Is Fair Opportunity a Comprehensive Theory of Responsibility?

  • Douglas Husak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

I challenge the adequacy of David Brink’s “master principle” of culpability. I allege that it fails to account for the moral relevance of ignorance of wrongdoing. I describe three cases in which I believe that Brink’s theory of normative competence cannot account for the significance of a variable that bears on culpability. In most of this paper I attempt to anticipate and reply to the various responses Brink might offer to my challenge.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)305-314
Number of pages10
JournalCriminal Law and Philosophy
Volume19
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2025
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Philosophy
  • Law

Keywords

  • Blameworthiness
  • Culpability
  • Ignorance
  • Responsibility

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