Collective Guilt and Collective Guilt Feelings

Abstract It has been claimed that collectives cannot feel guilt over what they have done. Yet in everyday discourse they may be said to feel guilt, among other emotions. This paper argues for a particular interpretation of everyday ascriptions of guilt feelings to groups, one that avoids the problematic assumption that there is a group consciousness or group “feeling-sensations” that exist independently of the conscious states of the group’s members. It begins by outlining an account of what it is for a collective to be guilty—the appropriate context for a collective feeling of guilt. Then three possible interpretations of ascriptions of guilt feelings to groups are assessed. A plural subject account, in terms of joint commitment, is preferred. The implications and possible effects of collective guilt feelings according to the plural subject account are discussed.