Some philosophies emphasize the overcoming of the passions.  So, for example, if I go from anger to a neutral emotional stance, then I have conquered the emotion of anger, and it will not hurt me.  How is forgiveness different from this?

Forgiveness, while also focusing on the diminishing of anger, does so for a very different reason than what you describe above.  In genuine forgiveness, the forgiver reduces anger for the sake of the one who acted unjustly so that this person is not harmed.  Even more deeply than this, the forgiver strives, as an important endpoint of forgiveness on its highest level, to offer love (agape love) toward the other.  Agape is a special kind of love that is in service to others, even when it is very challenging or even painful to do so.  This is done for the other.  So, I hope you see that conquering anger for the sake of oneself is not the same as true forgiveness in its essence and on its highest level.

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directorifi
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