Individual Autonomy Research Articles

Existential Buddhism: embracing life's uncertainties and finding meaning within

This study explores the profound questions surrounding the pursuit of Nirvana in Buddhism, examining whether it arises from the cycle of rebirth, present suffering, or future pain as depicted in early Buddhist scriptures. It also investigates the potential convergence of Buddhism with existentialism, a philosophy emphasizing individual experience, freedom, responsibility, and life’s inherent uncertainties. The primary inquiry examines whether Buddhism can harmonize with existentialist perspectives, which emphasize individuality amidst life’s enigmas. This research comprehensively investigates the reasons driving individuals in mainstream Buddhism to seek Nirvana, delving into their quest for liberation, and emphasizes the existential essence of Buddhism. Finally, It explores the plausibility of an alternative form of Buddhism that incorporates existential philosophy. Using a literature analysis approach with a thematic focus, this study critically examines the writings of prominent Buddhist scholars, existential philosophers, and researchers on the intersection of Buddhism and existentialism. The analysis reveals that Buddhists aspire for Nirvana to escape the cycle of suffering and find solace and serenity. Moreover, the juxtaposition of Buddhism and existentialism offers a fresh perspective, highlighting individual autonomy and choice in confronting life’s complexities, and providing an early Buddhist account of existential nature. By deepening the understanding of how mindfulness and meditation connect to core Buddhist principles, this research fosters more authentic engagement with Buddhist practices, enriching personal well-being. This research has vital implications for understanding the pursuit of meaning and liberation from suffering amidst life’s chaos, challenging conventional perceptions of Buddhism, and elucidating potential alignments with existential thought, inviting further research.

The Impact of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia on Individual's Autonomy: a Scoping Review.

The purpose of this study was to identify, map, summarize, and clarify the existing literature on the effects of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) an individual's autonomy across all types of dementia diagnoses. The study aimed to determine whether there is a correlation between BPSD and a decrease in a person's autonomy, as this relationship is important for improving dementia care through effective interventions. To achieve this goal, a scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for scoping reviews and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews checklist. The inclusion criteria were: (i) population: participants with a clinical diagnosis of any type of dementia; (ii) concept: examining the relationship between one or more neuropsychiatric symptoms or BPSD and the individual's autonomy; (iii) context: the progress of any type and any stage of dementia. The database search yielded 74 records, of which 41 fully met the pre-established eligibility criteria. Most studies in this review focused on participants with Alzheimer's disease and analysed their functional abilities. Most studies in this review showed significant outcomes regarding the impact of BPSD on a person's autonomy. The main BPSD investigated in the studies were depression, apathy, irritability, agitation, aggression, disinhibition, and lability. Apathy had a recurrent association with reduced autonomy in persons with dementia, while depression and psychosis were also found to have an impact on individuals' autonomy.

Agua-cuerpo-territorio/Water-body-territory

This paper applies cuerpo-territorio (body-territory) to aquatic space through the bilingual concept of agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory. Based on a 2018 article that I wrote in Spanish and titled “Espacios acuáticos desde una descolonialidad hemisférica feminista” [Aquatic space from a decolonial and feminist hemispheric perspective], I will further develop the concept of water-body-territory that brings together literature on cuerpo-territorio (body-territory) and agua-territorio (water-territory) resulting in a bilingual term agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory. This implies that I will translate parts of the mentioned article from Spanish to English while situating it within hemispheric debates on the individual and collective body autonomy in aquatic space. Agua-cuerpo-territorio/water-body-territory will further the conceptual discussions that cuerpo-territorio has garnered across the Americas in feminist academic and activist settings on embodiment and decolonial feminist geography methodologies, in particular the relationship between water and the embodiment of collective death. Moreover, as I will make the case in this paper, this translation process is a praxis of decolonial feminist geopolitics that can engage with debates on collective bodily autonomy for the Americas.

