Because Anglo American ethicists have chosen to base their thinking on the Principle of Autonomy Mexican Americans, an ethnic minority in the United States, are presented in the books that they write as less than autonomous individuals. This paper pretends to be a contribution toward an international dialogue to search for the foundations of ethics in principles other than the Anglo American idea of the autonomous individual; principles that will respect the wisdom accumulated in cultures other than the Anglo American. It argues that Mexican Americans are perceived so by Anglo American ethicists because they make decisions within the context of their familial relationships. Mexican Americans do so because they have been shaped by the subtlety of Spanish and the ways of their Ancient (Native) Mexican ancestors. With Professor Padilla's call for a transformational education the paper calls for teaching a relational ethics aware of these relationships.
