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Children, Paternalism and the Development of Autonomy

Ethical Theory and Moral Practice volume 17, pages 413–426 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of paternalism in child-rearing. Since the parent–child relationship seems to be the linguistic source of the concept, one may be tempted to assume that raising a child represents a particularly appropriate sphere for paternalism. The parent–child relationship is generally understood as a relationship that is supposed to promote the development and autonomy-formation of the child, so that the apparent source of the concept is a form of autonomy-oriented paternalism. Far from taking paternalism to be overtly unproblematic in such paradigmatic, pedagogical settings, this article analyzes how an effort should be made to understand a child’s capacities and which standards parents should be held to when deciding whether interference truly serves the child’s interests.

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Notes

  1. I explain how my view relates to other accounts of personal autonomy in Mullin 2007.

  2. This contrasts with research suggesting that parents value autonomy differentially in a manner influenced by gender and class. See Xiao 2000. However, in Xiao’s work, unlike my own, autonomy is closely associated with independence (799).

  3. SDT claims that autonomy contributes in many ways to well being. Deci and Ryan 2008a.

  4. Many theorists see autonomy as varying with domain and in degree. See Meyers 1989 and Friedman 2003.

  5. I discuss Frankfurt, Arpaly and Oshana on this point in Mullin 2007.

  6. Parents may observe that a child is willing to risk some pain, damage or loss, in pursuit of a goal, and may choose not to intervene if they believe the harm will not be long-lasting and the child seems well-informed about the risks and rewards involved.

  7. See, for instance, arguments for asymmetric paternalism (interventions that can “create large benefits for those who make errors, while imposing little or no harm on those who are fully rational”) in Camerer et al. 2003, 1212.

  8. Lotz 2006 discusses what is meant by an open future. She argues we should encourage children to learn about other options and should expose them to other ways of life. This position can be strengthened by showing how children’s autonomy requires these kinds of practices. My arguments about reasons for parents to recognize their weaknesses and errors, and the need for children to acquire relevant information and develop imaginative skills give reasons for parents to listen to other views about what serves children’s interests, and to be responsive to children’s interests in other ways of life.

  9. I gratefully acknowledge the research assistance of Luke Roelofs.

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  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada

    Amy Mullin

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  1. Amy Mullin
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Correspondence to Amy Mullin.

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Mullin, A. Children, Paternalism and the Development of Autonomy. Ethic Theory Moral Prac 17, 413–426 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-013-9453-0

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Keywords

  • Autonomy
  • Paternalism
  • Children
  • Parent–child relationship
  • Autonomy-oriented paternalism