ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I take up the question of ambivalence’s compatibility with autonomy or self-governance. I argue that what I call “paralyzing ambivalence” necessarily results in a loss of autonomy, but that what I call “residual ambivalence” does not. More specifically, I argue that both coherence and identification accounts of autonomy can and should allow for residual ambivalence, and suggest a way to conceptualize identification in cases of residual ambivalence. Next, given its threat to autonomy, I turn to the question of how to respond to and resolve cases of paralyzing ambivalence, paying close attention to whether various strategies promote autonomy or not.
