Summary Of Individual Autonomy And Social Structure

Mill (1910) conceives of “political liberties” (p. 66) as a set of rights that was aimed at curtailing sovereign power over individuals. This meant a change in the logic of what it meant to be sovereign. Landes (1999) describes the “political arrangements” (p. 32) within traditional “despotisms” (p. 32) as one where the population of subjects worked and existed purely for the benefit of those in power. Mill himself notes this process, acknowledging that rules of a despotic society are commonly formulated based on interests of elite in power, where “the morality of the country emanates from its (ascendant) class interests” (p. 70). What Mill (1910) is promoting here is a freedom from the “tyranny” (p. 67) of such arbitrary power, contrasted to highlight the autonomy present in the rational individual to think, decide and govern himself, what Mill describes as “a liberty of tastes and pursuits…without impediment” (p. 75). He would therefore argue that the role of the law ought not to be limiting, but instead enabling “free discussion” (p. 73), with protections from the law against harm from others while ensuring a freedom of speech and thought for individual development. This shows how personal freedom also suggested a shift of power in the law from that of repression for the interests of the

The system wouldn’t work if people questioned their roles in society. Of course the surrender of sovereignty leads to loss of individuality and takes on the role of consumption which is a major theme in this

In this essay, I will argue that the ethical aims of public health programs associated with obesity ought to be the limiting of autonomy because we as humans lack the ability to make informed decisions about healthy food. We have cognitive limitations and the way we interact with our environment that constantly influence our thought process. By limiting autonomy, we control the external influences that impede on our ability to make healthy choices, thereby reducing the rates of obesity.

Noah and Allie showed autonomy by making decision without the influence of other people. Noah decided to rebuild the plantation house and remain unmarried till Allie came back to his life. Allie also made the decision to follow her heart and marry the man she truly loves.

The issue concerning the patient, Jimmy relates to the idea of autonomy and beneficence. Autonomy means that all individuals are given the ability to make their own choices and to develop their own lives (Morrison & Furlong, 2013). Although, according to US law it is required to have informed consent before any invasive procedures. It is also important to know that there are a few exceptions. The term beneficence means “to do well.” It is the practice of doing the right and beneficial thing (Morrison & Furlong, 2013). Although Jimmy was unconscious, it was discussed amongst other physicians to amputate his arm due to any further health issues.

The concept of autonomy I find to be described most accurately by Ronald Dworkin a legal philosopher; autonomy is the ability to act out of genuine preference or character or conviction or a sense of self (Dworkin, 1986). “This integrity view of autonomy allows people with cognitive impairments construct their lives in accordance with their values and personality. The person can live true to his or herself, allowing life to continue to develop in ways congruent with their identity. Preserving those aspects of life that are of vital importance to the person needs to be emphasized for as long as possible” (Smebye,

Autonomy. As described by Andrade and Bunker (2009) autonomy grants the learner the options to determine study goals, the process to undertake in order to accomplish those goals, and how much to learn. Autonomy is not centered on complete independence but rather focuses on the interdependence between teachers and learners and the ability of the student to self-regulation study pace (Andrade & Bunker, 2009).

The articulation of disjuncture between received ideology and social experience, the assertion of political rights to autonomy and

The advent of autonomous systems has been great for a rise in the production of

Civilizations throughout history have operated under an organized system. This system, is known as social class, is needed in order for society to define roles, structure and political order are necessary. This ensures societal order and eliminates chaos. It is human nature to have hierarchy based on class standing and one could argue that social standings or class varies a great deal across cultures. This paper will examine different social structures across cultures and the impact social structure has on society.

In American culture, where independency and autonomy are strong values, practices such as Indian arranged marriages are often seen as wild and outdated. Yet in the 2012 survey conducted in India by the NDTV, an independent TV channel, as many as 74% of respondents spoke in favor of arranged marriage. Also India is known to have one of the lowest divorce rates in the world. This evidence suggests that the matter is more complex than it may seem at first glance and I will be looking at some of the advantages of arranged marriage and reasons why, to this day, this ancient tradition is still popular.

First and foremost, I am a proponent of negative liberty. Not only does this mean that individuals should be free from external impediments to action by other people, but also that a government should primarily remove obstructions to our freedom, which is in contrast to positive liberty, for the purpose of preserving individual liberties. The lack of hindrance to human action will limit government activities and create a free, tolerant society. In addition, negative liberty supports the individual freedom of choice and movement. With this in mind, I cannot help but emphasize the significance of the degree to which individuals encounter interferences from others. Some may argue that a government should actively create conditions necessary for self-determination and freedom to act in the presence of internal capacities; however, I interpret that as a sense of entitlement that requires a redistribution of wealth and ultimately violates the human right of private property. For this reason, I find positive liberty to be an infringement of others’ liberty and not even a political concept, but an economic concept. Throughout mankind’s history, there have been many types of oppression that illustrate my support for negative liberty, such as the exploitative authoritarian regimes, economic maltreatment, and racial oppression.

The macro perspective known as the ‘social structure’ is based on how society is maintained and preserved by social institutions. On the other side of this equation, human agency refers to an individual or a social group’s ability to make decisions out of free will within the structured society. Many sociologists question whether or not the wider social structure has an influence on the choices made by the individuals and the capacity in which a social structure allows a person to act independently.

To begin with, we can argue the economic models of democratic autonomy as a way of resisting to global capitalism. From that perspective, what is important is the communal production in a sense. In capitalist world, with the financialization of commodity, new sectors, new classes and new life styles appeared. For instance, in urban life, new urban elite, those are public relations or

Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of the motivational narrative Self-Reliance was written to teach the readers to follow their individual will instead of conforming to social expectations. Self-Reliance, is considered to be a short narrative that gives the audience a “pep talk on life,” which gives each individual support and a manual on how to live for those who seek to be individuals in a mass society. Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote Self-Reliance for those who lacked in individuality, due to listening to what the next persons’ opinions are and following their expectations. Emerson, more so wrote this motivational narrative to encourage those to “Trust in Thyself,” and that it’s common for us Americans to make a mistake in life because we are all human, and without making a few mistakes here and there, we will never learn from them. But trusting in other people’s judgment call, is a cowardly thing to do, and shows that you not only trust in yourself, but have hope in your own decisions. Emerson, points out the importance in self-reliance, why a person should trust in their self-first, and the dangers of society control.