# responsible (moral)

able to control and bound by a law

- Computed level: L21 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: social  ·  Arena: everyday

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [control](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-control.ability), [law](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-law.rule)

**Through:** control by law is condition

**Novel properties:**
- accountability
- duty
- trustworthiness

## Examples
- The captain of the MV Wakashio remained on board during the 2020 Mauritius oil spill to coordinate containment efforts until relieved by authorities. *(institutions)*
- The Therac-25 radiation therapy machine halted operation when software detected conflicting user inputs, preventing uncontrolled dosage delivery. *(engineering)*
- The 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration bound signatory nations to implement primary healthcare systems as a matter of legal obligation. *(law)*

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-responsible.moral*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-responsible.moral.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*