Towards a logical formalization of responsibility

Abstract

In this paper, we are interested in formally modeling the concept of responsibility. It appears that this concept is essential in order to reason in many norm-governed organizations. However, obtaining a formal representation of responsibility is quite complex because of the very different meanings this concept can take. Therefore, our first task will be to clarify and classify the various meanings. We then propose a logical framework and show how it enables us to model several aspects of responsibility. This framework combines a deontic logic with a logic of actions and it distinguishes between direct and indirect agencies. We finally present an example to illustrate how this framework enables us to analyze some subtleties of a specific situation.