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Kränkningar och förlåtelse. En etisk studie med hänsyn till föreställningar om offer, förövare, skuld och ansvar.

Heberlein, Ann LU (2005)
Abstract
This thesis focuses on forgiveness, its meaning, implications and consequences in relation to violations, victims, perpetrators and responsibility. It questions wheter forgiveness is always the right answer when a person is subjected to evil and violence. Following Joseph Butler, forgiveness is defined as the overcoming of resentment, as well as a change of heart regarding the moral quality of the forgiven. Three standpoints regarding the value of of forgiveness represented by six philosophers (Murphy, Haber, Govier, Holmgren, Hampton and McCord Adams)are analysed and discussed. Is forgiveness always compatible with self-respect, with respecting the offender's moral value and with respecting the morality of society?



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This thesis focuses on forgiveness, its meaning, implications and consequences in relation to violations, victims, perpetrators and responsibility. It questions wheter forgiveness is always the right answer when a person is subjected to evil and violence. Following Joseph Butler, forgiveness is defined as the overcoming of resentment, as well as a change of heart regarding the moral quality of the forgiven. Three standpoints regarding the value of of forgiveness represented by six philosophers (Murphy, Haber, Govier, Holmgren, Hampton and McCord Adams)are analysed and discussed. Is forgiveness always compatible with self-respect, with respecting the offender's moral value and with respecting the morality of society?



Forgiveness, as well as feelings of resentment, guilt and shame, belongs to what P F Strawson call reactive attitudes and are essential in our apprehension of others and ourselves as morally responsible agents. Forgiveness is an involving attitude, since it is an invitation to dialogue and relation. I find the idea of separating sin from the sinner troubling and argue that an action reflects the agent's character. Only the wrongdoer is able to separate himself from the wrongful act through regret and by taking responsibility. By discussing violations as symbolic messages and the consequences of evil acts, for the victim as well as the offender, I propose that in some cases forgiveness is not the best option. Forgiveness takes place between persons in symmetrical relations. When a relation is asymmetrical and manipulative the objective attitude is to prefer. (Less)
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author
supervisor
opponent
  • universitetslektor Höglund, Anna T., Uppsala
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
perpetrator, victim, Moral responsibility, Shame, Ethics, Guilt, Theology, Teologi
pages
286 pages
publisher
Thales
defense location
Palaestra, Universitetsplatsen, Lund
defense date
2005-06-03 13:15:00
ISBN
91-7235-060-1
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (015017000)
id
fb72619d-08b9-4041-9b71-107d79db8bbf (old id 24514)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:24:43
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:41:13
@phdthesis{fb72619d-08b9-4041-9b71-107d79db8bbf,
  abstract     = {{This thesis focuses on forgiveness, its meaning, implications and consequences in relation to violations, victims, perpetrators and responsibility. It questions wheter forgiveness is always the right answer when a person is subjected to evil and violence. Following Joseph Butler, forgiveness is defined as the overcoming of resentment, as well as a change of heart regarding the moral quality of the forgiven. Three standpoints regarding the value of of forgiveness represented by six philosophers (Murphy, Haber, Govier, Holmgren, Hampton and McCord Adams)are analysed and discussed. Is forgiveness always compatible with self-respect, with respecting the offender's moral value and with respecting the morality of society?<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Forgiveness, as well as feelings of resentment, guilt and shame, belongs to what P F Strawson call reactive attitudes and are essential in our apprehension of others and ourselves as morally responsible agents. Forgiveness is an involving attitude, since it is an invitation to dialogue and relation. I find the idea of separating sin from the sinner troubling and argue that an action reflects the agent's character. Only the wrongdoer is able to separate himself from the wrongful act through regret and by taking responsibility. By discussing violations as symbolic messages and the consequences of evil acts, for the victim as well as the offender, I propose that in some cases forgiveness is not the best option. Forgiveness takes place between persons in symmetrical relations. When a relation is asymmetrical and manipulative the objective attitude is to prefer.}},
  author       = {{Heberlein, Ann}},
  isbn         = {{91-7235-060-1}},
  keywords     = {{perpetrator; victim; Moral responsibility; Shame; Ethics; Guilt; Theology; Teologi}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Thales}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Kränkningar och förlåtelse. En etisk studie med hänsyn till föreställningar om offer, förövare, skuld och ansvar.}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}