HUMAN FREEDOM 



The natural freedom of which we are 

 now speaking is nothing other than the 

 freedom of any organization to "run true 

 to form," that is, to operate in accord- 

 ance with its own inner nature in situations 

 appropriate for that operation. It is the 

 nature of a spruce tree to grow in a definite 

 way and so to exhibit a characteristic 

 form; it is the nature of a grapevine to 

 grow in a different way; and each will 

 assume its own peculiar adult form, if 

 free to do so, that is, if its natural or 

 "free" growth is not prevented by atypi- 

 cal internal or external conditions. This 

 same rule of natural freedom applies in 

 the human realm. The child or the man 

 is free to unfold and develop his original 

 nature (whatever that may be), unless 

 this process is restrained by atypical or un- 

 favorable external conditions. If the orig- 

 inal nature is defective and the man is con- 

 sequently feeble-minded, the range of his 

 natural freedom is to that extent con- 

 tracted, a fact that is recognized both in 

 law and in morals by a corresponding re- 

 laxation of his responsibility or account- 

 ability for his acts. 



The original nature of man includes his 

 inherited bodily form, his reflexes and 



[59] 



