Paternalism
In Ethics, 'paternalism' refers to any action or policy which infringes on the
autonomy of a moral agent. We generally recognize two
forms of Paternalism:
- Strong Paternalism - the intentional violation of a competent agent's will.
- Weak Paternalism - the intentional or unintentional violation of a questionably competent agent's will.
Paternalism of either form is usually motivated by one of two forces: a feeling of superiority on the part
of the paternalistic agent or agency, or the desire to enhance human well-being.
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