Major
Biology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2020
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
People with addictions are seen as having diminished autonomy and contemporary accounts often define their lack of autonomy in reference to an idealized conception of autonomy. In this project, I introduce a new perspective that promotes fullness of autonomy in addicts and provides context for valid instances of diminished autonomy. My argument follows from a perspective developed by Agnieszka Jaworska, in which she highlights how Alzheimer's patients are still capable of having autonomy. I will highlight how focusing on autonomy and addiction provides better insight into autonomy for everyone else rather than centering idealized standards of contemporary accounts of autonomy.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Dr. Joseph Vukov, Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Autonomy and Addiction and What It Means for the Rest of Us
People with addictions are seen as having diminished autonomy and contemporary accounts often define their lack of autonomy in reference to an idealized conception of autonomy. In this project, I introduce a new perspective that promotes fullness of autonomy in addicts and provides context for valid instances of diminished autonomy. My argument follows from a perspective developed by Agnieszka Jaworska, in which she highlights how Alzheimer's patients are still capable of having autonomy. I will highlight how focusing on autonomy and addiction provides better insight into autonomy for everyone else rather than centering idealized standards of contemporary accounts of autonomy.