Guilt

Guilt is a word describing many concepts related to a negative emotion or condition caused by actions which are, or are believed to be, morally wrong.

Definitions of guilt

In psychology

In psychology and ordinary language, guilt is simply a negative affective state in which one experiences regret at having done something one believes one should not have done. Guilt and its causes, merits, and demerits is a common theme in psychology and psychiatry. It is often associated with depression.

Related Topics:
Psychology - Regret - Psychiatry - Depression

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In criminal law

In criminal law, sometimes in individual and religious moral codes, and more rarely in systems of ethics (either as a philosophical discipline or in ethical codes and professions relying on them), guilt is a concept similar to the economic concept of debt. Actions of low or negative legal value that cause damage on the object, put an equal amount of guilt on the agent. Value theory addresses these questions directly.

Related Topics:
Criminal law - Moral code - Ethics - Ethical code - Economic - Debt - Value theory

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The relationship between guilt, social trust and the law is complex. A nearly universal notion is that guilt cannot accrue by ignorance except remarkably by ignorance of the law - giving law special status in any ontology. This notion alone explains why religious moral codes and the legal codes of civilizations have tended to evolve closely together.

Related Topics:
Social trust - Ignorance - Ignorance of the law - Ontology - Moral code - Legal code - Civilization

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