Many today equate the subject of justice with the mechanics of the judicial system of law: the whole and entire compendium of law and order comprising the pursuit of criminals and the application of appropriate punishments. To varying degrees, lesser and greater this is in part true, although this represents only one aspect of justice; there is a deeper and more meaningful aspect of this term. So, what is the root, core and meaning of justice, and can we adopt and employ it as a practical method or tool in our daily lives? This short erudite article investigates justice as a social and political phenomena, and suggests means for its practical implementation.
Justice is the principle question and theme within the book ‘The Republic’ by the Greek philosopher Plato, written approximately 380 BC. In Greek the term ‘republic’ is ‘politeia’ which is translated as ‘political system’ and the book takes the form of a dinner-party discursive dialog with Socrates (as the main character) together with several Athenian citizens and foreigners. They play their time assessing the role that justice as a principle works in law, life and politics. This book is not concerned with conservative or republican politics but rather a commentary on the order, constitution and character of political organization from varying perspectives. The basis of this article is founded on the central themes within the ‘Republic’ and I earnestly advise my readers to consult the book itself for more detailed analysis and information. Despite the apparent antiquity of the book, it still contains many themes and arguments relevant to us today in general political life.
I do not want to delve too deeply into the many and main arguments of ‘The Republic’ but sufficeth to say in conclusion that justice is preferable to injustice in political life. Injustice is fueled by greed, corruption, and the desire for unmediated power. Injustice breeds inequality purely on the basis of power and wealth. Justice on the other hand is inspired by the love of and pursuit of knowledge, nature and truth, to serve the nation and its citizens with absolute devotion. Justice is, in the minds of Plato and Socrates the ‘rule of the just’ and the just are defined as philosophers or individuals who ‘love knowledge.’ Socrates thus defines the ideal (just) ruler of a nation as a ‘philosopher-king’ which we may interpret in modern language either as a monarch or more aptly as a statesman. Justice is there employed by the knowing ruler as a means of political governance which demands impartiality, objectivity, truthfulness, integrity and in the words of Socrates; ‘justice supports the three other cardinal virtues which are temperance, virtue and courage.’ In conclusion we gather that in order for the political entity (the monarch, president, statesman, prime minister or other) to govern with justice he/she must act without concern for personal gain, whose every intention, thought, action and method must be based upon their complete and profound dedication to service to the nation and its citizens.
I have yet to actually define justice, and here I will: justice in the classical sense is a form of philosophy or method of thinking. It is, as I have previously mentioned, no less than a pure love for knowledge. This method of thought properly employed informs our understanding of the world and influences our decisions and ultimate actions. Our sense of justice develops as we are educated and we learn, and form balanced opinions in various related matters to our existence, and our relationship to and with all things. Therefore I can say that there are three essential components to justice: truth, nature and knowledge.
If we stand in a court of law preparing to submit evidence in a trial (for example), before all those present including the ministers of the court, the judge and the jury, we take a solemn and binding oath: “I promise that I shall tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” We are committed to bearing witness to all the aspects of truth as we see it, we do not lie or invent a falsehood, we do not conjure up a fantastic version of the events, create myths or fables or parables. We pass on only our view of the events as a living witness to the actual reality as we perceive it. Truth may not be absolute, our perception may be fragmentary but it is our one and only account without deviation.
Nature signifies the core meaning of a thing, the deepest and most profound explanation of an entity. To arrive at this core understanding we must strip the object of our attention from all surface meanings until we arrive at the center. Thus from careful and precise methods of analysis we reduce the term justice to its basic meaning, we find that it is ‘a perfectly balanced conclusion of diverse element or opposing forces.’ Which is to say that it is an opinion derived only after a complete and exhaustive process of research and enquiry. Justice can never be an assumption, an uninformed opinion, the view of only one facet of an argument: it must take into consideration all possible avenues and explore all the angles of the subject matter. This is the veritable aspect of nature in the process of justice.
Knowledge is the last aspect of justice. We accumulate knowledge through years of prolonged and intensive research and study. It is not only that, but also the knowledge gained from the practice of working, living and being in the world, also from observation and experience. Knowledge is the basis and foundation of our understanding correctly, it increases as we progress through life and learn from past and prior mistakes in order (in the future) to make the ‘wise’ choice and not to repeat errors of judgment. In this sense knowledge is related to wisdom, for wisdom is the scholarly form of knowledge. When a medical scientist is attempting to discover the remedy to an infectious and deadly disease they must adopt a clarified and methodical process of analysis, both to understand the means of operation the virus uses, and how best to combat the virus effectively. Through a complete sequence of highly detailed experiments they attempt to solve this problem. Each experiment involves their base knowledge of virology, medicine, science, mathematics, physics, biology, previous articles of research into the matter by other experts in the field and a host of techniques, equipment and specialized tools in their efforts. No doctor would assume that simply by messing around in a laboratory they would unintentionally and accidentally come across a cure. So, in this example we have a definition of knowledge; the sum total of our education, skills, and capabilities employed in a methodical and logical manner.
My conclusion is that justice is not an inherent characteristic of human behavior but an ideal that must be aimed for with unrelenting dedication. On a most practical level we can use a sense of justice by not jumping to immediate conclusions in any matter, not before collecting all the available facts regarding the issue. Justices means dealing fairly and equitably and equally with each other; presenting and awarding truthful testimony in all matters. Amongst politicians, whatever their title and role we demand that they govern with the tools of truth, nature and knowledge as I defined above. In this respect we cannot accept any politician who hides or distorts the truth for their own gain, who treats one group of citizens more favorably than another, bit who is perfectly equitable in all their motives, intentions and actions. Corruption and deviancy are the antithesis of just actions.
All Rights Reserved/Copyright 2017 David John Drew
