Excusableness

/ɪkˈskjuːzəbəlnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality of being excusable; the degree to which something deserves forgiveness or can be pardoned.

Etymology

From excusable + -ness, a Germanic suffix (Old English -nes) that transforms adjectives into abstract nouns. This is synonymous with excusability but uses a more Germanic rather than Latinate construction.

Kelly Says

Philosophers wrestling with moral responsibility often use the term excusableness to distinguish between actions we can forgive (like a child's rudeness) and those we cannot (like deliberate cruelty), showing that forgiveness isn't automatic.

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