Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1820

Notes dictated to Spencer MacCallum at the latter’s suggestion that another edition of Citadel, Market & Altar should contain in the Glossary definitions of freedom and morality

     Freedom may be defined as a condition which is favorable to the exercise of the will. Freedom as an actuality is the exercise of options. When the options or opportunities of choice are many and varied, the field for the exercise of freedom is rich. Where there are few things one would choose but must nevertheless be accepted or submitted to, the field of freedom is restricted and poor. Freedom may be regarded on the one side as opportunity to prefer one or another of many desirable alternatives. On the other hand, it may be regarded as the exercise of such options, which is the practice of freedom.

     Moral means primarily that to which a people are accustomed. More particularly, it means those sentiments and consequent actions that have been found favorable to the continued existence of a population. More restrictedly, it means that behavior which by custom or by authority is imposed upon members of a population without regard to their will or consent.