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Gratitude, anger and the horror of asymmetry

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Abstract

This paper puts two propositions to the test: First, gratitude and active ingratitude are in one sense opposed, yet in another sense they bear a striking resemblance. Second, mature morality sometimes expects us to transcend the quid pro quo structure implied by common gratitude.

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Notes

  1. Aquinas analyses “gratitude” and “ingratitude” in STh II-II, qq. 106 & 107. For the Latin text see: Thomas Aquinas (1897).

  2. “(Ingratitudo, TN) habet tamen diversos gradus secundum ordinem eorum quae ad gratitudinem requiruntur. In qua primum est quod homo acceptum beneficium recognoscat; secundum est quod laudet et gratias agat; tertium est quod retribuat pro loco et tempore secundum suam facultatem.” (STh II-II, q. 107, a. 2, c.).

  3. “(1.3) primus ingratitudinis gradus est ut homo beneficium non retribuat; (1.2) secundus est ut dissimulet, quasi non demonstrans se beneficium accepisse; (1.1) tertium et gravissimum est quod non recognoscat, sive per oblivionem, sive quocumque alio modo.” (STh II-II, q. 107, a. 2, c.).

  4. “Et quia in affirmatione opposita intellegitur negatio, ideo (2.3) ad primum ingratitudinis gradum pertinet quod aliquis retribuat mala pro bonis; (2.2) ad secundum, quod beneficium vituperet; (2.1) ad tertium quod beneficium quasi maleficium reputet.” (STh II-II, q. 107, a. 2, c.) The levels of ingratitude are not ordered in accordance with the steps or levels of gratitude. Their order is just the reverse. The reason for the inversion is that, as Aquinas puts it, “what is last in the order of generation is first in the order of destruction” (“quod est ultimum in generatione est primum in resolutione.” (STh II-II, q. 107, a. 2, c.).

References

  • Thomas Aquinas. 1897. Opera Omnia. Editio Leonina. Vol. 9. Roma.

  • Thomas Aquinas. 1947. Summa Theologiae. Benzinger Bros. edition 1947. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. (https://dhspriory.org/thomas/summa/)

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  • Schnitzler, Arthur. 1961. Wohltaten still und rein gegeben. Gesammelte Werke. Die erzählenden Schriften. 2 Bände, Band 1, S. 521-527. Frankfurt a.M. (First printed in: Neues Wiener Tagblatt, 25. Dezember 1931)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philosophisches Seminar, Universität zu Köln, Albertus-Magnus-Platz 1, 50923, Cologne, Germany

    Thomas Nisters

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  1. Thomas Nisters
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Correspondence to Thomas Nisters.

Additional information

I am very much indebted to Dr David Nisters (MA) and Sonja Franke (BA) for discussing the paper and helping to improve it substantially. Michael Reid (MA) took the pains to proofread the manuscript.

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Nisters, T. Gratitude, anger and the horror of asymmetry. ZEMO 4, 143–147 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42048-021-00092-w

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