The present paper aims to contribute to the definition of a biologically-motivated epistemological framework capable of shedding light on the nature of the concept of [autonomy] clarifying a fundamental concept, transversal to both natural and artificial cognition (Cognition is here understood as a natural or artificial entity’s capacity to assign meaning to typical environmental patterns reacting accordingly). Biological systems are inherently autonomous in that they are capable of intelligent self-regulation, adaptation to environmental variation and ultimately evolution, without the interference of an external control. In other words, all life forms are naturally endowed with skills to navigate their external environments, individuating patterns to which they assign a value- meaning- adequately and purposefully (re) acting to them, guaranteeing this way their existence and reproducibility. The concept of [cognition] and the concept of [autonomy] are central to understanding life and to establish a bridge between natural and artificial cognition, between natural and artificial intelligence. By approaching the concept of [autonomy] from a biological perspective, the present paper assumes that: Grounded on these assumptions, the text aims to highlight the productivity of a biologically motivated approach by showing the transversality of the concept across different domains of experience; its relevance in what concerns the design of artificial intelligent systems, adverting to the frequent redundant use of the term when referring to artificial intelligent systems.