Transcript Document

Responsibility
Dr. Tonette S. Rocco
March 15, 2006
Defining Responsibility
*From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The word responsibility means the
obligation to answer for actions. Often this
means answering to authority.
Responsibility is also loosely used as the
recognition that in order to achieve one's
purposes, one must act oneself ("take
responsibility") rather than expecting
others to do something (compare
initiative).

In ethics, moral responsibility is primarily the
responsibility related to actions and their
consequences in social relations. It generally
concerns the harm caused to an individual, a
group or the entire society by the actions or
inactions of another individual, group or entire
society. This is the mechanism by which blame
can be placed, and influences many important
social constructs, such as prosecution under the
legal system.
Social Responsibility

Social responsibility is a doctrine that
claims that an entity whether it is state,
government, corporation, organization or
individual has a responsibility to society.
This responsibility can be "negative," in
that it is a responsibility to refrain from
acting, or it can be "positive," meaning a
responsibility to act.
Story Lines in Boston Legal


There are two story lines: the homeless
man and the kidnapped boy.
As you consider issues of responsibility,
think back to the lectures on morality,
ethics, supply and demand and how the
ideas presented in previous lectures
inform your decisions about responsibility.
For the homeless man’s story think about:

The individual characters
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Examine Denny Crane and Allen Shore's roles and
attitudes in interacting with the homeless man.
Who acted responsibly?
Who was right? Who was wrong? why?

The firm: What responsibility did the firm have
in this interaction?

Society: What responsibility do we as society
have towards the homeless man?
For the missing boy’s story think about:

The individual characters

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Examine Denise, Brad, the FBI agent, the brother, the
priest, and the mother’s roles, and attitudes towards
the missing boy.
Who acted responsibly?
Who was right? Who was wrong? why?

The firm: What responsibility did the firm have
in this interaction?

Society: What responsibility do we as society
have for the missing boy?