Freedom

1. Excellence or Indeterminance Freedom

2. Modern Theories of Freedom • Tendencies lessen or deny the dependence of freedom upon truth, VS34 • Human freedom claims to be able to create values, VS35 • A moral autonomy with absolute sovereignty

3. New theories: Incompatible with Catholic thought • A complete sovereignty of reason in the moral domain, separation from Divine Wisdom • Man would lay down for himself norms founded exclusively in human reason, VS36

4. New (erroneous)thoughts on Catholic Morals • A sharp distinction between and ethical order with value for this world and an order of salvation encompassing certain intentions and attitudes, VS 37 • Autonomous reason, not revelation makes material norms • Thus, competence of Magisterium denied

5. What is a rightful autonomy? • Reason draws its truth from Eternal Law, Divine Wisdom, VS39 • Natural Law is a properly human law • But autonomy does not mean that reason can create values and moral norms • This would mean that one denies the participation of the Divine Wisdom in the rational creature.

6. Man’s Genuine Moral Autonomy • An acceptance of God’s moral law • Human freedom and God’s law intersect • Obedience is not a heteronomy • Man’s free obedience to God’s law implies that human reason and will participate in God’s providence • This is a participated theonony

7. St. Thomas vs. Ockham • St. Thomas-Freedom is a faculty proceeding from reason and will, uniting to make the act of choice • Free will is not the originating force but presupposes intelligence and will • This is rooted in natural inclinations to goodness and truth

8. Ockham • In Ockham the ability of choice (free will) precedes the combination of reason and will in its operation • Freedom is found in the power of the will to choose independently between contraries • This capacity is in the power of the will, an ability to choose between what reason identifies and judges as true and its contrary • Thus freedom exists in an indetermination or radical indifference in the will

9. Ockham • Freedom is radically indifferent to the opposites in front of it, good or evil. • The will becomes redefined • It is no longer an attraction to the good exercised in love or desire • It is radical indifference • It becomes characterized not by loving but by obeying and commanding.

10. Natural Inclinations • In Thomas, freedom is rooted in the natural spontaneity toward the good and the true • The ultimate end, perfection of the good, (and Beatitude) formed the basis of Thomas’s moral theory. • That desire could never be extinguished • The important point, this desire for happiness is the foundation of natural spontaneity and freedom

11. Inclinations and Ockham • One is always free to refuse happiness • One can choose to despise even existence • This places inclinations below freedom • Harmony between nature and freedom destroyed • Freedom is now described as indifferent to nature

12. The breakdown of Morality • Loss of the relationship between freedom and nature-enjoying good, truth, etc. • Loss of sense of happiness as first desire of human nature • Habitus, virtue, would be opposed to freedom; freedom does not grow • Final end as a result of pattern of action, banished; individual acts are not united

13. Reason and Freedom • In Ockham, reason does not influence freedom or determine choice • Freedom would have to affirm itself against reason; voluntarism • The power to say no in Thomas is recognized, but the “freedom” to reject Beatitude is a weakness; • Indeterminate freedom, power to say no to reason is essential to freedom

14. What is the next question? • Is the problem reason? • Or is the problem will? • That’s not the question you ought to be asking right now, btw.