You say that Juan was free to make a choice, even if it resulted in harm to his family back in Cuba. I don't consider that a free choice, and you do.
Robert, you're free to disagree with me if you wish, but please first understand my point. The freedom to make a choice is a different concept from that of the risk considerations in choosing among the options. There are lots of books on decision making around, which discuss decision making under uncertainty, decision making under risk, etc. In this particular case, the same force, the Cuban government, is a factor in both the freedom and the risk. This coincidence can blur the distinction, particularly if one is emotional about the issue. I still say that, while on US soil, JM was free to make a choice. This is no different than your being free to short Cisco or put your retirement money in dotcoms--you are free to make a risky choice with potentially horrid consequences.
This is a largely academic distinction and we've already more than beaten it to death.
Karen |
