How to Distinguish Autonomy from Integrity
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2005
Source
Canadian Journal of Philosophy
Volume
35
Issue
1
First Page
107
Last Page
134
Abstract
The article aims to distinguish autonomy from integrity. Unlike integrity, autonomy is mostly a philosophical term of art, one that philosophers use in a myriad of ways: that is, to refer to demonstrating an ability to govern oneself, to acting rationally, to having certain rights, to choosing freely, etc. Autonomy represents a phenomenon with which people do have some experience and on which they could comment in a pre-theoretical way. One might say that while self-governance involves acting on one's desires even if they conflict with what is right, integrity involves avoiding temptation to do anything other than what is right; people with integrity have an uncorrupted character, which is untrue of people with autonomy.
