Resentment, forgiveness, anger and love.
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These four areas of human nature - known as reactive attitudes - have formed a particularly rich area of philosophical research, according to the English philosopher PF Strawson.
In the May instalment of the Port Macquarie Philosophy Forum, University of Sydney's Dr Hannah Tierney will examine Strawson's views, with a focus on guilt.
The public forums are intended to provide a venue for philosophy enthusiasts, and those with a general interest, to hold discussions and hear lectures about philosophy.
Guest speakers from universities, and other relevant institutions, are sought to speak on the big philosophical questions of our time.
Members of the forum from the local area are also invited to speak.
Dr Tierney's topic is: Free will, moral responsibility and guilt
"What P.F. Strawson called the reactive attitudes - resentment, gratitude, forgiveness, anger, and love - form a particularly rich area of philosophical research," Dr Tierney said.
"But the reactive attitude that gets the most attention has historically been resentment, especially as it relates to moral responsibility.
"Recently, however, there's been a focus on another reactive attitude in discussions of blame and moral responsibility: guilt.
Recently, however, there's been a focus on another reactive attitude in discussions of blame and moral responsibility: guilt.
- Dr Hannah Tierney
"Guilt-based accounts of blame are appealing because they are able to capture a particular function of blame better than any extant view.
"If the goal of blame is to allocate suffering to wrongdoers, then accounts of blameworthiness in terms of guilt are bound to be more successful than any other view.
"In this talk, I'm going to focus on the conversations and practices that surround admissions of guilt," she said.
"I argue that examining these conversations will illuminate an important function of both guilt and resentment that has been overlooked in the recent work on guilt as it relates to blameworthiness."
Dr Hannah Tierney is the guest speaker at the Port Macquarie Philosophy Forum on Thursday May 23, at Port City Bowling Club, 6pm until about 7.30pm.
Cost is $10 or $5 pensioner/concession.
For enquiries email philosophyforumpmq@outlook.com or go to the website.
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