Overview

Starting with an appreciation of the practical realizations that move us to assume responsibility, Full Responsibility develops an ontologically-grounded model of different forms of responsibility and the challenges and fulfillments found in each. Special attention is given to pragmatic and political responsibility, highlighting considerations for right action that are not accurately recognized by universalizing ethics. Issues in abortion decisions, providing for responsible work, and immigration and refugee policy are examined in the complex frame of political responsibility. Moving past the standoff between political moralism and political realism, Steven G. Smith offers an account of political responsibility as an unstable combination of all modes of responsibility. The book concludes by reviewing different approaches to the impossible but compelling ideal of full responsibility. The distinctive natures of ethical, historical, and religious forms of responsibility are discussed in appendices.

Full Product Details

Author:   Steven G. Smith
Publisher:   State University of New York Press
Imprint:   State University of New York Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.227kg
ISBN:  

9781438489827

ISBN 10:   143848982
Pages:   232
Publication Date:   02 March 2023
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Responsibility and Realization The Appeal of Responsibility The Subjective Basis of Responsibility in Practical Realizing Shared Realizing and Shared Responsibility Agency Responsibility Theory of Responsible Realization versus Theory of Values 2. Pragmatic Responsibility The Ontological Structure of Pragmatic Responsibility: Actualizing The World Scene of Pragmatic Responsibility: The Sifting of Existence The Personal Coherence of Pragmatic Responsibility: Vocation The Social Coherence of Pragmatic Responsibility: Ethos Sympathy, Empathy, and “Affective Responsibility” The Relation between Pragmatic Responsibility and Historical Responsibility: The Description Issue The Relation between Pragmatic Responsibility and Ethical Responsibility: The Stringency Issue 3. Political Responsibility Political Responsibility and Power Wielding: The Motivation Issue The Relation between Political Responsibility and Ethical Responsibility: The Obligation Issue The Relation between Political Responsibility and Pragmatic Responsibility: The Organization Issue The Relation between Political Responsibility and Historical Responsibility: The Collective Identity Issue Touchstones of Political Responsibility: Heroes and Cautionary Examples The Pursuit of Collective Political Realization 4. Challenges in Four Spheres of Political Responsibility Family Responsibility and Abortion Organizational Responsibility and “Good Jobs” Community Responsibility and Immigration Global Responsibility and the Displacement of Persons 5. Full Responsibility Limiting and Maximizing Approaches to Full Responsibility Models of Full Responsibility Spirits of Responsibility Your Vocation (in another sense) Epilogue Appendix 1. Notes on Ethical Responsibility Ethical Apriorism and Its Limitations Alternative Positionings of Ethics Appendix 2. Notes on Historical Responsibility The Historical Dimension of Responsibility The Roots of Historical Responsibility The Farmer’s Historical Responsibility The National Leader’s Historical Responsibility Historical Injustice and Historical Jeopardy Appendix 3. Notes on Religious Responsibility Exemplars of Religious Responsibility The Threat of Religious Responsibility Bibliography Index

Reviews

A very close examination of responsibility in most of its nuances, Smith's hypothetical scenarios breathe life into what, for other authors, might otherwise be dry dead husks of generalities and formalisms, demonstrating that such everyday activities as agreeing to move a piano for a friend are woven full of aspects of responsibility. - Marc M. Anderson, author of Hyperthematics: The Logic of Value

"""A very close examination of responsibility in most of its nuances, Smith's hypothetical scenarios breathe life into what, for other authors, might otherwise be dry dead husks of generalities and formalisms, demonstrating that such everyday activities as agreeing to move a piano for a friend are woven full of aspects of responsibility."" — Marc M. Anderson, author of Hyperthematics: The Logic of Value"

Author Information

Steven G. Smith is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Millsaps College. His many books include Worth Doing and Centering and Extending: An Essay on Metaphysical Sense, both also published by SUNY Press.

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