Autonomy

• In politics, a self-governing city or region, e.g. Kurdistan, Kosovo or Hong Kong SAR (not necessarily as a result of formal secession), is autonomous. True autonomy is usually a pre-requisite to separation or secession, however, but autonomy does not necessarily lead to separation. Autonomy is not independence.

• In Eastern Christianity, autonomy is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop is appointed by a higher-ranking bishop, often a patriarch, who has no other authority over the autonomous church. This status is one step short of autocephaly.

• In computing, a peripheral that can be used with the computer turned off (for example, a multifunction printer/copier/fax machine that can still copy and fax without the computer being turned on), is autonomous.

• A company and its computer software package, which performs pattern recognition with a Bayesian algorithm, used by e.g. governments and intelligence agencies; see Autonomy Systems.

• Within the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) in psychology, autonomy refers not to being independent, detached, or selfish but rather to the feeling of volition that can accompany any act, whether dependent or independent, collectivist or individualist.
  

  See also

• Science and technology
• *Multifunctional
• *Autonomous robot
• *Autonomous system (Internet)
• *Autonomous system (mathematics)
• *Autonomous building
• Territories and organizations
• *Autonomous communities of Spain
• *Autonomous region
• *Urban autonomy
• *Jewish Autonomous Republic
• *Autonomous Orthodox church
• *Autonomy (company)