Society/Culture Are we responsible for our actions? And what is the implication for society?

[Seeds]

To be responsible for our actions means that we should be held accountable for them. If we are responsible for our actions then we should be punished if those actions are criminal and we should reap the rewards of our work, effort and talent. But are we responsible for our actions?

Historically, the notion of human responsibility wasn't questioned. We were assumed responsible for our actions because we have free will. Free will was undisputed. However, the realisation that our conscious mind is a purely physical construct consisting of numerous algorithms that are created by our genes and heavily influenced by stimuli from our environment has largely squashed the idea that our desires, values, fears and talents are freely chosen. Humans are simply pre programmed biological robots. And if humans cant choose what their desires, talents, fears and values are then should they be held accountable for any of the actions that result from them?

Should a professional basketballer reap millions of dollars if both their natural talent and the hard work they put into maximising their talent is simply a function of their genes and living in an environment that enabled them the spare time and resources to invest in their talents?

Should a person who grows up in poverty with untreated extreme adhd that prevents them from being able to concentrate and hold down a job be held responsible if they rob a house to help provide resources to feed their family? Or rob a house simply to satisfy a drug addiction?

Should a person with time blindness be responsible for rocking up to work late on a regular basis? Time blindness wasnt their fault after all.

Should a person with an inbuilt fear of other races be condemed for being racist?

Does this realisation that humans desires, values, fears and talents are not freely choosen completely change the way we should run our society? As an example, if we arent responsible for our talent and effort shouldnt all above average wealth earned through talent and effort be redistributed leading to equal outcome? Shouldnt all punishment be abolished? If you do agree that we should not be held responsible then how do our societies even function? What does it even mean to be human without responsibility?

Or do we have responsibility for some things but not others? If so how do you justify differentiating the two given all actions can be reduced down to a set of algorithms created by genes and influenced by our environment?

Or do you still think we are responsible for all our actions? Can we somehow be responsible without free will? Or do we still actually have free will despite how our will is created and comes into being?

What do you think?

 

[Carringbush2010]

To be responsible for our actions means that we should be held accountable for them.

Agreed, but 'accountable', what is your opinion of what the 'account' should be?

But are we responsible for our actions?

Subject to opinion, especially in a liberal democracy

Should a professional basketballer reap millions of dollars if both their natural talent and the hard work they put into maximising their talent is simply a function of their genes and living in an environment that enabled them the spare time and resources to invest in their talents?

Well, yes because their talents and what they provide are valued, whether or not one considers their product or talent should be valued is irrelevant.

The masses (majority) value many things that one may consider frivolous, you could reel off many many sports, anything from Australian football to motocross, both of which pay eye watering contracts / wages to the talented participants.

Should a person with time blindness be responsible for rocking up to work late on a regular basis? Time blindness wasnt their fault after all.

Someone with time blindness is not widespread, certainly a minucule minority.

Should a person with an inbuilt fear of other races be condemed for being racist?

Again, a minuscule minority unless you buy into msm and social media that tells you that most of Jan and Joe public have a phobia about other 'races', which would be absurd.

Also, when you talk about 'punishment', are you actually talking about 'deterrent'?

I must say this is certainly one strange question / thread. What is the purpose of this thread?

 

[barreness]

Seeds discovers the deterministic universe hypothesis and becomes socialist, this was perhaps the best possible outcome here ladies and gentlemen.

To quote the bible of our times, 'A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it'

 

[Gethelred]

This is all very... biological essentialist of you, Seeds.