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To: Mathlete
Freedom is the ability to know, desire and seek the good --freely.

Your turn.

187 posted on 05/20/2004 4:23:27 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: Aquinasfan; Gelato; little jeremiah; supercat; TexasTransplant; Flying Circus; BunnySlippers
Freedom is the ability to know, desire and seek the good --freely.

Isn't that a tad bit tautological? I mean, to begin a definition with a noun (Freedom is), and then proceed to qualify it with its adverb equivalent (Freely)? I'm sure you and I would agree that in its weakest syntactic form, Freedom is the state of being free. I was hoping for something more pragmatic. Even something semantic would be better.

In addition, it appears that you are claiming that if you don't have the ability to seek it, or know it according to some "higher authoritative power", then you cannot be free. I'm smiling. I can only guess your definition of "the good" is what "God says it to be". In this country, people differ on what "the good" is -- even good Christians. That's why we give "freedom" to people to pursue their definition of it.

To answer your question, I think most of these references are on the right path: Definition of Liberty, with Liberty is self ownership being the decisive "economic" difference between capitalism and statism. Liberty is freedom from coersion, whether from one person or from a democratic vote certainly sums up our Republic and Rule by Law philosophy. Bearing to this thread, I pick Liberty is determining for yourself how to live your life and Liberty is the only social arrangement consistent with the Golden Rule. It's that last one that supplies most of my debating ammunition.

Your thoughts?

188 posted on 05/20/2004 10:28:26 AM PDT by Mathlete (In understanding, there is no judgment. In judgment, there is no understanding.)
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