Which principle involves treating persons as autonomous agents?

The principle that involves treating persons as autonomous agents is best described by the concept of "respect for persons." This principle emphasizes the importance of recognizing and honoring individuals' rights, choices, and intrinsic value. It underscores the notion that each person has the capacity for self-determination, which includes the ability to make informed decisions about their own lives and well-being.

Respect for persons entails acknowledging their autonomy and providing them with the information necessary to make those autonomous decisions. This principle is foundational in ethical frameworks, especially in the fields of research and healthcare, where participants' rights must always be safeguarded. By ensuring that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, researchers and practitioners can build trust and foster an environment that values personal agency.

Other principles like beneficence generally focus on promoting well-being and preventing harm, while justice pertains to fairness in distribution and rights. Informed consent, while closely connected to respect for persons, is a specific process that enables individuals to exercise their autonomy by ensuring they are fully informed before making decisions. Each of these principles plays a vital role in ethical practice, but it is respect for persons that directly addresses the treatment of individuals as autonomous agents.