Human freedom from the point of view of social science. What does the term "free society" mean? Free society: various models

Freedom can be understood as:

the ability to act, obeying only their desires (voluntarism);

the ability to act subject only to such limitations as ensure recognition and respect for the rights of others (Universal Declaration of Human Rights);

conscious necessity (B. Spinoza);

"negative" and "positive" freedom (E. Fromm). Negative freedom - "freedom from" - freedom from external circumstances, from predestination that dominates a person. Positive freedom - “freedom for” - is a condition for human growth and development.

Necessity - These are the conditions in which a person is initially placed and which determines his activity.

In any sense, absolute freedom is unattainable and impossible:

firstly, due to the presence of necessity, the natural and social laws that prevail over a person;

secondly, due to the presence of responsibility.

The acquisition of freedom by a person inevitably leads to responsibility for their actions.

Responsibility - awareness of oneself as the cause of committed actions, in internal control over them. Social responsibility - human behavior in accordance with the interests of other people and society as a whole.

Inner freedom is not limited by its responsibility, but exists and develops through it. Inner freedom is a necessary condition for the disclosure of the creative potential of the individual.

Society must provide a person with a certain degree of external freedom, which is necessary for free activity.

A free society is a society that provides:

in the economic sphere, freedom of entrepreneurial activity that protects competition;

in the political sphere - pluralism and democratic principles of organization;

in the spiritual - free-thinking, religious and ideological pluralism;

in the social - the possibility of social mobility.

1.8. The systemic structure of society: elements and subsystems

There are three different definitions of the concept of society: society in the broad sense, society in the narrow sense, society as a system. All of them are correct, but reveal different aspects of understanding society.

1. Society in the broadest sense - a part of the material world isolated from nature, but closely connected with it, consisting of people with will and consciousness and including forms of their association and ways of interaction.

This understanding emphasizes the dependence of society on nature and the influence of nature on society at any stage of its development. In addition, the influence of society on nature, especially at the present stage of development of society.

2. Society in the narrow sense - a set of people united by a common activity and common interests.

3. Society as a system - this is a dynamic complexly organized system, characterized by the following features (features of society as a system):

orderliness, the existence of laws, principles that determine the functioning of society;

integrity, society is a single entity;

integrativity, society as a whole has integrative properties, that is, properties that are not reducible to the properties of individual moments;

complex organization, society does not consist of simple elements, but of subsystems with an internal structure, and, ultimately, of people, each of whom has a will and consciousness;

dynamism, the ability to change individual parts, their development or degradation, while maintaining the integrity of the whole society;

self-sufficiency, the ability to sustain one's own existence.

Complex organization society means that it consists of subsystems of society (spheres of public life):

1. the economic sphere, which includes the production of material goods and relations arising in the process of production - distribution, exchange, consumption of material goods.

2. social sphere, including social structure and social groups

3. the political sphere in which society carries out self-regulation, management with the help of institutions of state and law.

4. The spiritual sphere is the sphere of social consciousness in which spiritual production is carried out and spiritual benefits are created.

Each of these spheres is autonomous (independent) in that its existence is determined by laws and principles that are not reducible to the laws of other spheres.

At the same time, they are all interconnected and intertwined in real life society and activities of individuals.

In addition to the spheres of public life, the structure of society includes such elements as social institutions (institutions of society) (see paragraph 1.9.).

Vita sine libertate, nihil!
(Life without freedom is nothing!)
Latin saying

Lesson Objectives:

• Educational (cognitive): to give students an idea of ​​what freedom is; show the evolution of the concept of "freedom"; reveal the features of the manifestation of freedom in various spheres of public life; to characterize the most common restrictions and violations of human and civil rights and freedoms.
• Developing: create conditions for the formation of students: logical and figurative thinking; ability to work with written and oral sources; ability to compare homogeneous phenomena; ability to group and classify information.
• Educational : to bring students to the understanding that freedom is an enduring value in any society, to reveal its significance in the life of every person; continue shaping value orientations students by discussing alternative models of human behavior in situations of choice; demonstrate a model of cross-cultural dialogue (on the example of the statements of representatives different cultures and epochs about freedom); create motivation to study the subject.

