guilt
Let an agent handle guilt as an emotion, a legal status and a reasoning fallacy, supportively and neutrally, routing distress to help.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle guilt as an emotion, a legal status and a reasoning fallacy, supportively and neutrally, routing distress to help.
A feeling of responsibility or remorse for a real or imagined wrongdoing; the word also has a legal sense (being found responsible for an offence) and appears in the fallacy of guilt by association.
What it is for: Guilt motivates repair and moral behaviour; excessive guilt can harm well-being.
It can be describe guilt and its functions; distinguish guilt from shame; recognise guilt by association fallacies; find support when guilt is overwhelming.
Distinguishing features
Self-conscious emotion
Focus on actions rather than self
Legal guilt is a court finding
Can be excessive
What it looks like
Not visible; felt and expressed in words and behaviour.
How it is recognised
Emotional guilt
Legal guilt determined by courts
Collective guilt debates
Related models
is a kind of - category
is contrasted with - emotion
is determined in law by - legal sense
is related to - reasoning
In practice
Families and kinds
adaptive guilt
excessive or pathological guilt
survivor guilt
collective guilt
legal guilt
Standards and regulation
Presumption of innocence (legal)
Failure modes and hazards
Missing distress or self-harm risk
Presuming legal guilt before a court finding
Assigning collective guilt
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.guilt-feeling
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Emotion Feeling guilty.
Guilt can be healthy or harmful.
Function
Purpose.
Function
Function.
- How does psychology describe guilt and its functions? provenance
- How does it differ from shame? definition
Distress
Support.
Distress
Distress.
- Is the person overwhelmed by guilt and in need of support or crisis services? boundary
- Which service fits? action
Law Legal guilt.
Guilt in law is decided by courts.
Finding
Verdicts.
Finding
Legal finding.
- Has a court actually found the person guilty? provenance
- Is the presumption of innocence respected? boundary
Advice
No legal advice.
Advice
Advice limit.
- Is the user asking for legal advice on a case? boundary
- How should the agent refer them? action
Reasoning Fallacies.
Guilt by association is a fallacy.
Fallacy
Association.
Fallacy
Guilt by association.
- Does the argument rely on guilt by association? boundary
- What evidence is actually offered? provenance
Collective
Groups.
Collective
Collective guilt.
- Is guilt being assigned to a whole group? boundary
- Are views on collective responsibility attributed neutrally? boundary
Repair Making amends.
Guilt can motivate repair.
Amends
Actions.
Amends
Making amends.
- What constructive steps could address the wrong? action
- Is an apology appropriate? definition
Survivor guilt
After loss.
Survivor
Survivor guilt.
- Is survivor guilt involved after a loss or disaster? boundary
- Where can bereavement or trauma support be found? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should legal and emotional senses be separate entries?
- How should support services be localised?
- How should collective guilt debates be presented?