Radical care in displacement: Rohingya women’s activism amidst neoliberal humanitarianism and repression

ABSTRACT This paper examines the activism and care work of Rohingya women in displacement settings, focusing on grassroots efforts in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps and transnational advocacy by diaspora activists. Drawing on 43 in-depth interviews and applying a feminist ethics of care framework, we argue that these women's activism constitutes a form of radical care that challenges both neoliberal humanitarian practices and repressive state policies. Rohingya women activists forge networks of solidarity and empowerment that extend beyond conventional humanitarian interventions, providing emotional support and shared experiences that contribute to the social ecology of care for refugee women. Their grassroots work contests the neoliberal emphasis on individual self-reliance, instead highlighting the vital role of relational care in fostering collective resilience. However, these activists face significant risks from multiple sources, including state repression, community backlash, and online harassment. They employ strategies such as ‘strategic invisibility’ and digital activism to navigate these dangers. Despite the transformative potential of their work, it remains systematically undervalued, leaving activists vulnerable to burnout and depletion. By centering the experiences and agency of Rohingya women, this study reveals a complex landscape of resistance, care, and empowerment, offering insights into how refugee women create change amidst intersecting forms of oppression.

Ethics of Privacy in Cybersecurity: Protecting Individual Autonomy through Technology

Ethics of Privacy in Cybersecurity: Protecting Individual Autonomy through Technology

The Difference Between Passive Subjects and Autonomous Actors: Proposing an Orientation Toward Consent in Library and Information Science

To participate in most aspects of society, individuals are constantly required to share their data. From students in LIS courses to patients forced to enter information into third party software to check into medical appointments, we all have to “consent” to live our lives. While we are presented with consent forms full of legalese constantly, opportunities to opt out are rare. This critical essay posits that to prepare our students to become ethical members of information professions, LIS educators must center consent as a core ethical value. Using a scoping review approach, we explore consent as a distinct topic in LIS literature. We then propose an orientation towards consent that can center human rights, individual autonomy, and care in LIS work.

Rethinking Mahjar Literature and the Arab Nahḍah: Jubrān’s Critical Intervention

Abstract This paper foregrounds the ways in which Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān represents and addresses the project and concept of the Nahḍah. It demonstrates how the Arab renaissance is represented and engaged in Jubrān’s work as a polyvocal and contested space in which the particular and the universal dialectically and creatively intersect. Equally, it argues that a constant emphasis on individual and collective moral autonomy (al-istiqlāl al-maʿnawī) undergirds Jubrān’s Nahḍawī vision. Serving as the premise of creative aesthetic production, moral autonomy transforms the role of the poet from a crafter (ṣāniʿ) into a creator of a new mode of thinking/being in the world. It also functions as the sine qua non of original national and civilizational awakening, which is conceived of beyond traditionalism and westernization. This Nahḍawī engagement at once underlies and straddles poetics and politics, forcing us to re-evaluate Jubran’s role as a renaissance intellectual within and beyond the frameworks of literary Romanticism and postcolonialism.

Busy Ethic: A Validation of a Popular Concept.

The busy ethic for retirement, as proposed by Ekerdt (1986), is a prescriptive norm that esteems an occupied, active lifestyle. This research is a first attempt to measure the busy ethic in a standardized way and apply it to a population-based sample. Objectives are: to examine whether a busy ethic is affirmed by retirees; to test busy ethic endorsement by different segments of the retired population; and to examine whether endorsement is associated with selected activities. We developed a scale measuring the busy ethic for a survey among 1,143 Dutch retirees. We tested two sets of hypotheses about social factors that might explain subscription to a busy norm: a hypothesis about modernization (i.e., individual autonomy from social control) that would reduce busy ethic endorsement and a hypothesis about differential exposure to expectations. Greater consent to the busy ethic was associated with circumstances that enable active lifestyles (perceived income adequacy, self-reported health), that raise one's social value (education), and that entail more social connectedness (religious service attendance). Busy ethic agreement was positively associated with engagement in paid work, productive social activities, and group recreation. We found substantial endorsement of the importance of activity for oneself and others. The idealization of a busy retirement as a good retirement may be a seeming way for retirees to defer old age. At the same time, a prescriptive norm of activation may put strain on older adults who are less capable of conforming.

