Autonomy and Self-Respect | National Humanities Center

Work of the Fellows: Monographs

Autonomy and Self-Respect

By Thomas E. Hill, Jr. (NHC Fellow, 1982–83)

Autonomy; Ethics; Morality

Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1991

From the publisher’s description:

This stimulating collection of essays in ethics eschews the simple exposition and refinement of abstract theories. Rather, the author focuses on everyday moral issues, often neglected by philosophers, and explores the deeper theoretical questions which they raise. Such issues are: Is it wrong to tell a lie to protect someone from a painful truth? Should one commit a lesser evil to prevent another from doing something worse? Can one be both autonomous and compassionate? Other topics discussed are servility, weakness of will, suicide, obligations to oneself, snobbery, and environmental concerns. A feature of the collection is the contrast of Kantian and utilitarian answers to these problems. The essays are crisply and lucidly written and will appeal to both teachers and students of philosophy.

Subjects
Philosophy / Autonomy / Ethics / Morality /

Hill, Thomas E., Jr. (NHC Fellow, 1982–83). Autonomy and Self-Respect. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1991.