Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 4, 2025

On Groups as Subjects of Ethical Responsibility

(Abstract)

Gan Shaoping

Holistic, institutional and collective human behaviors are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping modern life. Moral agency is not limited to individuals; organized groups, too, can act and be held ethically accountable—an issue garnering growing attention in the field of ethics. To qualify as moral agents, groups must meet four criteria for moral attribution: a stable identity, a clear causal connection between actions and outcomes, intentionality and freedom of action, and the capacity to interact with the external world. The recognition of groups as moral agents—on par with natural persons—can be affirmatively supported at the level of moral philosophy. From a functionalist perspective, groups possess decision-making capacity through the integration of shared values and institutional decision-making procedures. Group intentionality is shaped by the organization’s structural features, value orientation, and cultural principles.