VIII—Situational Dependence and Blame’s Arrow
Jessica Isserow
Abstract
Abstract A looming deadline. A difficult situation at home. A heated phone conversation that redirects our attention. Certain features of our circumstances can be (at least partially) excusing; sometimes, agents who act wrongly in the face of circumstantial pressures are not (that) blameworthy for having done so. But we’re rather bad at detecting these factors that excuse others from blame. When put together, these two observations yield an under-appreciated problem: we fall short of procedural norms of blame in fairly systematic ways.
Topics & Concepts
BlameArrowSituational ethicsPsychologySocial psychologyComputer scienceProgramming languagePsychology of Moral and Emotional JudgmentPsychology of Social InfluenceFree Will and Agency