The art of 'autonomy': on the use and usefulness of the term in clinical bioethics.

: Autonomy is highly regarded in American bioethics. Its prevalence in the literature might lead one to believe that the term's meaning is well established, but, as the article argues, it is unlikely that this is the case. The term autonomy is used to denote a complex of related ideas, and speakers have in mind one or more of these ideas when they employ the term. However, speakers rarely make explicit exactly which ideas or notions of autonomy they intend when using the term in clinical discussions of patient autonomy. This frequent omission prompts the central question of the article: Does employing the term autonomy with its many meanings help or hinder clinical discussions of whether patients and their choices ought to be respected? Does use of the term autonomy in the clinical setting clarify or confound? The article concludes that the prominence of autonomy may belie its problems.