title: [Is autonomy a universal value principle? The study of concrete clinical cases in perinatology].
abstract: Certain perinatalogy situations make one confront cultural differences and, in particular, the relative importance of the value of female autonomy. This leads to the following question: should autonomy have as much weight everywhere as it is given in Western health ethics? The passionate, philosophical and historical work by J.B. Schneewind, The Invention of Autonomy: A History of Modern Moral Philosophy, is used to assist in the understanding of the important cultural evolutions which have interacted to support the idea of moral autonomy in the West. This return to our roots brings us, not to question moral autonomy through its claim to universality, but to dare to relativize the modalities according to cultural contexts. And especially to rehabilitate other values--for example caring for one another--prominent in other more community orientated societies in which the West can be inspired.
authors.affiliation: CIDES, Fundp Namur, Belgique.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tilmans-Cabiax
mesh_terms: D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics; D010500:Perinatology / Q000941:ethics*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012922:Social Change; D012945:Social Values