DURING THE CLASSES

Today at the lesson we will talk about freedom. What expressions with this word do you know?(Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of choice, freedom of creativity, etc.). As an epigraph for the lesson, I offer you the Latin saying Vita sine libertate, nihil!, which translates as "Life without freedom means nothing."

We will consider a number of questions during the lesson: Firstly what freedom is, what are its main aspects, how it is limited and how it is violated; Secondly, we will see how freedom manifests itself in various spheres of public life ( in what?- economic, political, social and spiritual), in -third Why do we need freedom. We do not accidentally turn to this topic. Freedom is one of eternal values, and today more than ever it is important to know what freedoms and to what extent we have and how we can protect our freedom.

What is freedom? Let's turn to fragment No. 1 of the didactic material and get acquainted with one of the definitions of the concept of "freedom". The dictionary of S.I. Ozhegov gives us the following definition of the concept of "freedom": it is "independence, the absence of constraints and restrictions that bind the socio-political life and activities ... of society and its members." But this definition was not always so. in different historical eras freedom was perceived by people in different ways. For primitive man to be free meant to belong to a clan, a tribe, "to be one's own." In antiquity freedom is the ability to control the fate that was in the hands of the gods, as well as freedom from political despotism. In the Middle Ages freedom meant leading a spiritual, righteous, and sinless life. During the Renaissance freedom was understood as the unhindered development of the human personality, the emancipation of the creative consciousness of people. Into the new time this word was written on the banners of all Western European revolutions and symbolized the equality of all citizens. For a man of an industrial, modern society freedom acquired economic and legal meaning. What is freedom for you personally? (this is an opportunity to have political and civil rights; to manage your resources, your capital, your time).

So, we tried to answer the first question of the lesson - what is freedom, as our contemporaries understand it. Name the documents in which human rights and freedoms are enshrined (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, constitutions of countries). Let's turn to task number 2 - this is a fragment of the text of the Constitution of the Russian Federation - and let's see what rights and freedoms are reflected there. We will distribute them according to the spheres of public life. However, there are rights and freedoms that are difficult to attribute to any particular area. These are the so-called personal rights and freedoms. Now read the document and distribute the numbers of articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation by spheres of public life (economic sphere: 8, 34, 37; political - 2, 13; social - 19; spiritual - 28, 29, 44).

So, we partially got acquainted with our rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and confirmed your idea that to be free means to have certain rights. The French philosopher Charles Montesquieu said that freedom is the right to do whatever is permitted by law. But sometimes freedom is understood as permissiveness, complete independence from any norms or restrictions. Even the Roman orator Cicero once remarked that freedom is independence from laws. So, you are presented with a choice of two points of view on freedom. What statement do you agree with? Now you are exercising your right to freedom. You choose - this is your free choice of two options - what are these options called? (Alternatives).

Our choice can be conscious or unconscious. let's consider situation of informed choice. Tell me what you could do now if you didn't have to go to this lesson? What made you come here? How conscious and how free is your choice? A conscious choice is not always the right one. A person can drink, smoke, use drugs. Is this a conscious choice? Free? (The choice is free, but entails lack of freedom, dependence). But the choice always remains with the person!

Sometimes choice happens unconsciously. Because of which? (Instinct (“I don’t know what came over me”), due to lack of information or false information). Give examples from your life when you made an unconscious choice.

And sometimes a person is in a situation of false choice. A similar situation is described in the novel by Yaroslav Hasek "The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik": "I offer you quartering or burning at the stake of your choice." Why is this a false choice?

Why do you think it is difficult for a person to make a choice? First, a person feels responsible for his choice and, at the same time, uncertain about it. Which exit? (Shift the burden of the decision on someone else's shoulders). On whose shoulders do we usually shift the burden of responsibility? Who do we blame for our failures? (parents, state, God). But when we do decide to make a choice, we face three questions. Let's work with task number 3 of didactic material.

"What I want?" - what does this question reflect? (wants, needs). "What I can?" - what does this question reflect? (Abilities: physical, intellectual, mental, as well as circumstances, that is, the influence of the situation). "What should I?" - what does this question reflect? Who or what forces people to make choices? (Duty, responsibility, conscience, etiquette, moral standards, traditions, public opinion, law, social standards, cultural traditions, etc.). But do the answers to all three questions always coincide? Often a person is torn between opposing aspirations, alternatives, between what he WANTS, CAN and MUST do. Give an example of the discrepancy between the answers to these three questions from your own life experience.

