Kant and Freedom

In Kant's  philosophy, Freedom is defined as a concept which is involved in the moral domain, at the question: what should I do?

In summary, Kant says that the moral law is only that I know myself as a free person. Kantian freedom is closely linked to the notion of autonomy, which means law itself: thus, freedom falls obedience to a law that I created myself. It is therefore respect its commitment to compliance with oneself.

Practical Reason and Freedom

Practical reason legislates (makes laws and requirements) of free beings, or more precisely the causality of free beings. Thus, practical reason is based on freedom, it is freedom.

Phenomena, in the Kantian thought, are subject to the law of natural causality: each event is the effect of another, and so on to infinity. Unlike the phenomenon of man, in the moral rule is free, ie, it has the power to self-start condition.

Kant ethics is mainly based on the concept of free will and autonomy.

Traditional Freedom

The traditional sense of freedom, is one’s ability to righteously act, speak, and or think the way they wish. Below is the definition that’ll appear after a quick google search.

“The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”

Philosophers all throughout history, argued that this is the state in which man is most willing to live in. Of course, it is that principle that lead to the declaration of new nations, through self determination.

The ideals that lead to the birth of democratic governments, where the people have the opportunity, and obligation, to rule themselves. Above all else, freedom fuels our desire to actively seek the abolishment of tyranny, liberating those enslaved under it’s rule.

Although many, if not all of these freedoms are positive, it wasn’t the case profound philosophers were asserting. This may be surprising to some, but it’s true. Many free thinkers did indeed advocate for democracy, self determination, and liberation.

However, on top of that, many of these thinkers went on to separate freedom into different categories. Some, even opine that the notions of our traditional freedom are completely backwards!

Kant on  Freedom

The average person, assumes that when presented with alternative choices, would have the freedom to choose one over the other, on the basis of individual desire.

This is what Kant called “The Idea of Freedom”. It is also more commonly known today as libertarian freedom. Kant however, saw freedom differently, and perhaps in a more sophisticated manner.

Libertarians would state that one is free when they can choose what they want. Kant in contrast to that, believes that choosing what you want isn’t freedom. He insisted that acting on the basis of desire is being governed, not by one’s reason, but by their primitive, animalistic instincts.

Kant’s perception of freedom, is the ability to govern one’s actions on the basis of reason, and not desire. This can all be reduced to the concept of Autonomy.

The word Autonomy, derives from Greek, literally translating to self legislator. So the idea, is not to live by one’s animalistic nature imposed on them from birth, but rather to live by the laws you impose on yourself.

So in Kant’s view, libertarian freedom isn’t real, but in reality, is just enslavement of oneself to their desire.