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Single Idea 21779

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 5. Freedom of lifestyle ]

Full Idea

The ordinary man believes himself to be free ...to act as he wants, but this arbitrariness entails that he is not free, because what it is that he wills is not intrinsic to self-determining activity, ...and depends on a given content and material.

Gist of Idea

People assume they are free, but the options available are not under their control

Source

Georg W.F.Hegel (Elements of the Philosophy of Right [1821], 015), quoted by Stephen Houlgate - An Introduction to Hegel 08 'The Limits'

Book Ref

Houlgate,Stephen: 'An Introduction to Hegel' [Blackwell 2005], p.184


A Reaction

[a bit compressed] I take this to be an extraordinarily influential idea (especially for Marx). Hitherto philosophers just wanted some vague metaphysical 'free will', making moral responsibility and pure reason possible. But who controls the options?