Voltaire on Freedom: A Dialogue with Masonic Values
What does freedom truly mean? And why would an eighteenth-century philosopher still have something meaningful to say to modern-day Freemasons? In his Philosophical Dictionary, Voltaire wrestled with precisely this question. Let us sit down with his ideas and explore where they intersect with the values that brothers and sisters have cherished for centuries. What Did Voltaire Actually Mean by Freedom? This is perhaps the first question we need to ask. In his entry on freedom in the Philosophical Dictionary, Voltaire examined a fundamental problem: are we truly free to will what we will? Or are our choices determined by forces beyond our control? Voltaire refused to settle for easy answers. He acknowledged that our will is shaped by upbringing, circumstances, and even our physical condition. Yet he also refused to reduce human beings to helpless creatures devoid of agency. For Voltaire, the essence of freedom did not lie in the absence of influences, but in engaging with those influences consciously. The free person is one who examines their impulses, recognizes their prejudices, and then deliberately chooses how to act. This is not a passive state but an active endeavor — a daily labor upon oneself. How Does This Relate to […]