Freedom: freedom of mind, freedom of emotions, or freedom of will?

Note 29. To the Subsection “3.3. Inner Developmental Four Position Foundation

The Inner Sungsang, as the union of intellect, emotion, and will also becomes a standard for the solution of an actual problem related to the problem of freedom: Is freedom a freedom of reason, of emotion, or of will? Divine Principle mentions “free will” or “free action” (DP , 74); therefore freedom is a freedom of will. In philosophy, freedom is often referred to as a freedom of will in the sense of a freedom of choice. Yet freedom, as Hegel claimed, is a freedom of reason; and freedom, as Kant claimed, is that humans obey moral laws unrestricted by sensuous desires; and the freedom of the late eighteenth century German philosophy of feeling is a freedom of feeling and faith. Thus, freedom seems to be a freedom of reason, or of emotion, or of will. Which one is correct?

The Unification Thought view of the unity of intellect, emotion, and will, provides an answer to this problem. In this view, a freedom of reason is, and should be, at the same time a freedom of will, and a freedom of emotion. Let’s discuss freedom of choice. This is a freedom to decide by one’s own will; therefore, it is a freedom of will. (In this sense, “free will” as mentioned in the Divine Principle is correct.) When we choose something, however, we make a judgment as to which one is better. This is a freedom of reason. Also, when we choose something, we do so in such a way that we become pleased and do not become unhappy; therefore, freedom of choice is at the same time a freedom of emotion. Among the three views of freedom above, the most essential free-dom is that of reason. This is because one has to understand an object before one makes a choice, and then one gives a direction to one’s will, so that one may follow one’s decision.

The ability to understand an object and the ability to give a direction to one’s will lies in one’s reason. As for emotional freedom, it is accompanied by esthetic judg-ment, which is also accompanied by factual and logical judgments. Therefore, the work of reason is also required.