Modern social philosophy generally rejects the very idea of revenge as irrational and always unjustified. Immanuel Kant declares the latter justified and required by reason, but he dismisses the former entirely. Robert Nozick similarly suggests that revenge is emotional and merely personal, while retribution is justifiable and impersonal. In fact, revenge is sometimes justified and often deliberative, and it is a much debated question to what extent revenge should be part of the purpose of punishment in the criminal law. Nor should revenge be viewed as simply a raw, unreasonable emotion.
Revenge is a dish, says one ancient proverb, which is 'best served cold'.
Retribution Bloomsbury Thematic Dictionary of Quotations 2. forgiveness The Oxford Companion to Philosophy 3. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy 4. All rights reserved.