THEORIES OF AUTONOMY
Fall 2006: Phil 880
Professors Ernesto V. Garcia and Kenneth Baynes
This course offers a broad survey of different theories of autonomy in moral, social, and political philosophy. We will begin by examining three influential historical figures in the modern development of this idea: Butler, Rousseau, and Kant. We will then consider some contemporary analyses of autonomy, especially hierarchical accounts of freedom defended by Dworkin and Frankfurt related to various issues in moral psychology and the nature of agency. Next, we will discuss personal autonomy within a social context, including feminist debates over ‘relational autonomy’, concerns raised by multiculturalism, debates on perfectionism and liberal neutrality, and liberal/communitarian debates on the relationship between the ideals of autonomy and authenticity.
Required texts
Harry Frankfurt, The Importance of What We Care About (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988) [HF1]
Catriona Mackenzie and Natalie Stoljar, eds., Relational Autonomy (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000) [RA]
Recommended texts
Harry Frankfurt, Necessity, Volition and Love (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999) [HF2]
Sarah Buss and Lee Overton, eds., The Contours of Agency: Essays on Themes from Harry Frankfurt (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2002) [CA]
John Christman, ed., The Inner Citadel: Essays on Individual Autonomy (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989) [IC] (out of print)
John Christman and Joel Anderson, eds., Autonomy and the Challenges of Liberalism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005) [ACL]
James Stacey Taylor, ed., Personal Autonomy: New Essays on Personal Autonomy and its Role in Contemporary Moral Philosophy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005) [PA]
Class requirements
Two 4-5 pp. papers on sections III and IV (one as a presentation), one final paper (12-15 pp.)
Office hours: TBA
CLASS READINGS
[*LR = Library Reserves]
I. Introduction
Week 1 [8/30]: Autonomy: Some Problems and Prospects
Recommended:
Ken Baynes, “Freedom as Autonomy”
Sarah Buss, “Personal Autonomy” [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]
John Christman, “Autonomy in Moral and Political Philosophy [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]
II. Autonomy: Historical Precedents
Week 2 [9/6]: The modern view of autonomy
Butler, Fifteen Sermons (selections)
Rousseau, Social Contract (selections)
Kant, Groundwork (selections)
Thomas Hill, “Kant’s Conception of Autonomy”
Recommended:
Jeremy Waldron, “Moral Autonomy and Personal Autonomy” [ACL]
III. Autonomy and Moral Psychology
Week 3 [9/13]: Hierarchical accounts of autonomy
Gerald Dworkin, “The Concept of Autonomy” [IC]
Harry Frankfurt, “Freedom of the Will and the Concept of the Person” [HF1]
Week 4 [9/20]: Critics of hierarchical accounts (I)
Gary Watson, “Free Agency”
Irving Thalberg, “Hierarchical Analysis of Unfree Action” [IC]
John Christman, “Autonomy and Personal History” [library reserves]
Recommended:
Alfred Mele, “History and Personal Autonomy” [LR]
Week 5 [9/27]: Critics of hierarchical accounts (II)
Susan Wolf, “Sanity and the Metaphysics of Responsibility” [IC]
Sarah Buss, “Autonomy Reconsidered” [LR]
Recommended:
Susan Wolf, “Freedom within Reason” [PA]
Week 6 [10/4]: Frankfurt’s later views (I)
Harry Frankfurt, “Identification and Wholeheartedness” [HF2]
Harry Frankfurt, “The Faintest Passion” [HF2]
Michael Bratman, “Identification, Decision and Treating as a Reason” [LR]
Recommended:
Michael Bratman, “A Desire of One’s Own” [Jstor]
Week 7 [10/11]: Frankfurt’s later views (II)
Harry Frankfurt, “The Importance of What We Care About” [HF1]
Susan Wolf, “The True, the Good, and the Loveable: Frankfurt’s Avoidance of Objectivity”/Frankfurt Reply [CA]
Recommended:
Richard Moran, “Frankfurt on Identification: Ambiguities of Activity in Mental Life”/Frankfurt Reply [CA]
Week 8 [10/18]: Frankfurt’s later views (III)
J. David Velleman, “Identification and Identity”/Frankfurt Reply [CA]
David Schapiro, Autonomy and Rigid Character, Chs. 1-3, 7 [LR]
Recommended:
Lawrence Haworth, Autonomy: An Essay in Philosophical Psychology and Ethics (selections) [LR]
Week 9 [10/25]: Limits of autonomous agency: Addiction
Gary Watson, “Disordered Appetites” [LR]
R. Jay Wallace, “Addiction as Defect of the Will: Some Philosophical Reflections” [LR]
The Social Dimension of Autonomy
Week 10 [11/1]: Autonomy and Authenticity
Marina Oshana, “Autonomy and Self-Identity” [ACL]
Diana Meyers, “Intersectional Identity and the Authentic Self: Opposites Attract!” [RA]
Charles Taylor, “The Politics of Recognition”/Appiah reply [LR]
Recommended:
Charles Guignon, On Being Authentic (selections) [LR]
Week 11 [11/8]: Autonomy, socialization and feminism (I)
Diana Meyers, “Personal Autonomy and the Paradox of Feminine Socialization” [LR]
Marilyn Friedman, “Autonomy, Social Disruption and Women” [RA]
Linda Barclay, “Autonomy and the Social Self” [RA]
Recommended:
Robert Young, “Autonomy and Socialization” [LR]
Week 12 [11/15]: Autonomy, socialization and feminism (II)
Paul Benson, “Feeling Crazy: Self-Worth and the Social Character of Responsibility” [RA]
Natalie Stoljar, “Autonomy and the Feminist Intuition” [RA]
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 13 [11/29]: Liberalism and autonomy (I): Guest Lecturer: John Christman
John Christman, “Procedural Autonomy and Liberal Legitimacy” [PA]
John Christman, “Relational Autonomy, Liberal Individualism, and the Social Constitution of Selves” [LR]
Sigurdur Kristinsson, “The Limits of Neutrality: Towards a Weakly Substantive Account of Autonomy” [LR]
Week 14 [12/6]: Liberalism and autonomy (II)
Susan Moller Okin, “Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?” [LR]
Marilyn Friedman, “Cultural Minorities and Women’s Rights” [LR]
K. Anthony Appiah, The Ethics of Identity, Chs. 2 and 3 [LR]