As you can see, there are internal and external factors that influence a person's choice. What applies to internal factors?(Desire, ability and responsibility, conscience). Now we have controllers in public transport, but this was not always the case. If we turn to representatives of the older generation, they will tell you that there used to be cash registers in public transport and passengers, entering the bus or trolleybus, had to throw a coin into the cashier and tear off the ticket. All buses had the inscription "Personal conscience - the best controller." Why do you think it doesn't exist now? Is there no conscience now? Or has it gotten smaller? Conscience is necessary for a person, because often we are responsible not only for ourselves, but also for the lives of other people. For example, what should be the responsibility of the driver? In what state should he start working? (sober, well-rested, not violating the rules of the road).

What applies to external factors limiting human freedom? (Norms of morality, traditions, public opinion, law, social standards and cultural traditions). And let's think about whether absolute, unrestricted freedom is possible? For example, is it possible to consider the hero of Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe" absolutely free, who lived alone on a desert island for a long time? Conclusion: freedom is always relative.

Thus, there are internal and external restrictions on human freedom. What are they needed for? (They are designed to ensure the freedom of people). Society monitors the observance of the norms adopted in it. The state supports the rights and freedoms of the individual in society through legislation. If the freedom of a person and a citizen is violated, then the state restricts the freedom of the violator - how? (Prisons, psychiatric hospitals). However, we should not forget that sometimes our rights and freedoms are restricted illegally. Let's look at possible violations of our rights in various areas of public life.

Economic sphere. How are consumer rights violated? (body kit, cheating, false information). To prevent such fraud, there is a “Consumer Protection Law”, which gives a person the opportunity to assert their rights. How are the rights of employees violated in the labor market? Let's turn to job advertisements (task number 4), because soon you yourself will face the problem of employment. Read the advertisements and name the requirements for employees (gender, age, length of service, qualifications, registration, work experience, etc.). Don't you think that this is a violation of the rights of citizens? This is discrimination in the labor market.

Political sphere. How are political rights to freedom violated? All of you know very well that in our city the "Vladimirsky Central" is still functioning - a prison that used to contain political prisoners who fought for civil rights. Let's read a poem by Alexander Galich (task number 5) and think about it: is it possible to say with certainty that the lyrical hero is not free? Conclusion: even if a person is not physically free, he can remain a free spirit.

spiritual realm. Let's turn to those articles of the Constitution that you referred to the spiritual sphere. How are these rights violated? (Censorship, religious oppression, etc.).

As we can see, our rights and freedoms can be violated in all spheres of public life. And the task of a person is to know their rights and fight for them! It is not enough just to have the right to freedom, you also need to be able to defend it. Let's see how you now understand the meaning of the word "freedom": offer your associations that begin with each of the letters of this word.

WITH words, power...
IN– power, choice, religious tolerance…
ABOUT- Responsibility, responsibility...
B- struggle, the future ...
ABOUT- restriction, relative freedom ...
D- activity …
A– alternative, absolute freedom…

Do we need freedom? Let's read the sentence given in task number 6. So how is it easier to live: free or not free? And what do you prefer: freedom, which entails a difficult choice and responsibility for the decision made, or following the path suggested by someone else, perhaps more intelligent and experienced?

Homework:

• Draw (or describe) a portrait of a free man. What qualities will he have?
• For those who wish: Recall situations from your own life when you left the selection (didn't make a selection). For what reasons? To whom did you shift this responsibility and why? Did you feel the consequences of this decision?

Didactic material for the lesson

1. Freedom is independence, the absence of constraints and restrictions that bind the socio-political life and activities of ... society and its members. (Ozhegov S.I. Dictionary of the Russian language. - M., 1978, p. 648).
2. Read excerpts from the articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and determine which areas of society they regulate.

