In this chapter, the author proposes a psychoanalytic distinction between revenge and punishment. Punishment is conceptualized as a form of violence exerted by an authority-holder against a subordinate due to the latter’s not having complied with a command or wish of the former. Instead, revenge is conceptualized as a form of violence exerted by an individual against another outside any authority relationship. After conceptualizing punishment and revenge the author shows that: (1) the same act may be caused by both an urge for punishment and one for revenge; (2) composition is possible only in the case of an urge for revenge; (3) a form of composition can be the establishment of a new authority relationship (composition-by-submission); (4) expiation, or atonement, cannot be regarded as a form of composition; (5) guilt always involves—at least at an unconscious level—the establishment of a new authority relationship; (6) the term “authorized revenge” may be referred to quite heterogenous phenomena.

On Revenge and Punishment : Arguments for a Crucial Distinction / E. Fittipaldi (IUS GENTIUM). - In: Vindicatory Justice : Beyond Law and Revenge / [a cura di] R. Márquez Porras, R. Mazzola, I. Terradas Saborit. - [s.l] : Springer, 2022. - ISBN 978-3-030-79594-8. - pp. 69-80 [10.1007/978-3-030-79595-5_4]

On Revenge and Punishment : Arguments for a Crucial Distinction

E. Fittipaldi
2022

Abstract

In this chapter, the author proposes a psychoanalytic distinction between revenge and punishment. Punishment is conceptualized as a form of violence exerted by an authority-holder against a subordinate due to the latter’s not having complied with a command or wish of the former. Instead, revenge is conceptualized as a form of violence exerted by an individual against another outside any authority relationship. After conceptualizing punishment and revenge the author shows that: (1) the same act may be caused by both an urge for punishment and one for revenge; (2) composition is possible only in the case of an urge for revenge; (3) a form of composition can be the establishment of a new authority relationship (composition-by-submission); (4) expiation, or atonement, cannot be regarded as a form of composition; (5) guilt always involves—at least at an unconscious level—the establishment of a new authority relationship; (6) the term “authorized revenge” may be referred to quite heterogenous phenomena.
Revenge; Punishment; Composition; Expiation; Submission
Settore IUS/20 - Filosofia del Diritto
2022
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/885013
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