Against Autonomy Justifying Coercive Paternalism
Against Autonomy Justifying Coercive Paternalism by Sarah Conly, published by Cambridge University Press in 2013, explores the complexities of individual decision-making and autonomy. In this 206-page work, Conly challenges the prevailing notion that respecting autonomy is paramount, arguing instead that our often irrational choices can hinder our ability to achieve personal goals. By drawing on insights from behavioral economics and social psychology, the book presents a critical examination of how government intervention might sometimes better serve individuals than allowing them to act solely on their autonomous decisions.
Readers will find a thorough analysis that questions established views on moral agency, democratic values, and the public/private distinction. Conly’s arguments engage with various subjects, including ethics, political philosophy, and decision-making, making this book relevant for those interested in the intersections of law and psychology. This edition offers a thought-provoking perspective on the implications of coercive paternalism, inviting readers to reconsider the balance between individual freedom and societal responsibility.
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Since Mill’s seminal work On Liberty, philosophers and political theorists have accepted that we should respect the decisions of individual agents when those decisions affect no one other than themselves. Indeed, to respect autonomy is often understood to be the chief way to bear witness to the intrinsic value of persons. In this book, Sarah Conly rejects the idea of autonomy as inviolable. Drawing on sources from behavioural economics and social psychology, she argues that we are so often irrational in making our decisions that our autonomous choices often undercut the achievement of our own goals. Thus in many cases it would advance our goals more effectively if government were to prevent us from acting in accordance with our decisions. Her argument challenges widely held views of moral agency, democratic values and the public/private distinction, and will interest readers in ethics, political philosophy, political theory and philosophy of law.
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