{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38601"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38601","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge","abstract":"In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned.","abstract_html":"In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Turner, Russell Jonathan"],"institution":"Department of Philosophy","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Smith, Shawn"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1996,"date_issued":"1996","date_published":"1996","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:09Z","subjects":["Philosophy"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38601","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Smith, Shawn"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Turner, Russell Jonathan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2023-09-14T09:24:46Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-09-14T09:24:46Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1996"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Philosophy"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MA"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38601"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Smith, Shawn"],"dc:creator":["Turner, Russell Jonathan"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-09-14T09:24:46Z"],"dc:date.available":["2023-09-14T09:24:46Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1996"],"dc:description.abstract":["In this thesis I examine in detail the retributive emotions, or the retributive urge, which typically precede retributive punishment. The four main chapters are dedicated to individual issues regarding the retributive urge: its genealogy, its schematic structure, its rationality, and its moral status. These issues draw together three philosophical fields: emotion theory, virtue ethics, and sociobiology. My conclusions are as follows. (1) Retribution and revenge are distinct forms of behaviour with different emotional bases. (2) The retributive urge has a genetic heritage, and evolved as a means to aid survival in the face of environmental pressures. (3) It consists of a complex conglomeration of components provided by its three constituent emotions: anger, fear, and disgust. (4) The common perception that the retributive urge is irrational is unjustified. (5) The manifestation of the retributive emotions suggests a virtuous character. Hence these -emotions should be encouraged within reason, rather than repressed or condemned."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38601"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Philosophy"],"dc:subject":["Philosophy"],"dc:title":["The light in the darkness: an assessment of the retributive urge"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MA"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:09Z"}