ABSTRACT
This chapter has three assumptions. First, humans are interested in existence, that is, in action. The freedom of the spirit must be left over and understood as a by-product of our definition of freedom in action. Secondly, any definition of freedom in terms of one individual and his exclusive interests is not viable, since one man's power is or may become the slavery of another, indeed of many others. Freedom must be predicated with reference to groups in co-operation. Third, the element of instrumentality, that is, of material goods, whether implements or consumers' wealth, has to be included in our definition. Man never acts under conditions of culture without the equipment of his material mechanisms, and in this he has to submit to certain rules inherent in the mechanism, while laws of ownership or of usufruct determine the rights of use and the limitations of abuse, as well as the distribution of benefits.
