Forgiveness and Retribution

Résumé

Many philosophers have recently claimed that unless certain conditions are met, criminal offenders deserve to be punished and we should resent those who have wronged us personally. Conversely, Margaret Holmgren posits that we should forgive those who have ill-treated us, but only after working through a process of addressing the wrong. Holmgren then reflects on the kinds of laws and social practices a properly forgiving society would adopt.