Moral taint

Abstract

Moral taint occurs when a person's moral record has been compromised by the introduction of something that produces disfigurement of the moral personality. Although some cases of moral taint can be explained as instances of vicarious or collective liability stemming from our voluntary associations and commitments, the idea is helpful as a heuristic device in assisting our comprehension of more vexing cases of responsibility and blame where a need for atonement exists. These are cases in which taint may be acquired by circumstantial luck. I argue that the idea of circumstantial taint - for example, the idea that people can be morally compromised by their heritage - is coherent. In such cases, although taint is not due to a deficient level of care or to an unsavory quality of will, shame is the appropriate affect and atonement the appropriate response. © 2006 Metaphilosophy LLC and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.