Johannes Himmelreich

PhD thesis, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 2015

Abstract

This thesis investigates what it takes for an entity to be responsible for something. This question has two components: agents and actions. The thesis argues for a permissive view about agents. Entities such as groups or artificially intelligent systems may be agents in the sense required for responsibility. With respect to actions, the thesis argues for a causal view. The relation in virtue of which agents are responsible for actions is a causal one. The thesis claims that responsibility requires causation and develops a causal account of agency. This account is particularly apt for addressing the relationship between agency and moral responsibility and sheds light on the causal foundations of moral responsibility.