Events

Dec
8
Fri
2023
Max Lewis (McGill U. & CRÉ) @ Room: W-5305, 5th floor, Pavillon Thérèse-Casgrain (W), UQAM
Dec 8 @ 15:00 – 17:00
Max Lewis (McGill U. & CRÉ) @ Room: W-5305, 5th floor, Pavillon Thérèse-Casgrain (W), UQAM

As part of GRIN’s conferences, Max Lewis will present on “The Power to Forgive Debts of Gratitude.”

To participate via Zoom, clic here.

Abstract

It is a commonplace that benefactors do not have the normative power to forgive or waive debts of gratitude. I argue that this commonplace is mistaken. I argue that this normative power follows from the same considerations that support the existence of other normative powers (e.g., consent). In particular, having the power to waive debts of gratitude is necessary for the possibility of forging and maintaining the kinds of meaningful and minimally morally decent personal relationships that we value greatly. If we could not waive debts of gratitude, then we would not be able to forge and maintain such relationships. But, clearly, we can do this, so we must have the power to forgive debts of gratitude. I then argue that the canonical way of explaining why we have normative powers, plausibly explains why we have this power. The explanation is that we have an important interest in living autonomously, i.e., being able to be (part) author of our own lives by freely choosing from amongst various, diverse, and morally decent options without being coerced or manipulated.

Mar
27
Wed
2024
Tom Angier (U. of Cape Town) @ Salle 309, 3e étage, UdeM - Mode hybride
Mar 27 @ 12:00 – 13:15
Tom Angier (U. of Cape Town) @ Salle 309, 3e étage, UdeM - Mode hybride

At the initiative of Yann Allard-Tremblay, Tom Angier (University of Cape Town) will give us a presentation. More information to come.
To participate by Zoom, it’s here.