Yes its a interesting way to think... you think that freedom is doing what we are supposed or not to do, but then I ask... what we are supposed to do !?
It could be a better definition for freedom than "doing what we want to do", since there are people who follow their animal instints and "do what they want", but are those people free ? Or they are just limited to their basic instincs and can´t be free of it. There are people who have fear, hate or other vices, or addictions and they are not free by doing what they want in this case.
but still, i think freedom is pure anarchy. plain and simple. freedom is the ability to do what you want and when you want it. and if you dont know what you want, do nothing...
__________________ The Revolution will not be Televised
indeed...Newton's Physics suggest that there is no free will......Einstein made it even worse since he basically said there ios no movement...but don't we all love our Heisenberg for giving it back to us....Oh by the way...Sheldrake has a rather interesting Idea on free will too...
Then the question is at what point does my freedom violates another person' s freedom, and therefore nullifies such freedom?
__________________
I am not driven by people’ s praise and I am not slowed down by people’ s criticism.
You only live once. But if you live it right, once is enough.
Make poverty history.
Stop aids, keep the promise.
__________________ "With reasonable people I will reason; with humane people I will plea; but to the arrogant I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments, for that is a waste of time"......................................
I think that's pretty solid as a working definition of individual liberty in a free but law-bound society. Of course, the debate comes into the actual everyday working out of this definiton.
__________________ And the good Saint Francis that said Little Sister Death, that never had a sister.
i think it applies, as simplified as it is. besides, "ought and ought not" are subjective and, depending on who decides what ought and ought not, can be the very basis for a dictatorship.
While we're on the subject, do you think it would be too terribly dictatorial for Congress to pass a law requiring mandatory bikini wear for those women deemed "too hot for everyday covering"? Of course, this determination would be part of that subjective dilemma you mentioned. A House or Senate sub-committee would have to determine the law's particular application.
But nakedness is part of freedom, right? Haven't these women been restricted by their clothing long enough? I think someone should look into this.
__________________ And the good Saint Francis that said Little Sister Death, that never had a sister.
you present a point in the form of a joke, i assume, so i will respond.
we live in a society where public nudity is generally considered offensive. therefore others' freedom to not have an assault on their senses would be intruded upon. same way that you dont have the right to blast your stereo at 3 in the morning.
someone may counter with the point like "homosexuality is considered offensive by many", but to that i will simply say that one has a choice to wear cloths and adapt to society while a homosexual cannot just choose to not be gay to adapt. therefore their freedom to simply be who they are is intruded upon, the worst type of intrusion possible imho.
My post was pretty much a straight up joke--no hidden agenda--, but I'm pleased you responded, nonetheless. Like I said, I think your working definition of freedom, or, liberty, is pretty good. In any particular situation, you clearly have to balance individual rights against the collective good.
I was just expressing my wish to see Jessica Alba, or perhaps Scarlott Johanssen, in a bikini more often. I think that would be a collective good as well, now that I think about it....
__________________ And the good Saint Francis that said Little Sister Death, that never had a sister.
however in order to see alba naked you would have to accept seeing the bits of those who you really dont want to see nude. chances are the nasty expreriences would outweigh the desirable one, and permanent shrinkage would be the result, rendering your alba experience ineffective.