Verantwortungsdiffusion

Verantwortung, in English often translated as responsibility, is a concept used across ethics, law, and social sciences. It denotes accountability for one’s actions and their consequences, as well as the obligation to act in accordance with duties, norms, or expectations. The term derives from verantworten, meaning to answer for or be answerable.

Moral responsibility concerns whether a person is justly held accountable for their actions, considering intention, knowledge, and the surrounding context. Legal responsibility refers to liability under statutes, including fault or negligence. Corporate or social responsibility extends this idea to organizations, emphasizing duties to stakeholders, communities, and the environment.

Other forms include collective responsibility, where a group shares accountability, and political or professional responsibility, tied to roles and governance. Responsibility is often linked to concepts of autonomy, causation, and foreseeability; duties may be formal (law, contracts) or informal (ethical norms).

Practical application involves designing policies, guidelines, and reporting systems that assign accountability, enable oversight, and sanction failures. Debates focus on the scope of responsibility across individuals and institutions, the attribution of outcomes in complex causal networks, and cultural differences in expectations of obligation.