Abstract

Professor Susan Wolf, Edna J. Koury Professor at UNC will give the 7th Routledge Lecture in Philosophy. Philosophers frequently distinguish between causal responsibility and moral responsibility, but that distinction is either ambiguous or confused. We can distinguish between causal responsibility and a “deeper” kind of responsibility, and we can distinguish between holding people accountable for their moral qualities and holding people accountable for their nonmoral qualities. But, because we sometimes hold people deeply responsible for nonmoral qualities, these distinctions are not the same. By reflecting on the character and legitimacy of our reactive attitudes toward nonmoral behavior and character traits, we may be able to make better progress in understanding the nature of responsible agency. This lecture is free and open to the public. There is no need to book.