Articles Constitution of the Russian Federation

Article 2 Man, his rights and freedoms are the highest value. Recognition, observance and protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen is the duty of the state. Article 8 1. The unity of the economic space, free movement of goods, services and financial resources, support for competition, and freedom of economic activity are guaranteed in the Russian Federation. Article 13 1. Ideological diversity is recognized in the Russian Federation…. 3. Political diversity and multi-party system are recognized in the Russian Federation. Article 17 2. Fundamental human rights and freedoms are inalienable and belong to everyone from birth. 3. The exercise of human and civil rights and freedoms must not violate the rights and freedoms of other persons. Article 19 2. The state guarantees the equality of human and civil rights and freedoms regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, property and official status, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, membership in public associations, as well as other circumstances ... Article 20 1. Everyone has the right to life Article 22 1. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person Article 27 1. Everyone has the right to move freely, choose a place of stay and residence Article 28 Everyone is guaranteed freedom of conscience, freedom of religion... Article 29 1. Everyone is guaranteed freedom of thought and speech. Article 34 1. Everyone has the right to freely use his abilities and property ... Article 37 1. Everyone has the right to freely dispose of their abilities to work, to choose the type of activity and profession. Article 44 1. Everyone is guaranteed the freedom of literary, artistic, scientific, technical and other forms of creativity, teaching ...

3. Fill in the table "Factors influencing our choice":

• Required sales representative, male/female, 20 to 40 years old, car, driving license category "B", work experience as a sales representative or sales manager for at least 6 months. Executive, responsible. Salary 25,000-35,000 rubles, fuel, communications are additionally paid.
• The company needs a permanent job: a loader (male), salary up to 15,000 rubles; storekeeper-designer (male), salary up to 16,000 rubles; age up to 45 years. Full social package.
• Pharmacists needed. Experience from 1 year. Work in Gorokhovets, transport and housing are paid, salary is 15,000-20,000 rubles.
• A brand manager is required (male or female, under 35 years old, higher education (marketing specialist), preferably with work experience), salary from 18,000 thousand rubles.
• Required plumber (male, with experience of 1 year, age up to 45 years, salary 12,000 rubles).

5. Read a poem by Alexander Galich. Is it safe to say that prisoners are not completely free?

I choose freedom
But not out of battle, but into battle,
I choose freedom
Just be yourself.
And this is my freedom
Do you need clearer words?
And that's my concern
How can I get along with her.
But sweeter than your stories
I am the pride of my misfortune,
Freedom of government soldering,
The freedom of a sip of water.
(Alexander Galich)

6. How do you understand the following statement of the Polish satirist Stanisław Jerzy Lec:“Those who put blinders on their eyes should remember that the kit also includes a bridle and a whip”?

Sources and literature

1. Constitution of the Russian Federation. Anthem of the Russian Federation (as amended by the law of the Russian Federation on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation dated December 30, 2008 No. 7-FKZ). - Rostov n / a: Phoenix, 2009.
2. Social science. Tutorial for university entrants / G. G. Kirilenko, M. V. Kudina, L. B. Logunov and others; ed. Yu.Yu. Petrunina. - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - M., Aspect Press, 2003. S. 330-335.
3. Ozhegov S.I. Dictionary of the Russian language. - M., 1978. S. 648.
4. Fundamentals of State and Law: A Textbook for Applicants to Universities / Ed. Academician O.E. Kutafin. – 5th ed., revised. and additional - M.: Jurist, 1997. S. 74-86.
5. Sorokina E.N. Pourochnye developments in social science. Profile level: 10th grade. - M.: VAKO, 2008. S. 145-149, 396-401.

Each person has their own concept of a free society: freedom of thought, the right to choose, liberation from stereotypes... A society free from the shackles of government and excessive tyranny on the part of the authorities is considered the most desirable in the modern world.

Utopia

Complete freethinking, the absence of barriers to challenging someone's ideas, the low level of influence of various power structures on individuals - all this, according to many years of research, cannot be fully realized in a reasonable society. Most scientists consider a free society a utopia, and all because within certain limits it is impossible to realize such a dream, since in any case the rights of other people will be infringed.

For example, during the consideration of someone's proposal, some people will be dissatisfied and will express their dissatisfaction directly to the author of the idea. Due to the groundlessness of such a protest, any important bill will not be able to enter into force, which is fraught with inhibition of the further development of society.

