I Was Wrong: The Meanings of Apologies

311 Pages·2008·1.06 MB·English

by  Nick Smith

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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.
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I Was Wrong: The Meanings
of Apologies
Nick Smith, J.D., Ph.D.
UniversityofNewHampshire
iii
CAMBRIDGEUNIVERSITYPRESS
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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-13 978-0-511-39474-4 eBook (NetLibrary)
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.
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ForNicoleandUlysses
“overandbeyondourselves
inwhichourlovewilloutliveus”
v
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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
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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
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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
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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
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