Freedom can be defined in several ways, depending on the situation this term is used in. Sometimes, freedom is defined as a “political right.” Other times simply as “the quality or state of being free” (Merriam-Webster). Other people might define freedom as a privilege that is fought for. Although these definitions are all for the same word, they are different in their meanings. The definition of the word freedom can be as a political right, the quality or state of being free, or a privilege that is fought for.
The definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for freedom that in my opinion has the greatest conflict is “political right.” For freedom to be considered political ultimately removes the aspect of being free. The government’s purpose is to create control, and in order to create control they must revoke certain freedoms. This is not by any means something that is wrong considering every society needs something to hold it together. But, since the government is made to revoke freedoms, it is wrong for freedom to be considered a “political right.” A simpler and less complex definition compared to this is the state of being free. …show more content…
This is since freedom is more than simply the “state of being free.” Being free is not a moral definition of freedom, although it is an appropriate definition of this term. Newman speaks of this kind of freedom when he says “ habit of mind is formed which lasts through life, of which the attributes are, freedom, equitableness, calmness, moderation, and wisdom”(Newman, “Knowledge Its Own End”). There is a more effective definition of freedom than the simple way it is put here. For example, freedom can be described as a