As we indicated in  lesson four, whenever we examine a term which describes an abstract concept, it is helpful to contrast the term with another abstract term which describes an opposite abstract condition or concept.

In this instance, we easily see that the obvious opposite of responsible is ir-responsible, or "not responsible".

This, however, is a little like using the term "responsible" to define the meaning of the term itself. We still do not know what the term "responsible" means.

Let us, then, examine the term responsible by comparing it to a term that is often used as a synonym, obligation.

While we often use the terms "responsibility" and "obligation" to mean the same thing, there is one point on which they are opposites.

In order to understand the difference, we must use the words in a chronological context. In doing so, we shall specify here that the term "responsibility", when looked at from a point of reference that includes a time factor, always relates to the past.

This is to say that a person is automatically responsible for his actions in all times prior to the present.