Summary: Freedom is a universal sentiment and has been so granted even by law. But in practice it is subject to several constraints. Resolution of these constraints demands perpetual intellectual efforts. Often freedom does not mean more than freedom to perform one’s duties without fear of repercussions and reservations. It does not mean freedom to enjoy one’s whims and fancies.

1. Do We have Unlimited Freedom?
Summary: Freedom is a universal sentiment and has been so granted even by law.
But in practice it is subject to several constraints. Resolution of these constraints
demands perpetual intellectual efforts. Often freedom does not mean more than
freedom to perform one’s duties without fear of repercussions and reservations. It
does not mean freedom to enjoy one’s whims and fancies.
Freedom is a universal sentiment which we all relish. We all have a craving for
freedom. Freedom to enjoy life according to our values, preferences, selections,
interests, fantasies, whims and fancies etc. is something we all desire. We all have
idiosyncrasies and we want the freedom to enjoy them too.
In USA, there is even a Statue of Liberty. Article 21 of Constitution of India confers
upon its citizens, fundamental right to life and liberty. I presume that this must be
true of constitutions of other nations also. Ironically, the fundamental right to
liberty is ambiguous in its statement with inbuilt contradiction. It is ambiguous
because it leaves freedom undefined and moreover, freedom can never be total.
It is self-contradictory because each and every law is a constraint on human
freedom. Twentieth century has witnessed several social movements designated
as freedom movements. Teenagers can often be seen singing the tune “This is my
life”. Spouses can often be seen breaking homes to enjoy personal freedom. Their
craving for personal freedom prevails over the need to have homes. Even women
liberation movements have moved in the direction of freedom unlimited.
So freedom is individually, socially and legally recognized sentiment. Freedom is
easy to dream but difficult to realize. Because of conflict of interests in human
society, one has to struggle throughout one’s life to achieve and sustain freedom.
Human freedom is subject to several constraints.
1. Material constraints: One can enjoy one’s freedom only from the material
position one is holding at the given moment, like Nero by virtue of his
material position had the liberty to enjoy burning Rome. Since material

2. position evolves over a period of time, hence historical or time dependent
constraints to freedom are inevitable.
2. Natural Laws: As stated before that every law is a constraint on human
freedom, same is true of natural laws as well. Nature does not function in
derogation of its laws. Hence relevant natural laws determine scope, limits
and potential of available freedom.
3. Man made laws: Law in human society, in the absence of proper
understanding of its nature has evolved into a plethora of mutually
conflicting principles or a jig saw puzzle upon which judiciary is supposed to
adjudicate in the final analysis. Therefore in the absence of proper
definition of fundamental rights, all the fundamental rights are subject to
descriptive and narrative, event specific definitions evolved by the
esteemed judiciary. Even the well defined legal rights are subject to
compliance with large number of so called procedural laws, administrative
laws, contractual obligations, customs and usage, systemic infirmities etc.
Hence no legal right is absolute; it is always subject to a plethora of
attendant conditions.
4. Rationality: The general demand for rationality as we see in human conduct
is because nature is self-organizing. Anything can exist and function within
the constraints of some harmonized ‘order’ and ‘system’ only. Teilhard de
Chardin has summed up the general nature of organization in nature as “a
distinct centre radiating at the core of systems of centers”. It implies that
nature is organized in to self sustaining units or harmonious wholes and
each and every unit has to exist in harmonious interaction with surrounding
units. But contradictions’ being inherent in nature such as desire for
freedom is antithetical to the need for discipline. Therefore, for anything to
exist and function, it has to dynamically and harmoniously resolve all the
contradictions it faces all the time. In day to day living in human society it
transforms into test of reasonableness of conduct, fair-play and justice.
Therefore, even though emotionally we all stand for unlimited freedom but in fact
it is a mirage. We need to understand limits to our freedom as well its scope. We
must learn the manner in which freedom is to be enjoyed. We can enjoy our
freedom only by following the path of reasonableness, fairness and justice.

3. Otherwise, we are bound to run into additional contradictions and controversies
which besides being detrimental to our freedom are bound to be self destructive
and socially disruptive. It demands a perpetual intellectual effort. So the
sentiment of freedom can’t be enjoyed without commensurate intellectual
efforts. This is precisely the reason that if you are in conflict with a fool, you don’t
have to hang the fool, the fool will hang himself. You only have to facilitate his
movement in the right direction.
Human freedom has as many facets as diversity of human activities, wants,
desires and duties. Material definition of freedom is bound to be context
dependent but the underlying essence has to be dynamic balancing of various
factors and need for harmony in pursuance of defined goals and objectives.. Its
determination may often demand intellectual efforts besides sentiment of
freedom. So, merely granting fundamental right to freedom or constructing
Statute of Liberty or echoing the sentiment of freedom time and again by
celebrating Independence Day year after year is not enough. It requires perpetual
intellectual efforts.
To circumvent difficulties due to constraints upon human understanding, this task
has often been performed by great thinkers of the past as well as the present in
the shape of religious prescriptions, legal principles, morals and ethics etc. even if
with imperfections.
In general, in material terms, freedom only means freedom to perform one’s
duties without fear of repercussions or reservations. Duties are context
dependent and therefore may vary according to nature of relationship, faiths,
beliefs, religious prescription, peer group prescriptions, ethics and morals
determined by professional bodies, law whether natural or man-made etc.
Therefore deprivation of freedom only means preventing an individual from
enjoying performance of his duties. It does not and it can’t mean freedom to act
according to one’s whims and fancies or without any rhyme and reason.
Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor has written the book
“Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with

4. first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains
cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life
and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary
concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This article is
inspired by author’s understanding of nature.
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