Single Idea 23093

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / g. Moral responsibility]

Full Idea

Moral and causal responsibility cannot be distinguished as clearly as the liberal strategy requires.

Gist of Idea

Moral and causal responsibility are not clearly distinct

Source

John Kekes (Against Liberalism [1997], 03.2)

Book Reference

Kekes,John: 'Against Liberalism' [Cornell 1997], p.50


A Reaction

I take assessment to be a two-stage operation. It is usually easy to assign causal responsibility. Moral responsibiity is quite different. Our negligence can make us morally responsible for an event we didn’t cause.