I agree with Scanlon that blame is more than the surface valuation
of reactive attitude or negative assessment of someone’s character. If I understood him correctly, blameworthiness
indicates that the action performed and the reasons correlating to that action
impairs or damages one’s personal relationship with that person. To take it a step further, this action causes
what I will call the ‘victim’ to think of their relationship with the doer in
an altered way (however large or small the response may be). I think this is the fullest and most comprehensive
argument Scanlon has given us to date however I do still have a slight qualm
with it.
If blameworthiness depends on the reasons for which a person
acts, and the correctness of the response of the victim depends on the
significance of the personal relationship with the doer, then sanction does
seem to be a pertinent way to define the response that follows a blameworthy
action. Is it not true that when a
blameworthy action is done, depending on the intent and circumstances, it is frequently
appropriate for a punishment to be implemented?
Whether that punishment is a hard action or more of a soft drifting of a
friendship, the negative consequences (or responses) to a blameworthy action
can be defined as a punishment or sanction. Yes, blame in and of itself is more than just this aspect - however if blame is a ‘negative assessment added to someone’s moral record’ as
Scanlon suggests, I do not think he can discount punishment and sanctions as not being an integral part of blame.
I really like your argument, however I would like to add another element to it. I believe that blame can be used to punish but in doing so blame is also being used to teach. An integral part of blame that Scanlon fails to address is the fact that blame can be used to teach people what is right and wrong. On a very basic level, when a child steals and is scolded, they are being blamed for what happened (although I will concede that it is less than they would be blamed if they were a more knowing adult). Through this scolding and blame that child is learning that stealing is wrong. Through feeling the negative impacts of disappointment by the parents on the relationship between them and the child, they are being taught why stealing is wrong and how it affects relationships. This also works in the example that Scanlon brought up about the friend that talks behind a friends back. When they face the consequences to their relationship they will learn that it was a wrong thing to do and will adjust their behavior in the future. Blame can be used as a tool to teach as well as a punishment.
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