Question

Your question revolves around the origins of forward-looking responsibility within the Strawsonian Framework, particularly when and by whom the notion of taking responsibility was first proposed in this context. While theories on forward-looking responsibility may have existed prior to P.F. Strawson's Freedom and Resentment in 1962, the explicit categorization of responsibility into backward-looking and the recognition of forward-looking responsibility within the Strawsonian Framework occurred later. Papers have utilized forward-looking responsibility as an inherent part of the Strawsonian Framework, but it's unclear when this integration was first proposed and what established the framework as it is conceived today. The search for a defining paper or consensus on this matter has been challenging, with references to forward-looking responsibility post-Strawson but no definitive sources found thus far. In the development of the Strawsonian Framework, when was the notion of forward-looking responsibility first proposed and by whom?

A) P.F. Strawson in Freedom and Resentment (1962)
B) Before Strawson's Freedom and Resentment, by an unidentified theorist
C) It emerged concurrently with the Strawsonian Framework
D) Post-Strawson, but the originator remains unknown

Answer 1

The notion of forward-looking responsibility within the Strawsonian Framework was not explicitly proposed by P.F. Strawson in 'Freedom and Resentment' (1962), but it evolved post-Strawson. It reflects a modern interpretation of responsibility that aligns with existentialist views on freedom and responsibility, influenced by Sartre and subsequent philosophical developments.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of forward-looking responsibility within the Strawsonian Framework is tied to P.F. Strawson's ideas on moral responsibility. However, the explicit categorization of backward-looking and forward-looking responsibility is not found in Strawson's original text, 'Freedom and Resentment' (1962). Strawson's paper primarily focused on the attitudes and reactions we have towards others, which indicates a more backward-looking perspective of responsibility. The forward-looking concept, as an explicit part of this framework, evolved post-Strawson and although exact attribution is challenging, it seems it was not a notion originally proposed by Strawson himself but an extension of his framework by later philosophers.

The existentialist view, as represented by thinkers like Jean Paul Sartre, emphasizes individual freedom and moral responsibility. This perspective asserts that humans create their own values and are always responsible for their actions. Sartre's emphasis on freedom and responsibility aligns with the more modern interpretations of forward-looking responsibility that expect individuals to take charge of the consequences of their actions for future outcomes. The integration of forward-looking elements into the Strawsonian Framework came about as philosophers continued to grapple with issues of free will, moral responsibility, and the implications of determinism.