What is Justice?
January 3, 2012 at 4:57 pm
(This post was last modified: January 3, 2012 at 6:44 pm by Perhaps.)
I'm currently re-reading the Republic by Plato and I've come across this quite mesmerizing topic of justice. Many people have different opinions on the topic, and most are very passionate about it, so I would like to pose the question here, on these forums, to all who are interested in answering.
What is justice to you? Is there a specific analogy you use when describing it to yourself or others? Are there specific instances in history which have changed your opinion? Is your definition of justice altered by your perception of morality?
I'm eager to hear your responses.
As a side note: I've always been amazed at the humility one can gain from talking to children, and this happened to me, once again, while asking this question to my 13 year old sister. At first she seemed very confused, as I expected she would be, but then she responded with one word - freedom. I asked her what she meant, and she went on to explain that justice is freedom from something. I was still confused so I asked her to dumb it down for me or use an example. She brought up the Casey Anthony trial, and said that Casey Anthony got justice - she was free from being accused of something she didn't do. I then asked her what about the people who believe that she is guilty of the crime she was accused of? My sister responded by saying that they didn't get justice - they were not free from the feeling that Casey Anthony committed the crime and was guilty. Without me asking her another question she said further, justice is a personal thing. Such a simple answer, to what I made to be a complex question...
Her confidence in her answer gave me shutters down my spine. Regardless of whether she is right or wrong, her humility and sincerity struck me. I could see her side of the question, but I was still left with a feeling of 'there has to be more to it' and thus, I posted this thread.
Second Edit: I then asked my father, whom I respect greatly, the same question. His answer was twofold: Justice is the following of established rules. Justice is also the correct consequence given or received for following said rules. He objectified something which my young sister thought to be subjective. I was amazed that this was possible - to take a simple word and form definitions which don't necessarily coincide with one another. I'm still left with the question where these rules come from, and how they are determined to be just - something my father's definition does not capture.
What is justice to you? Is there a specific analogy you use when describing it to yourself or others? Are there specific instances in history which have changed your opinion? Is your definition of justice altered by your perception of morality?
I'm eager to hear your responses.
As a side note: I've always been amazed at the humility one can gain from talking to children, and this happened to me, once again, while asking this question to my 13 year old sister. At first she seemed very confused, as I expected she would be, but then she responded with one word - freedom. I asked her what she meant, and she went on to explain that justice is freedom from something. I was still confused so I asked her to dumb it down for me or use an example. She brought up the Casey Anthony trial, and said that Casey Anthony got justice - she was free from being accused of something she didn't do. I then asked her what about the people who believe that she is guilty of the crime she was accused of? My sister responded by saying that they didn't get justice - they were not free from the feeling that Casey Anthony committed the crime and was guilty. Without me asking her another question she said further, justice is a personal thing. Such a simple answer, to what I made to be a complex question...
Her confidence in her answer gave me shutters down my spine. Regardless of whether she is right or wrong, her humility and sincerity struck me. I could see her side of the question, but I was still left with a feeling of 'there has to be more to it' and thus, I posted this thread.
Second Edit: I then asked my father, whom I respect greatly, the same question. His answer was twofold: Justice is the following of established rules. Justice is also the correct consequence given or received for following said rules. He objectified something which my young sister thought to be subjective. I was amazed that this was possible - to take a simple word and form definitions which don't necessarily coincide with one another. I'm still left with the question where these rules come from, and how they are determined to be just - something my father's definition does not capture.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
