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Self-Directedness and Resoluteness. the Two Dimensions of Autonomy

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Self-Directedness and Resoluteness. the Two Dimensions of Autonomy Self-Directedness and Resoluteness. The Two Dimensions of Autonomy Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.) eingereicht an der Philosophischen Fakultät I der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin von M.A. Jan Prause-Stamm Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz, Präsident der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Prof. Michael Seadle, PhD, Dekan der Philosophischen Fakultät I Gutachter 1. Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen 2. Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter 3. Prof. Dr. Kirsten Meyer Tag der Promotion (Disputation): 11. Februar 2013 Danksagung Diese Arbeit ist im Rahmen des von der Volkswagen-Stiftung geförderten Projekts „Autonomie – Handlungsspielräume des Selbst“ entstanden. Ich bedanke mich bei der Volkswagen-Stiftung für das Stipendium, das ich zur Anfertigung meiner Dissertation erhalten habe. Besonderer Dank gilt meinen beiden Betreuern, Prof. Dr. Michael Pauen und Prof. Dr. Dr. Henrik Walter, die mich stets unterstützt und bestärkt haben. Schließlich möchte ich mich auch bei der Berlin School of Mind and Brain bedanken, deren Graduiertenprogramm ich während meiner Promotionszeit absolvieren durfte. Dortmund, 22.06.2012 Jan Prause-Stamm Summary I explore and explicate a notion of personal autonomy which has its sources (1) in the political concept of autonomy as it was developed in ancient Greece, (2) in Kant’s theory of autonomy as a property of person, and (3) in Frankfurt’s individualistic approach towards autonomy. From a systematic point of view I conceptualize autonomy as a natural and gradual property of persons, which is not tied to norms, and which differs from free will. Autonomy deals with an agent’s authentic expression of her standpoint and her aptitude in prevailing in conflicts or difficult situations. The central insight of this study is that resolute agency is an essential aspect of autonomy. Dispositional autonomy is constituted by an agent’s dispositions and abilities to overcome obstacles. The autonomy debate underemphasized this aspect of autonomy by solely focusing on self-directed agency. But as important as self-directedness is for autonomous agency, without resoluteness, an agent falls short of being autonomous. The personal strength that resoluteness consists in is a hallmark of autonomous agents. Zusammenfassung Diese Arbeit untersucht und expliziert ein Verständnis von Autonomie, das seine Wurzeln (1) in der antiken politischen Autonomiekonzeption, (2) in Kants Theorie von Autonomie als Eigenschaft von Personen und (3) in Frankfurts individualistischem Verständnis von Autonomie hat. Autonomie wird systematisch aufgefasst als eine natürliche und graduelle Eigenschaft von Personen, die nicht an spezifische Normen gebunden ist und sich vom freien Willen abgrenzen lässt. Für Autonomie ist es wesentlich, dass die Person ihren eigenen, authentischen Standpunkt ausdrückt und dazu fähig und disponiert ist, Hindernisse zu überwinden und sich in Konflikten zu behaupten. Die zeitgenössische Autonomiedebatte hat diesem Aspekt von Autonomie zu wenig Beachtung geschenkt und sich nahezu ausschließlich auf Selbstgerichtetheit konzentriert. Ich argumentiere, dass Selbstgerichtetheit eine wesentliche, aber nicht hinreichende Dimension von Autonomie ist. Eine vollständige Konzeption von Autonomie muss die zweite Dimension von Autonomie, nämlich Entschlossenheit, mitberücksichtigen. Die persönliche Stärke, die Entschlossenheit auszeichnet, ist ein wesentliches Merkmal autonomer Akteure. Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1. The Notion of Autonomy – A Three-Step History .................................................................. 9 1.1 Ancient Greece – The Political Origins ............................................................................. 9 1.2 Immanuel Kant – From the Political to the Personal ....................................................... 15 1.3 Harry Frankfurt – Towards an Individualistic Understanding ........................................ 19 1.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 24 2. The Concept of Autonomy .................................................................................................... 25 2.1 A Property of Persons ...................................................................................................... 26 2.2 A Natural Property .......................................................................................................... 27 2.3 A Gradual Property .......................................................................................................... 28 2.4 An Antagonistic Notion ................................................................................................... 30 2.5 Expressing One’s Own Authentic Standpoint ................................................................. 31 2.6 Not Tied to Norms – Morally Neutral ............................................................................. 32 2.7 Autonomy vs. Free Will .................................................................................................. 35 2.8 Some More Remarks ....................................................................................................... 38 2.9 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 42 3. Natural Autonomy ................................................................................................................. 43 3.1 Naturalistic Framework ................................................................................................... 43 3.2 A First Challenge: The Challenge of Missing Control .................................................... 49 3.3 A Second Challenge: The Missing Agent ....................................................................... 51 3.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 53 4. Actions and Agential Control ................................................................................................ 54 4.1 The Notion of Control ..................................................................................................... 55 4.2 Actions as Exercises of Control ....................................................................................... 58 4.3 Rational Control and Causal Etiology of Actions ........................................................... 62 4.4 Intentions ......................................................................................................................... 70 4.5 The Structured Cause Account of Intentions ................................................................... 80 4.6 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 88 5. Self-Directed Agency ............................................................................................................ 89 5.1 Self-Directed Agency and Autonomy ............................................................................. 90 5.2 Harry Frankfurt – The Hierarchical Account .................................................................. 93 5.3 Gary Watson – The Evaluational Account .................................................................... 102 5.4 Michael Bratman – The Planning Account ................................................................... 108 5.5 Laura Waddell Ekstrom – The Coherence Account ...................................................... 115 5.6 Practical Identity. Christine Korsgaard and Charles Taylor .......................................... 119 5.7 Answering the Challenge of the Missing Agent ............................................................ 126 5.8 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 126 6. The Limits of Self-Directedness .......................................................................................... 129 6.1 Analogy to Political Autonomy ..................................................................................... 130 6.2 Achievement and Respect ............................................................................................. 133 6.3 Courage and Self-Directedness ..................................................................................... 139 6.4 Insufficient Self-Directedness and Autonomy .............................................................. 144 6.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 156 7. Resolute Agency .................................................................................................................. 157 7.1 Self-Directed Agency, Resolute Agency, and Dispositional Autonomy ....................... 158 7.2 Autonomy – An Antagonistic Notion ............................................................................ 159 7.3 Persistence ..................................................................................................................... 161 7.4 Courage ......................................................................................................................... 170 7.5 Richard Holton on Resolute Agency ............................................................................
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