Abstract

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in forgiveness and apology in a number-of disciplines, including political science, sociology, psychology, theology and philosophy. Many of these discussions have been hampered by a lack of clarity regarding the concepts and practices relevant to seeking and offering forgiveness. The following studies analyze apologizing, forgiving and related practices in order to promote a better understanding of apology and forgiveness in personal and political contexts. ;Chapter one addresses the question of the appropriateness of a Congressional apology for American slavery. After offering an account of what an apology entails, I consider the claim that today's Congress fails to stand in the right relation to the guilt of American slavery to apologize for it. I argue that, while the current Congress and the constituency it represents does not bear a guilt that would permit it to apologize for slavery, it has inherited a guilt related to slavery for which it is appropriate for it to apologize. ;Chapter two uses an account of the illocutionary force of "I forgive you" to clarify what we mean by forgiveness. Following an analysis of what it would mean for "I forgive you" to be uttered with behabitive, assertive, declarative, and commissive force, I suggest that the forgiveness for which we hope has both behabitive and commissive force. ;In chapter three I take up the question of the relation between understanding and forgiving. It is often thought that to promote understanding is, ipso facto, to promote forgiveness; however, the relation between forgiving and understanding is not altogether straightforward. In many situations, understanding leads to reconciliation by way of justification or excuse, rather than forgiveness. Nonetheless, I identify one type of understanding that may promote forgiveness in cases of unexcused wrongdoing. ;I close with a look at the leading objections to forgiving the unapologetic. The response to these objections sheds light on the relationship between forgiveness and trust, condonation, self-respect, punishment, justice and apology. I argue that it is both possible and permissible to forgiven the unapologetic