Autonomy

Naturally, we assume that we are all autonomous. And we think that a life in which we must do essential things against our will cannot be a well-lived one. But it is also true that numerous aspects of our lives are not chosen so freely. That is true for a number of our social relations as well as for all those situations we simply seem to stumble into. Everyday experience teaches us that we can by all means succeed at self-determination, but that we oftentimes also fail.

Beate Rössler investigates the tension between our normative understanding of self and the experiences we have when we try to lead an autonomous life. Considering various perspectives and literary texts, for example, those of Siri Hustvedt and Jane Austen, as well as diaries, including those of Franz Kafka and Max Frisch, she highlights the obstacles and ambiguities we encounter, examines the roles of self-awareness and self-deception and maps out the social and political conditions necessary for autonomy. Its connection to a well-lived life is the original point of departure of this formidable defence of autonomy against excessive expectations, but, above all, against overpowering scepticism.

»Autonomy motives you to keep asking yourself how you want to live your life, and whether there are good reasons behind one option or another..« Manuela Lenzen, Neue Zürcher Zeitung

» ... a convincing theory. […] The many cleverly interwoven literary examples break up the reading in a pleasant way.« Eva Weber-Guskar, DIE ZEIT

»The philosopher Beate Rössler has given us a wise work on the successful life.« Frankfurter Rundschau

» The fullness of life one encounters on every page makes this book so enriching and puts what were previously familiar philosophical questions in a new light while at the same time inspiring further discussion.« Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie

» ... the sheer amount of what you learn here will be greatly enriching even for readers untrained in philosophy.« RadioLounge

»In her latest book Rössler turns out to be not only an expert on matter, but a convincing advocate of her own theses as well.« Missy Magazine

»A very relevant book ... « Humanistischer Pressedienst

»An extremely stimulating, wise, and at the same time practical read that, in the end, invites action.« buchtips.net

»Beate Rössler manages to treat the theme of autonomy in such a way as to make it understandable to non-scientists too. The account is at times really exciting, and helped by the author’s use of numerous illuminating literary examples.« Deutsches Ärzteblatt

»With a wonderful sense for literary examples, the philosopher Beate Rössler describes autonomy as the ability to take self-determined choices.« Stadtblatt Osnabrück