Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts

Tracy Isaacs

The book develops a theory of collective moral responsibility and a theory of individual responsibility in collective contexts and argues that both are necessary.
Unlike other contributions to the literature on collective moral responsibility, the book includes feminist analysis and addresses contexts of oppression and wrongful social practice.
In addition to talking about responsibility in a backward-looking sense, this book also examines the collective dimensions of the more forward-looking moral concept of obligation.
The book engages extensively with and responds to the challenge that the concept of collective moral responsibility is flawed because it condemns some for the actions of others.

Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts

Tracy Isaacs

Description

Genocide, global warming, organizational negligence, and oppressive social practices are four examples of moral contexts in which the interplay between individuals and collectives complicate how we are to understand moral responsibility. Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts is a philosophical investigation of the complex moral landscape we find in collective situations such as these. Tracy Isaacs argues that an accurate understanding of moral responsibility in collective contexts requires attention to responsibility at the individual and collective levels. Part One establishes the normative significance of collective responsibility. Isaacs argues that collective responsibility is indispensible to providing a morally adequate account of collective actions such as genocide, and that without it even individual responsibility in genocide would not make sense. Isaacs explains the concepts of collective intention and collective intentional action, provides accounts of collective moral responsibility and collective guilt, and defends collective responsibility against objections, including the objection that collective responsibility holds some responsible for the actions of others. Part Two focuses on individual responsibility in collective contexts. Isaacs claims that individuals are not morally responsible for collective actions as such, but they can be responsible in collective actions for the parts they play. She argues that the concept of collective obligation can help to address large scale global challenges such as global warming, environmental degradation, and widespread poverty and malnutrition. Finally, Isaacs discusses cases of widespread ignorance and participation in wrongful social practice, whether it constitutes an excuse, and how to effect social change in those conditions.

Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts

Tracy Isaacs

Introduction
Part One: Collective Moral Responsibility
1 Intentional Collective Action
2 Collective Moral Responsibility
3 Collective Guilt
Part Two: Individual Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts
4 Individual Responsibility for (and in) Collective Wrongs
5 Collective Obligation, Individual Obligation, and Individual Moral Responsibility
6 Individual Moral Responsibility in Wrongful Social Practice
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts

Tracy Isaacs

Author Information

Tracy Isaacs is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario.

Moral Responsibility in Collective Contexts

Tracy Isaacs

Reviews and Awards

"The book is an excellent introduction to the issues. It is clearly written and covers many of the major arguments in contemporary debates about individual and collective moral responsibility....Since collective responsibility has often been denounced for its supposed pernicious effects, Isaacs makes an important contribution in showing how, when correctly understood, its effects might, on the contrary, be very helpful."--Virginia Held,Ethics

"Isaacs has produced a well-argued, clearly written book exploring the notion of moral responsibility form both individual and collective perspectives. Recommended." --CHOICE