It is in this sense that we begin to use the term responsibility outside of its time context.

We will say that a man or a woman is responsible (in this new sense) when he or she correctly anticipates the consequences of his or her actions, and is prepared to meet all of the costs arising from them.

In this way, we might say that the responsible person is one who is ready, willing, and able to meet all costs arising as a consequence of any decision he or she makes, or action that he or she undertakes.

The individual must recognize that he or she will be responsible, automatically, for anything that he or she might do in the future. The moment he or she performs an action, his or her responsibility for that action is automatic.

Thus, if the individual knows that he or she could not meet all of the costs that might arise from a given action, then he or she will reasonably refrain from taking that action.

This is what happens when a person has been correctly trained in an understanding of the full meaning of responsibility. It is a quality that is too often lacking in many people.