Dilemma of Individualism and Freedom in Neoliberal Understanding

There is a clear tension in the neoliberal approach to individualism and freedom. Focusing on the process of individualization and individual self-determination in markets, neoclassical approaches recognize that individuals are committed to social mobility and responsibility to act within market rules on, individual autonomy and the ability to set self-determined goals appear to be limited to market participation. The market is seen as an inherently dynamic system developed over time. According to Hayek, individualism refers to social progress and conformity to society. The aim of this paper is to respectfully examine the apparent inconsistencies and limitations of how individual freedom and choice have been conceptualized by neoliberal thinkers, through an analysis of the works of Hayek and Friedman. Neoliberal policies articulate the notion of free will and question the definition of freedom from a purely economic perspective. By further examining these nuances, the study hopes to reflect on the personal and societal political implications associated with neoliberalism’s more limited understanding of self-government and voluntarism. Finally, an examination of balanced perspectives can add to the ongoing discussion on how best to organize social policies that maximize individual dignity and collective well-being in the long run at in a constructive manner.

Adolescent autonomy to make a ‘catastrophically bad’ decision informed by religious beliefs: To respect or protect?

This article examines the Australian case law in which medical treatment has been authorised against the wishes of a Gillick competent adolescent, in circumstances where the adolescent’s decision to refuse treatment has been informed by their religious beliefs. We analyse three factors that have shaped the Australian jurisprudence – medical evidence regarding the adolescent’s prognosis and risk of death; the role of religion in adolescents’ medical treatment decision-making; and the adolescent’s own views and wishes – to expose arguably uncomfortable, value-laden judicial attempts to achieve a ‘nice balance’ between the sanctity of human life and individual autonomy. We argue for greater judicial transparency about when, if ever, an adolescent’s Gillick competence will be respected in refusal of medical treatment cases shaped by the adolescent’s faith.

Debts of Gratitude in Cross‐Cultural Perspective: Confucian and Western Ethics

ABSTRACTThis article examines the contrasting conceptions of gratitude in Early Confucian and Western philosophy. It focuses on a key difference: the presence of the notion of ‘debts of gratitude’ in Western thought and its absence in Confucianism. We explore how this difference is rooted in contrasting ethical outlooks and values. Western philosophy often conceives of gratitude as a duty of reciprocation, furthering the values of social equality and individual autonomy. By contrast, Early Confucians viewed gratitude as proper acknowledgement that strengthens social relationships that are part of an ongoing collective project, spanning generations. This view reflects the importance of values such as community, harmony, and ritual propriety in Confucianism. Unlike the Western context, in the Early Confucian social world, there was no role for ‘debts of gratitude’ to play. There were no Confucian values that ‘debts of gratitude’ would help to realize, or would be responsive to, in the way that debts of gratitude further the values of equality and independence in the West. We conclude by noting that some Western philosophers express ideas about gratitude in collaborative contexts that align with Confucian ideas, suggesting some shared elements between Confucian and Western ethical outlooks.

Introduction to the Special Issues

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping our world. As AI systems become increasingly autonomous and integrated into various sectors, fundamental ethical issues such as accountability, transparency, bias, and privacy are exacerbated or morph into new forms. This introduction provides an overview of the current ethical landscape of AI. It explores the pressing need to address biases in AI systems, protect individual privacy, ensure transparency and accountability, and manage the broader societal impacts of AI on labor markets, education, and social interactions. It also highlights the global nature of AI's challenges, such as its environmental impact and security risks, stressing the importance of international collaboration and culturally sensitive ethical guidelines. It then outlines three unprecedented challenges AI poses to copyright and intellectual property rights; individual autonomy through AI's “hypersuasion”; and our understanding of authenticity, originality, and creativity through the transformative impact of AI-generated content. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of ongoing critical vigilance, imaginative conceptual design, and collaborative efforts between diverse stakeholders to deal with the ethical complexities of AI and shape a sustainable and socially preferable future. It underscores the crucial role of philosophy in identifying and analyzing the most significant problems and designing convincing and feasible solutions, calling for a new, engaged, and constructive approach to philosophical inquiry in the digital age.

