Moral Responsibility

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that people are morally liable for their actions when they are seen as being morally blameworthy, are obligated to make things right and can be subject to punishment and disapproval if the actions are judged to be within their control. The author points out that the mentally ill are seen as not being morally responsible for their actions because most of the time, they are incapable of understanding what they do and why they do it. The paper relates that a criterion for responsibility is if a person is defend their action with reasons.

From the Paper:

"Whether an action is impulsive or calculating, a person can be held responsible in a positive or a negative way whether the person is mentally ill or mentally healthy. The reason behind ones actions stems from the past, their childhood and the belief system that they were raised on. An example provided by Hospers is that if you are a witness to an automobile accident, an impulsive reaction by you may be to run out and help the people involved. In this case you acted responsibly and unconsciously due to how you may have dealt with similar situations in the past. This principle can be applied to both mentally ill and mentally healthy individuals when considering whether or not they are morally responsible for their actions. It goes without saying that every individual is affected by things that occurred in their past, and specifically their childhood."

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