POLI 100 Lecture 4: Freedom and Justice

• School: UBC
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 100
• Professor: Serbulent Turan

Document Summary

Freedom is almost always seen as good". Freedom can be limited to protect other values and things: it is always limited in society; if you are outside society then you are a beast or a god and freedom doesn"t apply to you (aristotle) Freedom is a consequence of power: freedom is always limited - to protect life, property, etc, no freedom to murder, steal, or commit hate speech". Undemocratic governments - not necessarily a problem for freedom - in theory. Physical constraints - primary obstacles to freedom (ex: imprisonment) A key connection: freedom and rationality: freedom is dependent on rationality, we see irrational people as in need of supervision/imprisonment. Their freedoms are constrained: immanuel kant: every person should act and make decisions as if they are lawmakers in a utopian society. One of the foundational ideas for the welfare state: state can increase freedom for all citizens simply by providing basic materials needs and securities.