Unjust enrichment in law and equity

In Moses v Macferlan, Lord Mansfield used money had and received, a common law money count, to provide relief in a case where an action’s outcome failed to align with the actor’s intention. In the First Restatement of Restitution, Warren Seavey and Austin Scott gathered together all cases, quasi-contractual and equitable, under the single principle that ‘a person who has been unjustly enriched at the expense of another is required to make restitution to the other.’ These two influential acts of fusion between common law and equity have caused a great deal of confusion in the scholarship and jurisprudence on unjust enrichment. With the fundamental differences between quasi-contract and equitable unjust enrichment obscured, scholars and judges have struggled to find the single principle or core case that unifies liability in what is now called the law of unjust enrichment. I argue that we can resolve the puzzles of unjust enrichment by rejecting the fusionist claims that started them all – that is, by distinguishing cases of quasi-contract (the common law money counts) from cases of equitable unjust enrichment – and by recognizing that each has a distinctive normative foundation. Quasi-contract, like other common law doctrines, is grounded in respect for the freedom and equality of agents conceived as beings with the capacity for free choice. Quasi-contract is concerned with the objective significance of external acts like requests and agreements on terms; it is not concerned with the frustration of the plaintiff’s particular purpose in acting. Equitable unjust enrichment, like other equitable doctrines that attend to mistakes, expectations, and intentions, is grounded in concern for individual autonomy. It recognizes that a court, as a public institution attuned to law’s self-imposability, cannot enforce an alienation of property with indifference to the way in which it may fail as an expression of the individual’s purposes and reasons for action.

A Fault-Tolerant Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Framework for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles–Unmanned Ground Vehicle Coverage Path Planning

In this paper, we introduce a fault-tolerant multi-agent reinforcement learning framework called SERT-DQN to optimize the operations of UAVs with UGV central control in coverage path planning missions. Our approach leverages dual learning systems that combine individual agent autonomy with centralized strategic planning, thus enhancing the efficiency of cooperative path planning missions. This framework is designed for high performance in environments with fault uncertainty detected and operational challenges such as interruptions in connectivity and compromised sensor reliability. With the integration of an innovative communication system between agents, our system appropriately handles both static and dynamic environments. Also, we introduce similarity-based shared experience replay to attain faster convergence and sample efficiency in the multi-agent system. The architecture is specially designed to respond adaptively to such irregularities by effectively showing enhanced resilience in scenarios where data integrity is impaired due to faults or the UAV faces disruptions. Simulation results indicate that our fault tolerance algorithms are very resilient and do indeed improve mission outcomes, especially under dynamic and highly uncertain operating conditions. This approach becomes critical for the most recent sensor-based research in autonomous systems.

Efficacy-focused and autonomy-supportive messaging in social media vaccine campaigns: insights from a Facebook split test

ABSTRACT Background In the context of social media vaccine campaigns, understanding the impact of message framing on audience engagement is crucial. This study examines the efficacy of messages centered on efficacy versus autonomy, informed by theoretical frameworks: the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) and Self Determination Theory (SDT). Methods Utilizing the Facebook A/B Split Test (FBST) feature, an online experiment was conducted to compare the response to two different messages: one emphasizing vaccine efficacy (EPPM-informed) and the other focusing on individual autonomy in making vaccine decisions (SDT-informed). The primary measure of interest was the number of clicks on a link directing to a pro-vaccine website. Results The findings indicated that the autonomy-centered (SDT-informed) message resulted in a significantly higher click-through rate to the pro-vaccine website, particularly among users aged 65 and above. Furthermore, analysis of comments from Facebook users identified factors potentially contributing to vaccine hesitancy, with mistrust being the most dominant. Conclusions The study underscores the importance of tailoring social media vaccine campaigns to address the autonomy needs of the target audience while considering trust-related issues to mitigate vaccine hesitancy. Emphasizing individual autonomy in vaccine decision-making processes can enhance engagement with pro-vaccine content, especially in older demographics.

Loss and autonomy: Making sense of rural life at the inner periphery

AbstractWe have studied how people make sense of their lives in peripheral rural regions. While there are disadvantages in terms of infrastructure, transportation and so forth, we have focused on the ways that people understand their specific position and how they feel about it. Using the tools of the Strong Programme in cultural sociology, we have identified two key discourses: the discourse of loss and the discourse of autonomy. Through the former, residents describe the decline of traditions, of rural community and, in particular, the vanishing ideal of rural childhood. Through the latter, they re‐frame these societal developments as problems of individuals. The dichotomy between individual autonomy and individual dependence is employed as a key cultural framework for explaining and understanding life in a peripheral rural region. The research is based on interviews with residents of small rural municipalities located at the inner periphery of the Czech Republic.

