Physical-to-Mental type of causation- where a physical state causes a mental state.
An example of which is when the burning of the skin causes pain.
4.) Physical-to-Physical type of causation- where a physical state causes another
physical state. An example of which is when the cutting of the skin causes the skin
to bleed.
Different views of how to resolve the causal mind-body problem:
1.) No-Mind View- resolves the causal mind-body problem by dissolving or rejecting the
problem – that there is, to begin with, no mind-body relation to speak of. This view is
based on the hypotheses that what we call the “mind” or “mental states either do
not really exist or are not really something that are distinct from the body.
2.) No-Causation View- affirms the reality of mental states but rejects causal powers of
these states. This view has an extreme version, which denies all forms of causal
relations between mind and body, and a moderate version, which denies only some
of these causal relations.
3.) No-Freedom View- it accepts all types of causal relation that can possibly exist
between mind and body. However, it rejects the thesis that the causal powers of
mental states can be exercised voluntarily.
It shall be observed that what is common to these three alternative solutions is the
denial of the voluntary nature of the causal powers of the mind. This means that to
believe that human persons are free is to take an interactionist solution to the causal
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mind-body problem; while to believe that human persons are not free is to take any of
the other three solutions to the problem.
Student Worksheet 8
Name: Date :
Strand/Grade&Sec: Score:
Directions: Briefly, define the following concept: (make your hand written neat and
clear)
1. Determinism
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2. Libertarianism
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3. Compatibilism
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4. Natural Freedom
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5. Social Freedom
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Lesson 9: Nature of Accountability
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of moral accountability as deservingness of moral
blame or praise.
2. Distinguish accountability from the various meanings of responsibility.
3. Identify the incriminating and excusing conditions for accountability.
4. Distinguish between real and irresponsible types of ignorance.
5. Identify the mitigating and aggravating conditions for accountability.
Pre-assessment
Direction: Write a reflection paper on this topic, “From freedom comes great
responsibility. You answer must be minimum 300-500 words.
Lesson Proper
A. Meaning of Accountability
Deservingness of blame or praise (punishment or reward) for the actions that we
perform is a necessary consequence of our intelligence and freedom. Our intelligence
enables us to distinguish between right and wrong decisions, or between actions that we
ought and ought not to do. Our freedom, on the other hand, enables us to choose the
kind of action that we would like to perform, or to intentionally perform an action.
Consequently, in choosing to perform an action that we know to be either right or wrong
we deserve either blame or praise.
We refer to the deservingness of blame or praise (punishment or reward) for the
actions that we do. It must be emphasized that accountability includes both blame and
praise, for accountability is often associated with blame.
Types of Accountability:
1.) Legal Accountability – results from the application of legal standards.
2.) Moral Accountability – results from the application of moral standards in
assessing the rightness and wrongness of our actions.
In our discussion of accountability, we shall assume the moral kind. Whenever we
use the word “accountability”, we shall thus mean moral accountability. Now, it is usual
to use the word “accountability” interchangeably with the word “responsibility”.
3 Senses of Responsibility:
1.) Responsibility as Accountability – if someone is responsible for some event, then
he is worthy of praise or blame for that event.
2.) Responsibility as Duty – refers to the sense of “responsibility” in which being
responsible means holding certain duties or obligations. Parents for instance, are
responsible for their children in that they hold certain duties or obligations
towards their children.
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3.) Responsibility as Agency – refers to the sense of “responsibility” in which being
responsible means being the one that brings about something. Causes can be
humans or non-humans.
Moral Agent – an agent who also deserves moral blame or praise for the action that he
has performed. Moral agents are entities who hold certain moral duties.
Moral Recipients – are the targets of these moral duties and thus are entities who hold
moral rights. It may or may not be agents as well.
In sum, we can say that a person is responsible for an action, we either mean that
the person has the duty to perform the action, the person is the agent of the action. Or
the person deserves blame or praise for performing the action, these meanings are
related in some important ways, but they are not the same.
B. Conditions of Accountability
The attribution of moral accountability to a person for an action that he or she does
is the result of two conditions. One is that he/she does the action intentionally, that is to
say, he/she has the intention of doing the actions and he/she performs the action to
carry out the intention. We may refer to this condition as the intentionality condition.
The other is that the person knows or is capable of knowing that the action he or she is
thinking of performing is right or wrong, good or bad. We may refer to this second
condition as the knowledge condition. These two conditions – the intentionality and
knowledge condition – are usually referred to as incriminating conditions and their
opposite as excusing conditions.
Excusing Conditions are the absence of the two incriminating conditions: the
absence of intentionality condition means that the action under consideration is not done
intentionally, while the absence of knowledge condition means that the action is done
out of ignorance. It must be noted, however, that in the case of two incriminating
conditions, both conditions should occur to make one accountable for his/her actions.
Consequently, in the case of the two excusing conditions, it is sufficient that only one
condition does not occur to excuse one from accountability.
We earlier noted that if knowledge condition does not obtain then there cannot be
any attribution of accountability. The absence of such a condition, or the presence of the
condition of ignorance, is one of the excusing conditions. There are two kinds of
ignorance, which we shall call irresponsible ignorance and real ignorance. Irresponsible
ignorance is the kind of ignorance where we can say to an ignorant person that he/she
should have known better: while real ignorance is the kind of ignorance where we cannot
say to an ignorant person that he/she should have known better. With this consideration,
it becomes clear that it is only real ignorance that qualifies as an excusing condition.
What determines one’s capacity to know can vary depending on the nature of the given.
It can include, among others, maturity, mental health, and access to relevant
information.
Accountability thus comes in degrees; and four factors generally form the bases for
determining such degrees:
1.) Degree of Difficulty or Pressure – forces one to perform actions that one believes
to be wrong. In this case, the greater is the degree of difficulty or pressure, the
lesser is the degree of accountability.
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2.) Intensity of the Injury – results from a wrongful action. Here the greater is the
degree of injury, the greater is the degree of accountability; or the lesser is the
degree of injury, the lesser is the degree of accountability.
3.) Degree of One’s Involvement – the greater is the degree of involvement, the
greater is the degree of accountability.
4.) Degree of One’s Knowledge of the Wrongfulness of an Action and Relevant Facts
– the more knowledgeable one is about the wrongfulness of an action and
relevant facts, the more accountable one is. This explains, for instance, why for
doing the same kind of crime, the law gives a lesser degree of punishment to a
minor compared to a normal adult.
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Student Worksheet 9
Name: Date :
Strand/Grade&Sec: Score:
Directions: Answer the following by choosing two questions only.
1. Can a person choose not to be responsible? Explain your answer.
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2. What would excuse someone from accountability?
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3. When is the degree of accountability less, and when is it great?
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4. Are you a slave to something (e.g. technology)? Why or why not?
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