I was wrong: the meanings of apologies PDF
Preview I was wrong: the meanings of apologies
P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 MMM This page intentionally left blank ii P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 I WAS WRONG: THE MEANINGS OF APOLOGIES Apologiespervadeournewsheadlinesandourprivateaffairs,buthowshould weevaluatetheseoftenvagueanddeceptiverituals?Discussingnumerousexam- plesfromancientandrecenthistory,IWasWrong:TheMeaningsofApologies argues that we suffer from considerable confusion about the moral meanings andsocialfunctionsofthesecomplexinteractions.Ratherthanaskingwhether aspeechact“isorisnot”anapology,Smithoffersanuancedtheoryofapologetic meaning.Smithleadsuswithaclearvoicethroughaseriesofrichphilosophi- calandinterdisciplinaryquestions,arguingthatapologieshaveevolvedfroma confluenceofdiverseculturalandreligiouspracticesthatdonottranslateeasily intopluralisticseculardiscourse.Afterdescribingseveralvarietiesofapologies between individuals, Smith turns to collectives. Although apologies from cor- porations,governments,andothergroupscanbeprofoundlysignificant,Smith guidesreaderstoappreciatethekindsofmeaningthatcollectiveapologiesoften donotconveyandwarnsofthedangersofcollectiveactsofcontritionthatallow individualwrongdoerstoobscuretheirpersonalblame. Dr.SmithisanassistantprofessorofphilosophyattheUniversityofNewHamp- shire.AgraduateofVassarCollege,heearnedalawdegreefromSUNYatBuffalo andaPh.D.inphilosophyfromVanderbiltUniversity.BeforecomingtoUNH, heworkedasalitigatorforLeBoeuf,Lamb,Greene,andMacRaeandasajudi- cial clerk for the Honorable R. L. Nygaard of the U.S. Court of Appeals for theThirdCircuit.Hespecializesinthephilosophyoflaw,politics,andsociety, andhewritesonandteachesaesthetics.HeisworkingwithCambridgeUniver- sityPressonthesequeltoIWasWrong,applyinghisframeworkforapologetic meanings to examples in criminal and civil law. His writings have appeared in journalssuchastheContinentalPhilosophyReview,SocialTheoryandPractice, TheJournalofSocialPhilosophy,Culture,Theory&Critique,theRutgersLaw Journal,andtheBuffaloLawReview. i P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 I Was Wrong: The Meanings of Apologies Nick Smith, J.D., Ph.D. UniversityofNewHampshire iii CAMBRIDGEUNIVERSITYPRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB28RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521865524 © Nick Smith 2008 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published in print format 2008 ISBN-13 978-0-511-39329-7 eBook (EBL) ISBN-13 978-0-521-86552-4 hardback ISBN-13 978-0-521-68423-1 paperback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 ForNicoleandUlysses “overandbeyondourselves inwhichourlovewilloutliveus” v P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 Pleaseforgiveme,sir, forgettinginvolved inthemusic— it’smyinnateweakness forthecello:sohuman. Pleaseforgiveme fortheattention I’vegivenyourwife tonight,sir. Iwastakenbyher strandofpearls, enchantedbypiano riffinthecortex, byasecret anticipation.Idon’tknow whatcameoverme,sir. AfterthreeJackDaniel’s youmustoverlook mycandor,mylackof sequitur. Icouldtalk aboutOdysseus &Athena,sexual flowers,autogamy orNothingness. Igotcarriedaway bytheswingofherhips. Buttakenooffense ifIreturntothematter asifhormonal. Imustconfess myloveforblacksilk,sir. Iapologizefor theeyesinmyhead. YusefKomunyakaa,“WheninRome–Apologia,”from NeonVernacular1 vi P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 Contents Acknowledgments page ix Introduction:ApologiesasaSourceofMoralMeaning inModernity 1 PartOne: ApologiesfromIndividuals 1 TheMeaningsofApologies 17 2 ElementsoftheCategoricalApology 28 A. CorroboratedFactualRecord 28 B. AcceptanceofBlame 33 1. DistinguishedfromExpressionofSympathy 33 2. CausationandMoralResponsibility 38 