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The ability to do what you ought to do. Often confused with license, which is the ability to do whatever you want.

Why is freedom the ability to do what you OUGHT to do, and not what you WANT to do?

If we take it as a given that freedom is universal (or should be), then freedom cannot be whatever YOU want it to be. Let's say, for example, that you wanted to kill me. Your "freedom" would infringe on my own "freedom". Or let's say you wanted to raise taxes on me to increase your own freedom. That detracts from MY freedom.

Therefore, if all of us are entitled to freedom, this definition of freedom is invalid because it doesn't safely entitle everyone universal freedom.

The definition I have posted, that freedom is being able to do what one OUGHT to do, however, IS freedom because when one does what he OUGHT to do, instead of what he wants to, he infringes on no one else's freedom. He disrupts no one in their freedom, but instead directs them TO freedom if they are not free. The only person who can limit your freedom in a society where freedom is doing good is oneself.

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