**The problem of moral responsibility** • For thousands of years, philosophers have debated whether it is possible for humans to be morally responsible. • This is part of a wider debate concerning [free will](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freewill/), the theory that we have control over our actions and decisions. Many argue in favour of [causal determinism](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/dfwFischer2.html), the theory that humans do not truly have free will as all of our ‘choices’ react to previous choices, and therefore are tied to determining factors which dispel any freedom of choice. • In recent years, psychologists and social scientists have argued that regardless of whether free will exists or not, we must all be held as [morally responsible](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/apr/27/the-clockwork-universe-is-free-will-an-illusion) for our actions in order for society to function successfully. • Many contest that this is an impossible [paradox](https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4320507.pdf): can humans possess responsibility without free will? If we are programmed to act in certain ways, is it morally right to condemn these actions and can we therefore be held responsible for them? The American philosopher [Peter van Inwagen](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/dfwFischer2.html) writes that “to be morally responsible for some act or failure to act is at least to be able to have acted otherwise”.

**I think that humans do have responsibility — it's just not innate, it's more of social responsibility, towards each other. There are laws we've created as a species that we communally agree to follow.** - ['The Universal Declaration of Human Rights'] (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Responsibilities) was issued by the UN after WW2. The declaration states, "Every person has a responsibility to behave with integrity, honesty and fairness," and also that, "All people have a responsibility to protect the air, water and soil of the earth for the sake of present inhabitants and future generations," - So aside from each other, humans might also be said to possess responsibility towards [the environment] (https://www.researchgate.net/post/Philosophy-and-Ethics-Do-humans-have-a-responsibility-towards-the-environment-and-why). This is also a fundamentally socially concern, though - for the sake of "present inhabitants and future generations." - These responsibilities have become so ingrained in our communities that, in my opinion, they are as good as objective. We're an inter reliant species, and the refusal to accept responsibility for our behaviour & how it affects others will hinder us. Feeling like we owe something to each other & the planet contributes to a [functional society] (http://www.abouthumanrights.co.uk/human-rightsand-responsibilities.html).