ABSTRACT
Certain trends in contemporary theory can explain this high interest in the concept of autonomy.166 First, there has been a revival of Kantian moral and political philosophy, underpinned by the assertion that people should not be treated as means but ends. For example, Rawls argues that his 'veil of ignorance' (referred to above) is derived from or reflects Kantian ethics.167 Nozick inferred specific policy from the
second formulation of the categorical imperative but with very different conclusions.168 Despite these differences over interpreting Kant, many of these neo-Kantians have searched for a normative principle which would produce a consensus across the liberal spectrum. Individual autonomy fulfils this by reinforcing the importance of individual goal-seeking and value determination, seen as being central to the idea that people be treated as ends and not means.
