Inclusive Pluralism - Meeting the contemporary challenges to realizing personal autonomy

Abstract

This thesis consists of a discussion of personal autonomy, a vital concept that lies at the heart of liberalism. It will be argued that due to their disregard of the social and environmental aspects of personal autonomy, many modern liberals have misunderstood the concept. Drawing on Joseph Raz' conception of personal autonomy, a new interpretation of the concept will be constructed, which seeks to combine the strenghts of Raz' criticism with the insights of more traditional liberals' foundational ideas. Building on this new interpretation, a moral and political ideal termed 'inclusive pluralism' will be argued for, which shows the way in tackling both old and contemporary challenges to realizing personal autonomy.