A Spinozistic Approach to Relational Autonomy: The Case of Prostitution

Andrea Sangiacomo*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
61 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

How do the relationships I entertain with others determine my autonomy? According to the traditional account of autonomy that can be traced back to Kant, such a question would not be well formulated. In that view, autonomy should be conceived as a freedom of self-rule. The extent to which an agent cultivates and improves her autonomy determines the kind of relationships she will be able to entertain with others – and not vice versa. However, in the last decades, feminist philosophers have charged the traditional account of autonomy as being too individualistic. They contend that autonomy cannot be understood without taking into serious consideration how social relationships and social bonds affect an agent’s autonomy. The notion of ‘relational autonomy’ has been used as an ‘umbrella term’ to investigate the social nature of autonomy. From this relational point of view, our relationships with others are necessary conditions for our autonomy.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSpinoza and Relational Autonomy
Subtitle of host publicationBeing with others
EditorsAurelia Armstrong, Keith Green, Andrea Sangiacomo
Place of PublicationEdinburgh
PublisherEdinburgh University Press
Chapter10
Pages194-211
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)9781474419710, 9781474419703
ISBN (Print)9781474419697
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May-2019

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