If you ask what justice is, almost everyone has a different answer. Why is that?

Question

Over 2000 years ago a clever chap once asked this question.
Why is it taking so long to figure out the answer?

Answer 1

Because the subject isn't formally or explicitly taught until a person reaches higher education, and only then if they choose a course that includes it in the curriculum.

So the vast majority of people young and old are academically ignorant and rather dangerously left to their own to decide what justice is.

And this is deliberate. Because that's how best to weild power over people. Folks who're not taught the basics in power-weilding concepts, techniques and delivery will be SUBJECT to justice rather than a creator of justice.

Answer 2

Some people confuse revenge with justice. Revenge is based on an emotional reaction to something that happened where you have been wronged. Justice is the logical and fair approach that is supposed to be there to balance out the act and give the punishment to suit the crime (hence the scales of justice). The difficulty lies in the human element - it is near impossible to take the emotion out. People argue about the rights of the victim and others argue the rights of the accused and I'm not sure anybody ever gets it right as each person has differing views on what is right and just.

Answer 3

Justice, as rightly stated, is getting what you deserve. This can take many forms... legal, morally, socially etc.

For example, if you are more talented than your boss that aint justice!
If someone gets their hand chopped off for stealing an apple then that aint just!
When one man has ten homes whilst others sleep on the streets, that aint just!

But the reason there isn't an answer is because the notion of what is just is down to an individual's perception of the world. This is dependant on a variety of factors such as culture, upbringing, life experiences etc.

In terms the legal system, my view is that balanced justice relies on these factors :

Deterrent
Protection
Retribution
Reform

All are important - get it right and society is the winner

Answer 4

Touche! I agree with you and the person who said that justice all too often gets confused with revenge. I also agree with the person that said justice does not exist. If I had to answer the question I'd say justice is our humane way of saying revenge. Because if I poke your eye out and I get put in jail. The sentence is revenge for my action. It is a repercussion for what Ii have done to directly to you.

The reason we define justice differently is because we define revenge differently.

Answer 5

Hello Farsha, its me again.

Do you mean Socrates or Buddha?

Because there is NO final answer and never will be. For example, it is an offence in Iran for a woman to go out not wearing a veil. In France it is an offence to go out wearing a veil. Just a difference of social contract.

Answer 6

The sense of Justice is very relative, to the level of perception a person has evolved upto !

Answer 7

sadly in todays society there are one set of rules and laws for some and a different set for others, so it is no wonder that people have a different view of justice, in my own opinion, there is none.

Answer 8

Justice is simply getting what you deserve. But, sadly that is not what always happens

Answer 9

simple...no two people are the same...we are made different in all things (even in the minute details in us)
thus, we have different beliefs, resulting to different definitions of justice.

Answer 10

maybe because most people answer that question based on what is best for them, both individually and culturally.