本文探討自主概念的歷史緣起，而且關聯於民主的意涵，來探討其系統的意義和價值。自主始於爭取強權下的獨立性，並且認同自身自由人的身份和價值，不容他人以次等公民的方式來對待，避免權益被強權所壟斷。由於衝突點在於自我認同的分歧與價值的不可通約共量，衝突不一定有和解的可能性。但眞正的困難並不在於衝突無法協調和一致，而在於如何防止強權介入溝通的程序，阻礙自我認同與價值融貫的認知。在保存自主價值方面，民主最重要的意義即在於程序具備認知的功能，而且透過合理的程序，能夠達成整體共善之目標。

This paper is about the historical origination of "autonomy" and its systematical meaning related to the idea of democracy. The concept of autonomy is raised for the independency of the communities in which people identify themselves as free and equal citizens, but under the threat of other powerful states. Afraid of being treated as inferior and second-class citizens, they have to defend their rights and interests. The conflict between communities is related to their identity and belief, who they are and what they ought to do, sometimes, it may not possible for them to reconcile with each other. But the problem is not how to reconcile their incommensurable positions, but how to defense their autonomy, not being overridden by other unjustified power. For the need of keeping the value of autonomy, the procedure of democracy has a cognitive function through which the citizens can figure out what they should and should not act.