Matthew Henson. On April 6, 1909, Matthew Henson stood atop the world with Robert Peary as co-discoverer of the North Pole. When Henson descended from the frigid north his reception was distinctly cool, even in contrast to Peary's less than wholesale embrace by the American public.
Autonomy refers to a personâs right to self-management in terms of his conduct and affairs. Its literal meaning comes from the Greek word âautonomosâ with âautoâ meaning âselfâ and ânomosâ meaning âlawâ. Autonomy also defines a personâs right to make decisions on his own and not be forced or manipulated by anybody else.
Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision. In moral and political philosophy, autonomy is often used as the basis for determining moral responsibility and accountability for one's actions.In medicine, respect for the autonomy of patients is an important goal, though it can conflict with a competing ethical principle, namely beneficence.Autonomy is also used to refer to the self-government of the people.n a medical context, respect for a patient's personal autonomy is considered one of many fundamental ethical principles in medicine. Autonomy can be defined as the ability of the person to make his or her own decisions.