Information AboutIndividual Sovereignty |
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The notion of self-ownership is not adhered to in any society or legal system as virtually all State s impose Tax es on their citizens, but can be seen as a general guideline for Civil Rights . The Thirteenth Amendment To The United States Constitution is sometimes viewed as an implementation of the concept of self-ownership, as are some portions of the Bill Of Rights . The trouble of defining the border of the self can be seen in the debate surrounding Abortion , where the right of the woman to control her own body can be in opposition to what may be considered as "the fetus' right to live". This contrast is even more pronounced in situations where women are forced to undergo surgery in order to deliver a healthy baby. Defining the borders of the self can also be difficult if one accepts the notion that the self includes objects that are external to the human body, as is proposed in Andy Clark 's essay, ''Natural Born Cyborgs''. In addition to the Abortion Debate , there are also debates surrounding Euthanasia and Suicide . However, some of these actions can be viewed as self-destructive which is somewhat removed from the original meaning of ''self-ownership'', as this also meant taking Responsibility for self. Self-ownership could be viewed as a decentralized bottom-up philosophy, as opposed to Totalitarianism being a centralized top-down system. Henry David Thoreau regarded self-ownership as a key component in achieving Utopia . See also External links
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