Autonomous (adj.) describes something that works without being controlled. The term is derived from the Greek word “autonomos”, meaning self-governing. In an autonomous system, a goal is set and the means to achieve it are determined by the system itself. This is in contrast to a heteronomous system, where the goals and means are externally imposed.
The concept of autonomy has been studied extensively in various fields, such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, biology, and artificial intelligence. Philosophers debate whether autonomy should be understood as a matter of self-rule or self-determination. Psychologists investigate how people make choices that reflect their values and preferences. Sociologists examine how social structures enable or constrain autonomous action. biologists ask how organisms develop and maintain control over their own behavior. And AI researchers build systems that act autonomously in order to accomplish tasks assigned to them by humans.
Within each of these fields, there is significant disagreement about what “autonomy” actually entails. For example, some philosophers argue that an autonomous agent must be able to reflect on its own values and preferences; otherwise, it would be acting on behalf of someone else (e.g., its programmer). Other philosophers contend that reflection is not necessary for autonomy; rather, they claim that an agent can be autonomous even if its values are fixed by external factors (e.g., evolution). Similarly, some psychologists maintain that people cannot be autonomous unless they have complete information about all relevant options; otherwise, they would not be able to make informed choices. Other psychologists argue that people can still exercise autonomy even when they lack information about some options; they just need to base their choices on the best available evidence .
Given this variety of opinions about what “autonomy” entails , it’s not surprising that there is no consensus about which systems are truly autonomous . Some scholars insist that only humans can be autonomous ; others believe that certain animals are autonomous ; still others think that even simple machines can exhibit signs of autonomy . As research in this area continues , it’s likely that our understanding of what counts as an “autonomous” system will continue to evolve .