heteronomy

Heteronomy is the condition in which an individual's actions are governed by causes external to the self rather than by the person’s own laws. The term combines Greek heteros "other" and nomos "law," and is commonly used in moral and political philosophy to contrast with autonomy, or self-legislation and self-determination.

In Kantian ethics, heteronomy is contrasted with autonomy to describe two possible sources of motivation for action. An autonomous act is determined by the moral law one gives to oneself through rational deliberation, whereas a heteronomous act is determined by factors outside the will, such as inclinations, desires, fear of punishment, desire for social approval, or obedience to external authorities rather than by rational recognition of universal moral law.

Because a heteronomous action is governed by an external constraint rather than by universalizable ends, Kant treats it as morally problematic or inferior. He argues that legitimate moral rules must be chosen by practical reason and internalized as duties one approves of oneself; rules derived from religion, tradition, or social custom can be heteronomous if they determine the will without the agent’s rational endorsement.

Beyond Kant, the term is used more broadly to describe dependence on external structures—laws, institutions, or norms—that condition or limit self-governance. In political and sociological discussion, critiques of heteronomy frame it as a form of alienation or external control, while some theorists view social conditions as necessary or enabling for autonomy rather than merely constraining.