3. AccidentsandDenialsofIntent 46 4. Standing 52 C. IdentificationofEachHarm 55 D. IdentificationoftheMoralPrinciplesUnderlying EachHarm 57 E. EndorsingMoralPrinciplesUnderlyingEachHarm 59 F. RecognitionofVictimasMoralInterlocutor 64 G. CategoricalRegret 67 H. PerformanceoftheApology 74 I. ReformandRedress 80 J. IntentionsforApologizing 91 K. Emotions 96 3 ApologiesandGender 108 4 ApologiesinDiverseReligiousandCulturalTraditions 114 5 UnusualCases:ApologizingtoAnimals,Infants, Machines,theDeceased,andYourself 126 6 TheRelationshipbetweenApologiesandForgiveness 132 7 VarietiesofApologies 140 vii P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 viii CONTENTS PartTwo: CollectiveApologies 8 TheCollectiveCategoricalApology 155 9 TheProblemofConsensus 159 10 IssuesSpecifictoCollectiveApologies 167 A. CollectivesCorroboratingFactualRecords 167 B. CollectivesandBlame 173 1. DistinguishedfromCollectiveExpressionsof Sympathy 173 2. CollectiveCausationandCollectiveMoral Responsibility 175 3. CollectiveAccidentsandDenialsofIntent 204 4. Collectives,Standing,andDelegation 207 C. CollectivesIdentifyingEachHarm 221 D. CollectivesIdentifyingtheMoralPrinciples UnderlyingEachHarm 223 E. CollectivesEndorsingMoralPrinciplesUnderlying EachHarm 225 F. CollectivesRecognizingVictimsasMoral Interlocutors 227 G. CollectivesandCategoricalRegret 229 H. CollectivesPerformingApologies 232 I. CollectivesReformingandProvidingRedress 233 J. CollectiveIntentionsforApologizing 239 K. CollectiveEmotions 240 11 VarietiesofCollectiveApologies 245 Conclusion:PreviewingtheMeaningsofApologies inLaw 253 Notes 259 Index 293 P1:PjU 9780521865524pre CUFX247/Smith 9780521865524 January10,2008 11:14 Acknowledgments Itcanbeeasytoforgetwhatanextremeluxuryitistoworkasaprofessorof philosophy,especiallywhenwebecomehabituatedtoitsdailyroutines.As westareatourscreens,oftentiredandalone,wecanalsolosesightofwhat agreatprivilegeitistohaveone’sworkpublished,read,anddiscussed.The opportunitytofollowmymindandconscience,ratherthantheordersofan employer,hasbeenalife-defininggiftfrommanypeopleinmylife. Aboveallothers,Imustthankmywife,Nicole.BeforeIcametotheUni- versityofNewHampshirein2002,Iworkedasanattorneyatalargefirm in Manhattan. My career change meant not only a precipitous decline in ourfamily’sincome,butalsoamoveawayfromNicole’sbelovedhomecity, family, and friends. She embraced this transition with her usual enthusi- asm, and in her extraordinary work as a teacher at a local public elemen- tary school we share our commitments to social justice through education. Ihopethatourstudentsseeusasanexampleoftwopeopleenjoyingdeeply meaningfullivestogetherdoinginherentlyvaluablework.Inmanyrespects, my relationship with Nicole led me to the topic of apologies. We learn the mostaboutapologiesinintimateandvulnerablemoments,andmuchofthis bookexplainshowtheseinterpersonalmeaningsoftentranslatepoorlyinto axioms of social and political philosophy. Our relationship has been a lab- oratoryforapologies,notonlyinmyclumsyattemptstogetthemrightbut also through interacting with an exemplar of sincerity like Nicole. Nicole was also the closest reader of this book, saving readers from many ham- fisted,overwrought,andrepetitivepassages.Ourfirstchildwasbornduring the final stages of preparing the text, and my memories of Nicole cheer- fullyeditingthechaptersoncollectiveapologieswithUlyssesasleeponher lap evoke pangs of profound gratitude in me. She has made my life almost unbearablygood. Iwouldalsoliketothankmyparents,mygrandparents,mybrother,and his family. They always told me that white lie that I could be whatever I wanted when I grew up, but I doubt that they had philosophy professor in mind as one of the outcomes. They believe in me more than I believe in ix
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