The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative
This article explores two concepts of akrasia and their relation to the ascription of responsibility in Douglas Husak’s theory of criminal responsibility. Ever since Plato’s Protagoras, the problem of akrasia has been tightly related to the issue of moral knowledge. By using influential texts of an...
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| Language: | English |
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Vilnius University Press
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Problemos |
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| Online Access: | https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/35061 |
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| author | Gediminas Šataitis |
| author_facet | Gediminas Šataitis |
| author_sort | Gediminas Šataitis |
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This article explores two concepts of akrasia and their relation to the ascription of responsibility in Douglas Husak’s theory of criminal responsibility. Ever since Plato’s Protagoras, the problem of akrasia has been tightly related to the issue of moral knowledge. By using influential texts of ancient and Christian ethics, as well as contemporary research on akratic behavior, this article outlines a different conception of akrasia, one that is based on intrapersonal conflict. In his theory, Husak employs the concept of akrasia related to moral knowledge-ignorance, albeit sourcing its presuppositions from contemporary skeptics rather than from ancient philosophy. Yet, Husak’s theory is not skeptical. The article highlights the main drawbacks of this theory. These drawbacks are grounded in Husak’s conception of the akratic agent and the ascription of responsibility to such an agent. Their analysis reveals the advantages of the concept of akrasia based on intrapersonal conflict for constructing a non-skeptical theory of criminal responsibility.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d5e33f6b5004d3783b3f7ad110dd487 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1392-1126 2424-6158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Vilnius University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Problemos |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d5e33f6b5004d3783b3f7ad110dd4872025-02-11T18:17:13ZengVilnius University PressProblemos1392-11262424-61582024-04-0110510.15388/Problemos.2024.105.9The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its AlternativeGediminas Šataitis0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8284-1702Vilnius University, Lithuania This article explores two concepts of akrasia and their relation to the ascription of responsibility in Douglas Husak’s theory of criminal responsibility. Ever since Plato’s Protagoras, the problem of akrasia has been tightly related to the issue of moral knowledge. By using influential texts of ancient and Christian ethics, as well as contemporary research on akratic behavior, this article outlines a different conception of akrasia, one that is based on intrapersonal conflict. In his theory, Husak employs the concept of akrasia related to moral knowledge-ignorance, albeit sourcing its presuppositions from contemporary skeptics rather than from ancient philosophy. Yet, Husak’s theory is not skeptical. The article highlights the main drawbacks of this theory. These drawbacks are grounded in Husak’s conception of the akratic agent and the ascription of responsibility to such an agent. Their analysis reveals the advantages of the concept of akrasia based on intrapersonal conflict for constructing a non-skeptical theory of criminal responsibility. https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/35061akrasiacriminal responsibilityintrapersonal conflictmoral ignoranceHusak |
| spellingShingle | Gediminas Šataitis The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative Problemos akrasia criminal responsibility intrapersonal conflict moral ignorance Husak |
| title | The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative |
| title_full | The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative |
| title_fullStr | The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative |
| title_short | The Concept of Akrasia in D. Husak’s Theory of Criminal Responsibility and the Advantages of Its Alternative |
| title_sort | concept of akrasia in d husak s theory of criminal responsibility and the advantages of its alternative |
| topic | akrasia criminal responsibility intrapersonal conflict moral ignorance Husak |
| url | https://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/35061 |
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