Are we Really Free?

The concept of free choice:

Many explanations for what drives us rely on models of human choice that attribute agency to either extrinsic or intrinsic motivators. In most cases, such views don’t outright reject the idea of free will. However, they do not make a clear distinction between human behavior and that of other higher species. Let’s say a college student is concerned about his weight and decides to skip lunch every day. To stick to his decision, he could either eat lunch or leave the café. There are positives to all options, but each strategy has its own advantages.

The reality of free choice:

When faced with a choice as trivial as “which hand shall I raise now?” everyone of us is forced to confront the reality of free will. (Am I not at liberty to choose?) That is most evident when we must make a choice that involves tradeoffs between multiple outcomes.

Men are free because they are intelligent.

A human’s decision to act in a given way can be motivated by a variety of factors, and it is impossible to tell which ones are more important. Every choice relies on some justification, on man’s rational perception that some action under consideration can be satisfying in some way. Despite the fact that man always has a cause for his actions, he is not bound to a specific course of action. An underlying bias could make a choice appear more appealing, but that wouldn’t mean the individual had no say in the matter. One needs to be aware of alternative actions and understand the advantages of each to truly exercise their freedom of choice.

Man is shaped by his choices.

Having the freedom to make one’s own decisions is crucial since it helps develop one’s personality. Contrary to common opinion, it is our daily decisions that form our moral compass. The choice between the two possibilities presents a clash of values. Until one makes a choice that is incompatible with their ideals, the relevance of those values is determined by the choice they make. It’s about having a preference and looking ahead. The decisions one makes over time define who they are. Our choices impact how we value others. When we harm others for our personal benefit, we reveal our true, egocentric selves. People are more valuable to us when we take into account their needs and make sacrifices for them.

Professional managers have a responsibility to stress the importance of how our professional decisions shape us. As a result, the phrase “business is business” might be deceiving. How we make a living influences the beliefs we hold.

Freedom “from” and freedom “for”

Individual liberty is often overvalued, and many people are too concerned with keeping it at that level of protection. As a result, they fail to make the necessary efforts to gain and increase their independence. This is usually acquired through engaging in activities that are not particularly pleasant, if not downright unpleasant.

Freedom and commitment:

When we make a decision, we limit our options: “I can go down road A or road B,” but before I decide, I can go in either direction. Once I make a decision, I may never again have the option of taking the path I did not select. Freedom only manifests itself in the form of actual action when we make and stick to conscious decisions.

Freedom and truth:

Misunderstanding freedom also occurs when it is used to rationalize a disregard for the truth. If we want the freedom we have to lead to our fulfillment, we need to make a concerted effort to figure out what it is that can actually make us happy.

The ultimate point of freedom:

Some widespread beliefs about the upsides of liberty are based on fallacies that can drive us to take steps that aren’t good for us and even threaten our independence. The ultimate goal of freedom is not merely the ability to make “free choices,” but rather the ability to make excellent, genuine, and independent decisions. This is why it is crucial to not place an excessive emphasis on “freedom from,” to strengthen our “freedom for,” and to be faithful to the appropriate obligations in order to make effective use of our freedom.

Responsibility for our free choices:

Avoiding accountability by blindly adopting the norms and perspectives of people around us is a frequent human tendency. “I was merely following orders” is a common justification used by those attempting to absolve themselves of culpability.

Freedom and the practice of management:

It’s impossible to predict what a man will do, especially if he believes you’re trying to control him. The key argument is that moral growth (the acquisition of virtues) is impossible apart from truly free choice. Managers should be skeptical of so-called scientific management ideas because they know that humans have the ability to make their own choices. Due to the inherent autonomy of human beings, the most that can be asserted is that given a set of circumstances, a large number of people will likely (but never absolutely) react in a given way.

Understanding the role of free will in shaping our lives is one of the most important skills for self- and career-management.It’s normal to feel hopeless about the future after concluding that your current predicament is the product of unavoidable external factors. The only way to take control of our lives and make positive changes is to realize we have free will and be thankful for that fact. When this perspective takes hold, we stop acting like helpless victims and start behaving like responsible adults.