This article proposes a minimalist concept of autonomy that is consistent with

determinism, but negates fatalism. Drawing on Nicolai Hartmann's stratified

ontology, it argues that autonomy is achieved not by suspending physical laws,

but by introducing new, higher-level determinations unique to individual

entities. The tension between general laws and individual autonomy is resolved

by emphasizing the unique properties and individual laws that apply to each

entity. The article also explains how this minimal autonomy makes sense of

setting goals and attempting to achieve them, demonstrating that even within a

deterministic framework, individuals can have meaningful influence over their

actions and outcomes.

Keywords: autonomy, stratified ontology, determinism, individuality,

philosophy of mind