Autonomikapacitet

Autonomikapacitet refers to the capacity of an agent—person, organization, or system—to operate independently, to decide, and to act toward goals without continuous external control. The concept encompasses cognitive abilities (perception, reasoning, planning), practical autonomy (self-management, task execution), and, in many contexts, moral or normative dimensions (the ability to make value-based choices and to be held accountable for those choices). The term is used across disciplines such as philosophy, medicine, law, management, and engineering to assess how much autonomy a given entity possesses or should be granted.

In human contexts, autonomikapacitet is central to discussions of informed consent, decision-making capacity, and self-determination. Medical ethics often distinguishes between practical independence (carrying out daily activities) and decision-making autonomy (the capacity to understand information and to decide). In law, autonomy can influence rights and responsibilities, for example in consent, guardianship, or civil actions. In organizational settings, autonomikapacitet relates to how much authority and self-governance a unit or system has.

In technology and artificial intelligence, autonomikapacitet describes the degree to which a system can operate without human input, including sensing, reasoning, planning, and acting. Higher autonomy typically improves efficiency but raises concerns about safety, accountability, and control. Measurements of autonomy often involve criteria such as reach of goals, adaptability to new tasks, reliability, and the ability to override or supervise the system.

See also: autonomy, decision-making capacity, autonomous systems.