ABSTRACT
An autonomous life is one that is directed in accordance with an individual's own conception of what he or she wants to do in and with that life. If autonomy involves effective determination and shaping of one's life it can fail to be exercised because of inner obstacles as well as external ones. A purely 'negative' conception leaves out the positive element of self-determination essential to an adequate account of autonomy. Self-determination is essential to autonomy for several reasons. Self-determination is essential to autonomy for the reason that persons who are otherwise free of external constraints may still fail to live lives of their own. Self-deception, like neurosis, is something from which any person who aspires to exercise autonomy would prefer to be free. An individual who fails intentionally to do an action which he believes he ought to do, and which is psychologically and physically within his power, need not thereby fail of autonomy.
