P. S. Greenspan, "Guilt and Virtue," Journal of Philosophy, 91 (1994), 57-70
Abstract
Feelings of guilt have a role to play in moral philosophy as
a link between the ethics of virtue and duty. They allow for a
notion of imperfect virtue as something still achievable despite
serious moral lapses in the past. They also would seem to be
required by perfect virtue in response to a moral dilemma.
The
defense of guilt in a case of dilemma has implications for virtue
ethics insofar as it yields a distinction between an agent's
character and his record of moral action--and an asymmetrical
justificatory treatment of guilt versus other-directed variants
of emotional
blame.
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