The dictionary definition of freedom says that it is:

the state or quality of being free. Liberation from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power. Being able to act, move, use, etc, without hindrance or restraint. Ease of movement or performance. Being free from usual rules and patterns.

how would you define it in your own words? What does it mean to you? What is freedom really? The human version please, not the dictionary =D

IrishDancer

Thanks for your reply! I truly enjoyed it.

I think maybe philosopher (myself especially) try to explain away the world too much. However, my affliction must be satisfied. Could you answer me this?

Can you think of any one thing that happens without a cause?

Hmmm, does everything happen for a reason? Its funny you should ask, iv been thinking about it alot my self recently.

Well, we become hungry for a reason. its our bodies way of telling us that we need food to survive! But i dont know about evvvverrything.

In terms of 'the big picture', i honestly cannot answer. I do not know. Nobody does, for certain. But what i do know, is that things happen, regardless of whether they bear a fundamental reason/meaning or not. I think its up to the individual to choose what they wish to believe. Certain people, perhaps the more philosophical, may seek a deeper meaning from life. They put it upon themselves to apprehend such meanings from actions that have happened, mistakes that have been made, etc. and are often successful, or so they wish to believe. The truth is, nobody knows what the real reason behind anything is, so whos to know there even is a reason?

I tend not to dwell so much on lifes occurances or randomosities, be they good or bad. Things just happen, I embrace them, or deal with them, or whatever. I dont desire a reason, to be honest. Just live life in the moment, look forward to the future, and be grateful for all that is past. Hope i made some sense, would love to hear your view.

As a budding philosopher I truly enjoyed this topic.

I guess I don't know what freedom is. I am not sure I have ever really experianced it. Maybe, I hope, someone out there will read this and could help. I have read alot of post from people and I know there are many wise people here. So, God willing, perhaps one will be kind enough to share some wisdom with me.

My question. Does everything happen for a reason?

Freedom to me is to be myself. If someone is controlling who I am and saying that who I am is wrong then how am I free? To be able to express myself and to be able to say what I want and do what I want, elements of freedom. All I want is to be able to walk out the door as me and feel the sun on my cheeks and fresh air =]

Freedom, for me.. the ability to express views, feelings and emotions without the cynical judgments or complete disregard of others. Freedom, for me, is the incentive for any individual to achieve great things in life, regardless of ethnic origin, beliefs or any other possible discriminating factors. To do as one wishes, make ones own decisions, seize and enjoy oppertunites that life may unfurl. You could say, freedom links liberty with human motive equality. Even chicken motives for that matter.

Hence,freedom is the ability to cross a road, without ones objective being questioned. (:

Ah, freedom... such a beautfil thing.
For me, freedom is when I'm being completely true to my self and I'm putting everything I've got out there for the world to see whether they like it not; whether they look at me or not. It's when nothing is holding me back and my thoughts, dreams, and emotions can flow freely without hinderance. Freedom is when I can take in the world through my eys and not what someone wants me to see. Freedom is holding nothing back.

What a great question!

Freedom is when the rules of world don't hold hold me down. When I can dance and sing and not worry about the world around me. When I have no restraintsor anybody trying to control me. When there is nobody and nothing around me that I am afraid of. When I can truly be myself and not worry about anything.