Anger and Forgiveness: Resentment, Generosity, Justice

Anger is widespread and considered necessary for justice, but Martha C. Nussbaum argues that it is conceptually confused and normatively harmful. She examines different conceptions of forgiveness in intimate relationships, daily interactions, the workplace, criminal justice system, and social transformation and argues that a spirit of generosity is the best way to respond to injury.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Anger is a pervasive and widely accepted emotion that many believe is essential for caring about justice and vindicating oneself. It is often seen as a necessary tool for achieving personal growth and moving past injuries. However, in her book "Anger and Forgiveness," Martha C. Nussbaum argues that anger is conceptually confused and normatively harmful. She suggests that anger assumes that the suffering of the wrongdoer restores what was damaged and reveals an interest in relative status and humiliation. Nussbaum examines anger in various contexts, including intimate relationships, casual daily interactions, the workplace, the criminal justice system, and social movements for transformation. She argues that anger's core ideas are infantile and harmful and that forgiveness is not always the best way to transcend anger.

Nussbaum explores different conceptions of forgiveness in Jewish and Christian traditions and secular morality. She argues that some forms of forgiveness are ethically promising, but others can be subtle allies of retribution. Forgiveness that requires a performance of contrition and abasement as a condition of waiving angry feelings can be harmful. Instead, Nussbaum suggests that a spirit of generosity combined with reliance on impartial welfare-oriented legal institutions is the best way to respond to injury.

Nussbaum's view of anger and forgiveness offers a profound insight into both the personal and political realms. She challenges the notion that anger is necessary for achieving justice and suggests that it can be harmful and infantile. Instead, she advocates for a spirit of generosity and reliance on impartial institutions to respond to injury. This view of anger and forgiveness puts both in a startling new light and offers a valuable perspective for understanding and addressing social and political issues.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 145 x 227 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190907266