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Aristotle and the modern concept of freedom: How has freedom been viewed in history?
Political freedom, also known as political autonomy or political action capability, has been a core concept in history and political thought since ancient times, and is also one of the important characteristics of a democratic society. Freedom not only means freedom from oppression or coercion, but also includes the sufficient conditions for individual development and realization of potential. Political freedom now encompasses not only resistance to external constraints but also internal constraints on action or expression, such as social conformity or inauthentic behavior.
Political freedom is not only freedom from unreasonable restrictions, but also the possibility of actively exercising rights, abilities and actions.
With the emergence of different political positions, there are also different understandings of political freedom. Left-wing political philosophy often combines freedom with "positive freedom", emphasizing the ability of groups or individuals to determine their own lives. From this perspective, freedom is not only freedom from poverty, hunger, treatable disease, and oppression, but also freedom from all forms of coercion.
The liberal socialist argument defines "personal freedom" as "freedom from obstacles," and this definition seems to obscure the true purpose of "protecting personal freedom."
In this regard, the diversity of liberal views implies a complex interaction between different ideologies. For example, social anarchists view negative and positive liberty as complementary concepts. They believe that individual freedom may also lead to mutual interference, such as infringing on the freedom of others when pursuing economic freedom.
Whenever anyone exercises their economic freedom, they infringe on the freedom of others, which leads to conflict.
The theory of political freedom also involves its opposition to power relations. For example, Michel Foucault in his work explores how freedom operates within power relations. These views of political freedom are also closely associated with certain forms of artistic and cultural practice, reflecting the close connection between freedom and creativity.
Historically, the concept of freedom has been influenced by many cultures and philosophies. Hannah Arendt traces the concept of freedom to ancient Greek politics. According to her research, the concept of freedom is inseparable from political action. Only by detaching oneself from the necessities of life can one participate in political affairs. Arendt points out that the concept of freedom was also developed in Christian ideology and became a symbol of freedom of will or inner freedom.
While the concept of freedom in ancient Greece and Rome was closely related to performance, the idea of modern freedom has gradually developed into an exclusion of politics.
The concept of political freedom, however, is not limited to avoiding oppression. For Arendt, freedom also includes the ability to "start over," which is an extension of our human condition. This autonomy is particularly important in the face of historical automation processes, giving individuals the ability to call upon things that do not exist.
The essence of freedom is the ability to create things that have never existed, and this is the real reason for politics.
Environmental campaigners stress that political freedoms should also include some limits on the use of ecosystems. They argue that freedom should not mean destruction and pollution of the environment, as such actions infringe on the freedom of other groups. At the same time, multiple interpretations of freedom in modern society often lead to conflicts of values, such as the debate between ethical and ecological advocacy in advertising.
Throughout history, the concept of political freedom has undergone numerous changes between different ideologies. From social action in ancient Greece to individual autonomy in modern times, the conditions and nature of political freedom have been continually challenged and redefined. In this process, we might as well think about what the true meaning of freedom is?
