The nature of reactive practices: Exploring Strawson\'s expressivism

Abstract

I aim to answer the questions of whether reactive practices such as gratitude
and punishment are inherently expressive, and, if so, in what respect. I distinguish
seven ways in which one might plausibly characterise reactive practices as essentially expressive in nature, and organise them so that they progress in a dialectical order, from weakest to strongest. I then critically discuss objections that apply to the strongest conception, questioning whether it coheres with standard retributive understandings of why, when and where the reactive practice of punishment is justified.

South African Journal of Philosophy Vol. 27 (3) 2008: pp. 227-241