Roots of Forgiveness

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, …

…solely to experience this self-gratification. If the latter is true, the act of forgiveness was not purely altruistic. Forgiveness can only be considered pro-social if the intentions of the forgiving person rested on alleviating stress caused by guilt within the offender- a truly selfless act. Whether administered with purely altruistic intentions or partial, the act of forgiveness is an essential facet of the civilized human conscience vital to the growth and preservation of modern society.