Autonomy And Its Discontents

This chapter summarizes 6 critical challenges to the concept of autonomy and provides responses to each challenge. The challenges include arguments that autonomy is impossible because there are no selves, human actions are determined by social interactions, and people cannot understand themselves accurately. The chapter also discusses arguments that autonomy may be possible but is harmful, restricted to elite groups, or can be distorted into something harmful. For each challenge, the chapter provides a response defending autonomy and the possibility of self-determination.