What I "Should" Do: On Obligations

Eye to Eye, from the Tympanum at St. Foy in Conques

The word should derives from the old English sceal, to owe. It carries the sense of obligation or necessity.

The word is almost certainly related to the german Schuld, which today means, roughly speaking, blame (responsibility is Verantwortlichkeit), but originally mean responsibility, as in, Ich bin sch…