Just Me..

To get more specific concerning justice, we have to look at certain criteria: What kind of actions we are talking about, at what point we find justice and what are the extremes. We might be taking it too far or not far enough. In this way it is similar to the preceding discussions.

When we talk about someone being just, we consider a sort of person that would do what is just because one wants to. An unjust person wouldn't have much of a desire for justice. Some treat justice like a math equation where precise answers are possible under every condition. But in reality we are taking an Ideal and looking at where things get off base. We see examples instead of equations. Everyone knows what a healthy person is and will want to emulate health. There really isn't a desirable contrary at all. The interest is more about achieving the ideal of health rather than the exceptions.  

Sometimes the contrary shines a light on the ideal and we focus on how we don’t want to be. Other times it is recognized when we see the ideal in others and we see how we want to be. A person might dislike being flabby and want to become a little more firm or might want to be buff like a body builder.  How high the ideal is will also be the same for the contrary. Being out of shape has a different meaning for either state. It is the same way for justice. Words also have different meanings. The word “shot” could be from a gun a glass or mean something is worn out.

So there is no misunderstanding let’s find a starting point: Unlawful and greedy unfair people are considered unjust. So it would follow that law abiding and fair people are considered just. But what is the greedy person grasping at?

Seeking prosperity and avoiding adversity is always considered a good thing. But it doesn't always produce good for everyone. People seek goods and pray for them but really shouldn't. They should pray for things that are good for them. An unjust person views lesser things in life as something to be obtained and grasps at them at the expense of truly good things. Since good people also desire them, this person feels justified while making his life miserable. Life seems unfair to him and so he thinks it is just to be unfair to others.

A lawless man is one that breaks the communities laws. Laws are in general made to encourage justice between citizens. Therefore a lawless man is considered unjust. The law is there to produce and preserve happiness by penalizing vice and encouraging virtue. The brave, temperate and faithful shouldn't worry about breaking laws. Well thought out laws will do this but the hastily made ones don’t.  So the spirit of laws should always be virtue but it isn't absolute. It can be said that in justice every virtue is comprehended. Laws should be an exercise of complete virtue. It helps people to be fair to others and not just themselves. The focus of justice is in relation to other’s happiness and not just our own. Since virtue is the best state a person can be, justice entails all virtue. But it isn't virtue itself since it always includes one’s neighbors. It is this kind of justice according to virtue that we are investigating.

If a person commits wrongdoing but doesn't have a bad motive, we are more apt to give him a pass. For example a person who runs out of fear, speaks harshly out of a bad temper or ignores a need because he is frugal. The vices mentioned here are injustices toward the virtues of courage, temperance and liberality. Inside injustices there are worse states than others. A person who commits adultery to make money is different than one who does it out of passion. One would be considered unjust and unlawful because of the gain while the other is self-indulgent. There is injustice that is always related to a particular vice such as adultery to self-indulgence, desertion to cowardice and physical violence to anger. But there is also a broad sense of injustice that has to do with ripping others off. This person wants money, safety, honor or all of them. The pleasure of getting these things is his real motive. We can see that there is one form of justice that is connected to the many virtues and another that is distinct from them that is connected with the vice greed. How can we make things equal in a society? That will be the next subject.