Final answer:
The term that best represents a legal obligation with a moral and ethical commitment to do the right thing every time and in every situation, and to take ownership of one's decisions and actions, is accountability. Accountability is essential for personal and civic responsibilities and maintaining societal order and ethical conduct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept described in the student's question aligns with the term accountability. This term encapsulates the legal obligation and moral and ethical commitment to acting responsibly and being answerable for one's decisions and actions, including the consequences that arise from them.
Philosophers like Ross have identified various moral commitments, such as the duty of fidelity, which involves upholding promises and being truthful, and the duty of reparation, which focuses on making amends for harm done to others.
Accountability is integral to both personal and civic responsibilities. It entails taking full responsibility for one's choices and their outcomes, a concept that is essential for maintaining societal order and ethical conduct. For instance, being accountable in a workplace setting means meeting the expectations set by your manager and understanding that you will be held responsible if those expectations are not met.
In summary, accountability is not only about following the rules of morality or the laws of society but also about recognizing and fulfilling our obligations to ourselves, others, and the community at large.