Responsibility from the Margins

I present an original, pluralistic theory of the nature of responsibility, built out of the different kinds of emotional responses people tend to have to the expressions of different kinds of quality of will. The approach is motivated by the ambivalent reactions had to several real-life agents seemingly on the margins of our moral responsibility communities, including those with clinical depression, Alzheimer's dementia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychopathy, autism, and intellectual disabilities. I develop and defend a tripartite theory of responsibility, with attributability being about quality of character, answerability being about quality of judgment, and accountability being about quality of regard. Armed with crucial empirical details, I then investigate the predictions of the theory for each specific type of marginal agent, as well as what practical advice the theory might imply for their caregivers and loved ones.

Jacket Blurbs (Paperback Version):

"It is both technically precise as well as clear and accessible, and should be of interest to philosophers, psychological theorists, mental health professionals and caregivers to those who fit the "marginal" label. It breaks new ground in the philosophy of responsibility by drawing important distinctions between types of attitudes associated with responsibility that have long been overlooked and has major practical significance due to the inclusion of suggestions for how our ways of treating marginal agents can be improved...Responsibility from the Margins is a refreshing new take on an old philosophical issue that also provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary presentation of new work on the moral emotions and related psychiatric disorders. Anyone who thinks about such issues or has marginal agents in their life, and is unsure of how to relate to those individuals, should find it valuable." -- Metapsychology Online Reviews

"Shoemaker's approach will certainly influence how debates about moral responsibility unfold in the coming years." -- Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online

"David Shoemaker's excellent book is an admirably careful, imaginative, and detailed account of a pluralistic account of responsibility...This is a wonderful book, and there are layers of value to be had from it. Shoemaker's theory is rich and provocative; his survey and analysis of the empirical research is exemplary. His discussion of the use and misuse of the "moral/ conventional task" is a particular standout. In many of his discussions, Shoemaker is breaking new ground, enriching the field with new examples and areas to consider. This book is a major contribution." -- Ethics