From guilt to responsibility: ancient theories of action from Homer to Aristotle (plus Alexander of Aphrodisias)

In Greece, the problem of responsibility for choices was originally discussed by poets and legislators. Philosophical analysis developed in relation to these reflections, and Plato wanted to undermine the authority of poets with a new approach, inspired by Socrates. Aristotle tackled the question starting from Plato's position. His approach was not limited to the question of the responsibility of those who perform evil actions, but extends to a general evaluation of the entire sphere of human actions. The problem of responsibility in Aristotle is discussed on the basis of a precise ontology of events, and falls within the field of moral psychology and physics. Alexander of Aphrodisias even came to support the thesis that in two identical situations we always have the possibility of choosing one action or its opposite. This is based on the very complex Aristotelian idea of causation as a one-way dependence relationship, which does not always imply necessity.