The Responsible Self: An Essay in Christian Moral Philosophy (Library of Theological Ethics)

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Summary: the importance of responsibility
Review: H. Richard Niebuhr's The Responsible Self is a classic in Christian ethics. Niebuhr argues that humans are neither simply 'goal seeking' creatures nor simply 'rule-following' creatures, but are 'responsive' and hence, responsible. We are 'answerers' who must first ask "What is going on here?" and then respond to that assessment with a 'fitting' answer. The importance of this short and readable work should not be underestimated. Niebuhr's approach spawned an interest in perspective and vision in ethics that is carried on by contemporary thinkers such as James Gustafson and Stanley Hauerwas.