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%RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMOTIONS 790823
If Jack fires a cannon ball at John's house Jack will
likely be found responsible for the damage done by the
cannon ball when tearing through John's house. Suppose
that Jack fires Bill from his job and in a rage Bill tears
through John's house. Should Jack be found responsible
for the damage done by Bill because he was fired from
Jack's position and tore through John's house as a result?
If not, why should Jack be held responsible for the damage
done by the cannon ball he fired, but not for the damage
done by the worker he fired?
It is our perception that cannon balls are not
capable of free choice, but that people are. We don't
perceive cannon balls as being capable of free choice. We
don't perceive cannon ball as being capable of considering
the likely consequences of the path of action they are
following, and out of consideration decide and actually
take a different path. It is our perception that people
are capable of considering the likely consequences of the
path of action they are following, and out of that
consideration to change courses. We regard people as
responsible for the course of action they take, but we do
not regard objects which merely obey the laws of nature to
be responsible for the courses which they take.
Are people to be considered as responsible for the
emotions which they elicit in others due to their actions,
or are people to be held responsible for the course which
their own emotions take due to the actions taken by
others. Shall Bill blame Jack for the emotions elicited
in himself by Jack's dismissal---and for the actions which
were occasioned by those emotions? Or, shall Bill be held
responsible for the course his emotions followed after
being fired, and for his actions during a time of
emotional stress?
Shall citizens be promised by government the right
not to be emotionally disturbed by the action of
inconsiderate citizens? Shall the government hold
citizens responsible for disturbing emotions and actions
which they occasion in others? To what extent? Shall
citizens be held responsible for the emotions and actions
of people who get violent when the truth is spoken or
published publicly? Shall citizens be held responsible
for disturbances occasioned by unconventional expressions
of affection? How shall the scales of justice be
balanced?
(c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in
www.essayz.com Search for Integrity and Honesty
(On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)
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