There are different concepts of autonomy. One is autonomy as free action—living completely independently, free of coercion and limitation. This kind of freedom is a common battle cry. But it is, as Bill Thomas came to realize on his homestead in upstate New York, a fantasy—he and his wife, Jude, had two children born with severe disabilities requiring lifelong care, and someday, illness, old age, or some other mishap will leave him in need of assistance, too. Our lives are inherently dependent on others and subject to forces and circumstances well beyond our control.
