Someone who comes to their own conclusions about the nature of existence and the world, based not on the notions of others nor by adhering strictly to any
particular dogma, but rather through their own senses and thought processes.
Also a term hijacked by the Militant New atheist Media Machine to be essentially synonymous with "atheist", with the not-so-subtle implication that self-generated thought and personal
common sense MUST lead EVERYONE to conclude that
there is no god, and that no one who comes to believe in a god of any sort, religious-based or abstract, may truly be a freethinker.
Joe: "I'm a freethinker".
Militant atheist: "Congrats! When did you free yourself from the delusion of the fairy tale god?"
Joe: "Well, umm...I believe in god. Not the god of any religion, but a creator."
Militant Atheist: "Oh, so
you're not a freethinker. You don't go strictly by logic and science. You believe in fairy tales. Your just a lazy atheist."
Joe: "Um...no. I actually came to this conclusion on my own. Using just science would mean I'm bound by a system, and that wouldn't be free thought. I base my belief on my perception of the world, and I don't stricly adhere to science nor religion. I freely think my way through the issues based on all the information available. I'm a freethinker!"