Forgiveness, Exemplars, and the Oppressed

In Kathryn J. Norlock (ed.), The Moral Psychology of Forgiveness. Rowman & Littlefield International. pp. 55-72 (2017)
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Abstract

I argue that while moral exemplars are useful, we must be careful in our use of them. I first describe forgiveness exemplars that are often used to persuade victims to forgive such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus of Nazareth. I also explain how, for Kant, highlighting these figures as moral exemplars can be useful. I then explain two kinds of rhetorical strategies that are used when attempting to convince victims to forgive. Last, I explain (a la Kant) how the use of exemplars does not empower but instead disempowers victims. My overall claim is that using exemplars to persuade victims to forgive is problematic. It is best if we rely on decisive reasons to forgive instead of focusing on people who have forgiven.

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Myisha Cherry
University of California, Riverside

Citations of this work

Racialized Forgiveness.Myisha Cherry - 2021 - Hypatia 36 (4):583 - 597.
A Mencian Account of Resentment.Daryl Ooi - 2022 - Philosophy Compass 17 (9):e12870.
Forgiveness and Moral Repair.Kathryn J. Norlock - 2022 - In Manuel Vargas & John Doris (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Moral Psychology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press.

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References found in this work

On the value of acting from the motive of duty.Barbara Herman - 1981 - Philosophical Review 90 (3):359-382.
.J. Hampton - 2006 - Cambridge University Press.
A Plausible Kantian Argument Against Moralism.Richard Dean - 2012 - Social Theory and Practice 38 (4):577-597.

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