Synopses & Reviews
A central idea in moral and political philosophy, 'autonomy' is generally understood as some form of self-governance or self-direction. Certain Stoics, modern philosophers such as Spinoza, and most importantly, Immanuel Kant, are among the great philosophers who have offered important insights on the concept. Some theorists analyze autonomy in terms of the self being moved by its higher-order desires. Others argue that autonomy must be understood in terms of acting from reason or from a sense of moral duty independent of the passions. Autonomy seems closely related to the notion of freedom, but in what sense: freedom from coercion, freedom from psychological constraints, or freedom from material necessity? Various approaches to these and similar questions yield different implications for public policy. Is capitalism, social democracy or socialism more favorable to autonomy? The essays in this volume address these important questions.
Synopsis
Autonomy is often recognized as a central value in moral and political philosophy, but there are fundamental disagreements over how autonomy should be understood, what it implies for public policy and even whether the concept itself is theoretically defensible.
Synopsis
This volume examines autonomy and the role it plays in philosophy, as well as public policy.
Table of Contents
1. Stoic autonomy John M. Cooper; 2. Autonomous autonomy: Spinoza on autonomy, perfectionism, and politics Douglas Den Uyl; 3. Kant on the theory and practice of autonomy Paul Guyer; 4. How much should we value autonomy? Marina Oshana; 5. Autonomy, duress, and coercion James Stacey Taylor; 6. Autonomy and hierarchy Michael E. Bratman; 7. Reason and autonomy Keith Lehrer; 8. Identification, the self, and autonomy Bernard Berofsky; 9. Some tensions between autonomy and self-governance Jonathan Jacobs; 10. Autonomy from the viewpoint of teleological behaviorism Howard Rachlin; 11. The paradox of group autonomy Christopher Heath Wellman; 12. Abortion, autonomy, and control over one's body John Martin Fischer; 13. Freedom as a political ideal Steven Wall.