The Contemporary Transformation of Mythical Women: Helen and Penelope in Margaret Atwoods Reconstruction

The feminist movement has driven the reinterpretation of classical texts such as Homers epics, with Margaret Atwoods works exemplifying this trend. Atwood has created poetry and novels rooted in the tradition of feminist rewriting, utilizing mythological female figures like Helen and Penelope to explore their inner worlds and unveil the long-concealed mechanisms of patriarchal power. Employing techniques such as multiple perspectives and nonlinear narratives, she disrupts the constraints of a singular authoritative discourse. By merging the ancient with the modern, Atwood highlights the shared experiences of women while portraying the awakening of female consciousness. She transforms the stereotypical images of the whore and the virtuous wife into complex, autonomous individuals, challenging traditional gender role definitions. Atwoods rewritings are not merely retellings of the original stories but also explorations of the deeper structures of gender power. She weaves a rich cultural network of women, opening new frontiers for literature of their own.

Теоретики русского народничества о проблеме нравственной автономии личности

Introduction. The article analyzes the works of Russian populists, which contain a socio-philosophical solution to the problem of moral autonomy of the individual. Theoretical analysis. The socio-philosophical ideal of populist thought was closely connected with the theory of organizing a fair society based on the pattern of social solidarity, which implies socially responsible behavior of citizens who respect other people’s rights and act in the interests of human liberation. Individual autonomy can be achieved through various methods of liberation: through labor activity and the practice of cooperation, socio-political activity in the direction of realizing the social ideal of conscious solidarity. The moral autonomy of the individual, therefore, does not imply moral nihilism, but, on the contrary, is aimed at finding a compromise between private and public interests. Theorists of populism develop the thesis of N. G. Chernyshevsky’s «reasonable egoism», according to which intellectually and morally meaningful individualistic (autonomous) behavior can correspond to collective interests. The moral autonomy of the individual, according to most populists, does not deny the possibility of socially responsible behavior. Conclusion. Populist thought becomes a kind of counterpoint to the development of liberating social thought in Russia, transforming the ideal type of carrier of liberating ideas: a morally autonomous nihilist turns into a socially responsible populist.

‘THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE’: SURVEYING THE FEAR FACTOR OF STRANGER DANGER THROUGH THE LENS OF NABOKOV’S LOLITA (1955)

‘The Call is Coming from inside the House’ trope, emblematic of betrayal, has permeated both visual and written narratives, evoking dread and questioning characters’ innocence. This paper critically explores the fear instilled by the stranger danger narrative, juxtaposing it with Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita (1955) to underline the insidious nature of domestic abuse. While once a potent social warning, the overuse of the trope has desensitised audiences to domestic violence, rendering it banal. The narrative unpacks how social conditioning perpetuates fear, particularly among women and girls, confining them indoors with potential abusers. Drawing parallels between the narrative of Lolita and real-life instances of grooming and abuse, the paper elucidates how abusers manipulate victims into complicity. By examining Lolita as a lens through which to understand social dynamics, the paper prompts a revaluation of cultural tropes and their implications for gender relations and individual autonomy. Through Humbert Humbert’s manipulation of Lolita’s memories and perceptions, the paper highlights the pervasive control exerted by abusers. The paper advocates for a multilayered understanding of fear and safety, challenging the narratives that perpetuate gender-based violence. It critiques social responses to stranger danger, arguing that they perpetuate victim-blaming culture and fail to address root causes. By unpacking the parallels between the patriarchal culture and grooming tactics, the paper finally exposes the false security offered by domesticity, as in Lolita.

Collective autonomy through school leader unions (2006–2021): Comparative case study from Sweden and Norway

For several decades, there has been a global trend of the devolution of autonomy to local leadership levels. The topic has consequently gained attention in educational research, showing the complexity and multi-layered nature of the phenomenon. Nevertheless, empirical research has focused largely on individual leadership or institutional school autonomy, overlooking school leader unions’ collective autonomy at the intersection between leadership levels and as a link between policy and practice. This paper aims to explore the communication and formation of collective autonomy through school leader unions in their mediating role between policy and practice, under shifting national policy contexts with increased global policy influence. Attention is drawn to union magazines and how they have depicted the issue over time, analysing texts on assessment from nearly 300 issues through a two-fold conceptualisation of collective autonomy as the capacity to influence policy and control individual professionalism. The results highlight the possibility of unions functioning as mediators between policy and practice, national and local, when collective autonomy is not too restricted. The study calls for further empirical research on collective autonomy, paying attention to the intricate relationship between policy, collectivism and individual leadership practice.