The term "free society": what do people understand by it?

For many, this concept is associated with emancipation in behavior, in the choice of a sexual partner (bisexuality, homosexuality), as well as with anarchy and complete lawlessness. Few individuals are able to fully understand what a free society really is. The concept of such social groups is deciphered as follows: the rights of the state are limited, it has the ability to intervene in the life of an individual if it is necessary to maintain the normal functioning and development of society. That is, the power structures that represent power can control a person only with a possible threat from his side to other people.

Signs of a free society

free-thinking society key figure is the people and their needs, can not develop without certain factors. Everyone's freedom consists not only in his right to choose, but also in the ability to act as he pleases, naturally, within the framework of established principles and morality.

The signs are:

• Freedom of entrepreneurial activity.
• A large number of political parties representing the interests of different segments of the population.
• Democracy, chosen as the main option for government.
• The daily life of citizens is regulated remotely, with the help of generally accepted democratic laws and

Sociological models of society

Various models of a free society, as well as other social groups, are presented below:

• Functionalist. Society is a stable and relatively stable, integrated structure. It consists of a society whose activities are aimed at ensuring stability, while taking into account the values ​​of the people.
• Sociocultural. Combines the doctrine of man from sociology and anthropology. The following aspects are important here: morality, social norms, the role of a person in the environment, family, the relationship of people to each other.
• Conflict. Society is constantly changing, its changes can be both individual and large-scale. Social conflicts are inevitable, since society is based on forcing some individuals to submit to others.

Examples

Despite the fact that the very concept of a free society is considered a utopia, there are 2 types of political systems of government used in different states. Examples of a free society:

• liberal state.
• Democratic state.

Civil society can also be called free. And from history, the USSR could be cited as an example. But there is one nuance here. Since the formation of the Land of Soviets, the word "freedom" appeared in almost every slogan of various parties. However, over time it became clear that the population of the state can hardly be called a free society. Of course, the utopia was present in some aspects, but still the authorities maintained total control over their citizens (the KGB, intelligence, "vigilant fellow citizens", vigilantes).

Democratic state

Democracy is the fundamental way of governing a country in general and members of various social groups in particular. This is a rather complex, multifaceted concept. A society that is free from excessive attention from the side of justice, and also aimed at realizing the will, desires and interests of the people, is democratic. In modern politics, there are rarely states that choose an exclusively democratic regime of government.

signs

Society, free and democratic, cannot exist without certain conditions. Its development is directly related to the presence of:

• Suffrage (and for each member of society).
• Equality, freedom of speech.
• State power, completely dependent on the opinion and will of the people.
• Parties, organizations that meet the preferences and interests of citizens.

liberal state

In liberalism, the freedom of the individual of each individual citizen is considered the prerogative. Moreover, democracy, various moral principles and foundations are the means to achieve freedom. In a liberal state, no attempts on the part of the authorities to control the spiritual, economic activities of the population are unacceptable. However, there is one thing about this kind of political regime: a society that is free from pressure from law enforcement agencies and other instruments of power is not completely free. The state still controls individuals, as if saying: "You can change and do whatever you want, but you can't change the government." considered an unstable, transitional form of government.

signs

Liberalism is characterized by the following features:

1. political instability.
2. Continuous education of various propaganda
3. on the judicial, executive, legislative, in order to protect citizens from possible arbitrariness on the part of any structures.
4. Implementation of programs that do not have power and popularity among the people.
5. A call for free market relations, the recognition of private property.
6. Acceptance of the rights and freedoms of the people, development of sources of information independent of the authorities.

look at essays similar to "Man's freedom in society"

Human freedom in society

In modern conditions and conditions of the accelerated development of civilization, the role of the individual in society is becoming increasingly significant, in connection with this, the problem of freedom and responsibility of the individual to society is increasingly arising.

The first attempt to substantiate the point of view of explaining the relationship of freedom and the need for its recognition of their organic relationship belongs to
Spinoza, who defined freedom as a conscious necessity.

A detailed concept of the dialectical unity of freedom and necessity from an idealistic position was given by Hegel. The scientific, dialectical-materialistic solution to the problem of freedom and necessity proceeds from the recognition of objective necessity as primary, and the will and consciousness of man as a secondary derivative.

