Autonomy

The English word autonomy is a compound of the Greek word autos meaning “self” or ”own,” and nomos, meaning “law.” Thus, in the original Greek, autonomy has the sense of (to give to) oneself one's laws, or perhaps, to make one's laws knowing that one is doing so. Contemporary usage of the word autonomy emerged in the eighteenth century, retaining a relation to the original Greek meaning but diverging in significant ways. Autonomy in contemporary usage is used synonymously with concepts such as freedom, liberty, and independence and is contrasted with concepts such as unfreedom, dependence, and heteronomy.

In contemporary moral philosophy, autonomy is important in at least three distinct ways. First, autonomy is often thought to be the basis of human dignity, the property or capacity of human beings that makes humans worthy of our concern and potential bearers of rights. Similarly, autonomy is thought to be the basis for assigning responsibility, duties, and obligations to persons as moral agents. Because individuals are autonomous, they are subjects bearing rights worthy of respect and subjects to whom duties and obligations may [Page 102]be assigned. The moral subject in contemporary moral philosophy is nearly synonymous with the autonomous subjects. Finally, autonomy is considered a fundamental value, to be protected and cultivated by society.

Autonomy is also a central concept within contemporary political philosophy and is sometimes used more or less interchangeably with the concept of freedom. As such, autonomy is a basic value, sometimes the fundamental value, to be considered when organizing society. The various traditions within contemporary political theory can be understood, in part, as having different understandings of what autonomy consists in and how society might best be organized to protect and promote autonomy. Although autonomy is a central concept in both contemporary moral philosophy and political philosophy, the concept is the focus of ongoing debate and generates persistent criticism.