The meaning of "the agency"

Question

The below sentence is from a lecture of Michael Sandel.

I'm not sure of the meaning of "the agency" in this context.

And another question in relevant to the above question.
What does which represent, "the agency" or "to sacrifice"?

-And I think that if he was making a decision to give his life and he took on the agency to sacrifice himself, which some people might see as admirable and other people might disagree with that decision.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
The below sentence is from a lecture of Michael Sandel.

I'm not sure of the meaning of "the agency" in this context. The writer obviously expects the reader to know what this means. I don't know, but 'the agency' often refers to the CIA. Does that make any sense in this context?

And another question in relevant to the above question.
What does which represent, "the agency" or "to sacrifice"?
I read it as referring to the whole fact that 'he took on the agency to sacrifice himself'.

-And I think that if he was making a decision to give his life and he took on the agency to sacrifice himself, which some people might see as admirable and other people might disagree with that decision.This sentence is not correct grammar. It's typical of very casual speech.

Clive

Stenka25 · Answer

Here you can check the context.

http://kr.blog.yahoo.com/yiga0212/2281

Can you check my question again.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Sorry, I don't have time to wade through all that.

Stenka, you may not realize that your last response seems a little curt to an English speaker.
When you add to that the fact that you did not say 'please ' or 'thank you', the overall effect in English is a bit rude.
I am not your servant.

Clive

Stenka25 · Answer

Please excuse my impoliteness.

I forgot to pay a proper courtesy just to won an answer.

But it wasn't what I intended.

But I just thought I had to show the whole context and we have the rule not to show more than 4 sentences.

So I attached the site's address so you can check the context.

And I didn't mean you wade through the whole articles, I just thought you can "Ctrl+F" to find the related sentences.

Anyhow Sorry to trouble I have brought you, Clive.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Please excuse my impoliteness .Forget it, it's OK.

I forgot to pay a proper courtesy just to won an answer.

But it wasn't what I intended.

But I just thought I had to show the whole context and we have the rule not to show more than 4 sentences.Theres a rule about 4 sentences? I didn't know that.

So I attached the site's address so you can check the context.

And I didn't mean you wade through the whole articles, I just thought you can "Ctrl+F" to find the related sentences. I just found the one mention of the word 'agency'. The whole thing is too long for me to review in detail.

Anyhow Sorry to trouble I have brought you, Clive.
As I said, it's OK.
Ask again if you need more help.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

Stenka25he was making a decision to give his life and he took on the agency to sacrifice himself

took on the agency is just another way of saying made a decision out of his own free will (without being coerced). It even suggests that he came up with the idea of sacrificing himself. He "took on the agency" to do it ~ He himself suggested the idea or offered to do it.

Note the contrast later in the text:

Otherwise, it would be kind of coerced consent under the circumstances.

So the question they are discussing is this:

Might he have voluntarily offered to sacrifice himself or might he have been forced into sacrificing himself under those circumstances?
____________

agency
: the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power : operation

: a person or thing through which power is exerted or an end is achieved : instrumentality

agent
: one that acts or exerts power

: something that produces or is capable of producing an effect : an active or efficient cause

: a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result
_____________________

Stenka25What does which represent, "the agency" or "to sacrifice"?

It is how people see the sacrifice that is being discussed.

CJ

Stenka25 · Answer

Thanks, Calif Jim.
Your answer has all I want to know.
Thanks, again.

Stenka25 · Answer

You have already given me a lot of help for years.
Thanks for all.

Stenka25 · Answer

Clive, you have already given me a lot help for years.
Thank you for all.

The meaning of "the agency"

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