In society, individual freedom is limited by the interests of society. Each person is an individual, his desires and interests do not always coincide with the interests of society. In this case, the person under the influence public laws must act in individual cases in such a way as not to violate the interests of society, otherwise he is threatened with punishment on behalf of society.

In modern conditions, in the era of the development of democracy, the problem of individual freedom is becoming more and more global. It is decided at the level of international organizations in the form of legislative acts on the rights and freedoms of the individual, which are now becoming the basis of any policy and are carefully protected.

However, not all problems of individual freedom have been solved in Russia and throughout the world, since this is one of the most difficult tasks. Individuals in society currently number in the billions, and every minute their interests, rights and freedoms collide on earth.

Such concepts as freedom and responsibility are also inseparable, since freedom is not permissiveness, for the violation of other people's rights and freedoms, a person is responsible to society according to the law adopted by society.

Responsibility is a category of ethics and law, reflecting the special social and moral-legal attitude of the individual to society, humanity as a whole. Building modern society, the introduction of a conscious principle into social life, the involvement of the masses in the independent management of society and historical creation dramatically increases the measure of personal freedom and, at the same time, the social and moral responsibility of everyone.

In law, civil, administrative and criminal liability is not established formally by clarifying the corpus delicti, but also taking into account the upbringing of the offender, his life and work, the degree of consciousness of guilt and the possibility of correction in the future. This brings legal responsibility closer to moral responsibility, that is, the individual's awareness of the interests of society as a whole and, ultimately, understanding the laws of the progressive development of history.

Observance of the rights and freedoms of the individual and responsibility before the law for the crime committed is one of the signs rule of law.

The development of human civilization also requires a civilized development of law, so the concept of a rule of law state arose as a defining one for any statehood. The time of lawlessness has passed, when the rights and freedoms of the individual were not guaranteed or protected by anything. Society has new ways of legal arrangement of a person who will be sure of tomorrow, will boldly go through life.

The rule of law guarantees the individual his rights and freedoms and their legal protection - the most important principle. The next principle is obedience only to the law and activity on the basis of the law adopted by society in conditions of full democracy.

The rule of law is a kind of combination of freedom and responsibility, when a person is completely free in the moral and legal sense, on the one hand, and responsibility comes for committing a crime, on the other hand.

The rule of law and democracy are inseparable concepts, the management and self-government of the masses, the accountability of elected bodies to their voters and the change of these bodies in case of failure to cope with the duties and tasks assigned to them, their violation of the law.

The rule of law presupposes fixing the interests of the individual in the first place, eliminates the inequality of nations, puts men and women on the same line, creates all conditions for the absolute equality of all members of society before the law, regardless of origin, position in society.

The Constitution of Russia put the interests of the individual in the first place.
The primary task for law enforcement agencies is the protection of personal, state and public property, established the status of the individual, guarantees of rights and freedoms. This emphasizes the growing role of the individual in modern conditions for its development in society.

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SELF-CHECK SURVEYS

1. How the concept of "freedom" was connected with the political struggle in the New and Newest time?

In Modern and Contemporary times, the desire for freedom, liberation from the fetters of despotism manifested itself with particular force. All revolutions wrote the word "freedom" on their banners. Few political leaders and revolutionary leaders have not vowed to lead the masses they lead to true freedom.

2. What can unlimited freedom of choice lead to?

Unlimited freedom of choice will lead to chaos. If you give unlimited freedom to many people, they will want a lot and will not know the limit, and after all, on Earth, many benefits are limited in themselves and this must be put up with. In addition, rules and laws will disappear, there will be no punishment for such terrible crimes as theft and murder, etc. And the third scenario is connected with the impossibility of absolute freedom. Such freedom would mean for a person unlimited choice, which would put him in an extremely difficult position when making a decision. The well-known expression is " Buridan's donkey". The French philosopher J. Buridan (c. 1300 - 1358) is credited with a story about a donkey that was placed between two identical and equidistant armfuls of hay. Not deciding which armful to prefer, the donkey starved to death. It could also happen to a person.

