ABSTRACT

This chapter analyzes the model of moral responsibility developed by Kenneth E. Goodpaster. In Goodpaster's model moral responsibility is a combination of rationality and respect in the decision-making context. The concept of rationality is process oriented and does not require maximizing anything. Respect is the other component of moral responsibility. The chapter presents a typology of choice, which differentiates among positive, negative and mixed choices people can make. The essence of deontology is the notion that an act is morally right when it conforms to a relevant principle or duty. Deontology uses as the criterion for judging the morality of an act the moral duty it discharges or disregards, and not the consequences or the ends it aspires to achieve. Rationality involves the following attributes: lack of impulsiveness; care in mapping out alternatives and consequences; clarity about goals and purposes; and attention to details of implementation.