It is the idea of self-fulfillment, that individuals have a free will to determine their being. It entails such ideas as genuineness and being oneself. Many philosophers, like Kant and Rawls, believe that autonomy is an essential element of human being, particularly in moral decision making. Universal Law Formulation - The universal law formulation of the categorical imperative insists that we act only on those maxims which we can will all other persons to also act on. Kant maintains that we know a maxim can be a universal law if we can consistently will for the action to be carried out at all times for all people.
Universal laws are absolute.
Testing for inconsistency involves questioning whether or not the action will put ourselves at risk in terms of our own well-being. We cannot consistently will actions which may cause us unhappiness. Also, testing for inconsistency involves determining whether or not that action, if everyone followed it, would make it impossible for anyone to follow it. Barcalow explains it in terms of self-destroying. We can't will a maxim to be a universal law if doing so would be self-destroying.