The Practical, the Political and the Ethical seminar series

The Duty to Accept Apologies

Cécile Fabre ( All Souls College, University of Oxford )

The literature on reparative justice focuses for the most part on the grounds and limits of wrongdoers' duties to their victims. An interesting but relatively neglected question is that of what victims owe to wrongdoers in return. In this paper, I argue that victims are under a duty to accept wrongdoers' apologies. To accept an apology is to form the belief that the apologetic utterance or gesture has the requisite verdictive, commissive and expressive dimensions. Having so construed the acceptance of apologies, I then defend the view that victims are under a moral duty to form the requisite belief at the bar of a Kantian requirement of respect for persons. A failure to accept an apology, when there is a duty of acceptance, is a doxastic wrong. I end the paper by considering two objections. The first objection is rooted in scepticism about doxastic wrongs in general, while the second objection purports to identify cases in which there is no duty to accept apologies.

This event will be broadcast live from Senate House via Zoom. If you choose to attend in person please adhere to the University of London guidance to wear face coverings at all times while in the building and maintain social distancing whenever possible. 

For those who intend to join virtually the link to the zoom meeting will be emailed to you upon registration.