3. How is freedom interpreted in Christian doctrine?

There is no freedom as such in the Christian doctrine. Christians see God's Providence here. Everything is predestined for them. “The foresight and omnipotence of God are diametrically opposed to our free will. Everyone will be forced to accept the inevitable consequence: we do nothing of our own free will, but everything happens out of necessity. Thus, we do nothing of free will, but everything depends on the foreknowledge of God,” argued the religious reformer Martin Luther. This position is advocated by the supporters of absolute predestination.

4. Show how knowledge of the objective laws of nature affects the conscious activity of people.

It is very important to take into account the objective laws of nature in your decisions so as not to fall into difficult situation. For example, if we know that there is a nearby active volcano in a given area, we will not build our housing here, because. this poses a danger.

5. What is the social need expressed in?

In the very general view social necessity means that people live in conditions in which they have unequal access to limited resources of material and spiritual consumption.

The main mechanisms of social necessity are the relations of property, power (dominance and subordination), social (that is, socially fixed and hierarchized) division of labor, as well as uncontrolled, spontaneous social differentiation. Social necessity is perceived and experienced by many people (primarily the unemployed, economic migrants, those who find themselves near or below the poverty line) as a manifestation of injustice. Social necessity, the property stratification of society, as a rule, lead to an increase in social tension, especially in the transition period. This is what is characteristic of Russia today.

6. Explain the connection between the concepts of "freedom", "choice", "responsibility".

The connection between these concepts is very significant: freedom implies the existence of options. Freedom of choice implies the responsibility of the individual for the choice made.

In general, the term "free society" is used to refer to a society where political and economic ideals actually function. In the theory of a free society, all people have free access to power and the resources they need to realize their potential. A free society is based on three components: economic freedom, freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Economic freedom is based on the functioning of the market, free from any state interference. The only thing that is under the control of the state is the protection of property rights. Prices should be set only by participants in economic interactions based on supply and demand. Under economic freedom, each manufacturer has the right to produce what he wants, and each buyer to purchase any product from any manufacturer. Thus, in a free society there should be no monopolies, prices cannot be artificially inflated.

Freedom of speech implies the right of every person to publish their point of view, the absence of censorship. Although this right is used in a number of countries, in reality its implementation is very far from ideal. Freedom of religion means complete freedom in choosing a religious denomination, as well as the right not to profess any religion at all.

A person should have the right to unlimited freedom in his own life, freedom in pursuing his own goals, but exactly as long as he does not violate the rights of other people. Therefore, the state only needs to ensure the rights of each person, and not infringe on them. Only then is it possible to create a free society.

TASKS

1. Give arguments supporting the conclusion about the impossibility of absolute, unrestricted human freedom in society.

Human life in society is limited by law. And no matter how much we would not like to cross the street in an unspecified place, we will be punished, as this is a violation of traffic rules.

2. Which of the two statements below do you think is more true?

“Our life is a line that we must, at the behest of nature, describe on the surface of the globe, not being able to move away from it for a single moment.”

“The course of things seems inevitable only to those who have betrayed their convictions. History in itself can neither compel a person nor draw him into a dirty business. Man bears the whole weight of the world on his shoulders: he is responsible for the world and himself.

3. Explain how you understand the expression: "Freedom is a choice."

Freedom is the absence of any restrictions of constraint in anything. Accordingly, freedom gives a person the right to choose everything.

4. Describe various models free society. What are your ideas about such a society?

A free society is a society unrestricted by any laws. It would be impossible to exist in such a society, chaos would come. Thus, an absolutely free society is an illusion, and any sufficiently educated and thinking person is aware of this. It is only possible to strive for freedom, but at the same time it is important to act according to conscience, without losing human dignity, necessarily correlating your actions with the comfort of those around you.

5. Sometimes freedom is understood as permissiveness. At the beginning of the XX century. in Russian villages they sang such a ditty:

There is no God, no need for a king.

Kill the governor

We will not pay taxes

Let's not become soldiers.

What are the consequences of such an interpretation of freedom? Specify your answer with examples.

Such an interpretation of freedom leads to permissiveness, which gives rise to theft, murder, lies, etc., which was observed in Russian villages at the beginning of the 20th century. during another strike against the landowner.