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Vicarious Apologies as Moral Repair
Author(s) -
Cohen Andrew I.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ratio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1467-9329
pISSN - 0034-0006
DOI - 10.1111/rati.12136
Subject(s) - culpability , regret , psychology , value (mathematics) , vicarious liability , key (lock) , social psychology , law , criminology , political science , computer security , computer science , liability , machine learning , tort
Abstract Apologies are key components of moral repair. They can identify a wrong, express regret, and accept culpability for some transgression. Apologies can vindicate a victim's value as someone who was due different treatment. This paper explores whether acts with vicarious elements may serve as apologies. I offer a functionalist account of apologies: acts are apologies not so much by having correct ingredients but by serving certain apologetic functions. Those functions can be realized in multiple ways. Whether the offenders are individuals or collectives, they can sometimes fulfill such functions through third party agents. Having vicarious elements does not necessarily undermine the reparative reasons offenders hope to provide.[Note 1. For comments or conversation about earlier drafts, I am ...]