Final answer:
Sin diminishes freedom by creating internal constraints like addictions that limit one's choices, while moral actions enhance freedom by reinforcing one's ability to choose beneficially, leading to a flourishing life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sin can be seen as diminishing freedom by creating internal constraints that limit one's ability to choose the good. Conversely, moral actions enhance freedom by aligning one's will towards the good, which optically amplifies the range of choices available that lead to greater well-being and fulfillment.
In discussing how sin diminishes freedom, it's essential to consider Augustine's perspective that sin enslaves the soul, making it harder to choose the good freely. This enslavement manifests as compulsions or addictions, which constrict the individual's range of healthy choices. Augustine believed that only by embracing divine grace could one attain true freedom and the capacity to choose the good.
When it comes to moral actions and their ability to increase freedom, it is the active exercise of one's will towards beneficial choices that expands one's freedom. By consistently choosing ethically, individuals reinforce their capacity to act freely and responsibly, leading to a flourishing life. This connects to the concept of soft determinism, where freedom is understood as the absence of internal constraints, allowing for moral responsibility even within a causally determined framework.