Personal Autonomy

Autonomous persons are morally responsible for their choices and may be praised or blamed for what they do.

• People lacking autonomy, however, are not normally responsible for their choices.

Autonomous: able to make free choices as a self-determining individual

Independence condition: a person must have the capacity to make choices and not be under the control of any external constraint or inner compulsion

• If you are being controlled by hypnosis or terrorized by threats, you lack autonomy

• Obsessive/compulsive behaviors, addictions, and even pho bias can keep you from controlling your actions in certain situations. Similarly, overwhelming physical or emotional pain

Competency condition: a person must have the capacities necessary to deliberate rationally about her choices