Introduction

In this chapter, the authors describe the notion of autonomy in virtually every area of philosophy. Its principal aspects are: autonomy in its relation with rationality, personality, self-identity, authenticity, autonomy in its relation with freedom, moral values, moral motivations, and autonomy in its relation with forms of government, state sovereignty, and legal and social structures and institutions. The quest for autonomy requires an institutional, moral, and social framework that is partly or wholly denied to a significant portion of the population, and without which autonomy is meaningless. The authors' ambition is to bridge several gaps: between women's philosophical reflection in history and the notion of autonomy in its contemporary relevance, between past and contemporary perspectives, and between different cultural understandings, based on the diverse geographical and institutional rooting of the contributors to the chapter. The chapter also presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book.