John Dewey - the freedom to govern myself

For Dewey, the 19-20^th century American philosopher, freedom is much more than freedom-from. To be free I must be able to make conscious choices and translate my choices into action. But choosing does not mean following my capricious desires or my spontaneous feelings. It means that I have goals and projects, that I examine them critically and rationally, revise them when needed, and act according to them. In this sense I govern and direct my life. I do so both by rationally determining my personal plans and aims, and also by influencing my community and the social conditions in which I live.

A free person, therefore, has long-term projects and goals, as well as the flexibility to modify them when conditions change, and the open-mindedness to examine alternatives and choose between them. It is somebody who has a distinctive approach to life, and a distinctive manner of social involvement, based on critical and rational reflection.

EPICTETUS - FREEDOM FROM PASSIONS

According to Epictetus, the ancient Stoic philosopher, we suffer not because of things that happen to us, but because of our attitude to those things. The man who loses his savings suffers not because of the loss of money, but because he feels attached to the money. In other words, he suffers because he mistakenly regards it as necessary for his happiness.

In this sense we are not free, because we are ruled by our passions and desires. These desires make us depend on things that are not in our control. After all, we don't have complete power over our possessions, our health, accidents, other people's reactions to us, our fortunes and misfortunes.

To be free, therefore, means to control our desires and passions, to let our reason determine our lives, and thus to be independent of things beyond our control. This means that we accept the divine Logos that governs the world, and live freely in accordance with our nature as human beings. Such a freedom is a state of inner tranquility, self-control, detachment, and complete acceptance. Although the individual continues to be active in the world and to perform his duties, he accepts with equanimity whatever happens, whether success or failure.

Such an inner state is very difficult to achieve. In order to develop it, it is necessary to engage in arduous spiritual exercises. Only so can we free our rational thought from the prison of our passions.

KRISHNAMURTI - FREEDOM FROM THE PAST

Krishnamurti, the 20^th century Indian-born thinker, held that most people are imprisoned in what they already know and learned, in other words, in the past. We desire what was pleasant yesterday, we hope for the praise that we received last week, we are afraid of what was painful last year, we try to be what our parents or priest told us we should be. Consequently, our hopes and desires and fears are rooted in past experiences. We struggle to make more money, to become ‘important, to be powerful and famous, because we have been conditioned by our past. Such struggles do not make us happier, but only more mechanical, frustrated, fragmented.

To liberate ourselves, therefore, means to break loose from the chains of the past. It means to be present here and now with a mind that is completely open, sharp, intelligent and not burdened by past knowledge. It means that our mind is fully aware and open to the present moment.