Burley, M (2013) Retributive karma and the problem of blaming the victim. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 74 (2). 149 - 165. ISSN 0020-7047
Abstract
A defining feature of retributive conceptions of karma is their regarding of suffering or misfortune as consequent upon sins committed in previous lives. Some critical non-believers in karma take offence at this view, considering it to involve unjustly blaming the victim. Defenders of the view demur, and argue that a belief in retributive karma in fact provides a motivation for benevolent action. This article elucidates the debate, showing that its depth is such that it is best characterized as a disagreement in form of life (in Wittgenstein's sense) rather than as a disagreement in opinions. Also briefly discussed is an example of a non-retributive form that belief in karma and reincarnation can take.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2012. This is an author produced version of a paper published in International Journal for Philosophy of Religion. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-012-9376-z |
Keywords: | Karma; Reincarnation; Blaming the victim; Arvind Sharma; Ludwig Wittgenstein; Hinduism; Buddhism |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science (Leeds) > Theology and Religious Studies (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 11 Nov 2015 11:52 |
Last Modified: | 15 Jan 2018 23:37 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-012-9376-z |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Verlag |
Identification Number: | 10.1007/s11153-012-9376-z |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:85287 |