The Principle of Alternative Possibilities

The Principle of Alternative Possibilities (PAP) states that a person can only be considered morally responsible for an action if they had the genuine ability to choose otherwise. In other words, morality depends on whether the individual had a real choice—not just whether they actually did choose a certain action. If someone was forced or couldn't have acted differently, holding them morally accountable is problematic. Essentially, free will and moral responsibility are linked to the availability of alternative options at the moment of decision.