Using Qualitative Reasoning for the Attribution of Moral Responsibility

We present a computational model, based on Attribution theory, of responsibility judgment for negative events. Our model uses Qualitative Process theory to reason over the continuous parameters involved in attribution, avoiding the need for ad-hoc assignment of quantitative values. Qualitative reasoning allows our model to infer relative amounts of responsibility for a situation in a manner that is consistent with relative amounts of blame attributed in a psychological experiment by Mao and Gratch [Mao & Gratch 2005]. Who is to blame? Bad things happen, and blame quickly follows. From the affairs of nations to personal misfortunes, accountability is an important part of how we understan