ABSTRACT

The concept of autonomy plays an important role in contemporary philosophy. Philosophers have insisted steadily that, human beings when they are at their best are autonomous. Autonomy in the political arena refers to the independence of the citizens from their government or to their ability to run their own lives without interference from other members of the society. Social autonomy consists of being free from pressures that may not violate one's legal rights but restrict one's ability to think for oneself and make major life choices. Self-ownership, if defensible, would explain the provenance of certain rights. It would therefore support political and perhaps social autonomy. Most philosophers believe that one can claim autonomy for oneself even if much of one's thinking is directly affected by one's social context and situation. Of course, people's character and outlook are formed by the influences and the training they receive as children from parents and teachers.