“And you, Brutus?” Blame in Personal Relationships

Irwin Chan, Philosophy
Coach House, Green College, UBC
Monday, March 6, 8-9 pm

When we blame our friend for back-stabbing, our sibling for not helping us when we are in need, or our partner for breaking an important promise, what exactly are we doing? Some philosophers argue that when we blame someone, we are being angry at them in some specific way. Others argue that we may blame someone by coldly walking away from the relationship.

But is this really how we blame in personal relationships? Don’t we blame those close to us with emotions? And don’t we blame them with a rich set of emotions? Not just anger, but also disappointment, hurt feelings, and sadness? Irwin Chan will discuss in this talk what blame in personal relationships is like. Chan will also suggest in this lecture that philosophers should recognize the relationship-dependency of blame and the importance of blame in personal relationships.