Exploring Moral Agency

Moral agency is an individual's ability to make moral choices based on some notion of right and wrong and to be held accountable for these actions.

Most philosophers suggest that only rational beings, who can reason and form self-interested judgments, are capable of being moral agents.

No, determinists argue that all of our actions are the product of antecedent causes, and some believe this is incompatible with free will and thus claim that we have no real control over our actions.

<p>Immanuel Kant argued that whether or not our real self, the noumenal self, can choose, we have no choice but to believe that we choose freely when we make a choice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>No, Indeterminists would argue that while we may have some control over our actions, we cannot control the effects of our actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Moral agency = An individual's ability to make moral choices based on some notion of right and wrong Moral agent = A being who is capable of acting with reference to right and wrong Determinism = A belief that all of our actions are the product of antecedent causes Indeterminism = A belief that we cannot control the effects of our actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Only rational beings are capable of being moral agents = Most philosophers Those with limited rationality also have some basic moral capabilities = Some philosophers We have no real control over our actions = Determinists We have no choice but to believe that we choose freely when we make a choice = Immanuel Kant</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mildly mentally disabled or infants = Limited rationality Antecedent causes = Determinism Our real self, the noumenal self = Immanuel Kant's philosophical view Free will = Incompatibility with determinism</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Determinism = Belief that all of our actions are the product of antecedent causes and this is incompatible with free will Indeterminism = Belief that we cannot control the effects of our actions Immanuel Kant's view = Whether our real self can choose or not, we have no choice but to believe that we choose freely Most philosophers' view = Only rational beings, who can reason and form self-interested judgments, are capable of being moral agents</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Noumenal self = Our real self according to Immanuel Kant Free will = The ability to choose freely and control our actions Rational beings = Beings who can reason and form self-interested judgments Antecedent causes = Previous events or conditions that influence an outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers