Justice - Is it universal or dictated by our circumstances?

[Sandinista]

I think the problem with the term "Justice" is that it's an inherently subjective concept. It's something people "feel" and you cannot define. The closest definition I can think of it is "making things right with victims" but that is in itself problematic.

For example, if a drunk driver killed your mom, a judge may decide, following the law of the land, that the driver was not of "sound mind" when he killed your mom and therefore he will be charged with manslaughter (10-12 years in prison) rather than murder (life in prison or death sentence).

Now someone might say "Justice has been served" but has it? You may feel that nothing can ever be done to the driver that would make things right again and therefore, no justice is really possible.

Feel me?

 

[Kai]

imo, i believe humans do have an innate feeling of justice especially once they try to make meaning of their existence. but i don't feel that justice is innate in the the universe since everything is nothingness and meaningless. existence itself is uncaring, so there is no objective good or bad or justice/injustice, everything just is. i feel the only way to not succumb to the nihilism that rises from the realization of the meaninglessness of life is to try despite that to define some meaning for yourself. in that sense i feel people do strive for justice. it's a way to bring some semblance of meaning and order to the disorder

 

[aneed123]

Ain't no justice.. the folk making and enforcing so called justice break the laws and manipulate the system.

 

[The_Jackal]

Michel Foucault was honestly the WOAT philosoher. I know alot if people jump on Nietzsche but he was completely correct on hiw Justice and Will is intertwined.

 

[jono]

imo, i believe humans do have an innate feeling of justice especially once they try to make meaning of their existence. but i don't feel that justice is innate in the the universe since everything is nothingness and meaningless. existence itself is uncaring, so there is no objective good or bad or justice/injustice, everything just is. i feel the only way to not succumb to the nihilism that rises from the realization of the meaninglessness of life is to try despite that to define some meaning for yourself. in that sense i feel people do strive for justice. it's a way to bring some semblance of meaning and order to the disorder

I meant innate in humans and universe as in across all cultures. I get your drift.

 

[jono]

I think the problem with the term "Justice" is that it's an inherently subjective concept. It's something people "feel" and you cannot define. The closest definition I can think of it is "making things right with victims" but that is in itself problematic.

For example, if a drunk driver killed your mom, a judge may decide, following the law of the land, that the driver was not of "sound mind" when he killed your mom and therefore he will be charged with manslaughter (10-12 years in prison) rather than murder (life in prison or death sentence).

Now someone might say "Justice has been served" but has it? You may feel that nothing can ever be done to the driver that would make things right again and therefore, no justice is really possible.

Feel me?

True to a degree.

We also have vengeance out there. Using your example, a guy getting 12 years for a manslaughter can be taken multiple ways.

The victim's family

The purp and his family

The law

The judge

Everyone is going to have a unique perspective based on their circumstance at the time.

The purp may claim 12 years is too much

At the same time, if he were the victim he might not think so

 

[Plutarch]

I'm not entirely sure whether I fully understand you question, but to answer it directly, I'd say that justice, like others have pointed out, is not universal. And even if it was, we seem to not have a solid understanding of that universality.

So then, it must be circumstantial, as many, if not all, things are. All of the conditions you mentioned - age, gender, class, culture, religion, politics, etc. - make it circumstantial. Regardless, we can try our best to carve out a version of justice that strives to be perfect. In this regard, we have succeeded and failed in many ways.

And justice =/= revenge. Many people equate the two and actually claim the latter when they say they claim the former. In some cases, revenge is antithetical to justice.

 

[BiblicalAtheist]

I think its innate because even babies will cry if you unjustly snatch something from them. Or it is something that comes to our awareness little by lil as we grow and encounter more of life or more injustices. It can be nurtured or smothered out or a combination of the both torn between two words kind of thing.

 

[blacktux]

Completely circumstancial because a persons perception of justice is framed by their morals.

 

[leftcoastkev]

Somebody once said something like one nations hero is another nations terrorist.

If I'm rich and you rob and kill me, take my riches, and build your legacy with it, build a life and substantiate yourself....your kids (totally innocent) would feel injustice if my kids take it back from them. My kids may feel it's justice. Your kids grew up used to the lifestyle provided by the original injustice inflicted upon me and my kids....

The original injustice above was clear....but overtime what's justice and injustice becomes situational and open to a persons perception.

 

[AZTG]

People will sit and say killing is universally wrong, and then sit and justify when killing is right.

With that said though, I dont think its one or the other. I think its more of a combination of both. The scale of which side holds more weight varies from person to person as well so its hard to pick one side.