Essay
describe the concept of autonomy. no more than 500 words.
- Module
- Caring and the law
- Institution
- University Of Leicester (LE)
condensed essay on the concept of autonomy.
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Q1The concept of autonomy is the universal idea that people should make their own lives, with
the majority of personal decisions being their own1. However, just as how humans are
capable of making their own destiny, they can also use their personal decisions negatively.
The extent to which an autonomous person can decide their own lives is cut short when
they are unable to effectively make their own choices. This essay will explain the concept
using relevant academic articles and persons who help to capture the essence of autonomy.
Many believe that individual autonomy should be respected and promoted. Some social
circumstances can help us be “more autonomous, and others can undermine autonomy” 2.
This implies that although autonomy means that you can make your own choices, and pave
your own way in life, it can be difficult to establish this when, for example, you are the only
supporter of carer’s rights in a room full of people who refuse to acknowledge these rights.
Freedom of speech is part of the law3, but how can one autonomously express their opinion
without judgement in a society where conformity is a wide trend?
Promoting autonomy is a positive idea, unless persons are unwilling to reach out for help.
The concept of Autonomy can negatively impact a person’s mental health when they need
to be able to depend on others in society. The law and the state should seek to support
care-taking instead of allowing people to be completely independent 4.
Although it is accepted that autonomy allows one to create their own destiny, the idea that
humans are unable to survive without depending on one another is inevitable. Growing
older, developing an illness and being too young all suggests that true autonomy is found
within relationships where we can make and support people’s choices in life. The choice
element, when it comes to caring is often lacking5, as those who are cared for are unable to
pave their own way in life through personal autonomy. Thus, relational autonomy offers a
more appropriate framework when defining autonomy with the idea that persons are
‘socially embedded (…) and formed within the context of social relationships and shaped by
a complex of intersecting social determinants, such as race, class, gender and ethnicity’ 6.
Autonomy is important but we need to emphasise the fact that there will be a time when
we need to depend on others to help make autonomous decisions. Therefore, relational
autonomy is better at defining autonomy.
1
Joseph Raz, The Morality of Freedom, OUP 1986)
2
Faye Tucker, 'What is autonomy and why does it matter?' (ifamily 2014)
<https://www.ifamilystudy.eu/what-is-autonomy-and-why-does-it-matter/
#:~:text=In%20its%20simplest%20sense%2C%20autonomy,should%20be
%20promoted%20and%20respected.> accessed 09 November 2022
3
Human Rights Act 1998, Article 10
4
Martha Fineman, The Autonomy Myth: A Theory of Dependency (New Press
2005)
5
Eugenia Torella and Annick Masselot, Caring Responsibilities in European Law
and Policy: Who Cares? (Routledge 2020)
6
Catriona Mackenzie and Natalie Stoljar, Relational Autonomy: Feminist
Perspectives on Autonomy, Agency, and the Social Self (Oxford University Press
2000)
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