Roots of Forgiveness
The fact that human beings have become and remain the dominant life forms on this planet rests not solely on the fact that we possess a larger, more complex brain, but on those higher cognitive functions which that brain provides. One of the most distinguishing of these is forgiveness, an act that is virtually non-existent among other animals. The act of forgiveness can be explained using many psychological theories ranging from psychoevolutionary, to cognitive, to social-learning. However, before any explanation can be given, it is necessary to describe those events prior to forgiveness. If you're in the position to forgive or not forgive a person, that person has undoubtedly caused you distress in some specific manner. Distress is described as a negative response to stress, while stress is regarded as a set of neurophysiological reactions that exist to serve an adaptive purpose. The work of Hans Selye provided the base for many of today's theories regarding stress. Selye described a three-stage General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to illustrate the body's response to stressors. In the initial stage of alarm, the body recognizes the stressor and gathers resources to assist in a fight or flight situation. I
To some, the refusal of forgiveness not only administers a punishment for the offending action, but also insures against repeat offenses for fear of further punishment. Though possibly effective, these tactics are not only selfish, but coercive as well, asserting power to the person refusing to forgive. Such attitudes contribute nothing positive to the future of society: most notably our children. The social-learning theory describes three types of punishments and their effects on the moral development of our children: power assertion, love withdrawal, and induction. Power assertion, according to this theory, leads to low levels of moral development, while love withdrawal leads to higher levels at an inconsistent frequency. The only type of punishment that leads to a high level of moral development with consistency is induction, which occurs when an explanation is given to the offender for why their behavior has caused offense. This explanation causes guilt in the offender (providing he/she is not a sociopath incapable of such an emotion). In these modern times, however, with the population expanded hundreds of times more, the alienation of one person is much more acceptable regardless of what they can provide because there is always someone else to provide the same skills. Therefore, some people choose not to forgive those who have wronged them as a means of punishment for their actions. The question exists then: are we justified in not forgiving someone who is blame-worthy? As stated previously, forgiveness is just one of the many traits that distinguish the human conscience as superior to other animals, though it is assumed that this act evolved with us over time. Prior to civilization, man existed as a nomadic hunter relying only on himself to survive. If he were threatened, he would instinctively insure his territory and survival by eliminating the threat. However, as humans evolved into hunter-gatherers they began to realize the importance of the group over the individual. Specialization of s
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1362
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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