Agency and responsibility
Whole chapter · 17–27 focused hours
Ethical reasoning and human action
A first-time GS IV learner who can read analytical prose and knows the broad role of public administration. No philosophy or psychology degree assumed.
Includes
- Assigned sections and concise recall notes
- Available mapped practice and analysis of mistakes
- One initial closed-book review
Separate time needed
- Full-length GS IV mocks
- Repeated revision cycles
- Specialist philosophy or psychology coursework
- Professional ethics certification
Editorial planning estimate; not learner timing data
- Voluntary action under constraint
- Knowledge of circumstances in moral responsibility
- Deliberate choice versus wish or impulse
Where to study this topic
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 1: opening distinction and storm/jettison example; historical philosophical argument, not a legal test
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 1: paragraphs on ignorance of particulars and circumstances, from Acting by reason of ignorance through the examples of unintended harm
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 2: distinction of choice, wish and acts on impulse; paragraphs ending things that are in our own power
Whole chapter reading
- A Framework for Ethical Decision Making ↗
What is Ethics?
- Introduction and Conceptual Framework ↗
Key issues, PDF page 8
- Introduction and Conceptual Framework ↗
Utilitarianism, PDF page 11: paragraph beginning The basic premise; exclude unrelated corruption passage and categorical lifeboat prescription
- Introduction and Conceptual Framework ↗
Deontology, PDF page 12: introductory paragraph and Kant extract; do not equate the categorical imperative with the Golden Rule
- Introduction and Conceptual Framework ↗
Virtue ethics, PDF pages 12–13
- A Framework for Ethical Decision Making ↗
Six Ethical Lenses: Rights, Justice, Common Good and Care Ethics; Using the Lenses
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 1: opening distinction and storm/jettison example; historical philosophical argument, not a legal test
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 1: paragraphs on ignorance of particulars and circumstances, from Acting by reason of ignorance through the examples of unintended harm
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III ↗
Book III, part 2: distinction of choice, wish and acts on impulse; paragraphs ending things that are in our own power
- Introduction to Philosophy: Deontology ↗
Kantian Formulation: Good Will subsection only
- Care Ethics ↗
Opening account of care and paragraphs beginning Care ethics begins and Not all relationships; include dependence and autonomy paragraph
- Conscience ↗
Introduction, first paragraph; section 1, pluralism and moral justification; omit clinical and conscientious-objection policy claims
- Mill’s Moral and Political Philosophy ↗
Section 2.2 opening through competent-judge quotation; 3.1 opening through harm/offence distinction; conceptual claims, not modern legal rules or endorsements of historical exclusions
- Confucius, Fall 2014 edition ↗
Section 2 ren paragraph beginning “Confucius’ social philosophy”, through Analects 12.2/6.30; Section 3 opening paragraph on moral example. No endorsement of inherited social hierarchy.
- Ethics Explainer: Ethical judgement and moral intuition ↗
Opening four paragraphs and final synthesis beginning “Perhaps we should take guidance”: distinguish initial judgment from considered appraisal. Exclude broad characterisations of philosophical schools and gender psychology.
- Behavioural Ethics: Key issues ↗
Key issues: third-myth paragraph on post-hoc rationalisation; a possible failure of reasoning, not a universal psychological law.