Autonomy
[ɔː'tɒnəmɪ] or [ɔ'tɑnəmi]
Definition
(noun.) immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence.
(noun.) personal independence.
Editor: Mamie--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) The power or right of self-government; self-government, or political independence, of a city or a state.
(n.) The sovereignty of reason in the sphere of morals; or man's power, as possessed of reason, to give law to himself. In this, according to Kant, consist the true nature and only possible proof of liberty.
Checked by Freda
Definition
n. the power or right of self-government: (Kant's philos.) the doctrine that the human will carries its guiding principle within itself.—adjs. Auton′omous Autonom′ic.
Editor: Solomon
Examples
- Why this age should have come to be what it is, why at this particular time the whole drift of thought should be from authority to autonomy would be an interesting speculation. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- Yet that there is a common impulse in modern thought which strives towards autonomy is true and worth remarking. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- The old routines and the old taboos are breaking up anyway, social forces are emerging which seek autonomy and struggle against slavery to non-human purposes. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- In another connection I pointed to autonomy as the hope of syndicalism. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
Editor: Nettie