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The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge
In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral statu...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Philosophy
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613258388602880 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Turner, Russell Jonathan |
| author2 | Smith, Shawn |
| author_browse | Smith, Shawn Turner, Russell Jonathan |
| author_facet | Smith, Shawn Turner, Russell Jonathan |
| author_sort | Turner, Russell Jonathan |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38601 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:17.409Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Department of Philosophy |
| publisherStr | Department of Philosophy |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38601 The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge Turner, Russell Jonathan Smith, Shawn Philosophy In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned. 2023-09-14T09:24:46Z 2023-09-14T09:24:46Z 1996 2023-09-14T09:24:23Z Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38601 eng application/pdf Department of Philosophy Faculty of Humanities |
| spellingShingle | Philosophy Turner, Russell Jonathan The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| title_full | The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| title_fullStr | The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| title_full_unstemmed | The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| title_short | The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge |
| title_sort | light in the darkness an assessment of the retributive urge |
| topic | Philosophy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38601 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT turnerrusselljonathan thelightinthedarknessanassessmentoftheretributiveurge AT turnerrusselljonathan lightinthedarknessanassessmentoftheretributiveurge |