Vindictiveness (the desire for revenge) is commonly condemned as irrational, immoral, and deserving of no place in civilized legal systems. It is here argued that this condemnation may be hasty - may often reflect more what we think we ought to say than what we actually feel and believe. After an attempt to rehabilitate, at least partially, the reputation of the vindictive passions, the article closes with some serious cautions with respect to the ultimate legitimacy of acting upon these passions.
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