Wrongs, Responsibility, Blame, and Oppression

Abstract

This chapter addresses the question of moral and epistemic responsibility for intellectual vices and the beliefs that stem from them. It distinguishes three aspects of responsibility: accountability, answerability, and attributability. It argues that people are accountable but not fully answerable for their intellectual vices that are also attributable to them. Nevertheless, the chapter also cautions against blaming (in the sense of resenting) those who are blameworthy because one might lack the standing required to blame others. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the importance of taking responsibility for oneself and the importance for self-respect of adopting this stance.