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An Essay on Individual and Organizational Responsibilities

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An Essay on Individual and Organizational Responsibilities
An Essay on Individual and Organizational Responsibilities
Morality as One among Other Aspects of Human Life

Piet Keizer

Abstract In this article we deal with the relationship between moral knowledge, moral sentiments and resentments and their relationship with other aspects of human life, such as the economic, social, psychic and political aspect. While the Ancient moral philosophers focused on the development of virtues and their relationship with personal and societal health, Modern moral philosophers stressed the relevance of reason (Kant) and moral sentiment (Hume) or resentment. The relationship between reason and sentiment can be clarified by presenting them in a design that is structured via the concept of moral vision. On the basis of a moral vision, which functions as a paradigm, a moral model can be developed that describes the relationship between relevant values and norms. However, when having developed a moralaspect model or system, we cannot apply it directly to specific situations. Besides the moral motivation, the economic, social, psychic and political motivations are setting people in motion. Real life phenomena are the result of the operation of all these relevant motivations. The moral force is just one of them. To find out the effects of morally motivated behavior we must know the interrelationship with the other forces. Only then we know what virtues and actions are effective in terms of human well-being.

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1.Introduction Everywhere people meet each other the problem of responsibility of one person to the other plays an important role. Where social interaction takes place humans interpret the relationship in terms of morally right or wrong. Apparently we all are gifted with the capacity of moral judgment or conscience. During our lives we use this conscience to pile up series of moral judgments about problematic situations we had to face. When we are confronted with a situation we recognize from earlier practices we use this



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