Offense, Forgiveness, and the Gift

Forgiveness is often presented as the ultimate antidote for revenge, yet the process of its implementation is seldom questioned. What are the conditions of true forgiveness i.e. that allow for sustainable relationships based on reciprocal gift-giving practices? This article examines this question by first turning to Jankelevitch, whose work helps define the theoretical contours of forgiveness and identify the factors which favor its emergence. The discussion then distances itself from Jankelevitch and his disembodied conception of forgiveness and argues instead in favor of a humbler conception of forgiveness, one in which betting on the future transforms the offender into a gift-giver, thereby opening onto a renewed cycle of the gift.