Modern moral theories have crystallized around the logic of individual choices, abstracted from social and historical context. Yet most action, including moral theorizing, can equally be understood as a response, conscious or otherwise, to the social world out of which it emerges. In this novel account of moral agency, Elise Springer accords central importance to how we intervene in activity around us. To notice and address what others are doing with their moral agency is to exercise what Springer calls critical responsiveness. Her account of this responsiveness steers critics away from both of the conventionally familiar ideals -- justifying and expressing reactive attitudes on one hand, and prescribing and manipulating behavioral outcomes on the other. Good critical practice functions instead as a dynamic gestural engagement of attention, reaching further than expressive representation but not as far as causal control. To make sense of such engagement, Springer unravels the influence of several entrenched philosophical dichotomies (active vs. passive, representation vs. object, illocution vs. perlocution). Where previous accounts have been preoccupied with justified claims or with end results, Springer urges the cultivation of situated critical engagement -- an unorthodox virtue. Moral agency can thereby claim a creative and embodied aspect, transforming the world of action through a socially extended process of communicating concern.

Modern moral theories have crystallized around the logic of individual choices, abstracted from social and historical context. Yet most action, including moral theorizing, can equally be understood as a response, conscious or otherwise, to the social world out of which it emerges. In this novel account of moral agency, Elise Springer accords central importance to how we intervene in activity around us. To notice and address what others are doing with their moral agency is to exercise what Springer calls critical responsiveness

A novel reframing of moral agency, emphasizing the responsive habits and skills by which we engage one another's attention to moral concerns. Modern moral theories have crystallized around the logic of individual choices, abstracted from social and historical context. Yet most action, including moral theorizing, can equally be understood as a response, conscious or otherwise, to the social world out of which it emerges. In this novel account of moral agency, Elise Springer accords central importance to how we intervene in activity around us. To notice and address what others are doing with their moral agency is to exercise what Springer calls critical responsiveness. Her account of this responsiveness steers critics away from both of the conventionally familiar ideals—justifying and expressing reactive attitudes on one hand, and prescribing and manipulating behavioral outcomes on the other. Good critical practice functions instead as a dynamic gestural engagement of attention, reaching further than expressive representation but not as far as causal control. To make sense of such engagement, Springer unravels the influence of several entrenched philosophical dichotomies (active vs. passive, representation vs. object, illocution vs. perlocution). Where previous accounts have been preoccupied with justified claims or with end results, Springer urges the cultivation of situated critical engagement—an unorthodox virtue. Moral agency can thereby claim a creative and embodied aspect, transforming the world of action through a socially extended process of communicating concern.

A rapid and widespread growth of interest in applied ethics is occurring today not only in the United States, but around the world as well. Academia both reflects this and is a leader in the movement. The field of speech communication shares in this increased sensitivity to ethical concerns. Students and the general public are looking for thoughtful analyses and guidance in all areas of communication. Ethical concerns relative to mass communication have been the subject of a number of books, but only a very few cover the entire scope of communication to include interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, small groups, and public speaking. This book tries to fill that need by discussing ethical concerns as they emerge in the areas of the communication process -- the communicator, the message, the media, the audience, and the situation. The speech communication field now has a need to digest and synthesize the existing research findings and the general literature in the field and in related humanities and social science works into a coherent and nontechnical discussion. This volume explores the most up-to-date materials to provide just such a synthesis. An extensive bibliography at the end of the book gives readers the sources on which the book is based, and offers ample avenues for further personal exploration. The book should provide meaningful food for thought as readers grapple conscientiously with the many everyday decisions made in communication transactions, and in evaluating the communication of others.

This pioneering book, on the ethical and moral dimensions of communication and communication systems in the modern world, was originally published in 1974. It derived from an International Symposium on communication, consisting of world-class scholars ranging from philosophy and anthropology, to cybernetics and psychiatry, and from literary criticism to the social and behavioural sciences. The uses of communication are ubiquitous. The breadth, depth, scope and reach of every human mind depends upon the communication experiences one has had, or is capable of having. How people confront one another depends upon the quality and reach of their individual minds – not solely on their words. This book provides an opportunity to explore with these far-ranging scholars the ethical, moral, and pragmatic communication dilemmas of our modern age. It is as pertinent today as it was when it was first published.

Communicating Ethically provides a broad introduction to the ethical nature of communication. Now in its second edition, the text has been revised to further address current issues, such as: evolving social media and digital platforms, growing cultural communication and discussion of diversity, and the ethics of public discourse. This book combines coverage of the major systems of ethical reasoning with applications, including case studies in each chapter, to investigate ethics within many fields in the communication discipline. Incorporating a simple framework for ethical reasoning allows the reader to develop their own understanding of the various criteria for making ethical judgments.

First Published in 1973. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.