OWNERSHIP AND THE MORAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SELF

The idea of self-ownership has played a prominent role in justifying normative conclusions in moral and political philosophy. I argue that whether or not we are self-owners, there is no such role for it to play. Self-ownership is better thought a conclusion of moral and political arguments rather than their source. I then begin to explore an alternative idea-that the self is morally significant-that provides what those who rely on self-ownership ought to be looking for.