HW 1 - Response to "The Ethics of Absolute Freedom"

While reading "The Ethics of Absolute Freedom" by David Banach, it feels like I am in a big plastic see through ball. Not really being able to reach out, just individual self. Trying to speak, but a voice from myself reply. Trying to see, but only with my own vision and point of view. Trying to feel, but my heart is either selfish or too small to fit another. This sounds very lonely and isolated, but simultaneously, I have "absolute freedom". If we are "absolute individuals' in this world, then whatever I do will only mean to ourselves. Regardless of what I will do, anything will have no effects to the others. It sounds I am very "free".

In certain way, I do agree with what David Banach said in his lecture that "only we feel our pains, our pleasures, our hopes, and our fears immediately, subjectively, from the inside." In my opinion, I believe that we all know ourselves better than anybody. It is impossible to be a shadow of someone else other than yourself. When we feel pain, our self is really the one who know how that actually feels. Somehow it makes senses, because if other really know how you feel, they wouldn't hurt you so badly. Everybody came to the world as individuals with their own life experiences and perceptions. In many ways, it is difficult to put ourselves in some body's shoes. Even we are not individuals, as human nature, we all tempt to be the greedy and self center. We often think for ourselves and try to make everything that benefits ourselves before satisfying others. It is just hard, to be selfless!

As mentioned before, if we are consider ourselves individuals, it seems like we will have more freedoms. We felt like we have less, because we always have to care about how other feels. It is sort of like connections between each other, whatever we do or act, it will have some effects to the others. But if we imagine ourselves as an independent individuals, we might have less boundaries in our lives and dare to do more things regardless whether it is right or wrong. By saying that, it doesn't mean having lots of freedom is happiness. This might sound weird, but it makes sense to me. Sometimes having so many freedom will cause a person to have no limits in life which means no standards. If we do not have boundaries in our lives, I will consider that as a meaningless life. I believe that everybody should have their own personality and standards in life that we should have our own life styles. We should pay more attention to the things that we like and pay less to the ones that are not. This is what makes life meaningful, having boundaries. Additionally, this shows "each of us is trapped within our own mind". It is all because we have boundaries in life with our own styles.

To get even further, if what David Banach said is right that we are all alone in this world. I don' t think it is very that lonely. From last year in Andy's class, we talk about different types of therapies. The one that I studied is called "Existential Psychology". Many therapist used this when people find no meanings in life or afraid to proceed. In order to keep the patient motivated, we should lead them to think that we are all individuals in this world. Then we should start to think that we have to be responsible for own lives. This often helps people to make decisions, because no matter it is right or wrong, as long as we are willing to take responsibilities in our lives, no matter what will happen to us, we will be able to handle the situation. The overall idea this draws, it is that we have much more freedom in lives. As long as we take the first step to make a decision and completely committed to ourselves that we will take responsibilities, then nothing should be limited and therefore, we have the "absolute freedom" in life.