Autonomy vs. Paternalism

Autonomy vs. Paternalism

Focus: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages on autonomy and paternalism.

Decision-making would be so much easier if we all maintained our autonomy in making the decision, however, because our decisions do not always abide by autonomistic values paternalistic intervention must occur. The purpose of autonomy is to allow us to choose to do things that affect only ourselves and does not negatively affect those around us. Unfortunately, many choices do, whether we know it or not, involve those in our environment. Paternalism is in place to protect the rights that are in our best interest and that will benefit us in the long run. Paternalistic intervention occurs when decisions are no longer in our best interests. If the decision is like to be regretted and irreversible in the future, paternalism is again justified. Autonomy is a fleeting concept, for as soon as someone chooses to do something that will later cause an addiction, his or her autonomy is lost. They no longer have the decision to do or not to do the action; it becomes a need.

Autonomy does have its advantages and disadvantages. One perk to autonomy is that it allows us to make decisions that we feel are in our best interests, as long as they either, do not affect those around us or are beneficial for them as well. As long as choices made based on autonomy are a result of the person acting on relevant, settled, preferred, and their own preferences; paternalistic intervention is not justified. However, autonomy is one of the easily lost characteristics. As I mentioned above, once an addictive substance has entered your life due to an autonomistic decision, your autonomy is lost. The addiction takes over and you can neith...

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...ests that autonomy does not have much breathing room. I am a supporter of paternalistic intervention because I have seen what smoking has done to many people around me as well as to myself. Knowing the side effects and damage smoking can do, I do not see how someone can knowing choose to pick up a cigarette. I know it is an addictive habit because I was a smoker for two years and it has been the hardest thing to quit for me. It started with peer pressure and naiveté. I was in a mindset of “that can’t happen to me”. I knew all of the horrible things it could do to you because my grandfathers and father were smokers and I looked at it as a disgusting habit. Boy, how your views change when you are making the decision for yourself. I believe that paternalism is a good thing to have, especially in cases where the outcome of the decision is not foreseen clearly.